On the 97th day of my journey, I embarked on a challenging trek through New Jersey, with a particular focus on the state's iconic boardwalk and the breathtaking views of the New York City skyline. This day marked a significant milestone as I crossed into New York, my eighth state on trail. The journey began with a slow start due to my hobbling left ankle, which had resulted in a bruise and hotspot on the ball of my left foot. Despite the initial setbacks, I persevered and gained speed as the terrain evened out.
One of the most memorable experiences of the day was encountering the famous New Jersey boardwalk, a nearly mile-long stretch that meanders through a marshy area. The boardwalk was bustling with day hikers, and I took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding nature. After a brief stop at Heaven Hill Farm store, I indulged in a small pie, iced coffee, and apple cider slushie, fueling up for the upcoming challenges.
The real test came with the Stairway to Heaven climb, a steep 900-foot ascent in less than a mile. The hot dog I had earlier seemed to weigh me down, and I struggled to make it to the top. The view from the top, however, was breathtaking, and I could even see the high point monument that I had walked by the day before. It was a humbling reminder of the progress I had made.
As I continued on, I fell behind the others due to my foot pain. I bandaged up my foot and tried to cushion it, but the supplies on hand were limited. I knew I needed new shoes, which I had shipped ahead and should arrive in a couple of days. In the meantime, I had to work through the pain and mitigate it as best I could.
The next several miles were uneventful, with plenty of small ups and downs. I quietly and methodically knocked out the miles, until I reached another milestone - the New Jersey/New York state line. Crossing over into New York, I felt invigorated and continued on, still having another 6 miles to go.
However, the next several miles turned out to be quite difficult, with lots of rock faces and bouldering that slowed down my pace. The mental drain at the end of a long day made it even more challenging, but I persevered and got some good views along the way, including one of the New York City skyline.
After slogging through the miles, the last 2 miles were very cruisy, and I made short work of them. Finally, a little after 8 pm, I made it to the parking lot where we planned to finish for the day. I was greeted by Big Stick, who informed me that there was some trail magic down the road, so we headed that way.
A couple of hundred yards later, we arrived at some trail magic and had a hot dog, a burger, and two sodas. It was much appreciated after a long day. Shortly after, Blueberry Turtle's sister pulled up and picked up Shooter, Big Stick, and I, bringing us into Warwick to the drive-in movie theater, where we would camp for the night and enjoy the movies.
Despite being tired, I couldn't resist the temptation to stay up and watch the second movie. However, I just couldn't keep my eyes open and fell asleep in my tent. As I reflect on this day, I realize that the challenges I faced, both physical and mental, were a testament to my resilience and determination. The journey ahead will undoubtedly be filled with more obstacles, but I am ready to face them head-on, one step at a time.
