Dreary in Jersey

Rainy Days in Jersey

Today we got up especially early, because bad weather was forecasted for this afternoon. We started our hike just a bit past 7:00am. It was very, very cold, at least for my thin Southern blood. About 40 degrees, I think, with a thick fog in the air. We wanted to get an early start, not only because there was bad weather rolling in, but because we had 14 miles to hike today, which we knew would take up a big chunk of daylight. So in the early morning cold and fog, we pressed on. We hiked for about two hours before it started to drizzle. Luckily, a bit of good karma was with us and we were right next to a shelter when the rain started.

Suiting up in my rain gear for the deluge...

It never really rained very hard. Just a steady wet drizzle all day long. Just enough to get everything nice and wet. If it hadn't been so chilly, it would've been almost refreshing. Walking in the cold and the rain is never ideal. But one good thing about it, for me, is that it makes me take fewer rest breaks. I might move slower because I'm trying to pay attention to my footing, but I don't stop as much, since I start to freeze the instant I stop moving. So that's a plus. Total, we walked in the rain for about 7 hours. The terrain was rocky, but not too steep. We climbed Sunrise Mountain, which, surrounded by fog, was hardly ideal for viewing the sky, and ended up in the middle of a New Jersey State Park. At least the signs of civilization, when we emerged wet and cold from the woods, were comforting. It felt good to do a nice long hike, even if it was in pretty yucky conditions. We'll see if it clears up for tomorrow.

Going to dry off and warm up...