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July 26, 1983: The next two miles or so of trail was one unbroken rock pile. Using mind control techniques which will be described in my next book, The Principles of Psychotic Backpacking, I convinced myself that Blue Mountain was throwing everything it had into one final vain attempt to destroy me, and just kept plugging away, ignoring the beating my feet were taking.
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Mercifully, I arrived at a gravel road, which the Appalachian Trail followed for the ensuing mile-and-a-half to the top of Mount Minsi. I took a ten-minute break at the summit, drinking the last of my water, and began the long descent to the Delaware River. Somewhere during this final downhill, it occurred to me that the first ridge I would be hiking in New Jersey was actually a continuation of Blue Mountain.
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They were segments of one continuous ridge, separated by a gap carved by the Delaware River (hence the name Delaware Water Gap — duh). I would by no means be finished with Blue Mountain’s rocks once I crossed into New Jersey. I filed this cheerful thought away for later and continued down.
From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 Appalachian Trail Thru-hike). Available in paperback, audiobook and eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6
You can read or listen to my book for free if you are a Kindle Unlimited eBook or an Audible Plus audiobook subscriber. Both options are available from Amazon, where the paperback, eBook or audiobook can also be purchased.