Entering New England

Jersey was unbelieveably sweet. I'll leave those stories for someone else to tell though.
Relaxed, nice views, predominantly fair skies. A few run-ins with skeeters and one big bad rattler. But otherwise all was well. Quite memorable. And most specially, I had favored company the whole way. Never knew that state to be so wonderful.

New York, not so much. New York infact sucked. Quite a bit.
Intent on falling off the 20mile-day band wagon, from getting dropped off near the state line the night before, nonetheless pulled a 22. Over asmuch rockslap and scramble as not. In as much torential downpour as not. Fortunately I was dropped off in possession of new glasses. Otherwise finding my was in all this would have been nigh unto impossible.
Holding valiently to morale inspite of this (Hey- Mother Nature is giving out free warm showers, and its all good) I arrived at the imaginably full shelter well into the evening. Only to discover that Stalker #1, whom I have escaped since Damascus some 900 miles ago, was present, and only too happy to see me. That's when my day went down. Some section hikers maderoom for meacross their feet, and a friend not seen since Blacksburg, VA appeared in the dark, so there was a good note to fall asleep on. However,
Next day was more of the same, only I passed up town for camping, in interest of solitude and secrecy. I woke happy the following morning gray. Having conditions allowing dry feet maintainable makes all the difference, and yet a general feeling of weariness at this whole Thru-Hiking business was present. 8 more weeks of this? Feels like I've been out here forever...
Things started to improve aftert the Hudson, both in terms of weather and terrain. And on the Mid- 4th morning when sunshine broke and I was actually only doing 15 miles hiking this ordeal didn't seem so terminal anymore. Hiking 15's is fun. Things go smoothly with virtually no plan.

I fell into 20 again yesterday, several unexpected sidenotes notwithstanding, which landed me at the lovely Ten Mile River shelter, practically all my own.
And now New York is done, and I am in Kent, CT. For the day. And hopefully the night. I just havent found a permissable place to sleep yet.