It doesn't have any water, but it's dry!

The bright clear sky this morning belied any intent of sending difficult weather my way, but the forecast kept me moving as I thumped across the flat onetime sod farms now become a wildlife refuge. Avian songs filled the skies, with nary a rattle to be heard ... perfection, only slightly dented by an SUV barreling down the back road.

A New Jersey swamp trail boardwalk

Pochuck Shelter

The trail then dove into a forest of old swamp oak and took to a chain of boards stretched across one of New Jersey's renowned swamps. Then, across open fields, now swept by chilly gusts - yup, accurate forecast, to the hour - and up the first ridge slope to Pochuck shelter. I arrived by 11 am and settled in for a "nero" (near zero miles) day. The leading edge of the thunderstorm followed a half an hour later.

There's no water supply at this shelter, but it will give me a dry space to make an early start on tomorrow's perfect forecast. I will need it! The next shelter is 13 miles away, beyond a rocky 900 foot climb.