said by ropeguru 
:Your hope 13 is just the way they have that router setup to process ICMP requests. The real problem is the link where AT&T hands off to level 3 at hops 11 and 12. Do some pings to hop 12 before and after you see the rise. My guess is that the load is picking up on that link around the time you are seeing the increase. To me, a major link like that should never jump 40ms when they are geographically so close together.
sounds to me that his connection is interleaved.. which is now confirmed by the op
