The orange dot in NY is about where I am today
It's been a while since I updated the blog. I've been keeping up with most people thru the GroupMe App so I've been putting this off. I'm now about 50 miles into NY. New York has 90 miles of the AT. It's been difficult going for the last couple of weeks. I've had trouble getting enough sleep. I've been to some interesting places and met some nice people. Check out the notes and pictures below.
Today I'm at the Stony Point Conference center. I've been sleeping here since June 16th and either been slack packing or taking days off. Pat spent 3 days here with me over the weekend. Stony Point Center used to be a training facility for missionaries but now serves as a religious retreat and general conference center. Since it's close to the trail and always has available rooms they offer a special hiker rate, just $50 per night including breakfast (higher on weekends). Pat was on her way up to Boston to visit her sister and stayed with me while I've rested. She has since left and continued on to Boston. I've since slack packed out of the center for the last two days until I get too far north for it to be practical.
June 9
Climbed a fire tower and made a video. https://youtu.be/sDv8bYA6x1E
I scared off my first bear of the trip with a Stephen King audio book playing.
I met 3 thru hikers at 8:30pm who were cooking dinner along the trail. I had 5 miles left to go to the road where a shuttle driver would take me back to a hotel. They were going to hike the same section at night too. After talking for 20 min, we all donned our head lamps and hike together for 0.6 miles, I couldn't keep up with them after that. I finished hiking at about 1145pm found other hikers at High Point State Park HQ. They had arrived only 15 min ahead of me. They had hiked 29 miles that day!!!! I only had done 14 miles. The shuttle driver picked me up and took me back to hotel. Phew! Long day.
Climbed a fire tower and made a video. https://youtu.be/sDv8bYA6x1E
I scared off my first bear of the trip with a Stephen King audio book playing.
I met 3 thru hikers at 8:30pm who were cooking dinner along the trail. I had 5 miles left to go to the road where a shuttle driver would take me back to a hotel. They were going to hike the same section at night too. After talking for 20 min, we all donned our head lamps and hike together for 0.6 miles, I couldn't keep up with them after that. I finished hiking at about 1145pm found other hikers at High Point State Park HQ. They had arrived only 15 min ahead of me. They had hiked 29 miles that day!!!! I only had done 14 miles. The shuttle driver picked me up and took me back to hotel. Phew! Long day.
June 10
Zero day
Zero day
June 11
High Point State Park NJ
Easy trails across pastures today.
A ridge runner stopped to check on me while I was napping.
Dinner at "Wits End Tavern" in Unionville NY, it was so hot I stayed at the tavern until it got cooler.
Camped in the Unionville tiny town playground park.
High Point State Park NJ
Easy trails across pastures today.
A ridge runner stopped to check on me while I was napping.
Dinner at "Wits End Tavern" in Unionville NY, it was so hot I stayed at the tavern until it got cooler.
Camped in the Unionville tiny town playground park.
June 12
Hiked 12 miles from Unionville to Vernon Township
There were two women day hikers ahead of me when suddenly they turned around and came back towards me. I asked if they'd given up. Nope, there was a bear on the trail. I told them that I'd go first. I never saw the bear. They said that they spotted two bears as we quickly passed.
Hiked 12 miles from Unionville to Vernon Township
There were two women day hikers ahead of me when suddenly they turned around and came back towards me. I asked if they'd given up. Nope, there was a bear on the trail. I told them that I'd go first. I never saw the bear. They said that they spotted two bears as we quickly passed.
I got a ride to the Shenandoah Motel from Julie. She was driving back from Rhode Island and drove out of her way to meet me. We gave a ride to another hiker into town then we went out to dinner together. It was late by that time and she decided to spend the night with me.
June 13
Slack packing again today out of the Shenandoah Motel.
Met Tim, Huck and Finn and another young woman on the trail today
Saw mother bear and 2 cubs, one cub went up a tree and the other ran off with momma.
I stopped at shelter and found Tim, Huck and Finn. Spent 30min talking to Tim.
Slack packing again today out of the Shenandoah Motel.
Met Tim, Huck and Finn and another young woman on the trail today
Saw mother bear and 2 cubs, one cub went up a tree and the other ran off with momma.
I stopped at shelter and found Tim, Huck and Finn. Spent 30min talking to Tim.
I continued on and caught a shuttle back to the Motel.
June 14
Tim was at road crossing when I was dropped off.
Never caught up to him during the day but he was at shelter that night where I camped.
Got big banana split and birch beer at creamery on trail.
I finished NJ today!
I camped at the Wildcat shelter, with Spoon and Tim.
Tim was at road crossing when I was dropped off.
Never caught up to him during the day but he was at shelter that night where I camped.
Got big banana split and birch beer at creamery on trail.
I finished NJ today!
I camped at the Wildcat shelter, with Spoon and Tim.
June 15
Ran into Turtle and Frodo today, I met them weeks ago at a diner one morning.
I swam in a lake today, no swimming signs but no one was around.
I camped near little dam lake alone. It was a long hard day and I had to get dirty water from the swampy lake and filter it.
Ran into Turtle and Frodo today, I met them weeks ago at a diner one morning.
I swam in a lake today, no swimming signs but no one was around.
I camped near little dam lake alone. It was a long hard day and I had to get dirty water from the swampy lake and filter it.
June 16
I climbed thru the "Lemon Squeezer" today in the rain.
I'm staying at Stony Point Center tonight.
http://stonypointcenter.org/
Forest really changed today not much ground cover, just grass but lots of trees.
Lots of rock climbing required today.
Talked to a German couple going south. Heard about a couple from Austria that said that there are no mountains to hike in Austria, they all have to be climbed, so they came her to hike.
My first trail magic, there were gallons and gallons of water at Rt 17 and 19.
I climbed thru the "Lemon Squeezer" today in the rain.
I'm staying at Stony Point Center tonight.
http://stonypointcenter.org/
Forest really changed today not much ground cover, just grass but lots of trees.
Lots of rock climbing required today.
Talked to a German couple going south. Heard about a couple from Austria that said that there are no mountains to hike in Austria, they all have to be climbed, so they came her to hike.
My first trail magic, there were gallons and gallons of water at Rt 17 and 19.
June 17
Zero at Stony Point Center
Zero at Stony Point Center
June 18
Spent the day with Pat
Very short slackpack (2.6m) from Perkins Tower on Bear Mtn to the Zoo entrance, NY
Spent the day with Pat
Very short slackpack (2.6m) from Perkins Tower on Bear Mtn to the Zoo entrance, NY
June 19
Spent most of the day with Pat
I went swimming at Canopus beach, NY
Very short slackpack (1.5m) over Bear Mtn Bridge and around the zoo
Met guy from the Bronx New York, he was tattooed all over with stuff like syringes and gang signs, he asked me about hiking the trail and was amazed that I, not looking like an athlete had hiked all the way there from Maryland. He said he could handle knives and guns but was afraid of staying in the woods. He had never heard of the AT.
June 20
Started a slack packing day atop Bear Mtn. at the Perkins Memorial Tower and headed south on the AT. back towards where I'd left off last Thursday. It was an 11.5 mile day and really, really hot 88 degrees. In fact, I almost quit today. I'd been told to never decide to quit on a bad day, so I'm still going on now. I ran into another through hiker I've met before at the tower, Jarhead. The shuttle drive Teo is picked me up at 9pm. I also me another southbound section hiker named Eater. We here hiking at the same speed most of the day so I had good company most of the day.
June 21
Today was much better. I was dropped off north of all the hikers I met yesterday and so got to meet them all again today. They are hiking north at more than 2 times the rate I am. I found Jarhead resting in the shade by the road side and I rested with him for about 20 minutes. He was hiking north while I was slack packing south. The rest of the day I passed a stream of through hikers, many of whom I met yesterday. That was fun. About 1:30pm I set up my tent and dozed/slept for 2.5 hours waiting out the hottest part of the day. What a difference that made. I still finished late at 8:30 but I was not suffering like yesterday. It was much cooler and there was a nice breeze all day. Teo hiked up the trail to meet me. When we were almost to the car, on the final 3 steps down the steep trail, I slipped forward and was about to impale my side on a piece of rebar sticking up from the ground. I put my hands down and arched myself up and rolled away from the rebar and only got dirty.
entrance to the lemon squeezer
