Week 15

7/20 Silver Hill campsite 1480, spent the day in Kent, did laundry finally

7/21 Riga Shelter 1506, Night hiked out of salisbury with moonlight, had to take of my shoes to wade across two streams, saw a rattlesnake and a family of bears (three cubs and an adult)

7/22 Great Barrington 1523, climbed Bear Mtn, and crossed into MA

7/23 Shaker Campsite 1542, packed out mcdonalds, 

7/24 stealth campsite 1562, beginning to enter a world of mud

7/25 Cheshire town campground 1581, 

7/26 Mt Greylock "emergency" shelter 1589

This week I've been going north, parallel to the Housatonic River. "River of the Mountain Place" from americanized Mohican. The river flows south, so I've been watching it shrink as I hike. It's been overflowing from recent rainfall, and the ground has been pretty saturated and muddy. There have been places I've had to take detours or take off my shoes to cross a stream. Makes me miss the 10 mile dry stretches of Virginia. 

I met my first southbound thru-hikers near the MA/CT border. They were going fast, hiking 25-35 miles per day. One of them was still on his first pair of shoes! I guess that's a way of measuring distance. I'm about one pair of shoes away from reaching Katahdin, after hiking three shoes. They said that I've got a lot more mud to look forward to in Vermont. 

Although the state borders don't mean much, they're good reminders to look around and notice the change of scenery. New England has had a more boggy section of trail, with mixed forest cover and more areas of reduced undergrowth. I haven't seen any raspberries in a while, but there have been plenty of blueberries. There's also a lot more mosquitos to go with the bogs. I might actually start carrying a repellant.

Vermont, here I come!

Week 14 pictures, pt 4

Train to New York City right on the trail

Camping at Tony's Deli

Week 14 pictures, pt 3

View of the Bear Mtn. Bridge from the walk to Ft. Montgomery

The Dover Oak, the oldest tree on the AT

Week 14 pictures, pt. 2

stopped for a dip

The Lemon Squeezer

View of the Hudson from Bear Mtn.

Week 14 pictures, pt. 1

Jake the Donkey looking for breakfast at the "secret shelter"

Week 14, Two Thirds Hiked

7/13 "Secret Shelter" 1346, Deli-blazed Sandwich Lobby, NJ high point park

7/14 Camped just past the NY border 1369, morning donkey and deli, sunset rainbow, bear cub spotted, marsh boardwalk, 

7/15 Tiorati Beach stealth spot 1392, another bear in the morning, sunny ridges, 

7/16 camped past the bear mtn bridge 1409, went in to ft montgomery and thru the zoo, low elevation point of 150 ft

7/17 Canopus lake beach campsite 1427, thunderstorm night

7/18 Tony's deli 1452, Dover Oak - oldest tree, dipped in nuclear lake, 100 days on trail!

7/19 Mt. Algo shelter 1470, Connecticut near Kent

This week I was able to hike straight through to CT without stopping in town. There were enough delis right off trail to deli-blaze and charge my phone without taking a day off. There were no cheap places to stay either, so it worked out. I caught up to a bunch of people I hadn't seen in a while, and met plenty of new people. 

There was a few big storms this week, and when I crossed the Housatonic river it was almost overflowing its banks. There was a report that bridges up ahead had been compromised, and there have been a few flash flood warnings. Most importantly though, the trail has gotten muddy. 

I passed the 100 day, and 1462.1 milestones this week. There was no sign for the 2/3rds mark, so I had to make one. I still haven't met any Southbound hikers yet, but they shouldn't be too far off.

Massachusets here I come!

Week 13 pics pt 4

Hunterdon Hiking Club trail magic

Week 13 pics pt 3

Delaware River

an unconcerned deer