Date: August 31 2000
Trail Day: 92
Miles Today: 24
Location: Tom Leonard Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 641
ECT Mile: 1333
I was glad it did not rain last night. I was sleeping in a cozy hollow and
would have been in trouble had it rained as water can collect there and get soaked in the sleeping bag. There were no suitable places to tarp.
Crossed Massachusetts turnpike - took a
photograph.
The flash did not come
on so I think it will be a silhoute of me with the road in the background.
Mosquitoes continue to be bad. Sit for 5 minutes and they make your life
miserable. Things are OK when you are going downhill or flat but on uphills
they start biting.
One of the hills had a large bush bursting with blueberries. The bush
was about 10 ft tall - not the low ones. The berries on this one are
bigger and numerous. I stopped and spent about half an hour picking and eating.
If life gets any better than this, I sure would like to know. Also came
across several apple trees - not the store kind but smaller. Some were
good, others OK. Also saw a 1.5 ft snake. I was surprised when it slithered
rapidly towards me - turned out that's where its shelter was. Saw several
salamanders.
Met 4 north bounders. I am almost starting to miss them. They were a nuisance
in a crowd but a good source of information on future trail conditions.
All of them will have to do a good clip to get to Katahdin before they close
for the season (Oct 15).
Today was another beautiful day. Started out cloudy but cleared up later.
Also saw 3 groups of Yale freshmen. One of the group leaders was Amanda.
She is from California. Nice girl. They are very concious of their status
as ivy league students. I hope it doesn't go to their heads. In life, humility
goes a long way. I got to the shelter and there was a group from Yale. I went
to them to ask for directions for water. I caught them spelling out names of
things with their butts. They also have a song for when they hang their
bear bags. I heard this one from the group that I met near Barrington.
It goes ( I am not sure of the first line)
Hey Black Bear
You are big and strong
If you eat our food
We will kick your ass
Date: September 1 2000
Trail Day: 93
Miles Today: 18
Location: Near Peak of Race Mountain
Section Mile: AT 659
ECT Mile: 1361
Last night at about 10 PM a north bounder showed up - name: Falafel. He lives
in Bardstown. I used to ride my motorcycle to Bardstown a lot when I was
in Louisville. Today morning I copied the Data Book section for New York/
New Jersey from him. I will try and get maps in Kent but if not I will
manage with just the data book numbers.
I packed, put on my backpack and left. The pack felt very light. Then I
realized that I had forgotten to pack my food which was hanging in the
shelter. Went back and got it. Falafel and I had a good laugh over it.
Continued up East Mountain. This place should just be called Blueberry
Mountain - tons of them as far as the eye could see. I spent about a half
hour plucking and eating. I was also very thirsty since last night and
was out of water. I had to hike several miles before I came to a road.
Decided to get water at one of the houses. The lady had just gotten up.
She asked me to go to the back of the house and get water from the faucet.
She said she had spent a year teaching in Maharashtra, India.
The trail then went past corn fields. I tried eating some of the young corn.
It tasted excellent. Ate several more. Then came across an apple tree with
the best tasting apples I have come across in the wild so far. Ate some
and put 5 in my pocket.
Then a sharp short climb up a mountain. It became very cloudy and started
raining. I was hoping to do a 20 but had to settle for what I got.
I am now tarped about half a mile from the peak of Race mountain. I think
I am in some buck's territory. He keeps stomping and snorting. If I yell
he runs away but then comes back.
I met no north bound thru hikers today. First time this is happening. I did
meet a section hiker - Gerard. He is from New York city. He took a
photo
of
me with my camera and I took a shot of him with his. He showed me several
photographs of his trip to Canada. They were beautiful.
The mosquitoes are horrible again and I hope the buck doesn't keep
bothering me.
A tree with a massive trunk.
A scenic view.
Date: September 2 2000
Trail Day: 94
Miles Today: 26
Location: Pine Swamp Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 685
ECT Mile: 1377
It rained quite heavily last night. I got my sleeping bag slightly wet, quite
good considering the heavy rain. There was a lot of thunder and lightning.
I waited for it to stop raining and got out of the tarp and started to get
it down. It started to rain again and I got soaked.
Continued the climb down Race mountain. I met Waterfall near Sager Ravine.
She is a pretty south bound thru-hiker from Louisiana. She has a slight
southern drawl. Her real name is Nina Baxley. She was extremely active
in trailplace.com about 8 months ago and she had also transcribed a '99 thru-
hiker's journal. I knew she was originally planning on a north bound hike but
then switched to a south bound hike.
I hiked with her to the junction of Under mountain trail. She was going to
blue blaze Bear mountain via this trail. I tried to talk her into climbing
Bear mountain (white blaze). She almost agreed but then a north bounder came
by the blue blaze and said it was much easier. He had heard from a south
bounder that the climb up Bear mountain was steep with climbing bars and
stuff. Waterfall then changed her mind and decided to blue blaze. I took a
photo
of her before we seperated.
The climb up Bear mountain was steep in places but very short. In fact, I
had to ask the people already up there if it was indeed the peak - it was
so short. There were also no metal bars. I don't know what the north bounder
was talking about. I am sure Waterfall could have done this easily. I got
a photo
of me at the peak. Absolutely no views because of the fog. I was also
in Connecticut now, my seventh state.
The climb down Bear mountain was gradual. I made good time on this. some places
were rocky but otherwise the trails have a lot of dirt on them - good for
friction. We had no such thing in New Hampshire and Maine.
The trail then skirted the town of Salisbury and climbed Wetawa mountain.
I met a group of guys doing a day hike to the falls on the Housatonic river.
All of them seemed to be in good shape. I got to a place called "The Thumb".
It is a vertical rock looking like a thumb. Time for another
photo. Also met
an older gentleman who had worked for the embassy in Madras, India. He knew
several phrases in Tamil. For Americans they say, "The world ends at their
borders", indicating their lack of interest and knowledge of foreign
cultures and countries. I have found this to be true in general. However
I have met a lot of people who not only knew about India but had actually
been there and worked there in some instances. I was having Indian food in
Thistle Hill shelter about 2 weeks ago and a scout looks at me and says,
"Palak Paneer" - the name of the dish I was eating. I was extremely
surprised. Bivouac Jack the hiker I met about 5 days ago was married to
a Nepali - not Indian, but close enough. He knew several phrases in Hindi.
The trail then climbed down and ran along the Housatonic River. Portions of it
were very good, others bad. Also a lot of cutting in and out of roads -
easy to lose the trail.
The trail then climbed Sharon mountain. The mosquitoes were very bad, so I had
to put on my T-shirt and spray poison (DEET) on me. Got to the Pine
Swamp shelter - 26 miles. Cooked and ate rice with tuna - came out good.
All I have now is a handfull of cookie crumbs to last me the 17 miles to
Kent where I resupply. I also want to do laundry and take a shower there.
Also, try and get maps for the NY/NJ section. I should be out of Connecticut
tomorrow - small state.
Date: September 3 2000
Trail Day: 95
Miles Today: 18
Location: Mt. Algo Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 703
ECT Mile: 1395
Today's hike had about a 6 mile section along the Housatonic river. There
were several local people running and hiking the trail. I also saw and passed a
couple whom I saw again on the road to Kent at the trail head. They had done
a loop and gave me a ride into Kent. The climb to Caleb's peak turned out
to be surprisingly difficult - almost a throw back to Maine with sections
where you had to pull yourself up holding rocks.
On one of the lookouts, just before the trail dropped to Kent, I saw a cairn
with notes to Crash. This was the place he died. I took a
photograph
of the
cairn. It was sad. Its strange how you are touched by someone you've
never met.
Went to the pizza and place in Kent. Had beer and 2 ft of sub. The food and
beer was excellent but it cost me an arm. Did laundry and tried to call
Kumar, Suriyan and Vivek, No luck anywhere. Got groceries for a day.
I've heard there are many Deli's in New York and I will get food there.
Met Mama Hotpants there. Looks like there are a few south bounders in Kent.
Continued to Mt. Algo Lean-to. PlayFoot was there. He is doing a section
hike. We had a long discussion about hiking, books and philosophy.
It was quite interesting. He gave me a glow light. It's extremely light but quite effective. I had been looking to buy one for a while.
Date: September 4 2000
Trail Day: 96
Miles Today: 21
Location: Telephone Pioneers Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 724
ECT Mile: 1416
Happy birthday Kumar. Talked to the groups from Princeton and Playfoot for
a while and took off. Tuition at Princeton is 30K a year ! Playfoot gave
me a flashlight that weighs about 0.1 ounce. I had seen such lights before
and was looking to buy one. Thanks Playfoot.
Continued the climb up the mountain. Passed another group of Princeton
students. The trail entered New York state for a mile or so and went back to
Connecticut.
Then there was a walk along the Housatonic river. This will be the last one.
There is some white water here. Saw 2 large St. Bernard's. Also met
Walkie-Talkie and a lady. He did the trail in '97. He asked me a lot of
questions on the IAT portion of the hike. IAT has now become fairly well
known and I can easily see it being completed several years down the
line. There were a lot of people doing day hikes because of the long
weekend. It was nice talking to Walkie-Talkie.
Some more miles of bushes and forests and I was in New york - my eighth
state - Wow ! The land has been changing quite a bit. The roots and
rocks are disappearing and the vegetation in valleys is becoming
extremely thick.
Met another group of about 10 day hikers. Surprisingly, all of them were
fit. They asked about my hike and the children listened wide eyed. It
was cool.
Got to the Appalachian Trail Station. Trains run from here to New York
and several other places. You can get here, walk 20 feet and be on the trail
- very unusual. Got food at a nearby deli. I drank the beer in a brown
paper bag.
It was getting quite cold. I have had no summer this year. Walked another
3 miles to the shelter. There was no one. This is the first time this is
happening. In Potaywadjo shelter no one was there but one couple was
tented. Even I had tented due to the mosquitoes. In Stony Brook shelter
I slept by myself but there was another guy tented, again due to mosquitoes.
Cube shelter is no longer a real shelter. I think I will be having the
shelter to myself more and more. Saw no north bounders today.
Date: September 5 2000
Trail Day: 97
Miles Today: 20
Location: Top of Shenandoah Mtn.
Section Mile: AT 744
ECT Mile: 1436
Writing this from the top of Shenandoah Mountain. I don't know if this
is the summit but sure seems like it. I will be sleeping on top here -
going to be my first. The view is spectacular - not the breath taking of
the Whites but beautiful in its own way. The sun has set and a half moon
is out. Its pinkish where the sun has set and bluish on the other side of
the horizon. Overhead is a sky of dark blue, grey and orange almost all mixed
together. Another horizon shows long streaks of clouds. Its almost all
forest and hills looking from here. Civilization shows itself not
blatantly and vulgarly as it normally does but more as a hint that it exists.
You can see the electric lines stretch into the distance. In one corner there
is a cluster of town lights, quite subdued. There is a flicker of light
every once in a while from the towers here and there. And you can hear
faintly but not see the turnpike. It is somewhat cold and windy. I am in
my thermal underwear. It is very beautiful and serene. It cannot be
captured by photographs, paintings or words.
Last night I did have the shelter all to myself - no late arrivals. I have
started the "no map" section and so dont know what to expect - sometimes its
a climb, somtimes a lake. About 10 road crossings today. Had lunch at a
Deli on Rt 52. I did not know if it was to the left or right and ended up
doing an extra 2 mile roadwalk. Food was good and I could not finish it.
This was a surprise.
Because I had no maps I missed a shelter. Usually, I know where the side trail
is, if the shelter is not on the trail itself. Today I started looking
for it after I was about a mile past it. All in all a fairly easy, lethargic
day of hiking. Saw only 2 hikers to the end - no one else. The north
bounder run is over. School's started and there are only a few south bounders.
So the trail is actually starting to get a little lonely. I am also avoiding
a lot of towns and hiker places due to a philosophical problem that I will write
about some time down the line. Now, time to eat a sub and watch the stars.
Date: September 6 2000
Trail Day: 98
Miles Today: 19
Location: Near Hemlock Springs Camp
Section Mile: AT 763
ECT Mile: 1455
The moon set quickly last night. I watched the stars quite a bit. Lots of
planes over the area - probably going into or out of N. York city. Another
day of numerous road crossings. Got to Rte 9. There's supposed to be a
convenience store here which is now closed. Walked further to a place called
Stadium. Its a sport bar. I was very low on cash and luckily the place had
an ATM. Withdrew some money and had lunch. Turned out quite expensive.
Got back to the trail and hiked 3 miles or so and decided to stop.
There's still day light left but I dont feel like hiking. I've also got
a slight headache. This area is crawling with deer. They are quite unafraid
and curious. I took a
photo
of one that was close by.
