Date: 2009-07-07
From: 1 mi. past Wawayanda Shelter

To: Buchanan Mountain
Miles today: 16.7

My food bag remained untouched despite the animal noises I heard in its vicinity. I packed up and got going before any other hikers came along. In three miles, I would reach my next milestone- the official New York border!       I saw three blue-tailed skinks sunbathing on the rock ledges and really wanted to get a picture of one. However, they all scurried to safety under the rocks before I could do so. Stonebrown and I crossed paths along the rocks. He was not so fortunate to see any of the skinks.       Before long, dark clouds rolled in from the west. I was still on exposed rock and had just happened upon three large turkey vultures! As I pulled out my camera, two of them took flight, but one remained perched and I was able to take its picture. I also saw my first blackberries when I looked down at the ground. Most of them were not yet ripe, but I did taste one. My favorite moments occur when I stop walking. Only then, do I really see things. However, with the impending storm, now was not the right time to be looking around! I didn¢t know how long the exposed rocks would continue and I kept looking for places in the forest edge that I could duck into if the conditions became too dangerous. I did make it off the rocks and into the forest on the AT before the sky unleashed its torrent. I was soaked before I could pull my raingear out of my pack. I had several miles to travel before I came to NY 17A, where another creamery was located! I really didn¢t need more ice cream, but then again, who couldn¢t use a break? I dug out my guidebook pages from the bottom of my pack to see which direction the place was located. I headed east, as I was directed. It was supposed to be 0.1 miles away. I kept walking and walking and came upon no eating establishments- only a curve in the highway. I decided to see what was ahead of the curve. When I got there, I only found houses. Not happy, I started walking back up the hill. It was a long, hard walk back to where I had started. My guidebook had failed me. Bellvale Farms was located in the opposite direction! By the time I got there, Squeegie and the twins had already eaten their banana split and Lisa and Matchstick were eating a meal on the picnic tables outside. They all wondered how I had gotten behind them. I was cold and wet and didn¢t want to get colder by eating ice cream, but it was all that this place offered. More hikers came in, and soon the rain began again. I decided to wait it out, eat, and journal. Matchstick scoffed at me as he took off, telling me that I was not a ¢real¢ thru-hiker! (Are you kidding me?...)    As the rain let up, I made my way back to the trail. I was feeling tired and thought it was probably due to too much sugar in the past few days. I debated whether or not to take the 0.2 mile sidepath to Wildcat shelter. I did take it, but regretted my decision, as the shelter was crowded with hikers. I searched through my pack for my vitamins, but could not find any. Stepping around the deep mud and puddles, I made my way back out to the trail and onward toward a beautiful waterfall, and then up more rocky ascents. The moving was slow-going. I made it to Mombasha High Point, where it is possible to see the NYC skyline at times. Today was too cloudy for this view.       I knew that Squeegie¢s group planned on camping at Little Dam Lake, so I kept that location in mind. However, I wasn¢t sure which body of this water this was. I continued up more rocky views, came to a nice viewpoint from which I would have loved to watch the sun set, but didn¢t see a place for my hammock. I continued on to the top of the next mountain, as the light began to disappear. I had to find a place to set up camp. After searching out a couple of areas, I found two trees to tie up my hammock to. Just as darkness set in and I finished brushing my teeth, raindrops began to fall again. I settled into my hammock and tried to go to sleep. A little while later, I awoke to thunder and lightening. I was alone, on top of a mountain, in a lightening storm! There was nothing that could be done. I would most likely be fine, but if my time had come, I was okay with it.