Date: 2008-09-23
From: Seven Lakes Drive

To: Island Pond
Miles today: 12.7

I was up and moving and on the road by 5:50am. Not bad. Had wanted to get out by 5:30, but took me longer to get everything done that I needed to do. Change the dog water, feed the cat - all the normal chores. The only chore I don't do when I leave for hiking is to take the dog out. The drive down was uneventful. There wasn't as much traffic on the Taconic as there was a week or so ago. Again, lots of deer on the side of the road. Found my way back to the Seven Lakes Drive parking area in pretty good time. I was hiking by 8:30. Saw four turkey right away. Looks like it will be a good hike. Love to see wildlife right away.Funny thing - didn't see any more wildlife the rest of the day.Today was a perfect hiking day. Could not have asked for better conditions. The sun was out, the sky was blue. It was a little cool - nothing like a week ago with the humidity. It was great. The trail wasn't too bad. Lots of rocks.Pretty neat geological formations. I took 2 semester of geology in college, but can't really remember anything. But, this was definitely a rock persons hike. Lots of giant boulders and rock faces. Not too bad for climbing - it really was a great day.I came to a view overlooking silvermine pond and came up on a pair of vultures sunning with their wings spread. It was really cool.   I have seen more vultures up close in NY than I ever have. One took off when I approached, but the other one just sat there looking at me. I think it was a juvenal because it didn't have any read on its head. Or maybe it was a female. I will have to check my book when I get home. I was able to get quite a few pictures - I hoope that they come out. It seeing things like this that make you just know how lucky you are to be out here.I ran into a guy heading north. He is out for a couple of days. He is from NJ - trying to finish up NY. His name was slomo. Nice guy. We were talking about where eat of us was heading and somehow we started looking at his map. I told him I was maybe thinking about going to NY 17 - but wasn't sure. While looking at the map he said that his son had stealth camped at Island Pond during the summer. Uhm.   That might work if I can't make it to 17.Lots of hardwoods today. Lots of acorns again. These were mostly brown - not as many green ones as last week. I was having a lot of problems with my right foot today. My boot just didn't feel right. It felt too loose and when I tightened up my laces it felt too tight. Also felt like I was getting a blister on the right side of the ball of my foot. At one point, I stopped and put some duct tape on. It felt a little better, but still not quite right.I got to fingerboard shelter around 3pm. There was a guy there who was doing from the Conn. border down to 17A. But, he was not expecting to get there until Thursday - it was only Tuesday. Taking his time enjoying being out.I told him I was going to 17A for tomorrow. He asked how long I was out for - I told him 2 days. He couldn't understand why I had such a big pack. I told him - I take the same gear no matter how many days. Cause you just never know. The only difference is how much food and snacks that I bring. We chatted a little bit longer and then I moved on. I didn't get his name though. I decided to keep moving.   Back at Arden Valley road I called the Tuxedo Motel to see if they had any room. Nope. That is twice I have called them and they never have any room. I figured it was a Tuesday - that they might. But no cigar.   OK - so I will hike to Island Pond and try to find a stealth site.I really didn't want to have to do 16+ miles tomorrow. Hate to make the SQ wait around for me.Boy was the Lemon Squeezer tough. Not the squeezer itself, but just above it. I came to a ledge and said holy shit. How do I get down. There was a side trail that said easy way - but that just wouldn't seem right. I must say I was scared. I dropped my pack - thud. Threw my poles and slide down as much as I could. I was hanging on by my finger tips and finally dropped down. I dropped more than 2 feet down. It was tough on my right knee. I was really glad that I was going down and not up because there is no way I would have been able to get up and I don't know if I could have hoisted my pack up either.   Being short really has its disadvantages out on the trail. Got to the pond just before 5pm. I found a spot and could hear some guys unloading a canoe from a van. Looks like they were going to go out and do some fishing. I just kinda sat around until they were out on the pond - didn't really want to draw any attention to where I was.Got camp set up, fetched some water out of the pond. Glad that I decided to keep going today. The kid at the shelter wasn't sure if there was any water and I was totally out when I got here.Usually when I hike - I do the ziplock cooking method. Don't like to have to clean my pot - but I figured for one day I would just cook in the pot. It actually does cook better in the pot then doing the bag cooking method.   I was eating a Lipton Rice dish. Way too much food. I wish they had smaller versions.   It really is a chore somedays for me to finish one of these things up. I am hoping to get an early start - hike at first light. I have about 14 miles to go before I get to where the SQ will be waiting.