Date: 2017-08-11
From: Greymoor Spiritual Center

To: Fahnestock St Park - AT Campsite
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today started great. Woke up around 5, slept for a couple more hours, started packing up around 7 and out on the trail at 8:15. I had decided last night that I would do the 12 + about a mile of Blue blaze to Fahnestock instead of pushing ahead to the next shelter. When I put my pack on, it felt great. I don't know if I fit it better or what, but I was ready to seize the day. At each road crossing, I stopped to eat a snack and check my location. On two separate ocassions, I saw the same woman walking different large dogs. I also had a nice couple roll down a dirt road ask me if I needed anything. I busted thru 8 miles before lunch and knew that I had 4 more before my blaze to the park.Here's the thing about blazes: sometimes they're well marked. And sometimes they're not. And almost anything off the AT that's not the AT is blue...So when I started reading signs for the park and the instructions were "Follow the AT 1.5 more miles then take the blue blaze", I didn't hesitate to take the first one I found. Blinded by excitement and the thought of a sports drink...or really anything cold and flavored...I went the wrong way. For probably a mile and a half. And then had to come back. By the time that I was back on the AT, I was mentally devestated.  I knew I didn't have far to go, but I was almost out of water. And I couldn't make myself eat another snack bar for energy. So I trudged along. Slowly.When I finally hit the RIGHT blue blaze, I could think of nothing other than the warm camp shower waiting on the other side. I go to the park, set up my hammock, and walked to the shower. That they were locking for the night. I asked about others and they said "Oh, they're up across the road - where to AT camp sites are."...I went back to my site, packed my things back up, and crossed my fingers that the rain would hold off long enough to get settled in for the night. As I was setting my hammock up...again...an older man walked into the camp area. He said hello. He asked if I'd eated. He asked if I'd like some dinner. He told me his campsite number and said he'd make me some ham and eggs. He walked away and I started to cry.After all the ups and downs of my second day, I had my first instance of Trail Magic*. The man's name is Joe. He lives in Yonkers and he has been coming to this campsite every other week, 7 times a year, to feed AT hikers. I had a great conversation with him, 2 hikers from London, and 1 from Canada. He's promised to make is breakfast tomorrow as well. Now I'm hunkered down in my hammock, rain pouring on top of me, and hoping I won't get woken up due to a rain fly malfunction. But I had an amazing sandwich, some surprise shrimp scampi from the site next to Joe's, and 2 glasses of Pepsi.  I'm sure I will sleep well barring disaster.Til next time...*Trail Magic: Anything that happens along the trail that you didn't expect and helps to make your day better. Ex: Water bottles left in a cooler at a road crossing, Finding a supply left at a shelter that you really need, Someone offering food/shelter/help just because they can.