Date: 2006-11-10
From: Millbrook Blairstown Rd

To: Millbrook Blairstown Rd
Miles today: 3.4

Thursday 11-09-06Harley and Amoeba were planning to hike somewhere with most excellent trail dog, Bruno AKA Crazy Dog. But Crazy Dog has developed a suspicious lump.   It¢s turned out to be canine mast cell tumor, quite common in Boxers. Instead of hiking, Amoeba and Harley spend Thursday driving to the animal hospital on 61st St in Manhattan where Crazy Dog is confined, waiting an hour for him to be released, and driving back to Harley¢s home through the middle of NYC rush hour.Crazy Dog is a model patient. Grandma Helen will look after him. Tomorrow you go hike a little, she says. Take Hurricane Georgia. I can watch Crazy Dog. He¢ll be quieter with the 3 of you out of the house.Friday 11-10-06Harley wants to hike the FLT near Woodstock, but this time of year Woodstock is too far to get to and back. She and Amoeba decide to hike closer to Harley¢s home. Amoeba hiked some of the NJ-AT in 2005. She doesn¢t remember exactly how far south she got, Rte 206? They decide to start at Millbrook Blairstown Rd, hike south 3.4 to Camp Rd, stop in at the Mohican Center, turn around and hike back to their start point. First time on the AT for Hurricane Georgia, a rescue dog that Harley adopted 6 weeks ago. If the trail is too difficult for her, Harley and Amoeba can bail at any time.60¢s, sunny. Trail is rocky. In early October Amoeba¢s feet were all toughened up from hiking Maine and VT, but she hasn¢t hiked in 6 weeks and her feet are soft again. She can feel every bump and point through the soles of her Crocs.Also she¢s hiking in a new model of Crocs. The Croc company discontinued the model she likes: Highlands. Highlands are more comfortable, they stay on better, and the soles are grippier than the replacement model, Endeavors. Supposedly the change was made by the Crocs people to fit more people¢s feet.When you find something you like, buy a large lot and hoard it.Today very few people are on the trail.   One couple day-hiking from the Mohican Center and back. They¢ll hike the AT north and return via Rattlesnake Swamp Trail.On the way back, another couple, T-Bird, a section-hiker who wants to thruhike as soon as he retires, T-Bird¢s wife and their dog, a well-mannered Golden Retriever.Harley and Amoeba consider hiking back along Rattlesnake Swamp Trail, but it¢s been raining a lot lately. Sections of the AT, which follows the ridge, are under water. Rattlesnake Swamp Trail is at lower elevation. They are afraid that trail might be completely flooded. They decide to return along the AT.Colors are mellower than in October, but here and there are bright hues, brilliantly red blueberry leaves, tough red-yellow oak leaves.A few leaves fall. Amoeba introduces Harley to the leaf-catching game. Harley has the usual beginner questions about the rules. Amoeba answers. The game piques Harley¢s imagination. What are its finer points? How about training Hurricane Georgia to catch leaves? Would these count? How much would catching a leaf while night-hiking count?Only one person can answer those questions, Amoeba says. And that person is not me.In this year¢s competition Amoeba¢s out of the running. After audit by the prestigious firm of Donaldson and Lavinder, Amoeba¢s score in the trillions has been slashed to a mere 3. What? Yup. After consulting the rules, the auditors stated: The most important rule of leaf-catching is the #1 rule that states that Stumpknocker IS the rule maker and his decision is final!! The rule maker loves the power, but he uses it in a humble manner, the auditors observed.After consulting the rule maker, the auditors announced        No score may be INFLATED by                1). Leaves that WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT by a player had that player been standing there when they fell                2). Leaves that WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT by a player had that player made an effort to catch them                3). Leaves trapped in hair, pack, gear, clothing or vehicle UNLESS that player¢s name begins with ¢S¢ or ¢Y,V¢                4). Each individual leaf in a falling cluster of leaves UNLESS that player¢s trail name begins with ¢S¢. Everyone else counts the cluster as one leaf                 5). Leaves trapped in, or dangling from, the end of a spider web                6). Bonus or miracle points (see Amoeba¢s 2005 AT journal, Nov 2, 4, 5 and 8)                7). Leaves on their way to the ground that are temporarily resting on branches or boughs which are BLOWN FROM THEIR RESTING PLACES by a player into that player¢s hands                8). Leaves netted in an apparatus such as a butterfly net, pool scoop or the like. The rule maker has taken this item under advisement. Perhaps an exception will be made for players whose trail names begin with ¢Y,V¢.        In addition, no player may inflate their score by changing their trail name to one beginning with ¢S¢ or ¢Y,V¢. I didn¢t like Stamoeba anyway, says Amoeba.¢This stinks¢, sulks Amoeba. ¢I¢m quitting the 2006 race.¢The rule maker has ruled that FOR NOW Mrs Yolanda Vega-Gorp can count all the leaves that were in the leaf-catching contraption she grabbed before summiting the bar at the Doyle on Nov 3. An official judgment will be issued at a later date.GO Challengers, Yolanda and Goosebump, the Snow Princess!A quick hike today. Just before the end, hello to several boy scouts and leaders.