Date: 2016-07-27
From: Hemlock Springs Camp

To: Stealth camp 
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: few clouds

Today was on par as yesterday, very hot and limited water on the trail. The terrain however was not as extreme for the most part.Today's highlights included the Appalachian Market Deli that was located approximately 4 miles at the road crossing from where I camped. I left out of camp at about 730 and anticipated making it to the deli for a late morning brunch and did I!!The Appalachian Market deli is basically a big convenient store that serves commuters going into New York City. Because the store is right on the trail they also cater to hikers including much-needed gas for my camp stove. I made it to the store first followed closely behind by Moose Dancer and Thresher both guys who stayed at the camp last night. Third hiker also showed up but I cannot recall his name? My first swoop through the store included a simple purchase of a blue Powerade and a small Italian ice. By now you know how much I love blue Powerade, but the Italian ice was the winner today!!!My next foray into the store included a Bronx Bomber, a roast beef and provolone melt sandwich that was about a foot long, two more bottles of Powerade and another Italian ice. After eating and drinking like it was Thanksgiving the time was almost 11 o'clock and the heat was rising . One by one we left the store and headed back onto the trail. I see-sawed back-and-forth with Thresher the rest of the day. I tried to stay ahead of him because man this kid stinks! Along the way we met a southbounder who started on March 27 at Mount Katahdin in Maine. He appeared to be a hard-core hiker but said he was thinking about throwing in the towel. He explained that starting in Maine and going through the White Mountains was amazing and now on the "green tunnel" was completely boring him. I definitely could understand as the man had 1400 miles of ridges until he arrived at Springer Mountain in Georgia. He summed it up best by saying we have the best for last and we basically have only eaten the crust! That encouraged me because the green tunnel is starting to get old and I look forward to a change of scenery and the White Mountains.Towards the end of the day I met a man sitting by the road relaxing he told me there was a little waterfall down the way. I followed the trail and there it was a tiny waterfall that would be my shower for the day! The good news was the water was running from a beaver pond just upstream and the water was not too terribly cold. In fact it was very soothing and I stripped naked and showered off and the waterfall... Dirt, grime sunscreen and sweat gone! Because the water was running directly out of the beaver pond I did not take a chance and fill up my bottles at the stream.There's a funny recurrence that is happening to me. It started over a month ago. Almost daily now somebody is asking me why I am so behind. What's funny is they don't seem to ask anybody else. The man sitting by the road today asked me in a very nice way if I thought I will make it to Katahdin in time. When I caught back up with Thresher this evening I asked him if he was asked the same question and he was not. It's just one of those funny reoccurrences that's happening to me.The reality is I am fine on time. My goal is to finish this journey no later than October 1. Based on the miles I have left and the number of days until October 1 I have to travel north by 12 miles a day. Granted I'm sure I will take some days off and I'm sure the going gets slower in the White Mountains, when I am in no need to panic. I am wondering what people say to hikers that are two and even three weeks behind me. At this point I know several and all of them plan to reach Katahdin.There are some Hikers who na vely believe that they have until October 15 when Baxter State Park officially closes. That's all fine and well however I do not plan on being on top of a mountain in Maine in mid October, but it's nice to know I have that cushion.For those interested in the math I'm sitting at mile 1,423 tonight. This year there is 2,189 miles to the trail. Therefore I have 766 miles remaining and 65 days before October 1 to do it in. The math comes out to 11.78 miles a day. Again there's going to be days when I take near zero or zero days and the hiking slows down in the White Mountains. That is why I am trying to make bigger miles here in New York despite the heat. Today I did 18 miles.