Date: 2015-07-05
From: New York City, NY

To: New York City, NY
Miles today: 0.0

Up at ~8:00am feeling somewhat similar to what's experienced during a hangover. Lack of sleep is an awful thing. My plans were originally to return to the trail via the ~6:00-7:00am trains, but those plans were already shot. I was soon in contact with Matt asking if I could crash another night in order to utilize the day as a zero. Unfortunately I had to vacate his place as he and his roommate were returning later in the day. No big deal- I'd find a cheap place to stay. Scratch that, no such thing exists in New York City. I told Matt I had found a place, but in truth had no such plans.I could either use that money to stay at an overpriced dump or use it to experience a tiny slice of the city. I was soon out the door to begin my day after first dropping my 4th deuce in Matt's bathroom (he wanted me to record the final total so there you go, Matt.)Once on the streets, my feet aching from all the swelling caused from walking last night, I made my way towards the nearest subway. Oh New York, you're much nicer in the daylight hours of a sunny day - a city where shorts that cover the entire butt seemed to have been outlawed, and wearing undergarments is out of style. Coming out of the woods after ~3 months, it was like being a kid in a candy store. Eventually, however, the thrill was lost and replaced with the coldness I observed. New York is an amazing place, stuffed to capacity with millions of unique individuals all with a different story, but that is lost on the surface. Instead I witness the opposite of what the trail is like- where hikers always say hello as they pass. I zigzagged arpoupeople buried in their phones, no words were spoken, and only quick glances were exchanged - most likely an attempt to determine someone's net worth. Being a scruffy hiker wearing dirty boots and a salt-stained short, I was quickly discarded by most.My first stop was the 9/11 memorial, crowded with thousands of people visiting the museum, entering the newly constructed One World Trade Center, or watching the pools of water occupying the footprints of the former towers, surrounded by the names of those who passed during the attacks. It was a moving experience to see the scale firsthand, and to see how far we've bounced back. It speaks a lot about our character as a nation. However, I will admit the experience was dampened a bit as I watched many, many tourists posing for pictures and smiling where once so many cried. I'm not saying you can be moved to smiles when you visit, but something didn't sit right as I watched people pose for that perfect picture. I sat and gawked at the height of the One World Trade Center, towering well above, straining my neck to look up. It was a unique feeling to see what 1,776ft looks like from ground level, knowing I've been hiking through mountains nearly double that for a lot of my journey so far. In the mountains, when surrounded by so many other large mountains, the sheer height is often lost. I wasn't able to visit the museum or the observation tower due to hundreds of people waiting in line, plus I had to pee. Restrooms don't come easy in the city.I began randomly wandering and stopped in a restaurant along the Hudson River, Merchants River House, where I told the bartender I'd buy a beer in exchange for the bathroom. That would eventually turn into 4 beers and lunch at the cost of my arm. Sufficiently drunk due to my constant state of dehydration, I headed back out to see what I could see. I found myself in Battery Park where Castle Clinton National Monument and the Statue of Liberty are. Two national parks to add to my list - score. Not much to say for Castle Clinton other than a neat piece of history; Most is lost for it sits in the shadows of both the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center complex.For $18 I went through the airport-like screening to enter the ferry that'd take me to the Statue of Liberty via the beautiful Miss Ellis Island. Thinking ahead, I hid my pocket knife under a trashbag just outside the walls of Castle Clinton. Worked like a charm and I was able to carry on my remaining gear. After a quick ride across the bay, I stepped off ont Liberty Island and immediately had a crush. It wasn't because of the soft curves or loosely draped clothing Miss Liberty wears - it was what was on the inside that counts: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It was awesome strolling around and checking her out from every angle as she towered above under blue skies and a setting sun, the New York skyline sparkling in the distance. I was bummed to find out I couldn't go into her without a reservation made months in advance. Crap. I also didn't have time to travel to Ellis Island due to the parks closing. Doube crap. On the to-do list for the future. With my buzz officially over and night approaching, I needed something to do to avoid facing the fact I had no place to stay. Back to the Merchants River House to watch the World Cup final, enjoy dinner and 4 more beers that would cost me my leg this time, and chat with the kind host and bartender, Stev and Darya. Both were very open to hearing about the trail and I was happy to shy. They helped to pass the hours, but as closing time arrived it was time to face it: I was bumming it tonight.I took the subway back to an area I assumed was relatively near Grand Central Station where I'd need to depart for the trail in the morning. I popped out onto the street to find myself smack in the middle of Times Square. Truly the city that never sleeps. As 11:00pm became 12:00am became 1:00am, thousands of people strolled along people watching, having portraits drawn by talented artists, a 7ft python was passed around, 2 topless girls painted like Miss Liberty strolled by, perhaps a little too quickly. All the while towering buildings surrounded the mass of people, illuminating them under the lights of screens advertising this or that. I soon hit a wall where I was unable to take the mass any longer. I quietly wandered off down a quieter street towards Grand Central.I purchased my ticket for the 6:00am train back to Pawling, NY, still 4 hours away. Originally planning to crash against the wall in Grand Central, I was caught off guard when a police said the were closing for a few hours. Crap - back outside. Nearing zombie mode, I finally gave up and went around the block and sat on the ground against the wall of a post office at the corner of Lexington and 45th Street. Sitting became lying and lying soon became sleeping. I can now say I slept on the streets of New York and didn't care one bit. A few people even tried to offer me money, but I informed them I was simply an AT thru-hiker. And yes, that last part is made up.5:30am eventually rolled around and as color began returning to the sky, people starting walking the streets, and horns began their endless chorus of honking, I was up and heading back to Grand Central - my last view of the city being that of the shiny Chrysler Building standing stoicly a block away. At 6:00am I was boarding my train headed for Pawling, NY. I'm aware this journal bleeds a little into the next day, but as I soon fell asleep during the entirety of the train ride, my day would, though briefly, finally come to an end as I swayed and rocked down the track.Here's to 36 hours in the coolest city in the world, feeling small in both the natural and man-made world, and 96 nights in the woods to prepare me for 1 in the city.