Date: 2005-07-26
From: Graymoor Friary

To: Mountain Top Market
Miles today: 24.0

I had wanted to do really big miles today but, with the way the terrain has been, that seemed very unlikely. I made the decision to go as far as I could without getting too crazy. I left Graymoor around 5:45. It was going to be a scorcher, with high humidity, so I wanted to get some miles down before the heat kicked in. I was moving along at a pretty good clip. The terrain had its moments but it wasn't too bad. The day got hotter and I was feeling it. I went through six liters of water. There was no way I was going to let myself dehydrate. I didn't see any other hikers during the course of the day. With me doing this push I may be in between groups again. I know most of the people I was Graymoor with were only going to the RPH Shelter but I was going to push past there. I got to the RPH Shelter around 2:30. It was pretty tired, having done 19 miles to get there, but I wasn't quite ready to stop yet. Close but not yet. I looked at the guidebook and it didn't show any major elevation changes so I decided to go at least the five miles to the marketplace where I could get a cold drink. The majority of us out here use a guidebook by a certain individual whom I will leave nameless in order to protect his ego. For the most part the book is pretty good but, and it is a big but, it can be real wrong. In Tennessee there is a section you might as throw the book away in or you might end up in Kansas and then there is today. Remember I said no major elevation change. The book said a 50 foot change was all I had to watch for on the next hill. I think he left out a zero! I climbed switchbacks for goodness sake, and I climbed forever. That was, by far, the longest and steepest 50 feet I have ever seen. All that on an already tired body! I did finally get to the market where I grabbed a Pepsi and went to sit outside. I met Professor, a southbounder doing a large section and Hillbilly. Hillbilly looked familiar and sure enough, it was the same Hillbilly that was working at Uncle Johnnies, in Erwin, when I went through last year. He was doing a southbound section to the Lehigh Gap. The three of us just sat there, enjoying the shade, sipping our drinks, and chatting. One of the topics of conversation was mosquitoes. They have been bad the last couple of days. Professor, "I think I am a human magnet for those suckers!" Me, "Yeah, I stopped for lunch today and thought I was going to get carried away!" Hillbilly, with a nod, "Wait till you get to Mass." Me, "Really?" being none to thrilled to hear that. Hillbilly, "Yep, They'll get you for sure." Me, "Oh Man!" Hillbilly, with a grin, " Best I can tell ya is to, trip the slowest and run!" It took a second to register and then I lost it. What a great line! Gonna have to remember to do that! We soon found out that we culd use the backyard of the market as a place to set up our tents. This made everything even better because none of us had the energy to go anywhere. What a bonus! Knowing this I pulled out my book and set out to do some serious relaxing. 24 miles was good enough for me! Later that evening Fancy Pants and Goosebump came in. They too, had pushed from Graymoor and were happy to hear about the ability to camp there. I had first met these two back around the Boiling Springs area and they said today was their biggest mileage day. Looks like I have another 20+ miler tomorrow and then I roll into Kent, CT early Thuraday morning. Don't plan on staying, just a resupply and out I go.