Date: 2011-07-14
From: Hemlock Springs campsite

To: Clarence Fahnestock State Park
Miles today: 15.6

"Vegemite" and I got up at our normal times and headed for the market that was right on the trailhead. He left earlier as usual but I wasn't too far behind him. The market had a restaurant that served breakfast that motivated us to get going. I still made my normal breakfast before I got going because I was hungry. Once I got there, I met "Raw Dog" and "Stroller" who had both stayed at the spiritual life center and back tracked to the market to have breakfast. While I was there drinking some milk, a few other hikers joined us including "Sparkplug" whom I hadn't seen since Duncannon. She had broken her hand in a fall that was triggered by the surprise of seeing a snake. It was good to see her again in good spirits despite the injury. There was quite a collection of us there eating breakfast. "Vegemite" and I decided to do a shorter day than everyone else who were planing on a 22 plus mile day. I didn't feel I could do well in the heat with the antibiotics. He talked me into stopping at the state park along the way. It was free and if we got there in time, there was a grill where we could get a mid afternoon meal. We took off as soon as we were done eating breakfast. There wasn't much to speak of as far as the hike was concerned. It was just a hot day. "Vegemite" and I met up on the trail fairly close to our destination. He expressed concern that we wouldn't be able to get they're before the grill closed but I thought that if we set a good pace, we would make it in time. The only unknown was the road walk because we didn't know where the grill was in park. The road walk turned out to be longer than expected but we still made it in time to order a dinner. While we were eating, we realized that "A-Game" was there sleeping on the bench of one of the picnic tables. "Shaka" was sleeping in the grass underneath a shade tree. They had gone past the road crossing that we came down and found a side trail that took them to the area were the grill was so their hike to the shelter was just 4 or 5 miles. After eating what was our mid afternoon meal, we found a camping spot, set up camp and showered. The park had us located in a spot right next to the bathhouse which always both convenient in terms of its use and a nuisance because of all of the traffic to it. One guy would drive his car there to go to the bathroom instead of walk. That meant that we had to put up with his headlamps in the middle of the night. It's no wonder there are so many unhealthy people around. Later on, when it was about 7:30, I decided to make dinner again because I knew that I would be hungry in the middle of the night if I didn't. Afterwards, I got the food bag hung and went inside the tent to go to sleep. The bad thing about that state park was the proximity to a major road. All night long, we could hear the road traffic. It really made me appreciate the trails around Tennessee and North Carolina. I don't remember any camping areas or shelters that are located so close to a major highway. With all of the roads so close to the trail, I felt as if the wilderness experience was compromised a bit. This is my least favorite aspect of the trail in New York.