Date: 2008-07-29
From: Goshen Mountain

To: Graymoor Monastery, Peekskill, NY
Miles today: 16.7

I arose about 6:45 and got on the Trail about 8:00. I felt much better today after having a short day yesterday.One thing happened as I broke camp that I need to recount. I keep my comb in my right rear pocket and last evening I discovered that I had a hole in the pocket. So, I shifted the comb to my left rear pocket. In the morning, as I got dressed, I noticed that my comb was missing AND I had a hole in the left pocket as well. I looked around and around the campsite but could not find the comb. As I normally do, when I lose something, I send a mental message and ask it to come back to me. However, I could not find it and finally got everything ready to go. Just before I left, though, I shuffled my foot through a pile of leaves that had been in front of my tent and, sure enough, there the comb was. It did come back. If I had not found it there, I would have left to start hiking.It was a pleasant hike in the morning. I hiked up and over Bear Mountain, which was reputed to be tough, but wasn't that bad. After descending Bear Mountain, I continued on and crossed the long bridge over the Hudson River, the lowest point on the Appalachian Trail. I had now crossed the highest point (in North Carolina) and the lowest point on the Trail. After that the hiking was a moderate climb, not bad at all.About 6:00 PM I came to a road that had signs to Peekskill. Since I needed to resupply, I hitched in to Peekskill, about 10 miles away. I got a ride from a strange guy who lectured me on how to meditate while I was walking (he was not a hiker, but did teach meditation). He took me to the heart of Peekskill to a Spanish market. It was an excellent market and had a great bakery. I was perhaps one of the two English speaking people in the store. It wasn't uncomfortable but felt a bit unusual. Afterwards, I caught a taxi to take me back to the Trail-Road crossing. Unfortunately, the taxi drive (Hispanic) did not know how to get there, so after about 10 minutes of driving toward the Hudson River, and much broken communication, I told him to take me back to Peekskill, which he did. I got out at the Police Station and went in and told them of my plight. Fortunately, they knew exactly where the AT crossed the highway. They called another taxi and two ladies came and picked me up and took me back to the Trail.By then, it was getting dark (it was about 8:30 PM. I decided to hike up the Trail and get away from the road and pitch camp next to the Trail as soon as I could find a suitable place. After about 10 minutes of walking I saw signs for Graymoor Monastery. I had read in the guidebook that they allowed hikers to camp on their ballfield (strange thinking of Monks playing softball or baseball!). I followed the signs about 1/2 mile off the Trail. There, I found a very nice concrete shelter and several of my hiker buddies: Freestyle, Castaway, Kickit, Eric/Chainsaw and a section hiker. I had not seen Eric since North Carolina, near Fontana Dam, I believe. He now had a Trail Name, Chainsaw, due to his snoring.After catching up a bit, I set up my tent in the shelter, to keep out bugs, and went to sleep. A long day, a somewhat odd sidetrip into Peekskill, and a happy ending and place to sleep.