Date: 2011-09-13
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Fingerboard Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: few clouds

Had a relaxing night last night and a good breakfast this morning before I got a ride back to the zoo where I left off yesterday. Felt a little better this morning, but still in a funk so I just kept myself going steady. Rounded the corner to Bear Mountain State Park on Hessian Lake. Looked like a lot of stuff goes on there like festivals and sports, though the really thick fog didn't give me that great a view. I did not at all feel like I was on the AT as I ascended Bear Mountain. It's extremely domesticated: a fine gravel path the whole way and wide, flat, evenly spaced steps the entire way up. Not steps like big rocks pushed together that you hop up; actual hewn stone steps. Even though I wanted to get my pack lighter, I can definitely tell a difference in the pounds that I did trim. Resumed my fast pace from yesterday to the peak, which had some pretty good views once I got above the fog. Supposedly you can see NYC from the watchtower on the peak, but it was too hazy today. As I came down the other side a fairly long black snake slithered off the trail, and I was reminded I'm in for-real snake country now. Came right back up West Mountain which had some great vistas along the ridgeline, but there's too much civilization in this area for the view to be too inspirational. I passed a group of friendly old men as I climbed up Black Mountain, which was a pretty strenuous climb, and I thought of how I hope I can be as active as them when I'm that old. Hauled today, did the first 8 miles in just under 3 hours. Right before I got to Wilson Brien Shelter I passed a huge black snake just lounging beside the trail. At the shelter I saw why he was hanging out there: it was invested with mice. Shortly before getting to the shelter here I stopped off at Lake Tiorati a half mile off the trail and dined on vending machine goods. Got to Fingerboard really early, but the next shelter is about 10 miles on and I hate to overdo it. The shelter is built on a big boulder and looks down a fairly steep hill to a boggy ravine. I passed the 800 mile mark shortly before getting here. The trail is in much better shape through here, and it's much more meadow-like with lots of rocks and trees dispersed throughout. I spent most of the day deciding if I'm going to keep going. It still hits me all over again any time I stop just how lonely it is out here, and it's probably worse than it would have been if I'd been out here by myself from the beginning. We would go hours without talking while hiking sometimes but still have that unspoken pleasure in each other's company. I only encountered a few people today, none of them thru-hikers. I'm pretty far behind the guys I know like Mr. Z and Phenix, and I don't know how many people are actually behind me at this point in the year. I'd hoped the 3 brothers I met would camp here tonight, but it's just me. Getting here so early and sitting by myself all evening has made the loneliness weigh even heavier. We'll see how tomorrow goes. I ordered a 1-man tent from REI to help lighten my load, and I may get to Unionville tomorrow to pick it up.- 2-packs