Date: 2003-08-04
From: Bear Mountain, NY

To: Graymoor Monastery, NY
Miles today: 6.5

"Before you can be old and wise, you must first be young and stupid."                 Funny Tee Shirt Picked up Blip at 10 and headed to Bear Mtn. Inn where we met Strider. Started hiking around 1100. I had to take the blue blaze around the trailside zoo because of Chloe and within 5 minutes I was crossing a bridge over the Hudson River. A short road walk up Rt 9W and I was greeted with 600 -700 feet of near straight up. It was extremely humid and I was sweating like 3 farm animals - Chloe was too. At one point there was a large mud puddle. Chloe took a few sips then plopped herself right down in it. I knew she was hot when she didn't even shake after she got out. We drank nearly 3 liters of water in 6.5 miles. Strider and Blip caught up to me on the wicked ascent and we hiked together the rest of the way. It was a pretty easy day despite the big up where my legs felt like lead and my head remained drenched with sweat. We stopped about 3.5 miles in for a snack and it started to rain. First, just a few drops then more steadily. Thankfully it was nothing like yesterday when it just poured buckets. We got to the monastery around 2:30 and hungout as several other hikers filed in. The mosquitos and bees were bad. I got stung by a bee on my left palm and Red Dirt gave me a dab of toothpaste for it. Believe it or not the sting went away. Amazing, you learn something new every day. The monastary was built back in the 50s as a seminary. In the 70s it became a retreat and today still is. The grounds and kitchen staff are mainly homeless men. At 4:30 on the dot, Father Fred arrived and asked if anyone needed a doctor. He also took a head count for dinner. There were 12 of us and 3 more would arrive after he left. Father Fred gave us instructions for dinner. We were to start up the hill at 5:20 and meet at the loading dock. Then he would take us up the elevator to the 5th floor dining room. We were to sit at the hiker table. When we got there the table was set. We enjoyed a cup of soup and big bowls of pasta, meat balls and salad. We also had pitchers of iced tea. It was excellent! The monastery has been aiding hikers for a very long time. In the past each hiker got a private room and even breakfast. Since 1995 hikers could tent in the ball ield, take cold showers and enjoy dinner. It is very welcomed and completely free - very nice! It's a very wet evening so I am sleeping on a table in the big pavillion at the monastery. There are 10 of us here and 6 others in the other pavllion and ballfield. Strider is in his hammock down below with Red Dirt, No Pepsi, and a few others. Up here are Stocliff, Blip, Zoot, Musk, Ted, Sunkist, Walkabout and his dog Pula, section hiker Green Turtle, and two southbounders. We will all be eaten alive by mosquitos. It's a nice group, but they always are. Tomorrow morning I'll get a ride back to Bear Mtn. and head someplace else. I planned to walk back to the car, but the guy who helped Strider out slacked No Pepsi up here and offered me a ride too. Green Turtle will ride with me. I then will likely head north to Connecticut, but first maybe do the Lemon Squeezeer here in NY. I've heard nothing very good about it except it's two very close rocks and the AT goes between them. So who knows where I'ill end up. Either way, I'm having a good time. Sad to see Strider go, but we'll see each other again on my way south and then again as he finishes PA. peace and positivity,Molasses