Date: 2008-06-05
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: NY 17A
Miles today: 9.9

Theme of the Day: Rock Candy.I ended up going to bed really early since I knew I had to get up and moving extra early. The shelter was pretty full with lots of guys snoring. I hadn't heard that in a really long time. I did wake up a few times to rain. I was again hoping that it stopped by the time I had to get up because I didn't want to pack up out in the rain.I woke up a little after 5 and decided to get moving. It had stopped raining by the time I got my stuff out of the shelter. One of the guys was sleeping with his head right at the stairs. Almost stepped on him trying to get out. Did pretty good though. I think I got out without makeing too much noise and I was packed and on the trail by 6. The SQ said she would be leaving home by 8 - so the pressure was on for me to keep moving and get to our meeting place.The first three miles was pretty easy. Slippery rocks and leaves, but doable. Made pretty good time - I was humming along nicely.But, like all good things it came to an end.   The rock formation was incredible. I don't think I have seen anything like it. Not the rocks themselves, but the color. The color was like a rich warm chocolate. Very smooth looking and lots of the rock had white added to the brown. Swirling white, Lines of white, even chunky looking white. It really looked like Rock Candy. Very, very pretty to look at, but treacherous to walk on when wet.The next 5 miles was pretty much the most physicaly challenging that I have done. The wet rocks made it that much harder. NJ was a piece of cake. The start of NY kicked my ass. It was like stair climbing on steriods. I've never had to climb, crawl, and be on my hands and knees so much. Probably had a lot to do with my short stature. Because there were rocks that I could not step across and had to slide down one - and throw myself over to the next and pull myself up. It was tough.I didn't see any wildlife today, but I did see some great birds.   Had another Indigo Bunting and my first Great Crested Flycatcher. I haven't seen one in a long time. The best part of the day though was at one point - while I was struggling to get across what seemed to me a huge abyss (2 huge rocks that I could not step from one to the other). I had slide down one rock and as I did - about 20 feet away a vulture came out of a cave and flew to a tree in front of the cave. It sat there for a moment and as it sat another one came out. The first bird flew away and the second stood outside the cave for a few minutes. It then flew to the same try and sat there.   I actually was able to get my camera out and take a few pictures. It was really cool.   And, as I mentioned the other day - they really are big birds.I realized today that I have gone over the 700 mile mark.   Not the end, but still happy to have made it that far.The last part of the trail didn't seem like it was going to end.   It was just up and down rock face after rock face. The SQ called while I was about 5 miles out - she left home at 7:30. So, I pretty much didn't stop at all.   Finally, I came down from the rocks and entered a forest. Once I passed under some high tension wires - I knew I had less than a mile to go.   I must admit I was ready to stop.One bad thing was at the end of the trail near the parking area there was a garbage can that was half full and the rest was all over the ground. It was all hiker garbage because it was all dyhdrated meal packaging.   Don't know if a bear knocked it over or if hikers were just lazy.   I hope it was the former.Finally made it down by 11:30 - SWEET.   Plenty of time to get the SQ back for golf.   NJ makes you think you can conquer the AT, but it looks like NY puts you back in your place.   Gotta love NY.