Date: 2009-06-28
From: NY17 - Tuxedo, NY

To: Graymoor Friary
Miles today: 24.9

Photos have been added to previous entries. Enjoy! Today was an adventure, to say the least!Since we only hiked 10 miles yesterday, Hot Sauce and I were going to try and do between 21 and 25 miles today to meet up with Plunger and Mr. Right. Usually when a high mileage day is planned, I try to start hiking around 6am so I can take breaks throughout the day and still not get into camp TOO late. However, today was different. All 6 of us slept in (it's hard not to when the beds are so comfy!) until at least 7:30 and then had a massive breakfast courtesy of John and Susan. I ate a ridiculous amount - half a donut, cheerios, 2 waffles, an egg and cheese sandwich, and 2 veggie sausage patties. It was definitely the best breakfast I've had in a while and gave me the energy I needed to start a long day.John and Susan dropped us all off at the trailhead around 10am and we were hiking soon after that. I feel so lucky to have stayed with such amazing trail angels and wish I could stay with them for a couple more days! So, we started hiking, and I kept wondering if it was possible to hike 25 miles starting at 10:30 in the morning. I guess there is only one way to find out! If we couldn't make the 25 miles to Graymoor Friary we could always camp somewhere south of it.We got to the Lemon Squeezer after a few miles to find that the trail was actually squeezed between 2 slabs of rock. I had a hard time getting through it and wedged myself between the 2 rocks as my water bottles on either side of my pack scraped against the rock. I thought for sure the rock would have punctured the bottles but I got through unscathed. The trail then ascended steeply up more boulders and it became clear to all of us that it was nearly impossible to climb up with packs on. Double Vision climbed up first and then pulled each of our packs up which made the climb much more do-able. After these tricky rock scrambles so early in the day, we realized that the hiking today could be slower than our normal 2.5 mph pace meaning we would get in to camp tonight super late. Oh well, we were still going to try for the 25 miles!The hiking was generally hard today with several steep ups and downs. Plus, it was a scorcher! I didn't mind the climbs and was actually glad that we were now climbing mountains after a few flat states (MD and PA). How else would we get prepared for the mountains in northern New England that we will be encountering next month? I ran into a man named Jack who has been following my trail journal since the beginning and was in the Bear Mountain area today with a boy scout troop. He remembered reading that I had lost my buff in Slatinton and had brought me a bandana to use in the meantime - it was very sweet, thanks Jack! We got to the top of Bear Mountain around 7pm and decided to cook dinner on the summit amongst all the people who had driven to the top. I doubt anyone up there knew the AT passed through the summit and looked at us as if we were a bunch of hobos! Double Vision, Jukebox Hero, Wind Up, and Saint were going to try to camp on top of Bear Mountain and Hot Sauce and I still had 9 more miles to hike for the day. We were going to try to descend the mountain before the sun set, but our 7:30pm departure time soon turned into 8, then 8:15, and then finally 8:30. The sun had started to set as we were leaving which made for an interesting descent but we made it down fine with only a few minor trips. I did realize that half of the sole of my shoe on one of my heels was ripping, leaving a big flap of rubber that made it difficult to walk but didn't hurt my foot at all. I guess I'll need to buy new shoes! Also, the batteries on my headlamp were on their way out so my light was super dim and Hot Sauce had to navigate all night. My light was so dim that I couldn't even see the white blazes on the trees! Hot Sauce is a great navigator and has the brightest headlamp ever so it all worked out.All was going well until we got to the Bear Mountain Zoo (which is actually the lowest point on the AT at 124 feet). The trail goes right through the zoo however we knew it closes everday at 5pm. We were thinking the detour around the zoo would be blazed but it wasn't. We had no idea how to get to the Bear Mountain Bridge that goes over the Hudson River, it was pitch dark out, and there was no one around to ask. With the help of phone calls with Dom (who had pulled up google earth and maps) and Uncle Paul, we were able to find it and crosed over the Hudson around 10:30pm. Whew! I really did think we'd be camping tonight somewhere near the zoo.The climb after the bridge was super steep but leveled out after a few miles. Some folks at a tentsite gave us some cold, bottled water around 11:15 and we kept hiking. Only 4 more miles to Graymoor! The miles went quickly and before we knew it we were at the Appalachian Market, a 24-hour mini mart that is right at a road crossing, 0.5-mile south of Graymoor. We bought ice cream and breakfast for tomorrow (fruit and fresh banana bread) and finally arrived at the tenting field at Graymoor at 1:45am!! We set up our tents as quietly as possible so as not to wake up the other hikers, Hot Sauce and I finally dozed off around 2:30am.What a day...I am beat!   Group dinner on Bear MtnCrossing the Hudson at 10:15pm