Date: 2007-08-04
From: Hemlock Springs Campsite

To: Clarence Fahnestock State Park
Miles today: 15.0

Saturday 4 August 2007 Day 141My plan was to catch Gus. She had left Fort Montgomery on Tuesday, so was more than three days ahead of me, 30 to 40 miles at her pace. If I could do 20 miles a day, I could catch up in about a week. To do that, I needed to get early starts, so I was up by 5:45 and on the trail by 6:30. While I never found water at the campsite, a mile on, crossing Manitou Road, there was water running in a stream along the road, a good sign. Even though I was carrying a filter, I still preferred to get my water from reliable sources, as there was a lot of development, and the trail was very low, below 1,000 feet above sea level. So when I reached the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, I left the trail to find their water tap at a ball field a quarter mile away.The book said the center had a shelter available to thru-hikers, and it was nice to see another hiker, Bill the Pony, as I neared it. Another hiker, Badger, was packing up when I reached the water tap. I filled up, found out her trail name was due to her Wisconsin residence, and gave her some of my excess Tylenol for her migraine.I had developed a hot spot, so I pulled off my left boot to find a torn blister next to the spot where my only other blister, back in March, had appeared. Must be the new orthotics. I had only put 6.3 miles on since I returned the trail, and it certainly was not going to be easy to do 20 mile days with a foot issue. I patched up my foot with a band aid, chatting with Badger. A group of men came by to set up the area for a reunion later in the day. A thousand people were expected. One of the men invited me to stay for the festivities, and although I was tempted, I hadn't been back long enough to want to give up most of a day for the event.I headed back to the trail, climbing over Denning Hill, not a climb worth remembering except that it was becoming a hot and humid day and the climb added to my personal humidity. I stopped for a break near the top of the hill to play with my MP3 player. These little buggers are so small and light that the controls are not obvious and easy to work, probably one excuse I can use for falling on my shoulder back in Pennsylvania. Because of that fall, I felt it prudent to stop when changing the music.The moment I stopped I was swarmed by mosquitoes, so I was quick. As I headed down the hill and neared Chapman Road, I came upon a crew installing a boardwalk through a marshy area near the road. It was a bar mitzvah project involving a boy, his father, and a couple of others. They had a big cooler of water nearby and invited me to have a drink.   This was an offer I couldn't refuse. Five miles later I crossed Dennytown Road. Just off the trail was a pump house with a spigot, so I stopped to drink and check my foot. I had a snack, examined the damage and re-taped the blister. It was sore, but didn't seem to be slowing me down that much. While I was sitting by the road in the shade of a scrubby tree, I heard strange noises in the bushes. I thought it might be a peacock, but after a short, futile search I sat back down, and shortly thereafter was approached by several chickens making strange chicken noises.The Thru-Hikers' Companion said there was a campsite nearby, but it was only midafternoon and I had only gone about 12 miles. I decided to push on. I had entered Clarence Fahnestock State Park and if all else failed, I could stop at their campground a mile off the trail at Highway 301. A mile short of the highway I walked into a meadow with room for a few tents. It was 5:00 pm and I was tired. As I was putting up the tent, two other thru-hikers--Talkerman and Bum Bum--stopped briefly. I finished setting up, ate quickly without cooking, as the mosquitoes were being a nuisance, hung my food, and settled in for the night.Day 141--15.0 miles; cumulative 1,162.3; average 8.24