Date: 2009-06-20
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: Bear Mountain Bridge
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

June 20, 2009 Friends and Trailfollowers:I had a 'nero' day (ten miles or less) today from a shelter in the rocky and rolling hills of New York State to the base of the Bear Mountain Bridge, on the western shore of the Hudson River. Tomorrow I cross the Hudson and am only two days from Connecticut!Since starting back on the trail at Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania (Mile 1283.6) last Sunday (6/15), I have covered 108.9 miles. Including today's 9 miles, that averages out to 15.5 miles per day. Not too impressive versus my more recent pace. The major reasons: rocks and rain. The combination keeps a hiker on his/her toes. One slip-up and you may be in a town taking a couple of 'zero' injury days.Pennsylvania's rocks were the toughest, though New Jersey's similarly, glacier-scattered rocks were not too much better. New York, in and around Orange County, improved even further, but still were tough when combined with the slickness of a steady rain.The newspapers are writing about how much rain New York and Connecticut have received thus far this year. With my 'weather' luck during my walk, I don't expect drastic improvement over the coming week.HealthI'm feeling fine. Maybe a little rundown from my steady schedule of being on my feet, but ready to continue north. The rain is responsible for two hiker medical conditions that plague us all. First, is foot rot. Just picture your feet after a day of being encased in a wet boot/trail shoe. They look like prunes and a hiker doesn't carry enough dry socks to change into. The only relief is 'airing' them out at night. Blisters are the next degree of problem related to wet feet, but for now consider them, collectively the 'wet feet' problem.The second rain-induced health issue can politely be called 'diaper rash.' With a hiker's sweat and rain a recent constant, the waist belt of a backpack becomes an adversary. The constant rubbing combined with a briny combination of sweat and rain makes for a poor lubricant. A hiker finds large patches of diaper-rash along the hip bones. Down the hiker's tailbone a red and irritated "V" is formed as the sweaty mixture follows the nature valley of your backside. This painful and colorful irritation is playfully called "monkey butt" on the trail. You get the picture.In either case, dry weather and some form of Vaseline or Body Glide are the hiker's cure.Trail FriendsI have to admit that I am proudly receiving the title of "Mr. Congeniality" on the trail. My fellow hikers have recently seen me 1) get picked up by a friend at Delaware Water Gap, 2) be dropped back off by other friends at DWG, 3) leave the trail at High Point State Park in NJ for dinner with a friend, 4) get picked up by another friend at Route 17A in New York for a dry overnight stay and a hiker-replenishing dinner and finally 5) get picked up (again in the rain) by my cousin, John for an overnight stay and pampering by his family and him. If my fellow hikers didn't see me get back on the trail at the same location the next day, they would accuse me of 'yellow blazing.' Instead, they just look on enviously and are predicting that I will be the rare hiker to gain weight after 2,178 milesI wear my "Mr. Congeniality" sash with honor. I thank all of those responsible for making this honor possible... Keep up the good work all you trail friends!NY/CT/MAI have put myself on a strict, though not impossible schedule from Bear Mountain Bridge to Bennington, Vermont (208 miles). My urgency: to meet my daughter Shannon in Bennington to hike the next 100 miles of Vermont together. Shannon and I will go at a more relaxed pace together through the Green Mountains. We will be able to see family both in Bennington and at our endpoint in Killington. In the interim, I have scheduled a string of high-teens and low-20s mileage days. Let's hope the rain cooperates.The Final PushAfter Shannon departs, I will have two days hike to New Hampshire. I expect to reach Hanover, NH around July 12. This will be the starting point for my final push to Katahdin in Maine. New Hampshire and Maine are arguably, the two toughest states, from a hiking terrain perspective. This is where an AT hiker is really tested.Do you recall Frosty and Orono from my early AT hike travels? They are MA/NH residents and the section hikers I hiked with in Georgia and North Carolina. Boys, I may be calling you both in from the bullpen...I am still targeting a mid-to-end of August completion of my walk.Technical Difficulties"Houston, we have a problem..." My blackberry is not receiving or sending e-mail messages as of Friday evening. I'm at a loss as to why. My phone, (646) 483-6251 works and also sends/receives text messages. If anyone knows why this is occurring (a Verizon problem?), please send me a text or voice mail. In the interim. please be patient with e-mail responses as I will need to get to a public library, hotel or friend's computer to get to my blog or my rjdaileader@yahoo.com e-mail.If you think you can help, please let me know asap. Thanks.I will see you up the trail.