Date: 2012-06-28
From: High Point State Park

To: Pochuck Shelter
Miles today: 14.0

Another 14 miler today... but today it was heating up. The humidity is definitely higher making it feel hotter plus there wind has died down giving us no relief from the bugs flying around our heads or from the heat. Now this feels like summer on the AT... why do I hike?!? Thankfully my blisters have not gotten worse today, don't get me wrong they are still sore and hurt almost all the time, but at least I haven't gotten any more and of the ones I do have it seems like only 2 have refilled after being lanced last night. AB on the other hand has gotten some more blisters. So far she had been lucky the blisters she had were not giving her any trouble... but now the one under a callous is tender.We walked a lot of bog bridges today which will make for fast hiking, and good animal sightings... we saw a turkey with 3 little baby turkeys following it around, 2 blue heron, 1 painted turtle 1 egret and a snake. Plus we also saw what we believe was a bald eagle (AB saw it better that I did) and later I saw a sign that said the bald eagles were nesting in that area... so I think we were right! Another reason we saw so much wildlife was because we had to walk around the WallKill Reserve... and although the wildlife was great, walking around this open wetland between 3-4 pm in direct sun was not so great. Then we were in cow pastures (with no cows present) for a good portion of the rest of the day... again open land and in direct sunlight... meaning we were drinking a lot of water... at one point we ran into a southbound hiker, named CP, with a dog... he wasn't carrying much with him, just a bag full of bottles. At first I was a bit leery, but after a few minutes of conversation it became clear he was actually a nobo thru hiker and could be trusted. His dog "Little Miss" was really friendly but looks a bit thin.   They were headed into town for some supplies as his pack and everything had been stolen a few days before he was still trying to get back into a rhythm of hiking again. Thankfully AB decided to get a liter of water and treat it at a stream we passed later in the day... we planned to get water at the abandoned house along the trail just south of the shelter we were going to stay at that night which has water available to hikers, but when we got there there was no water. If she hadn't gotten that water, we would have been in more trouble then I ever hope to be in! Because if that liter we were able to have one cooked meal and one dry meal. leaving us both a quarter of a liter for the following day of 4.4 miles to her car. There is a chance of water at 2.2 miles into our day, but since almost every stream we have passed along the way has been dry I'm not going to hold my breath. Once CP returns to the shelter for the night he tells us there is water at the top of the mountain in a bear box, so we are hopeful, but again I'm not going to hold my breath that the cache is still full when we get there int he morning. Just about the time we are finishing dinner a day hiker, named Aaron, and his dog, named Trekker, come into the shelter to let us know about a trail celebration honoring the town Of Warwick NJ as an AT town. Which will include a pancake breakfast! Aaron who is a maintainer with the NJ/NY trail conference said he would be pick up any hiker who wanted to go from the church hostel in Vernon on Sat morning and from the trailhead after the next shelter. I decided right then and there I would be only hiking 6.5 miles the next day to to the hostel so I could help my blisters heal some more and to make the breakfast too! Yay Trail Magic!