Date: 2013-07-06
From: NY 17A, Bellvale, NY

To: NY 17, Southfields, NY
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: light rain

I bypass the motel office this morning in search of something other than a bagel for breakfast and I end up at a convenience store called Larry's Delicatessen. I ordered a bacon, egg and cheese on a bun and went back to the hotel. As I approached, I noticed some backpacks sitting out front so I walked in to see who was there. ¢Big Red¢, ¢Yooper¢, ¢Pacesetter¢ and ¢Runner Up¢ were all sitting in there. Big Red said that ¢K Fox¢ was here as well, so I asked Harry, the owner, what room she was in. He called her room and told her that Boo Boo was here and within three minutes she was in the lobby. She said she's zeroing here today and we talked awhile. Harry was ready to take Big Red and the others back to the trail head and said he'd be back to take me next, so I had to cut my reunion with K Fox short so that I could go pack. It was nice seeing K Fox once again and I'm sure she'll catch up to me, the way I've been hiking lately and if I don't pick up the pace, the class of 2014 is going to pass me!Harry dropped me off at the trail and I thanked him and I began my hike. I stopped at Lakes Road and forced a half a pack of tuna down and texted Kathy to tell her where I was and told her I have to go find some water. She texted me back, ¢I wish you water.¢ I was packing up when a mini-van pulls up and about eight people get out and a young man walks over and asked if I was a thru-hiker and did I need anything. I said, ¢Yes ¢ water.¢ He goes to the van and grabs three bottles of water and gives them to me - Wow! Kathy has powers I didn¢t know about. He said he had more if I need them, but I said these will do. I thank him and head out. I come across Fitzgerald Falls and thought about getting under them, but I noticed the rocky trail was going straight up just to the right of them and I knew going up was going to be more fun than taking a break in that nice cool, wet waterfall on such a hot sticky day! I've noticed something about New York; they have a sick sense of humor. They love to hide the white blazes so I've been doing a lot of, ¢Where the hell is the trail?¢ I was getting too hot so I decided to lay down on a boulder on top of a hill with my head in the shade for a while, just looking up and watching all the planes going by. After a twenty minute break, I continue on. The hike today is turning into a lot of hand-pulling-up climbing. At one point I almost fell backwards down a rock face - talk about getting my attention! Later on, down next to a road, I came across a cooler with six gallons of water in it, so I sat there drinking and eating a snack. I got out my map and my reading glasses and I can¢t see the map. It¢s still all blurry. I figured my glasses are bent so I bend them to fit better, but that doesn't help. I'm thinking maybe this is a sign of heat stroke, so I struggle trying to read the map. I take my glasses off and go to clean them when I notice one of the lenses is missing! I'm glad no one is around because I'm laughing my ass off out loud. I find the lens in my pack and snap it back in. I can see - it's not heat stroke! I leave and from there it's a struggle the rest of the day. The hike down to the road is a steep one. I find myself walking down a busy road to the Tuxedo Motel in beautiful Southfields, New York. And folks - I'm pooped!