Date: 2015-07-01
From: RPH Shelter

To: Native Landscapes Garden Center
Miles today: 19.9

Guess what today is?!My three month trail anniversary! Or trailiversary. Whatever.It has been THREE MONTHS since Trail Mentor Alexa and I started our trek up Springer, climbing those 8 billion steps up the Approach Trail.I have come so far! Who could have known my feet would last this long without falling apart?! Without slipping down a mountain and breaking my leg?! Without getting Lyme disease?! Without gaining sixty pounds and having to roll my way up Bear Mountain?!I am almost two thirds of the way down (up?!) the trail. 1448.7 miles of trail behind me, and still so many more ahead! I am less than seven miles from the border with Connecticut, my beloved home state. BY THE END OF TOMORROW, I WILL BE IN KENT.Kent is like half an hour from home. That means that tomorrow night, I will be enjoying a hot shower and a snuggly bed, instead of my ThermaRest and sleeping bag.In celebration of my trailiversary, I:- attempted to sleep late- picked the rest of the M&Ms out of my trail mix (tomorrow I might be mad at myself for this... my five day supply of chocolate only lasted three)- ate three lunches- called BOTH of my parents- took a shower- put on clean clothes- put on DEODORANT (I have a squished-up chunk smooshed into a tiny ziploc bag, which I save for special occasions)- bought myself dinner (guess what I ate?)So the day didn't start that great... but it got better as it progressed.I fell asleep late because of noise and motion. For one, there were talking shelterfolk. And then there was Miles, who was on the bunk above me. He has one of those freaking pool float air mattresses, and every time he thrashed around trying to get comfortable, he made a ton of noise and shook the entire bunk structure. I put in my ear plugs. I do love ear plugs.But of course I woke up early (I wanted to sleep until six!) because, for some reason that is still beyond me, Mau was up walking around with his boots on. AGH. He was INSIDE! He wasn't even actually getting up. When I left the shelter two hours later he was back in his bunk. He and Dirt Time, his hiking partner, weren't even planning to hike at all today, they were going into town! WHY DO PEOPLE DO THESE THINGS TO ME?! I JUST WANT TO SLEEP. Oh well.Mau was nice enough to offer to move Gertrude, though, as there was some rainwater coming in through the door. My knee-jerk reaction when he asked if I wanted him to move her was, "What are you doing?! Unhand my pack! You're not supposed to touch that!". I don't know why I was so affronted... But she wasn't really getting wet and I didn't like him touching her without my permission (out of context that could sound kind of weird... hahaha sorry). Honestly, Gertrude gets wetter from my sweat after an hour of hiking than she was getting from the rain.Despite all of the late night and early morning disturbances, I apparently slept through a lot of noise, including some thunder. When I got up and got my food bag down from where it was hanging over the picnic table in the morning, I had to be careful not to squish someone sleeping there. On the picnic table. I was pretty sure they hadn't been there when I went to bed.Anyway, I got up to pee (that umbrella is so nice for staying dry on bathroom trips - no wet pajamas!), and when I returned, Miles (who was in the bunk above mine) asked, "Are you hiking?".I looked back out the door. It was dark. It was rainy. I was going to get wet no matter what. But I was so tired..."Not now." I whispered dubiously, and slipped back into my sleeping bag.It was a slow start today. I waited until it looked like the rain might start clearing up before putting my gross, damp hiking clothes back on. I felt so tired and lethargic for most of the morning. Luckily, the skies cleared after about an hour or so, and the sun eventually started to peek through the leaves.I perked up a little after eating my morning snack (which I ate early). I was tired again by the time I reached Morgan Stewart Shelter, though.That's when first lunch happened. At 11 o'clock. I didn't even care that it was ridiculously early. I loaded up on protein and ate every last M&M.And I felt remarkably better after that, as I hiked into the heat and humidity.I like hiking through New York. I love walking past and through all of the stone walls, through areas with little undergrowth and lots of dead, brown leaves on the ground, reminding me of autumn and pumpkins and apples. I love marveling at the geologic processes that made those awesome stripes in the rock, and then the processes that turned them almost vertical. I love looking at the boulders and wondering, did a child play there a hundred years ago?I started dragging again after a few miles. I began to dream of cold Gatorade. I never used to enjoy Gatorade. Usually I just drink water, but the last few weeks I have been craving Gatorade all the time. I'm not sure if it's the sweetness or the electrolytes that I want. Maybe both. That would make sense, too.Shortly after my daydreams of Gatorade, trail magic! Two plastic containers left before a road crossing! There wasn't any Gatorade, but that didn't make it any less magical.This was where second lunch happened... a banana and Smartfood popcorn. Yum! I also drank two bottles of water in about two minutes. I don't think it is even possible to drink enough on hot days. I am pretty sure I downed at least three liters tonight since I stopped hiking. And I still feel a little dehydrated.I continued on, skirting around the beautiful Nuclear Lake, the sky rolling blue above, no sign of last night's storm clouds in sight.Also, apparently it is called Nuclear Lake because there used to be an EXPERIMENTAL PLUTONIUM PLANT (sounds super safe, right?) on the shore of the lake. Then a chemical explosion resulted in two windows being blown out, spraying plutonium about. Supposedly, the government cleaned it all up, though. So I might not be radioactive yet.And eventually I made it to Telephone Pioneers Shelter, which has an adorable little tiny mini-shed thing (I don't know what to call it... it is a box with a roof and a glass window) attached to the shelter, about a foot tall. A mini-library, full of books! So cute!So this is where third lunch happened... I took an extra long break and called my parents... and my snack kind of got out of hand and turned into a meal. Oops. It was a good break, though.I continued the last 3 miles of the day to NY route 22. Just past the Appalachian Trail Metro-North station (isn't it awesome that this even exists?!) is the Native Landscapes Garden Center. Another amazing place, with amazing people who have gone out of their way to help nomadic AT wanderers like me. They have an outdoor shower (a little cold but so wonderful) and spigot for hikers, and a tiny tent area where people are free to camp (unfortunately between the highway and the train tracks, but I'll take it). They sell some snacks and other hiker goods. They welcome hikers to hang out on the porch and charge their phones. Amazing, right?!The girl who was working there HIGHLY recommended Tony's Deli, which was located 0.6 miles down the road. However, I was not really feeling inclined to walking more. Especially not on the road. So I asked the girl working if anywhere nearby would deliver pizza. And within seconds she was jotting down the phone number to Papa John's FROM MEMORY. 40 minutes and a brisk outdoor shower later, I was feasting on my trailiversary gift to myself (actually paid for by Mel... Thank you again!!). I couldn't resist. I know that yesterday I said that I wasn't willing to spend the money on pizza, but I don't even feel bad that I am not eating my tuna couscous. How many 3 month AT hiking celebrations can a girl have in her life? Gotta enjoy them.I sat on the porch and ate my pizza. And it was amazing. I got some jealous looks. I did not offer to share. I called home and talked to the pizza fairy. "Guess what day it is?!" I prompted. And then, after he figured it out, "Guess where I am?!".His perfect answer?"I don't know, but I bet you're somewhere eating pizza."I have become so predictable. After my excellent dinner, I sat and talked with Oliver, Miles, and Po' Boy while they waited for Rock Boat and Jeopardy (aka Matt) to arrive. We chatted, and they complained about the midnight appearance of the mysterious picnic tabke sleeper at RPH. Turns out it was Treebeard. He is a weird dude. So funny.Miles, however, did not think it was funny. My earplugs protected me from the whole ordeal, but apparently Treebeard made quite a bit of noise upon his arrival (and when he subsequently cooked dinner).AND THEN, Treebeard himself strolled up to the porch. While everyone else took off the deli down the street, and I sat and chatted with Treebeard (who complained about Miles's frustration over his midnight arrival).I understand both of them. I don't know how much of a disturbance Treebeard caused because, wearing my stylish neon green ear plugs, I slept right through it. It is definitely rude to arrive so late and make enough noise to wake sleeping hikers, though. So I can see why Miles was mad.At the same time, I think that if there is ANY room in the shelter of any kind, and the weather is bad, anyone has the right to squeeze in wherever they can to stay dry. Treebeard doesn't have a tarp for his hammock, which is kind of dumb, though. Any time it rains, he HAS to make it to a shelter, or else just get soaked. Totally his choice, but it seems silly to be so unprepared.So I can't choose sides on this one. I like both of these guys, but they both have personalities that are a little off. Miles is very intense and stubborn and Treebeard is just... Treebeard.Anyway, after talking for a while, I decided to retire to my tent. Social hour was over. It was bedtime. It IS bedtime. And the swamp across the train tracks is full of peepers... another reminder of home.I am thankful to be (relatively) clean, and close to home! I am so thankful for the owner of this business for making another night on the trail amazing. I am thankful for my mother's patience with me as I stress out about the picnic. I am thankful for amazing friends on and off the trail. I am thankful for my youth, my mostly healthy body, and another third of the trail north of me.Only seven miles left until CT!