Date: 2007-07-15
From: Seven Lakes Drive, NY

To: Graymoor Monastery
Miles today: 10.5

Morning in Arden Valley finds us having Dunkin¢ Donuts for breakfast, courtesy of Night Eyes. Then he slacks us by taking the packs all the way to the Graymoor Monastery where we will be spending the night. This guy is really overflowing with Trail Magic.Judging by the start, we know today is going to be super. From our drop off point at Seven Lakes Drive we hike a short one and a half miles to the top of Bear Mountain. We absorb the 360 degree panorama. Most people drive up on the scenic and twisty road. I think I drove this stretch 5 years ago, and it was quite pleasant.Bear Mountain State Park has a lot to offer visitors. At the mountain¢s base are a lake for boating, a carousel, a lodge (closed for renovations), the Trailside Museum and the Wildlife Center. Because the A.T. goes right through the Museum, hikers can walk it without paying the entrance fee. And let¢s not forget the high level of scenic beauty with the bridge, the Hudson River and the mountains flanking it.After traversing literally hundreds of high points along the trail, we are bemused to be at the official low point of our 2174-mile journey. We are a mere 124 feet above sea level standing here next to the bear den. If we wanted to get really low, we could take a side trail down to water¢s edge. There I guess we might be only 5 or 10 feet above sea level.As usually happens, some hiker that you recognize from previous outings appears out of nowhere. So here I am with Ranger Jan, another hiker I spent some time with in 2004. He claims not to remember me, which is odd considering there are not many females on the trail, and certainly very few my age! Nevertheless, we enjoy reminiscing about the olden days of three years ago.The park wisely provides pedestrian underpasses at some of the most dangerous intersections but unfortunately not one at the west end of the bridge. We exercise due caution crossing to the north side. On the opposite bank of the river the trail heads up the side of the mountain named Anthony¢s Nose. The trail¢s force continues to pull us northward. It is futile to resist!During the last 15 minutes of the day we get rained on. When we exit the woods we have only another 1000 feet to go down Route 9 to the Monastery entrance. Amazingly a Trail Angel flies in from somewhere and offers us a ride. I wonder if there¢s some connection with the Angel and his taking us to the Monastery.The Monastery (actually now called the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center and run by Franciscan Friars) has provided services for thru-hikers for decades. They allow thru-hikers (and no one else!) to stay at the pavilion near the ball field. Cold showers and meals are available. There is no charge, but donations are always accepted.After we are all in our tents someone shows up in a car, parks not too far away from us, and proceeds to yak loudly on their cell phone for the next hour. We don¢t know what¢s being said ¢ sounds like Russian. When the conversation ends the fellow apparently nods off and spends the night sleeping in his car. He makes us a little apprehensive, but nothing sinister happens for the remainder of the night.