Date: 2005-06-14
From: Wingdale

To: Ten Mile River Lean-To
Miles today: 9.9

This mornings TV weather report from NYC warned of severe heat. A formal heat advisory has been issued with an expected heat index of 105. Exposed skin will burn in 7.5 minutes, and small children and dogs will spontaneously combust!   I drank four diet cokes ¢ almost frozen because I lowered the temp in the fridge too much ¢ and eat in my room my Grand Slam from Cousins. No repeat of the diarrhea during the night. Charlie was as good as his word and showed up promptly, so I was back on the trail early.      Because of all of the dire heat warnings I resolved to go very, very slow, even slower than my normal slow. The trail passes an old water tower near Hurds Corner Road and then wanders for a bit among meadows ¢ I love meadows. Lots of white flowering multiflora Rose today. It then climbs up Hammersley Ridge ¢ not too bad ¢ and intersects with a variety of colored trails ¢ red, yellow and green, as it wanders up and down along the ridge. I took it very slow and easy, and to be honest it wasn¢t such a bad day after all. I think that the humidity was not as bad as predicted and an intermittent breeze helped conditions again, courtesy of my KT!   The trail passes by an old cemetery gate ¢ The Gate of Heaven ¢ same inscription is in Saint Edmunds Church in Oak Park. No identifiable markers in the cemetery, all overgrown by the lush summer grasses.   At Wiley Shelter I was surprised to find Flash Gordon and Cat [with his brother] They had gone into New York City for a few days and had just returned to the trail. I started from the shelter before them, so I can officially state that I passed, not one, but two NOBO thru-hikers this trip. At Hoyt Road-, which is the NY-Connecticut border-, they of course passed by me again!   Connecticut welcomed me with two liters of Trail Magic Water and a guide to the section in a trail registry. The trail here so far is very well maintained, with trail blazes and numerous signs. As one who is prone to wander off the straight and narrow, I appreciate all of the signage help that I can get.   The map profile of Ten Mile Hill had worried me a lot ¢ it looked very hard- but it turned out to be not too bad. I think that the extremely slow pace that I had adopted because of the heat also helped. It wasn¢t long before I was over the top, and then a nice, but steep, descent down the other side. Even the intermittent spring here has a sign.   At the bottom of the hill the trail parallels the Ten Mile River before arriving at the shelter ¢ and surprise! - Flash, Cat and brother were here, so I have once again caught up with them. They were soon away to Mount Algo Lean-To however. The brother is studying to be a PhD in microbiology at Columbia Presbyterian.   The shelter here is new ¢ 1995- and faces a meadow. I love meadows. Very nice and upscale compared to the NY versions. Have had a visit from Paul, a day hiker out of Kent, and he gave me some info on the hike out tomorrow.   So a day that I had thought was going to be the worse so far, because of the heat and the humidity, turned out to be not too bad ¢ and the same was true of the Ten Mile Hill profile.Thought for today ¢Things are often much worse in anticipation than they are in reality.P.S. I forgot to return the key to room #5 and have been hiking with it in my pocket all day long!