Date: 2006-06-14
From: West Mountain Shelter

To: Graymoor Friary
Miles today: 12.2

June 14, Graymoor FriaryWow, what a day. What a night. Last night, the sunset was superb, then the lights along the Hudson River community down the hill began to come up. Then we started to see Man. It was a sight worth the walk. I slept in. I'm starting to realize I can do 14 miles and still have a good amount of day left. So, I gave Rocky and SwampFox a goodbye hugs and promised Rocky a package of cinnamon coated pecans when I get home. Then down the trail. It was a warm morning. Even the canopy overhead didn't help. I walked and sweat. I thought about how this next leg will be another adventure. New faces, new names. The big mile thru-hikers will be passing me. That's okay. I like my own hike. Bear Mountain was interesting. The trail first followed the road then turned right up the hill into the woods. Up through the woods. I thought about how past hikers came crawling through the woods with tourists at the top of the hill. I figure it was still early in the morning. Once I got up to the top, there was no one there. Turns out the tourist attraction, Perkin's Tower, is closed. Oh well. Then down the hill to the Lake. There I stopped to talk to an elder gentleman who was fishing. We chatted about it being Flag Day. Then through the Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center. Lots of kids with their caretakers. Maybe daycare trips. The kids were staring but I just kept walking. Seeing animals in cages was depressing. But the book explains the animals there are disabled in some way. It was sad to think about how some of the kids, this is the only way they will ever see these wild animals. Then off the trail to Ft. Montgomery to the post office. They were polite, had a hiker's box in the lobby area. Then across the street to M&R Grocery for a cheeseburger and fries. Picked up a few more snack stuff and headed back to the trail. A quick tourist thing through the Ft. Montgomery ruins. Always wanted to know what a redoubt was and now I know.   At the bridge, I ran into Rocky and SwampFox trying to call her daughter to arrange for a pick up. We chatted for a bit and said our goodbye's again. Then across the bridge and up the hill. It seemed to be poorly marked once I got across the bridge. I saw some cars by the side of the road, and a marker that said AT-> so I walked in some of the trail, wasn't marked until I'd gone up a ways. Then the trail is marked both ways So, I walked back down to the road and walked up farther up the road. I gave up and started going back to where I saw the cars.Then I saw a hiker coming up the road and he disappeared.   Found where the hiker disappeared to and there it was, a smudge of trail blaze on a rock, next to the sign that says Appalachian Trail. Duh! And then I was back on the trail. Caught up with a hiker, female. Another section thru-hiker. In a skirt and Keene sandals. Cantaloupe is her trail name. Not as strong going up the hills but long legs for the straight way. She's been walking with a big group of young thru-hikers. As we were going through the woods, then thunder started. We picked up our pace to get here. Maybe not a good idea. We beat the rain to the Friary. Walked around and got confused so we set our packs down at the picnic pavilion. We went searching for the water. Down to the ball park where hikers are asked to camp. As we started across the ball field, the rain started. We were in no shape to run the last hundred feet. There were two section southbounders. We also found out the pavilion we¢re stopped at is the over flow. We got our water and found some big garbage bags and headed back to our packs. Cantaloupe said the group behind us is at least ten folks. The group she has been walking with got here. And this is the kind of group I have a hard time with. Young and rowdy, foul mouthed and slightly obnoxious. But they are starting to settle down as it's getting darker. One has a guitar and played some quiet music. Maybe not so obnoxious after all. The temperature has dropped again. The rain is cold. But we have a roof over our heads. Some of the kids went down to the ball field for the free cold shower. I'll wait until tomorrow, the state park has hot showers. I think I'll call it a night. My right foot is hurting some. We'll se how it goes in the morning.   Namaste'