Date: 2003-08-17
From: Bear Mountain, N.Y.

To: Graymoor Friary on Old West Point Road
Miles today: 7.3

I didn't walk yesterday. My feet were too sore and even a large dose of vitamin I hadn't helped very much the night before. I booked a taxi to take me over to Peekskill at midday, and spent a pleasant morning strolling in the shade of the trees alongside Hessian Lake and watching this attractive countryside retreat come to life. Bear Mountain can be no more than a 45 minute drive from NYC and families pour into this place at the weekend, as they have done for over a century, to get out of the concrete jungle for a day. I watched the large picnic tables along the shoreline fill up steadily with large family groups and the general mayhem as they got themselves settled down. Shortly before my cab, I sat in the upstairs bar of the Inn and looked out as two coaches pulled up and disgorged the next wave of inner-city families out for the day. A member of the restaurant staff looked out on the same scene, and said softly to a colleague "Today is going to be Hell!" It was certainly warm.  Once in Peekskill, at the Peekskill Inn overlooking the river, I spent the rest of the day doing laundry, eating, checking out grocery stores, andmaking phone calls. I spoke to Jeanne, 'Chafe Master's' wife, in Chicago, and learned that he is still unwell in Vernon, possibly suffering from giardia. He may jump ahead when is recovered so we can hike together in my remaining time but it is beginning to sound unlikely. This morning the Smith family's SUV swung into the Peekskill Inn fully loaded - Sean and Ryan all geared up for their day onthe AT; Verity and 'Two Speeds' along with them; and Karen and Bill who would drop us off at our start point, spend a day shopping in the area, and meet us at Bear Mt Inn at the end of our walk. Our start point was the Graymoor Friary on Old West Point Road. We found our way to The Ball Field', a large grassed field that contains picnic tables and a pavilion/shelter for hikers to use. The AT passes through the grounds of the monastery . I wouldn't be taking advantage of it, but the friary invites hikers staying at the shelter to dinner in its dining hall every day at 5.30pm. Most hikers have this event circled in their planning books as something not to be missed. We were slackpacking, the day was fair after a damp start, the temperature was perfect, and the boys were hopping about impatiently, raring to go. We moved along the blue blaze route in search of the trailhead. All we had to do when we got there was work out which way was 'north' and head 'south'. We didn't! From the planning book directions to Graymoor, 'Thistle' and I carefully worked out which white blaze trail was 'south'. And then, with three other trusting souls in tow, we both marched into the forest in the other direction! After 1300 miles, it just felt like the right thing to do. About half an hour later we paused, for we should have crossed the US9 highway by now. 'Thistle' and I looked at each other and said simultaneously, "We're going the wrong way!" As he had been leading our group up this point, we blamed Ryan. The mistake didn't hurt us at all. We did nine miles instead of the seven planned. The terrain was easy and it stayed dry, although thunderstorms did threaten us around mid-afternoon, but they passed. At one point, we met a nothbound hiker called 'Unc', out with a day-hiking friend called 'Bare Foot', because he walks barefoot. I marvelled at this. I couldn't walk five yards like that, but he was perfectly comfortable. He said only gravel roads give him any problem. We came out of the forest on to NY9 in good time and walked across the Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River about 5.00pm. Unlike most rivers we have crossed on the AT, the Hudson is navigable and is put hard to work. As we crossed, a tug drew a huge barge of coal downriver. On the far shore, a CSX freight train was also heading south with well over a hundred containers in tow. I could happily watch this stuff for hours, but we had an appointment to keep. We arrived at the Bear Mountain Inn just as Bill and Karen pulled into the car park, the timing couldn't have been better. Today has probably been impoartant for all of us. For 'Thistle' and 'Two Speeds' it was a reminder that hiking can be enjoyable when conditions are good. The boys had their introduction to the AT, they seemed to have a great time, and are keen to do more of it next year with their Uncle Gordon ('Two Speeds'). Ryan slipped on his backside a few times, and Sean chattered the entire day, though his mum insisted this was normal. Their enthusiasm was infectious and really lifted me. In fact the whole day gave me a boost and I loved being back with my two AT compadres again. We had dinner in Highland Falls near the West Point military academy, and then they dropped me off back at the Friary shortly before dark. I said goodbye to 'Thistle' and 'Two Speeds' in a much happier frame of mind than five days ago, and they seemed much more content as well. It's been a fine day.