Date: 2012-06-23
From: Ten Mile campsite, CT

To: Pawling, NY
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Morning found us with everything damp, except for a patch beneath our tarp were our pack was resting. We dug out our stove and retrieved our now wet UrSack and headed over to the sole bench to fix breakfast. We decided on a salami wrap instead of oatmeal and apples, but washed the wrap down with some hot chocolate. After a quick trip to the privy, we broke camp and hit the trail about 7:45a to partly cloudy skies. Shortly after turning south out of the campsite we arrived at signage announcing the shelter area uphill. A map showed the shelter, a privy, and recommended camping areas. As our phone still had a limited charge we opted to press on and skip a photo.Just after the blue blazes to the shelter, the trail made a sharp left turn and began its rise over the first notable hill of the day. About 100 yards up we crossed a fire road used to access the shelter. Another hiker had arranged sticks in the shape of the AT symbol, much as we had found along a gravel road in PA during our 2010 section hike. We took a break around 9 a.m. and Hemlock and Granny Bus happened along sectioning north to Bulls Bridge. At 9:20 the snake of the day appeared, a common ribbon snake. About an hour later we discovered a dead mouse in the middle of the trail. We wandered past rewriting Loudon Wainwright III's skunk lyrics to fit the deceased mouse.Around 10:45 the trail descended down some rock steps to shallow water flowing across the trail. As we were below the surrounding ground level, we decided it was bath time. After filling and cooking another 2l of water, we unclipped our washcloth, stripped off our shirt, and sponged down away from the water source. We also dragged our t-shirt through the water and rung it out away from the water. We didn't realize it, but we were very close to entering NY.At 11 a.m. we crossed the CT/NY and just past a kiosk welcoming hikers from a nearby trailhead met the infamous Gunrunner, who had been hiking with Mouse. For several days we would spot Gunrunners telltale cigar butts that he left to taunt others behind him.We arrived at the Wiley shlter at Noon and took off our pack for an extended break and to eat. We opened our new honey peanut butter packet and made a wrap with a tortilla and washed everything down with lemonade.Being tired and a bit nauseous from the heat and exertion, we extended our break reading the shelter log until our new calories kicked in and we felt better.After setting off south we continued up past Wiley shelter and started cruising along a high level section. Just after 2 p.m. we met Haystack, Cool Breeze and three dayhikers from the morning train. A little further and we met a group of men with a young boy in tow. The group was headed for the Wiley shelter. They explained they had visited the shelter area earlier in the week and stashed a large quantity of beer nearby. Glad we weren't staying at the shelter that night and will recommend to others that you avoid the Wiley shlter on Saturday nights unless you're looking for the party crowd.About 4:00 we arrived at a long section of boards. In the midst of no where with no blazes we intersected another board section. We opted to continue straight ahead and not turn. This turned out to be the correct choice as once we got off the boards we started seeing the familiar white blaze. Just before 4:30 we arrived at the edge of the woods, atop a hill looking over farm fields and hearing cars in the distance. We were near the train tracks and the nursery we passed on the bus two days ago. Heading down the hill we met Teflon coming up. Teflon confirmed the new pizza trailer was waiting at the highway below. We continued downhill in full sun. We climbed over three electric fences using fence ladders. After the last fence we hiked down a well worn path past another kiosk and then we reached the highway. To our right was a rest area with the bright yellow pizza trailer. Across the highway to our left was the nursery. We headed across to the nursery and dropped our pack on the porch of the now closed business. A group of four thru-hikers were gathered at the far end disassembling mail drop boxes and stuffing their packs. We sat in a rocker across a side table from Parmesan. She informed me about the posted rules. We located the water spigots around back and filled all our bottles. She also pointed out the two electrical outlets along the wall of the goldfish pond. We plugged in our phone and headed across the highway to the pizza trailer. $2.50 bought us a generous slice of cheese pizza and another $1.50 added a can of orange soda. Returning to the nursery and our pack, we munched on our pizza. Scott the on-site caretaker arrived shortly after. Scott pointed out where the assembled hikers could camp on the property. We headed over a rigged our hammock above some weeds using a tall fence post and a nearby tree. We were awakened several times in the night by repositioning trains and passing trucks.