Date: 2014-07-18
From: Tentsite Mile 1376.2

To: Bear Mountain Bridge, Mile 1399.7
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Since Nora V wanted to get to the Ft Montgomery post office before it closed at 5:00, and I wanted to get there before Linda would come to pick me up, we started hiking at 6:25 and kept up a good pace all day. Slayer woke up to say goodbye, but went back to sleep. Nora V can set a mean pace! It was good for me to be pushed. I'd usually fall behind a little bit on the uphills and then catch up when it leveled out. She didn't say anything, but I suspect she slowed down a bit at the top until I caught up! :-)About four miles we crossed over the New York Thruway on a road that Linda and I have driven under many, many times over the years on our way to/from Albany to visit her family. When I was a cadet at the Air Forece Academy, it was all male and we had a term for a cadet who was free from all female entanglements - a Rock. I was a Rock and proud of it! Then I met Linda the beginning of my senior year. That Christmas, I drove up to Albany from Virginia to meet her family. That yellow sign is what greeted me when I got onto the New York Thruway! Crossing the NY Thruway (note the yellow sign across the road) Fallen Rock Zone!Linda, Sarah and I once stopped here and hiked a mile or so up the AT before getting back into the car and driving on. The hike from here to Bear Mountain through Harriman State Park is gorgeous - open spaces under the trees without much undergrowth interspersed with fun rock climbs. We passed the trail that goes south all the way to the George Washington Bridge into NYC, and I noticed on the sign that it also goes north past Altamont, NY, where Linda's brother used to live. Maybe someday Linda and I will hike from NYC to see her family in Albany! Harriman State Park, where Linda, Sarah and I hiked a few years ago Bear Mountain Coming Up!When we got to the road before Bear Mountain, we met up with three guys Nora V knew - Achilles, Muffin Man and True Story. When I introduced myself, Achilles asked if I was the astronaut. I told him he was only the second person to ask me that and Nora V was the first, two months ago! Nora V set a blistering pace up the mountain and we all struggled to keep up. I was just about to cry uncle and drop back when my phone rang - Linda saved the day! I got to stop to coordinate where we'd meet. They all waited for me and we continued up the mountain and down the other side. Nora V, Muffin Man, True Story and Achilles at the top of Bear MountainJust before getting to the bridge going over the Hudson, the trail goes through a small zoo. Linda arrived just after we entered, so I hustled on through to coordinate our meeting place while the others enjoyed the zoo. Walt Whitman in the ZooWith all the traffic, there wasn't a good spot for Linda to pick us up, so I finally had her park in an "Official Vehicles Only" side road by the bridge toll booths. The other hikers joined us, including Simple. Linda had bananas and treats for everyone. I was figuring out how to get everyone and their packs into Linda's car to take them to the post office when another car pulled up. Stan is a photographer who is trying to do a photo book of thru hikers and wanted to take pictures of whoever was willing at his studio. So he took four to the post office and his studio, the others hiked on, and Linda and I headed on up to Albany for the family event tomorrow.Linda will drop me back on the trail Sunday, and I'll resume my journal then.