Date: 2015-06-29
From: Unionville, NY

To: Greenwood Lake, NY
Miles today: 26.8

Up at 7:00am to clear skies, the first since entering New Jersey. It was a refreshing thought knowing I wouldn't have to trudge through rain again, but with boots still wet from the previous few days, I knew my feet would most likely suffer a bit. Moosehead, Burnsides, and I gradually packed up our gear in the middle of the playground we called home last night before making our way to the nearby Horler's Store.While there we enjoyed a couple of hot bagel sandwiches while sitting on the front porch chatting and watching cars speed off to begin their workweek. With my nagging blister still bothering me, I purchased some Advil and took a couple more than recommended. We were on the trail soon after, heading north by 8:30am. With the goal to reach a gap just under 27 miles away by 6:00pm, we had our work cut out for us today. We were soon skirting the perimeter of Wallkill Reserve, walking along a one-lane path providing a flat and scenic trip around the tall grasses and low water of the reserve. Moosehead and Burnsides opened up their lead to over half a mile during this stretch as I limped along with my aching feet. I soon veered off into the woods and climbed up and over Pochuck Mountain.After making my way to the next gap, I reached a much-needed cooler of trail magic left by current NoBo thru-hiker, Bloop-Bleep, who's from the area. He was taking the afternoon off to go cliff jumping and was kind enough to leave a cooler of Gatorade's. After continuing through the gap lined with the many cars of civilians enjoying the afternoon, I made my way along a .8-mile stretch of boardwalk, meandering through a large swampy area, cattails rising hundreds of yards into the distance like hotdogs on sticks waiting to be cooked over an open fire.After reentering the woods and crossing over a series of additional boardwalks through open pastures, the face of Wawayanda Mountain began looming ahead. Rising ~1,000ft in just over a mile, the climb would present one of the few challenging climbs I've had since Virginia. Hopping over and through large boulders, I flew up the mountain as sweat poured from my body, finally reaching the summit after completing a steep series of rock steps known as the "stairway to Heaven." I finally caught up with Moosehead and Burnsides on the summit and we'd spend the next half hour enjoying lunch - 2 Nutty Bars, 2 granola bars, 2 cheese sticks, 2 pop tarts, and a pack of pepperoni for me. Having covered the past ~13 miles in a 3+ mph pace, we knew we still had ~14 miles to cover over the next 5 hours. Time to get moving.A few hours later I ascending a series of rock outcroppings jutting out from the top of a ridge until I crossed the border into New York, marked simply by white spray paint. I snapped a quick picture before continuing on a couple hundred more yards until I reached a rock outcropping with an American flag flapping in the wind. The flag marked the summit of Prospect Rock, the highest point on the AT in New York. The sun was bright, the sky was blue, the air was warm, and the tallest buildings of the NYC skyline were visible just above the farthest ridge, over an hour away by vehicle. It was a pretty sweet introduction into a new state.After a quick break Moosehead pointed out that we still had ~5.5 miles left to cover and just under 2 hours to do it. We were soon huffing it over large rock outcroppings with their abrubt ups and downs, even climbing a ladder at one point, as we made our way along the ridge running along Greenwood Lake below. Moosehead soon disappeared into the distance while Burnsides and I suffered together. Feeling like a severe case of athlete's foot, our toes burned from the constant stress put on them in wet boots. Moving at just over the pace of a snail, we limped along, our breathing labored with every few steps. We soon reached a point where we realized we had ~2 miles to cover in 15 minutes. Wishing to be as punctual as possible, we decided the best way to make up a little time was to start jogging. With packs bouncing and feet burning, I threw a stick in my mouth and would jog the next ~1.5 miles until we caught up with Moosehead just before the gap. Another cooler of trail magic sat on a rock wall just as we exited the woods and we scored the last 2 bottles of water and split them.Soon after Moosehead's aunt, Janice, arrived to pick us up in order to host us for the evening. When we reached her place, we also met her daughter, Jillian, and her cousins from Brazil. One of them is actually a swimming champion for Brazil and is being recruited by several top D1 programs. They also have a 142lb Great Dane who, when in a playful mood, can be a risk to your feet or any object not bolted into the ground. The evening would consist of the usual first-world luxuries we deprive ourselves of while in the woods - shower, charging gadgets, watching TV, and eating a large amount of food provided by Janice including chicken, potato salad, pasta salad, asparagus, grapes, strawberries, and chips and dip. This was all washed down with cold beer and a couple liters of Coke. We decided during dinner that we will take tomorrow off as an unplanned zero due to the poor conditions of Burnside's and my feet. Hopefully a day off will be enough for my feet to rebound.Here's to no bears in New Jersey, entering New York, and the spoiling from Janice and Jillian.