Date: 2006-05-17
From: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center

To: Shenandoah Tenting Area
Miles today: 17.6

Hmmm...perhaps it is true, that when machismo begins to swell the brain shrinks to the size of a pine nut.(this first part was written in my journal at 2:00 pm, when I stopped to have my lunch)I don't know what gave me the impression that I could hike 17 miles today. The reality is that real hikers wake up at 5 a.m.. I wake up at 5 a.m. also......and as I stand in the bushes emptying my bladder, I realize it's flippin cold and I am freakin tired, and the sleeping bag lures me back until at least 7 or 8.I've done 7 miles, the day is half over, and i have almost 11 miles left. The terrain has been hell. I got lost twice, and I slipped and fell on a rock at one point, and my knee bent sideways. It doesn't feel so good. I don't think that it is anything seriously wrong. I probably just tweaked a ligament or tendon, but I am sitting here writing, so that I can rest it. (If you don't distract yourself out here, it seems you just start hiking out of habit.),I really want to get to Pawling by friday for my mail drop (which contains a weeks worth of food, clean socks, a clean t-shirt, and a new book to read). Otherwise, I'll have to wake up early on saturday to get there so that I don't get stuck waiting around until monday.(the rest of the day's journal was finished up at a comfy picnic bench at the Shenandoah Tenting Area)After lunch, though I still wanted to do the 17 mile day, I decided that I would settle for going as far as I could. I knew that there was a campground at the 12 mile point that, "sometimes will allow hikers to stay for free", but it was at a state park a mile off of the trail. I really wanted to make it to this place which is on the trail , and had been well-reviewed on different websites.So after putting in 5 more miles post-lunch, I came to the road that led to the state park. I hadn't made horrible time, but my knee was starting to hurt quite badly.I sat down on a guard rail, and decided to wrap it with duct tape. Then I tried to come to a decision. I had 5 1/2 miles to go, it was 5 p.m., there was a 1200 ft ascent straight ahead, and I had a bum leg.I think that if the state park wasn't 1 mile off of the trail, I would have called it a day...but by going on, even if I only hiked 1 more mile, it would be 2 miles that I would save myself tomorrow in my quest to get to my mail drop.I forged on, assuring myself that I would stop if I needed to (due to darkness or my leg), although the reality is, after pulling the ticks out the other day, I'm feeling a little hesitant to bushwhack in order to find a campsite again.As I crossed the road to resume, there was a hiker registry. I approach it to sign in, I look at the last line and it reads, "Pa Bert and gang...11:00 am". He had to add the 11:00 am! (I'm a man...and telling you about my duct taped leg just to prove it, but I'm not too much of a man to admit that I wanted to cry right there!) They had hiked 12 miles before noon, and it took me until 5 pm to make it to this point.From there, as I started hiking, the terrain wasn't too bad and I began to push myself harder (which I hadn't intended). I began hiking double speed, munching granola bars and licorice along the way. Before I even expected it, I had reached the summit of the mountain. I knew that the camping area was only 1.5 miles past the summit. It was 7:00. I took it easy the rest of the way, and made it here at 8:10.I have the place all to myself, and it is beautiful and spacious. It is like someone's well-manicured back lawn, complete with a picnic shelter, well water and firepits.The sun is long gone now. I will probably be in a great amount of pain tomorrow, but I almost feel like a real hiker.