Date: 2005-07-22
From: Lott Rd; Unionville, N.Y.

To: NJ 94, (Vernon NJ)
Miles today: 11.8

Started @ Lott Rd. (Unionville, NY)Destination: NJ 94, (Vernon NJ)Miles today: 11.8Total Miles: 1342.3Stayed in hostelDay 133Although we could not leave before the Post Office opened, we hada mail drop here, we were up early. We went to the generalstore and got coffee and breakfast sandwiches. I then took ourwater containers to the cemetary drive-way, where the Data Booksaid we could obtain water from a spigot, but no water came out.A woman walking her dog said it was probably turned off beauseshe came by it one day and it was running and she could not getit turned off. So I stopped by the general store and they toldme that when the town office opens at 8:30 I could get waterthere. There is a water fountain in the park but it is not easyto get a bottle filled from it. When the town office, which isnext to the park, opened, the lady there said if I could not getmy water bottle under the faucet in the bathroom I could getwater from a hose at her house which is right next door. Once the post office opened we packed our supplies in our packand headed out. It was almost 10 when we got to the trail. The trail was not as rocky today--there were places that thetrail was really quite smooth. There were a few really goodsteep ups today and a couple were quite rocky. Within 4 miles of NJ 94 there is a wetland area and a boardwalkhas been built that meanders through the wetland. A shallowstream runs through the area and a suspension footbridge hasbeen built to cross it since a sign says there are hiddendangers in the stream. Then on the other side the boardwalkcontinues for a while longer.The wild flowers have been beautiful. Over the last few days wehave seen lots of butterfly bushes, wild bergamont, queen anneslace, daisies, black-eyed susans, chicory, and lots more Icannot even remember. Yesterday we saw what must have been ababy hummingbird buzzing around the wild bergamont. At first Ithought it was some kind of bee--I tried to get a picture but itflew away. Yesterday we saw turkeys when we reached the top of a climb. And today we saw several turtles on a log in the wetland area. Toto said they were not snapping turtles, though.Toto wore his boots today to hike in and his feet did muchbetter. He said that tonight his feet did not even hurt. Hedid better today on the rocks, too. The hardest part for him isgoing up the mountain in this heat and humidity but even thatwill get better when his legs get stronger. When we got to NJ 94 this afternoon around 5:30 we waited at theA.T. parking area and Toto through up his thumb a few times butwe did not get a ride. Thumbing is against the law and so wedecided to start walking. Then a car pulled into the parkinglot and Toto went back to see if he could give us a ride intoVernon. He through out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Bruce, theridgerunner." He gave us a ride and then when we got here hegave Scholar, Cuppa Joe, and Free Readical a ride to the store. He had a picture of the bear biting the boy's sleeping bag atone of the shelters this past week. The bear got away with theboy's pack, which had food in it. A real scare for those boys that weresleeping out on the ground in their bags, I'm sure. Pixie, Pine Dragon, Scholar, Cuppa Joe, Swayze, Colors, andFeatured, were all here at this church hostel tonight. We haveuse of a shower, washer and dryer, computer with internetaccess, and kitchen. There is a Burger King nearby and that iswhere we ate. We still have to sleep on the floor but we have so much herethat we need and it only cost $20 for both of us.A real deal!!