New York City?

6/28/2013

New York City?

Crossed a turnpike or freeway yesterday NY87,  and the sign said,  New York City 34 miles.  That is close enough for me.  I came down Bear Mountain today, and walked across the bridge over the Hudson River.  Met 3 cyclists on the bridge.  One of them came from Winona, MN to ride with his two friends.  His buddies cracked up when the first person they talked to....me

.....was from Minnesota too!  We posed for pictures together on the bridge. 

The Lemon Squeezer and Baby Pigeons

6/27/2013


The Lemon Squeezer and Baby Pigeons


I packed up from my illegal tent site early today (Thursday June 27th)  and arrived shortly at the Lemon Squeezer.  It was too narrow to negotiate with a pack on, so I took my pack off,  and carried it ahead of me.....above my head.  After getting through  the squeezer, I was immediately faced with a rock wall about 8 ft. high.  It was not possible to climb it wjth my pack on.  I tried.  But there was not enough room.  I threw my poles up on top, and then pushed my pack up and over the ledge.  I thought about all the baby pigeons we had stuffed into our pants pockets and T-shirts,  while climbing the sandstone cliffs at Mounds Park,  or under those East Side Bridges.....the old Third Street Bridge..... and the newer 6th Street Bridge, in St. Paul,  as kids.  And I said to myself,  "I can do this....I did tougher cliffs, for pigeons all the time".   I thought of Finn's Alley, and my fellow Finn Gangers,  at home.  This rock face was the toughest challenge so far...... but I could do it.  As my friend, Randy,  is known to do, I yelled "Your Mamma!!!" at the rock face, as loud as I could...... with absolute insolence...... to let it know that I was coming up.....it could not stop me.   Then I took a deep breath, and I climbed that wall!

When I got up top,  I noticed the Blue Blaze sign indicating an easier way around the wall.  I am East Sider!  I am Finn Ganger!  I am Hawkeye!  There is no Blue Blaze for me!!

New York Blues

6/27/2013

New York Blues

First I am going to gripe about the total lack of camping sites in New York State on the AT.  Then I am going to tell you a story.  The New York AT is set up to force hikers to go into town every night and spend cash on food and lodging!  Tonight I am stealth camping up pretty high, just off the trail.  I am worried about lightning, but what can you do? The nearest shelter is .6 mile off the trail, and has no water.....no privy..... nor any indication of tenting space. The first designated tenting spot in New York was at 1370 miles...... the second is at 1402 miles. There is one at 1423 and then one at 1450 miles.  Are you kidding me?  Last night I tented at a location in a state park that prohibited camping.   I was tired....... it was going to rain.... I put up my tent.  I think they should  reroute the AT around New York State.

toad

I may have erred in finally taking a photo of a toad......I have seen a large number of em on this trip.....this guy wants to be seen in every journal entry. This has to stop!

Welcome to New York

American Flag erected up on the ridge near the NJ-NY Border.....The border itself.....and some rocks to walk. Follow the White Blazes!

New Jersey

These are New Jersey rock fences.... a boardwalk through a wetland.....and a stream near Wawayanda State Park. 

New Jersey

6/25/2013

New Jersey

These two frogs....... and the toad willingly posed for these photos..... agreeing to represent New Jersey wildlife.  The two good bears,  that I saw.....the adult hen turkeys....who were trotting down the AT.... some of their offspring, that could fly already.....and the many deer..... including fawns...... that I saw,  were all busy gorging on blueberries,  and would not stand still for pictures.  As you can see the green frog actually climbed out of the swamp in order to pose for the picture.

Hiker Nutrition-part two

6/21/2013

Hiker Nutrition-Part Two

I was in Daleville/Troutville, Virginia, some time ago,  at the grocery store, with my hiking partner,  Airborne.  I was adding some "must have" Snickers,  and Hershey's Extra Dark chocolate bars,  to my cart.  Okay.....I was adding a bunch of 'em.  When I noticed that Airborne was watching me.....and rolling his eyes.  So to really get him going.... I threw in a bunch more, of both kinds.  When I got back to the motel,  I discovered that I still had a bunch of chocolate left over, from the week before.  I had a total of 19 Snickers Bars.(6 Extra Dark and 13 regular.)  I had 12 and 1/2,  4.25 ounce Hershey Extra Dark Bars.(Those are the really big ones)  And 8 or ten regular 1.25 ounce bars.  I added up the  weight of the combined Snickers and Hershey's,  to arrive at a total weight of just over 6 lbs of chocolate.  I told Airborne and he must have told others, that I was carrying 6 lbs in my pack,  because for a couple of weeks, people were always asking me how much chocolate I had.  What else could I do but carry it?  I was not about to give it away!!  It was chocolate after all!!

Hiker Nutrition

6/21/2013

Hiker Nutrition


Thru-hikers burn 4000 to 5000 calories per hiking day.....so it is essential that the hiker maintain a healthy diet.  We make extensive efforts to supplement our freeze dried noodles,  with energy boosting snacks.  Here are my two most vital sources of go power.  Please note also,  that everyone who thought that I only brought one shirt,  on this trip,  is mistaken......as you can now see.....I have two.

Finally the end............of Pennsylvania

6/18/2013

Finally the end of Pennsylvania

It's 4:30 in the afternoon, and it's raining.....a typical day, except for the fact that I am not walking in the rain.  I am in my tent already, staying dry,  as this thunderstorm rolls overhead.  I stopped hiking for the day,  more than two hours ago; a very short day, of very slow hiking........a planned thing.  I am about 5 miles out of Delaware Water Gap, PA.  Which is the end of this

state,  and the start of New Jersey.   YAY!!!!!!!  I am happily done hiking in Pennsylvania.   This state beat me up, physically....... and mentally.   My right hip is sore...... and has been for three days.  It has not impacted my hiking,  but has bothered me at night , and resulted in limited sleep, which makes for a long day.  My back is tired, and my feet are battered.  As I already admitted,  the rocks reduced me to a screaming, swearing basket case.

The good news is that it's over.  Goodbye Pennsylvania. 

I did a short 12 miles today, and will walk the 5 miles into town,  in the morning.  I have rented a room for two nights.  Tomorrow will be a Nero day (a short 5 miles) and Thursday will be a Zero day (no hiking miles).  I would have preferred to hike Thursday,  but the fact is that I need to rest and recover a bit.  I don't want my hip to get any worse. ( Just got a flash flood warning on my phone.  It's really pouring.  I expect that I am up too high for a flood).   I also need to find my way out of the "these f------ rocks" mode,  and back into the, " having fun",  mode.  Zoe's Ice Cream is right across the street, from the point in town where I get off the trail.  I am going to Zoe's! 

Saw a doe and fawn or fawns 

today....could not tell for sure if it was one or two youngsters,  in the tall ferns.  None of 'em would hold still for a photo....see?  I tried.

One final note of interest. (Whoa!  That lightning was close!)   I have discovered an amazing number of new worms, flying insects,  and other unusual bugs..... ranging in size from tiny specs to about four inches!!  Ninety percent of them, I found crawling on the back of my neck.  The rest flew into my eyes......my ears.......or,  up my nose!!!!  Where do they go from there?  I can't find 'em. Now,how did that damn, biting ant, get in this tent? 

I ate dinner twice already tonight.  I was trying to run that large fuel canister out of gas, so that I can toss it in town, without wasting any.  No luck on that.  Maybe I'll eat again,  if the rain and lightning,  stop before dark.  Hawkeye. 

Lehigh Gap Slatington/Palmerton PA

6/17/2013

Lehigh Gap Slatington/Palmerton PA

When I was crossing the bridge,  and looking up at that mountain of rocks.........I assured myself that there was no way that the AT would go up there.  They just would not do that to us!

Oh yes they would do that!  Look for the white blazes that designate the trail.  We are rock climbers now!