Saturday, July 6, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Sanity
7/4/2013
Sanity
As I hiked in the pouring rain , on Monday morning, July 1st...... splashing along through the puddles......baby stepping across the slippery rock faces, and squishing into occasional muddy stretches....I was thinking how good it was that there was no lightning with this storm....only torrential rain. I was not wearing rain gear. Rain gear protects you from the chill of cold rain, but if you are hiking hard, you get wet underneath, anyhow, from sweat. In the summer...... when it is warm and hypothermia is not a concern....... one may as well forgo rain gear. Being soaked to the bone, by water...... instead of sweat..... as has been the case lately.....was actually refreshing, and the downpour was even holding the mosquitoes at bay. Once I adapted to that initial "wet clothes clinging to skin", sensation...... I concentrated on the hike, on following the trail, and those white blazes.
The rain was a bit cold during my brief breaks of sitting on a wet rock, or log, but it's coolness was perfect for actual hiking, and I was making pretty good time. My clothes were getting some of the sweat and dirt rinsed out of them....... and so was I. It was all good.
It all seemed so everyday normal,so natural..... that I was forced to consider the question of my sanity.
Sanity
As I hiked in the pouring rain , on Monday morning, July 1st...... splashing along through the puddles......baby stepping across the slippery rock faces, and squishing into occasional muddy stretches....I was thinking how good it was that there was no lightning with this storm....only torrential rain. I was not wearing rain gear. Rain gear protects you from the chill of cold rain, but if you are hiking hard, you get wet underneath, anyhow, from sweat. In the summer...... when it is warm and hypothermia is not a concern....... one may as well forgo rain gear. Being soaked to the bone, by water...... instead of sweat..... as has been the case lately.....was actually refreshing, and the downpour was even holding the mosquitoes at bay. Once I adapted to that initial "wet clothes clinging to skin", sensation...... I concentrated on the hike, on following the trail, and those white blazes.
The rain was a bit cold during my brief breaks of sitting on a wet rock, or log, but it's coolness was perfect for actual hiking, and I was making pretty good time. My clothes were getting some of the sweat and dirt rinsed out of them....... and so was I. It was all good.
It all seemed so everyday normal,so natural..... that I was forced to consider the question of my sanity.
I am splooshing up the slopes and down the slopes......... navigating across rock hazzards, and swollen streams, and am thinking......
"No bugs, no sweat, clean clothes, clean body.... it is so good to be soaking wet!!"
Have I been out here too long? Does one have to be totally insane to hike the whole AT?
Or is it possible that after 4 months.......... that I am there.....that I have arrived.....that I have adapted to this trail....and to what it takes to see it through to the end?
An interesting question. I am not certain of the answer. I only know that I plan to keep hiking, to go up the next hill.
"No bugs, no sweat, clean clothes, clean body.... it is so good to be soaking wet!!"
Have I been out here too long? Does one have to be totally insane to hike the whole AT?
Or is it possible that after 4 months.......... that I am there.....that I have arrived.....that I have adapted to this trail....and to what it takes to see it through to the end?
An interesting question. I am not certain of the answer. I only know that I plan to keep hiking, to go up the next hill.
A day later, "Sundance" and I successfully navigated our way from Jacobs Peak, down the steep wet rocks of St.John's Ledges, to the Housatonic River below, near Kent,CT.
It is a tricky task dry....more challenging wet. Once safely down, "Sundance", much faster than me..... bade farewell. I strolled along the edge of the river on a flat path for miles. I came apon a muddy stretch, and stepped onto a rock, to avoid the mud. My foot slipped....... and down I went face first into the soft mud. One whole side of my rain-rinsed body was suddenly mud. My hiking poles.... my pants....my shirt...my hat......my face, and even my eyes, were full of mud!!!!
Luckily, the rain swollen river was steps away. I tested the edge with a muddy pole,(it dropped off pretty fast)....then stepped into the chest deep, warm water and rinsed off. Then I climbed out....soaked again, and kept hiking. "What luck", I thought, "to slip on a rock and fall into mud...and not onto rocks.... while traversing the Ledges. What a lucky fall indeed!".
Friday, June 28, 2013
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
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.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
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!
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
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!
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