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Hello to all my buddies out there. I know you all probably thought I left the
trail since I'm about 3 weeks behind on my journal. Sometimes its hard to work
getting to a library into my schedule and the trail has been a little tough, mentally,
lately. But you can be assured that I have too much invested not to finish. Just
hang in there with me with your support. All I have to do is read your comments and
it really gives me a boost. Thanks to all of you.
Monday (July 28) - We took a day off in Vernon today. Didn't do much - talked to
other hikers, did some wash, looked around town.
Tuesday - I lollygagged around today with Greenman like I said I wouldn't do again and we
did not leave out until about noon. I also had a fall today and hurt my eye and my
thigh. Teaches you to always be on your guard. We hiked on about 17 miles,
some of it in the dark, which I do not like to do. We were to meet the rest of the
group at Wildcat Shelter. It's hard to hike in the dark, especially if you are
looking for shelter signs. Greenman saw something in the woods with bright eyes.
He thought it might be a bobcat but when it lumbered off, you could tell it was a
bear because of the heaviness of its walk. We thought we were lost until we decided
to cry out our group name "MAIRNTTT". We got a faint return cry so we knew
we were going in the right direction. When we got to the shelter, it was full.
Greenman slept at the foot of the shelter, and I slept on my sleeping mat beside him.
Wednesday - Got a good start this morning and stopped for lunch at a deli at a road
crossing at Highway 17. Had a grilled cheese sandwich, potato salad, a big, big
pickle, a Mt. Dew and some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Big Treat! I came by
myself to the road crossing as Greenman didn't want to leave the trail, so I took a 20 oz
Canadian beer back to him.
It is very pleasant today, about 80-85 degrees. No rain. We will get up early
tomorrow to go to the Zoo and Graymoor Monastery. Sniper has gone on ahead and is
hiking about 25 miles per day because his brother's wedding is coming up back in Arkansas,
and he wants to be able to rejoin the trail close to where we are.
Also today we went through the Lemon Squeeze - a hole in the rocks that you have to
squeeze through to keep from doing a longer detour. It's right before you get to
Fingerboard Shelter.
Thursday - We got up early and hiked 15 miles to the Bear Mountain Inn. It is a
really nice Lodge. We got a double room (two bedrooms). One had a queen bed
and the other had two double beds. We decided we would not have enough time to do
the zoo and the Monastery today since it is a little after noon so we (me, Thorn,
Greenman, and Dirty Frank) decided to take it easy and pamper ourselves a little.
This Lodge has a restaurant; a food court that serves pizza; a grill; and a deli.
Also, it has a gift shop and a game room, ATM, and vending machines. I had chili and
a chicken and pasta dish for dinner. It's nice to go to sleep on a real bed with a
real soft pillow and know when you get up in the morning you can take a shower in a real
bathroom and not have to hike to the privy. Also, that there's bacon and eggs and
milk waiting for you in the restaurant.
Friday - We went to the zoo this morning - Bear Mountain Zoo. AT hikers get in free.
This is a rehabilitation zoo for animals that have been injured (or orphaned) and
are being treated so that they can be released back into the wild. (dogs are not
allowed in the zoo). We saw ducks, coyotes, bobcats, otter, deer, black bear, and
bald eagles.
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It is only seven miles to the Monastery but you have to be there by 4:30 p.m. to check
in for dinner. The guide book says the first fourteen hikers can eat, but we did not
see anyone turned away. It is quite an experience so be sure to mark this down as a
priority. Dinner is prompt at 5:30, and a priest (or monk) comes to get the hikers.
We had pasta and meatballs, vegetable soup, bread, and tea. It was all very
good. The friars sat at the opposite end of the table in their brown robes with
white sashes. They took us on a tour which was very interesting. Their order
is St. Francis of Assissi, who was the first friar. They also teach job skills to
the homeless. In fact, it was the homeless people who served our dinner to us.
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Eating dinner at the monastary. |
Taking a tour of the monastary. |
They have a ballfield picnic shelter, which has water and a shower, and it is open to
hikers. This is where we spent the night. It rained all night, but we stayed
dry.
Saturday - We hiked 12.5 miles this morning to the Fahnestock State Park. There was
a group of people having a birthday party. I guess we looked pretty sad and forlorn
because they came over and asked us to join them. We had hamburgers, cokes, and
birthday cake. I don't think I ever found out whose birthday it was.
There is also a Budhist temple here. It has the largest Budhist statue in the
Western Hemisphere - forty feet tall. The temple is built around the statue.
The gardens around the temple are very beautiful and immaculate.
Greenman, Thorn, and Dirty Frank went to a concert tonight. I stayed with the packs.
On a sad note - Freddy, Greenman's dog, died this week. He hiked over 300 miles last
year on the trail. He was fourteen years old. He did not come on the trail
this year.
To Bgone - I'll get some information to you next week on tents and sleeping bags. I
bought a great new tent about a couple of months ago, and sent my other one home with Pooh
Bear. I love it. And Appalachian Annie (Bgone's sister), thanks for joining my
adventure.
Waterman - I'll put a rock on Mt. Katahdin for you. You are here in Spirit!
Pauline - Next week. you will find out what a pop tart is.
Lee Perry - Hope you can get the Map pulled up now. And Mary from Nashville -
keep that encouragement coming. Mary, I know I am blessed to be able to do this at
such an early age. Thanks to my parents for their love and encouragement and
"love" boxes my Mom sends me.
To Sniper and Feral's parents - I have some great pictures coming up of the gang.
Sarah - Are you back on the trail; and if so, where are you? And do you know where
Happy Feet is?
Hello to Just Plain Jim in Alabama. And I have left a message for Burger from
Georgia in some of the shelters that his Mom, Terry, says hello.
Baltimore Jack is still behind me - Wish he would catch up. Also, where are you, Boy
named Sue? Been looking for you.
I should be able to catch up another weekly journal this week so come back soon.
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