I enjoyed a nice relaxing zero at the church hostel, hanging out with Fidget (one of the lesbian couple) who was nursing a bad spider bite on her ankle. I ate at all the local spots, and watched 12 Monkeys, Almost Famous, Twister, and Hercules throughout the day. It doesn't get much better than that.
I started walking back to the trail, intending to get some lunch at a restaurant on the way. The food was good, and much needed fuel for the day. I only had to wait about 60 seconds to get a ride back to the trail. I was picked up by a mother with her baby in the car, which surprised me, but I wasn't going to complain.
Back in the forest, it was apparent that I had transitioned from NJ to NY. Everything changed in the blink of an eye. I zipped right past the first shelter, where I planned to eat my lunch, because there was no sign. I went the wrong way multiple times because the trail is poorly and sometimes incorrectly blazed. The trail went straight up to ridge line over giant boulders. I'm not liking NY so far, though there aren't any bugs so far!
My problem with NY, other than the poor blazes, is that the trail doesn't avoid unnecessary climbs. Typically, if there's a giant imposing boulder on the top of mountain, the trail will weave around it unless there's a view. That isn't the case in NY, as the trail specifically aims for each of these boulders. It's like a game of connect the dots that ends in tears.
I hiked 10 miles today, but the terrain was so challenging that it hit me much harder than most 20's would. But after finishing I found the road that leads to Greenwood Lake, NY, and went straight for my nights lodging.
Anton's on the Lake is very comfortable, cheap for hikers, and has stunning views. There are a lot of other hikers hanging out here around the lake, taking zeros and resupplying. It seems like the place to stay if you want to enjoy a hot summer day by the water.
Know what I mean Vern?
I was afraid some kids might be playing basketball and wake me up at some ridiculous hour, but that wasn't the case. I slept well, and upon waking wandered back across the street to the Italian restaurant for some breakfast.
It was a nice town to be lazy in and watch the motorcycles thunder by, and eventually I saw Bogey and Ledge wander in to do the same. They were both about to take a week off from hiking to visit family, so I waited with them in front of the General Store for their ride and said my goodbyes.
The trail began by running parallel to the road, and I had to step aside at one point to let 3 ATV riders motor by. Eventually the trail pulled away and started its ascent, which I followed up to a shelter. A family of section hikers was resting in the shelter, so I just took a short rest at the picnic table before continuing to climb.
The humidity was really taking it out of me, and I felt like I was breathing through a wet towel. Once I finished that climb though the rest of my day was much less strenuous.
I followed the trail down into some swampy lowlands, with a long wooden bridge carrying people over it. It was a popular area to walk, as made obvious by the massive number of couples I passed holding hands. My only issue was that it was a full mile without tree cover, which always saps my strength.
I finally made it to the road that lead to Vernon NJ, dripping sweat and exhausted. With no shade, I tried to hitch a ride for a while with no luck. One full car of hikers did give me some ice water, which was greatly appreciated, and gave me the energy I needed to start walking towards town. I only made it about a half mile before a kind gentleman pulled over to give me a lift.
The church hostel was very nice. They had A/C, shower, laundry, sodas for sale, and a tv with a bunch of movies. I also saw my tough as nails lesbian friends, and met a few other thru's.
I went outside to enjoy the evening breeze for a while, and when I returned at around 9:15pm, I discovered the lights out and everyone in bed. A sure sign that you're hanging out with hikers.
Camping in the park
It was just Shrek and myself left at camp when I crawled out of my sleeping bag liner. I ate a big breakfast to prepare for the 14 miles that would bring me to Unionville, NY.
I said farewell to Shrek, and hoped for happy trails. I was let down.
It was a very long and challenging hike, which I wasn't anticipating. The elevation map made it look like smooth sailing, but the day was a constant transition between steep ascents and descents. This mixed with the bugs and rocks would make for a tough day alone, but most of the trail was also a boggy swamp. I did my best to avoid diving ankle deep into thick, boot-sucking mud, but when there's miles of it you can only be so cautious.
On the upside, the days hike had some spectacular views from beginning to end. I crossed over High Point, with a breathtaking 360 degree view, and could have stopped at a beach to take a dip if I had more time.
When I finally found the road into town, I walked right to the general store, said hey to BMW, and grabbed a variety of 3 drinks from their glorious fridge. I cooled my heels for about an hour before moving on to the town park where I could set up my tent.
It was a crowded area, full of summertime kids with nothing to do, and families with their children. I wasted a lot of my evening in the pizza place across the street until it got dark, and then I ambled back to my tent.
The only other excitement for the night came around 2am, when a group of 5 drunk teens came to the park to run around and fall over a lot. Thankfully my headphones worked just fine for drowning out their fun.
Farewell Branchville
Yesterday was nice and relaxing. After meeting up with my parents we ate, checked-in to a Holiday Inn, and went to see World War Z. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It was definitely better than I was expecting.
Today they dropped me back off at the trail around noon, after leaving some redundant gear and picking up a couple of odds and ends. It was an immediate uphill climb, but I was only doing 10 miles so I didn't have to worry about conserving energy. My friends the bugs were absent for a while, but showed up to say hello again after I was nice and sweaty. I criss-crossed paths with a couple hikers during my travels, and when I finally found my shelter it was beautiful and bug-free!
I had the place to myself for a few hours before more hikers began piling in. The first person I met was Shrek, which was amusing because I had received a text from my mom saying that they had given him a lift to the trail. We chatted for a bit, and shortly after BMW arrived, followed by Bogey and Ledge. The group made for a boisterous evening of card playing and storytelling until the stars came out. A great reminder of how much fun you can have if you find the right people.
