It was a day, taken all in all – I shall not look upon it’s like again.
(Okay, I probably will… )
As usual, I was up early, around 5 am, but MS wanted to sleep until 7, so I did not disturb him. We didn’t cook breakfast this morning! One of NY’s fabled delis, serving B/L/D, was only 3 miles of easy trail away and right on the trailhead! This we could not pass up! I snagged a coconut water and a delicious cinnamon raisin bagel with roast beef, egg, and cheese. My stomach sang. We covered the 3 miles in about an hour and a half, then hung around the deli/store/picnic tables for about an hour, I needed to get more than just food. Also partially recharged the phone.
The rest of the day was just hiking. Got the 12 miles in, but the last three were pretty brutally rocky. Not difficult, but very very rocky and hard to handle when tired. And I was tired. I even got sick of mountain laurel blossoms! They are very pretty, but they indicate you are at the top of the mountain/hill, and I very much wanted to be at the bottom, where the road and campsites were! The blasted trail would not go down! Or it would start to, and you’d start to hope… And then it would go right back up into the flowers again! I am coming to loathe New York’s constant abrupt ups and downs as much as PA’s knife rocks! And let’s not talk about the bugs…
Made it to the campsite about 5:15, which means, subtracting the hour at the deli, it took 9 hours to walk 12 miles. Something like that. My speed has not increased, which means that if I want to make more mileage in future, I need to walk more hours – start earlier, walk later. I can do that, but will not worry about it until Morning Song drops off trail in Kent, CT next week.
Anyway, the campsite is on a well-used road. I managed to get here, get the tent up, refill water bottles, take care of business, and get everything under cover, including me, literally one minute before a thunderstorm let loose. It was pleasant to lie and listen to the storm, but it has passed now. MS is taking a nap, and I am just relaxing. About 7 we’ll probably get the dinner thing going.
Add to the list of things I need to buy – new insoles. The gel insoles I bought back in Palmerton, can’t even remember which state that was, are in bad shape. We will be taking a nearo in Pawling in about three days, hopefully I can find a sports outfitter. If not, Kent, next week, has an outfitter.
I wants another roast beef bagel, precious! It’s my job to find those sort of places, since I have those detailed maps. Maybe tomorrow… Tomorrow, 10 miles to a shelter, and hopefully the bugs will not be too bad. But I might have to pitch the tent anyway, to dry it out. I’ll see how it is in the morning.
I really don’t feel like cooking tonight (again), but the supply of tortillas and Things To Put In Tortillas is getting low. Never underestimate the humble tortilla. It has an infinity of possibilities. I think I still have a tuna packet, I know I have Babybel cheese and some pepperoni left… Or I could cook a Knorr side dish, yum. Choices…
I hike on.
TRAILS, TRIALS, AND TRAVAILS 