Start: RPH Shelter (AT mi 1431.9). Stop: Telephone Pioneers Shelter (AT mi 1448.7) Today’s miles: 16.8 miles. Total AT mileage: 424 miles
I tossed and turned last night because of the gnats.. once I’d drift off, one would suicide dive into my eyelids. I’d swat, shimmy down under my covers.. then, 30 minutes later, I’d wake up sweating and come up for air.. for another suicide dive into my ear. I could hear Derby just a snoozing, happy as a clam with not a single bug near him. So not fair.
I finally started snoozing sometime after 4am, and got woken up by heavy footed hikers coming and going through the shelter for the trash can. I got up at little after 6:15 and headed to the privy-there was a line, so when the guy in front of me went in, I looked around and popped a squat right where I was. I couldn’t wait for buddy to poop, I just couldn’t.
Once I got my pack on, it started raining. It was in the 60s and rained off and on all day-and you know what? It was glorious. I hiked quicker than I usually do, because I wasn’t stopping to sit on rocks or take pictures. The trail was once again smooth going, nice and gentle slopes with a few random rocky spots mixed in. It was seriously incredible.
I got to the first shelter for lunch at 11:30, and had already knocked out 10 miles! I had passed Ben and Beaver at the road before the road to the deli, and then Derby caught up to us, too. Derby and Ben went to the deli, Beaver and I continued on.. I had too much food in my bag to buy anything else! It’s still so heavy! So, Beaver beat me to the shelter, we ate lunch there, stretched.. then Derby reappeared.. good lord that dude hikes fast.
He left out before us, and before I left Cholula and Curmudgeon caught up and stopped for a break, too. Around 12:30 I headed back out. The day continued the same as was in the morning. I did have an ankle slip, but I was able to keep walking on it the whole time, so I’m calling it a win. I got to the shelter around 4pm, and Derby was at the stream. He said there was a ton of people at the shelter and camping, and if I wanted a spot to hurry up and claim it. I decided on the shelter (bugs and all) so I wouldn’t have to pack a wet tent in the morning.
I got my spot secured.. and holy Moses. It’s packed. There’s NayNay, a 72 year old section hiker who has quite literally not stopped talking since I’ve met her lol. Then there’s Pete, an over nighter out for some fresh air and relaxation. He’s a high school history teacher here in NY and got here with Derby earlier today. They met down at the gorgeous lake we passed on the way up. Then there’s 2 separate groups with children/teens.. one is a church group, the other is an outreach group from the Bronx.
Nuclear Lake
I tried sending a text to the group about how full it is, but my service is sketchy.. one second I have it and one second I don’t. I went down to the creek to bathe and get water. I made dinner when I got back, like 5pm ish-LOL.. and that’s when Curmy, Cholula, Beaver, and Towely got here. They didn’t get my text, and man did they look so deflated that there’s no where to put up a tent with all the little tent cities going on already.
Beaver stayed and set up his hammock, but the other three went back to the trail to find a spot for their tents. I’m sad there wasn’t room here. Derby, Beaver, Pete, NayNay and I have been chatting all evening. Now it’s almost 9 and NayNay is still just a chatting. She’s real sweet. We’re real tired. Looks like it’s time to do the tuck and roll with my earplugs in. Hahaha
Start: Telephone Pioneers Shelter (AT mi 1448.7) Stop: Ten Mile River Shelter (AT mi 1461.5). Today’s miles: 12.8 miles. Total AT mileage: 436.8 miles. States Completed: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York
I had the incredible experience of waking up to what most certainly sounded like mice in a food bag. It wasn’t. It was another hiker. It was also 5:55 am. She was getting food out of her food bag or fiddling with stuff- all of which sounded like 395 billion mice marching through on aluminum foil. I tried to ignore it for what felt like an hour as I drifted in and out of sleep. I saw one of the other guys get up from the shelter and head up the hill to the youth group he was in charge of. I saw Derby sit up and stare a few times.. I know everyone says women have looks that could kill.. he has also perfected that look, for the record.
When I could no longer stand it, and when I thought everyone but Derby and I were “up” (knowing good and well he was just as awake and annoyed as I was), I let all the air out of my new sleeping pad while I was on it.. it just so happened to be pointed at Derby. I got quite the laugh out of it, he-and the other gentleman still in the shelter-didn’t find me nearly as funny as I did LOL-whoops. We’re all definitely up now!
NayNay informed us that the “Sweet Pete” from last night had already packed up and headed out. He had told us last night that if he beat us to the deli in town (roughly 3-4 miles to a road crossing and down 0.7miles), he’d buy Derby and my breakfast or lunch-whenever we happened to get there.. to just tell the lady at the counter our names and our meal would be paid for. That’s some serious kindness.
Derby and I packed up, I ate a Poptart and Beaver let me filter some of the water he got from the stream to fill up my bottle with an instant carnation breakfast drink.. which, thank God and Beaver, because NayNay and the others were all talking a lot and I don’t really care for chatting in the morning. So much so, I beat Derby out of camp!
He quickly caught and passed me. The morning was damp and dank, but I knew I was crossing out of New York today, so I didn’t mind. I always hike a little quicker when it’s chilly and threatening rain. Even still, I was taking pictures and thinking about my Uncle Keith.. I even went to call him a couple times but didn’t have service. Father’s Day is creeping up and I had tried to buy a Fathers Day card before leaving for trail to have written out and ready for him.. but no one was selling any that early. I’ve been doing that.. before trail, I wrote out birthday and anniversary cards for important people to me, addressed them and have them sitting on my kitchen table at home. My mom, being the kind soul she is, mails them out for me a few days before the date I’ve written on the back of the envelope. I know service is sketchy out here-and so is time in general, really-and I didn’t want the ones I care about to think I forgot their special day.
I caught up to Derby, surprisingly. He happened to be coming back from “seeing a man about a mule” so, it was not because I was quick footed. We walked to the road together and started towards the deli. We stuck thumbs out and I laughed, these Tesla’s and BMWs aren’t going to be stopping for the two of us. Less than 5 minutes of walking we see a SUV slowing down that’s driving towards us.. a window rolls down.. “hey, want a ride?” IT WAS PETE!!
We ran across the road and got in his backseat. He drove us the rest of the way to the deli and dropped us off. When we got out, we put our packs at the door and went inside. It was a deli and convenient store, so I got a Gatorade and a hashbrown, egg, and cheese sandwich. Derby did the same and told the lady that Pete said to tell her our names.. she reached back behind the counter and handed Derby $40! Pete left us $40!! Holy Trail Angel, indeed! We refreshed our waters (aka: got a brand new smart water and threw the old one I’ve been refilling since Harper’s Ferry away! Way more exciting than it sounds, I promise), got a couple snacks each (honeybun for me), and Derby left a considerable tip.
When we walked outside, I found us a table to sit and eat at. My sandwich was SO dang good. So good, in fact, that I got back up and walked over to our packs to grab my phone so I could take a picture. Uh oh. My phone wasn’t in the side pocket it stays in. I knew I didn’t take it inside, but I walked in just to check, and it’s not there. I recheck a few other pockets knowing that I won’t find it. It either flew out when I crossed the road, when I got in the backseat, or when I got out. There’s no other options as I knew I had it when we started the road walk, because I took a picture of the train stop for the Appalachian Trail.. yes, a train from NYC (or somewhere close) comes all the way out here to the AT with a designated stop that appears very random when you’re walking out of the woods.
I tell myself not to panic as I check the parking lot where Pete let us out. I go back to the table empty handed, tell Derby my predicament and then finish my food. I decide then that I’m not going to let this mishap throw a wrench in my mostly perfect day so far. I keep my cool while Derby calls my phone with no answer. When we start to walk back, I don’t even attempt to hitch because I’m searching the road where we crossed and where we got in the SUV. It’s either here on the road or in Pete’s car.. both of which could potentially have great outcomes.
We get back to the trail.. I retrace the train tracks area to make sure I didn’t miss it there, and when I come up empty handed I start towards the road again. Derby sees two people in the distant field and thinks it’s folks in our group, so he hikes on rather quickly to catch them to inform them of my phone-less-ness. I hike at my usual pace through fields and downed trees. This last 4 ish miles of NY appears to have been forgotten about by the trail maintenance people. Trees are all over the place, so you’re climbing over when you can, and going to hands and knees to crawl under when you can’t. Then there were those wooden planks to walk across through overgrown fields that had briars and craziness blocking the way-that required your arms to get snagged over and over again by the briar stickers. Cool. I’d show y’all a picture-but I no longer had a phone. Ha.
I made it to the next shelter, only 2 miles from the NY/CT border and 4 from the planned shelter for the night. Beaver was there as was Derby, but the people he saw (and definitely caught up to) weren’t any of our people. The rest of our group decided to do a “10×10 challenge” from the deli.. but because of my lack of phone and our early departure from the deli, Beaver, Derby and I didn’t get to participate. Curmudgeon, HotSauce, and Towely packed out a 6 pack of beer from the deli, and toted it all the way (10 miles) to 10 Mile River Shelter, the one we were sleeping at tonight. I would have definitely attempted that!
We hang out for awhile at the first shelter and then carry on. I passed the Connecticut border, and got a little sad because I couldn’t take a picture. As the day progressed, I started to realized all the things I do with that dang phone. Pay bills, use Venmo to pay for things, take pictures and video, keep in contact with family and trail friends, search the Guthook app to see how far away things are and if I’m on trail or if I got lost.. search the next town to see where/what is available as far as food and motels, and of course.. this blog. Yikes. I had used Derby’s phone to call my mom to tell her the situation. She was calling my phone regularly in hopes that it was in Pete’s car and he’d notice it eventually (he was driving to pick up his girlfriend from her thing and then had to drive a few hours home, so it was probably going to be hiding in his back floorboard for a long time before getting noticed, if it was there at all).
I made it to the shelter, and holy moly it was gorgeous! It was by the Ten Mile River which was stunning. I decided to sleep in the shelter in case of rain (and because one of my trekking poles broke on the bottom and that’s what goes into the grommet to hold up the dang tent). Derby, Curmudgeon and I walked down to the water and rinsed off. I messaged my mom from Derby’s phone asking her to send my phone a message through FB messenger with her phone number, so it would show up on the Home Screen, even with my phone locked (Cholula’s idea, damn that girl thinks quick on her feet!). I handed him his phone back and started to walk away when he asked my moms number.. he answers his phone and it’s my mom calling to say Pete just called her minutes after she sent the message! She gave him Derby’s number, he called immediately and said he’d overnight my phone to me tomorrow morning! OH MY GOD! I couldn’t believe it! In 2 days, I’ll have my phone back!! And Pete was so kind, apologizing to me over MY blunder! I am literally still blown away by the kindness of this man, truly. I am so grateful.
We were at the water and I was still happily squealing over the amazement that I’ll be getting my phone back. Before I knew it, Cholula, Curmudgeon, Derby, Costa (Ben’s trail name now), Towely, and Beaver were there at the river and we were all getting in. Derby and Costa got out in the middle and let the currant take them downstream some! Cholula and I went out and sat on some underwater rocks (to be submerged but not carried away lol), and Towely and Curmy were soaking their feet. Shortly after, Lizard, FarOut, and HotSauce got there! Lizard and I followed Costa down the stream in the currant and then soaked out feet, too, then HotSauce and FarOut got in and played in the water.. the two of them cracking the rest of us up!
It was absolutely perfect. The water was great, the company was so much better. The guys shared their beer from their 10×10 challenge. We were hanging out, shooting the shit, and Lizard happily says, “it’s a party!” And man was it! After some time, Derby headed back to the shelter to start his dinner, while we were all still standing by the water, drip drying. I see a huge bird in the sky overhead. I assume it’s a turkey vulture, because every other time I see a ginormous bird, it’s a turkey vulture. Someone yells, “it’s a bald eagle!” We all stare in awe as the white of its head appears into view.. then, like we’re watching some National Geographic show on tv-it swoops down into the river, misses a fish (we all do a simultaneous “aghhhh!”), and then swoops again and CATCHES A FISH IN FRONT OF US! We all screamed, hooted and hollered! Like-this cannot be real!
Still laughing and reliving the eagle moment, we all walked back to the shelter at dusky dark to make our dinner. Derby heard our yelling and FarOut told him we were joking that the eagle was him swooping in to get his dinner LOL.. he got a kick out of that. We ate in the almost dark, then watched a beautiful firefly show across the field from the shelter. It was seriously the most incredible 4 hours that I can remember in recent history. Like-my fortune cookie from the other day needs to lose the “could be” and “almost” because this was pretty damn perfect. Even with the downed trees and missing phone, I couldn’t be happier! I was thankful I didn’t waste much time stressing the phone, I could have made today horrible for myself. I was surrounded by great people, I have a great mom, helping me deal with a mistake I made, I had another great person taking the time to send my phone back to me, and now I’m going to fall asleep to a phenomenal firefly show.
I’m at a loss for words for how incredibly lucky I feel.
Start:Ten Mile River Shelter (AT mi 1461.5). Stop: Kent, Connecticut (AT mi 1470.2). Today’s miles: 8.7 miles. Total AT mileage: 445.5 miles
I woke up suddenly just after midnight for no apparent reason. I saw the fireflies still lighting up over and over again all across the field, so I sat up and just watched for awhile, in total mesmerization. Eventually, my eyelids got tired and I fell back to sleep. The next time I woke, it was to a thunderstorm just after 6am. The sky was dropping buckets, but I had to pee, so I got up and found my umbrella, then made my way to the privy.
When I got back to the shelter, very thankful I stayed in the shelter and didn’t attempt to set up my tent with my broken trekking pole, Lizard was there and Derby was still sleeping. She was trying to keep warm and dry as she packed up her stuff to get started for the day. I briefly thought that this would be the perfect place for me to zero.. since my phone won’t be delivered until tomorrow afternoon. But then I realized I’d be hanging out in the woods alone with no phone and if something went wrong, it could have the potential to go very wrong.. and also the cozy shelter I was currently in would most definitely end up being the refuge for every single hiker coming north through here today. I’d have my dry warm spot taken over by dripping wet-wanting to be dry folks. Understandable, but not fun lol
Everyone pretty much did exactly as Lizard had, ran their dry things over to the shelter when they woke to eat and stay dry themselves before waiting for a momentary break in the rain to pack their wet tents/hammocks. I can’t remember what time Lizard headed out, but I finally got my crap together and left around 9:30am. I wanted to be ahead of the group for as long as I could manage, so if something happened to me, like a slip on wet rocks or whatever, I’d know someone would be coming across me soon enough.
It rained off and on all day. The temperature was cooler than it had been, and honestly it was beautiful. The trail was dark, soft mud and dirt, so dark in comparison to the leaves around that they seemed to glow the brightest shades of green, like chartreuse and lime. It made me think back the family owned fabric store I grew up working in, all through high school and college.. all the different types of upholstery and drapery fabrics we sold, their different textures, the velvets and silks, polyesters and cottons. It’s strange where your mind goes sometimes.
There were several long assents leading to, of course, long descents.. up and over misty mountains with foggy outlooks and white skies. I ate my lunch on one of those rocky overlooks, seeing nothing but low lying clouds and feeling the wind across my wet body, making me shiver. I made it to the shelter right before the descent into Kent, Connecticut. Lizard and Derby were already there, along with a ridge runner and some groups of section hikers and a few thruhikers. Lizard was deciding on waiting for the others to show up, to see who was pressing on and who was staying. I was deep in thought on deciding if I wanted to stay at this shelter, or trek into town to find a motel for the night.
After talking with everyone, including the ridge runner, and figuring out where a motel in town would be (no phone, remember), I told Derby I was going to go to town to get a room because I was cold and wet and wanted a shower. Kent, Connecticut is known to be a pricey town and not always hiker friendly, with expensive prices for rooms and food. But you know what? I didn’t care, I was less than a mile away from a shower and I would have to wait around until the afternoon tomorrow regardless, to get my phone.. so why not wait around in a bed until 11am checkout time?
Derby decided he’d come, too, so the 3 of us set out together, with the intention of Lizard going on to the next shelter when we turned into town. As we were walking out, the rest of our group slowly started to reappear. We told them our plan, with the open invitation for whoever to come if they so chose. Lizard, FarOut, and HotSauce hiked on, Derby and I headed to town. Once we got to the main road, he talked to Beaver, who said he was coming, too. And probably Costa as well. Awesome.
I walked into the restaurant called “Fife ‘n Drum” and reserved a room at their inn next door, after making sure that if more people came, there’d be another room available, too. The one I got slept 3, a king and a twin. So, Derby, Beaver and I split it 3 ways. I walked into the room at the inn in the same parking lot as the restaurant, and saw how nice it was. Beautiful linens, armchairs, and a shower with a soaking tub. I was sold! I got in the shower so quick and never wanted to get out. I vowed that when the guys left in the morning, I was going to take a long bath and soak in that tub before checking out.
The other 2 showered and we all got ready to go find dinner somewhere. Costa ended up getting his own room, and we ran into Curmudgeon who came into town to get their box from the post office, but was going back up to the last shelter where he left Cholula. The soles of her boots split apart and she took a nasty fall and it sounded like she could hardly walk, and if she could at all, it wasn’t in those boots. Uh oh.
We said our well wishes and went to a pizza place that also sold burgers, which is what we all got. FirstGear and Costa ended up joining us. It was a fantastic meal! We were absolutely beat when we finished eating, but went to the room and collected our dirty clothes anyway. We made it to the laundromat, which was honestly the only negative experience I had in this town. The lady was a bit high strung and rude towards hikers with a long list of rules specifically for hikers alone.. not to mention they didn’t sell detergent and if another hiker hadn’t left a bottle behind for others to use, we wouldn’t have been able to laundry at all, since all the stores had already closed (it was only 8pm).
We waited outside while our clothes washed, and it started to rain. Derby said, “I bet there’s going to be a rainbow somewhere.” Minutes later, a huge rainbow appeared, glowing and beautiful over the mountain behind the post office. Then, he says, “I bet it’ll be a double rainbow soon.” I’ll be damned. A double rainbow appeared. I stared at it forever, soaking in all of its magnificence.
After laundry, we walked back to the room and they were saying how it was going to rain off and on tomorrow. My plan was to hike out after I got my cellphone, sometime probably around 4-5pm. The problem with that is that there’s a steep rocky downhill I’d have to go over with questionable light if it’s cloudy and raining. So, instead of doing that, I walked back into the restaurant and paid for another night in the inn for myself. I’d relax all day tomorrow, get my new shoes and cell phone and rest. Then start again the following morning.
I fell asleep pretty quick and loved every second in that cushy bed. Everything else will just have to wait until the morning.
