Mission Out of a Backpack: Day 97-99

7/5: Day 97

Wildcat Shelter-Bear mtn

Total miles: 25

Last night a high pressure air front blew in. Blowing out the hot humid air and bringing with it optimism that their will still be decent weather days to be had. Since we did so few miles yesterday we were very ready to get going today. Around 5:00am my eyes opened and I began to awaken my sleeping beauty. She was reluctant at first but after a while she got up and started packing up all her belongings. She has such a precious way of making it all fit. Every morning she even looks herself over in the mirror. Most ladies out here have let themselves go, but my lady still enjoys a few normal-life aspects of being a lady.

After a quick breakfast we got moving. Around lunch time we happened to run across an older gentlemen who offered to take us for ice cream. How awesome is that?! We followed him to his car and hopped in. He let us order and eat to our hearts content. I've developed a fondness for cookie dough, it tends to have the most calories. With our bellies full he drove us back to the trail, just in time to start hiking with our friends bagger and Mother Earth. We decided to eat an early dinner along a stream and keep hiking until we found a camp site. We didn't find one until we made it almost on top of bear mt. Bear Mt. is best know for it's views of the Hudson and New York City. Which we will see tomorrow. As for now, it's time for some much needed sleep.

7/6: Day 98

Bear Mt-Clarence state park

Total miles: 22

We got up early again, and thankful to a dry tent. The hike up and down Bear Mt. wasn't nearly as strenuous as we both anticipated. It was for the most part extremely well maintained and lacking in any of the normal life threatening precariously natured descents the AT conjures up. For that we were very glad.

We came to early to visit the trail side zoo. It's a zoo the AT routes through and thru hikers can visit for free. What we did see was something I've been looking forward to for some time, the Hudson River. I can't tell you why but finally making it to the Hudson felt like a serious achievement to me. It was magnificent! The bridge we crossed has been in operation since Earl Schafer, the first thru-hiker, hiked the trail. I think it's so cool walking through history like that. After I got done being sentimental about my surroundings we started hiking again.

For lunch we stopped by a deli. I ordered a large pizza and what I got was a pizza large enough to feed a family of 6. By the way, up here it's not called a pizza, any self-respecting pizzeria owner calls his creations "pies." Which was confusing at first since what I call a "pie" is far different. Any ways, Dawn helped me and had two slices. When we left it was hot and humid, and the brick of "pie" in my belly wanted out. Thankfully I held it all down, but it took work.

At the end of our day we were greeted with a sign that said there would be free food and drinks near where we would be camping. We walked the mile to the park and sure enough a guy with his daughter was there making hikers all the food we could eat. The menu was a little random, we had a choice of either hotdogs or eggs. Dawn and I both got some hotdogs. The greatest treat of all was the hot showers we took. The state park had some showering facilities that had WORKING hot water heaters. Praise God! It was long day, but well worth it.

7/7: Day 99

Clearance State Park NY-Telephone Pioneers Shelter

Total miles:23.8

After our awesome free meal last night the guy and his family offered for us to come back for breakfast and coffee. He had me at hello. We woke at 5:00am again, got out belongs packed, and went to his campsite. Back home Dawn used to make me these delicious egg and cheese toast sandwiches, and that's exactly what was on the menu. We ate till we were full and started hiking. Dawn remarked that after having eaten so much she felt like a super hiker. It's amazing what your body can do when properly fueled.

At lunch we went to yet another deli. After eating a foot-long meatball sub and chugging most of a half-gallon of chocolate milk I had to use the bathroom to make room for my new food. I went to the shop keeper and asked for directions to their restroom, she replied I couldn't use it because the health department would give them a fine. I know I smelled bad, but I didn't pose any serious biological health hazards and was a bit dismayed at her response. I went next door to a pizza place and asked again. He replied that his bathroom was private and seemed offended I had asked. Lastly, I went to another business and asked to which I was replied it was impossible for me to use it. I attempted to reason with the man, in my desperate situation, that I was of a high level of book learning and could figure it out. He wouldn't budge. From that point it was off to the woods as fast as possible.

It got fairly hot for the rest of the day and by the time we made it to the shelter the sky was clouding over with thunderstorms. Dawn and I divided and conquered to get camp setup as fast as possible. We've become ruthlessly efficient at this end of day operation. Just as I was sitting down to cook dinner the wind started howling and the sky started to give the warnings of an impending wall of rain headed our way. It was no big deal since our tent has two large vestibules that allow us to cook there in emergency situations. It rained for an hour or so but we ate in our dry warm tent. After the rain ended we heard some day hikers making a fire so we decided to go check it out and talk for a while. The invited us over and let us make some s'mores with them. It wasn't until 9:30pm we made our way back to our tent, which is way past our bed time. As soon as we made it back to our tent more rain started moving through. It made me glad that we have such a nice roomy tent that keeps us dry on long rainy nights. Life goes easy.