Info about the 75th Anniversary of the AT

For those of you following Macon... Daystar, you may be interested in some background information on the AT.  Here's an article we found at weather.com:
http://www.weather.com/sports-rec/appalachian-trail-75-anniversary-20120813

No news to report from our happy hiker, which means no cell service.  We think it's this week that she begins hiking the White Mountains.  Thankfully all the winter gear that we'd mailed to the Mountain Goat Outfitters reached her, and she's sent her lighter weight things back home to Chattanooga.  We'll post as we hear more.   Stay tuned. 

Connecticut

NY/CT border!

For starters, CT was a really lovely stretch of trail. It's 51.6 miles long and really pretty - one of my favorite states on the AT.

Ten Mile River

I had started from Morgan Stewart Shelter in New York that morning, saw Dover Oak, and hiked 20 miles to Ten Mile River Campsite. It was a gorgeous walk that day - not as hot as it had been, and it felt good to be covering ground again. The campsite was really nice, I love camping next to moving water.


Sign by Ten Mile River campsite

I woke up the next morning and headed into Kent. My plan was to just grab a bite & resupply, but I caught up with the Honeymoon Hikers & Spirit. They were camping at the local Episcopal church and said I could leave my packs there and join them for lunch. They also offered to let me throw my laundry in with theirs, so I laughed and decided to say yes to everything! We started the wash and then had a really great lunch - I had a grilled chicken gyro, so delicious. There were big warnings of severe lightning storms for the entire state. I knew that St. Johns Ledges was just outside of Kent - a super steep rocky descent, and I really wasn't liking the idea of hiking that alone in a bad storm. I opted to stay the night at the church and spent the afternoon writing some emails and catching up on the blog at the local library, really relaxing. Pants & Tater arrived later that evening and we all shared some ice cream.

The next morning, I got up early and headed out. Pants & Tater stayed to do all their town errands (laundry, resupply, etc). I did about 19 miles to Sharon Mountain Campsite - my second night on the trail camping totally alone. My guidebook listed a farm up ahead that offered a work for stay. I figured that if I put in some big mile days, I could take a zero and check out the farm, and then give my buds some time to catch up to me. Pants & Tater were a half day behind, and Gribley had just gotten back on the trail from his trip to Ohio for a wedding & family reunion. I'd had a nice time hiking on my own, but was excited about the four of us being back together again.

When I woke up at Sharon Mtn Campsite, it was POURING rain. I've been pretty lucky this trip with the rain but it's never fun to pack up my tent and load my pack in the rain. I hiked out and was bummed to realize there was no shelter along the way. I saw a small trail head with an awning for a notebook/register and crawled underneath to get out of the rain. I was pretty pathetic looking, haha and hoped no hikers were close behind - they surely would have laughed at me! I bundled up and cooked some hot pasta to warm up. I'd been hiking in a tee shirt (which was soaked) and decided to put on my dry long sleeve wool shirt, and also my rain coat. Normally I don't like hiking in my rain coat because it just gets drenched and soggy and you sweat under it so its just all kinds of uncomfortable. However, it was getting chilly and there were no signs of the rain stopping, so I was happy with the outfit change. Eventually, the rain let up and I stopped to enjoy a view and read & send some text messages to my hiker friends, and also start to iron out my plans for the farm.


Billy's View after the rains

I pushed on to Riga Shelter - the only shelter in CT with views. It was really pretty the evening when I arrived, and in the morning I was overlooking the clouds, so gorgeous! 

Riga Shelter - view in the morning

Luckily, that Saturday morning was the start to a really gorgeous day and one of my favorites on the trail so far. I ended the day on (another) Bear Mountain, before crossing the border into Massachusetts.
 

On Bear Mtn, CT



More pics from CT:



AT sign in a field

 

Oh deer!



Moving into the New England pine forests



Boardwalk

Slug blaze

 

New York, part 2

Leaving Bear Mountain & the zoo, we hiked over the bridge across the Hudson River and started climbing up Anthony's Nose. 

Crossing the Hudson

Pants & I sat down to have a late lunch and a family of day hikers stopped to talk. They asked what our favorite part of the trail was and I answered that it was moments like that - having the freedom & self-sufficiency to hike this great trail with friends and be able to just stop wherever and cook lunch. I love those moments. We hiked on and stopped by Graymoor Spiritual Life Center/Franciscan Way. I don't know too much about it except that they have a baseball field, a pavilion, a cold shower and that hikers are welcome to stay there. When we arrived, a group of Ecuadorian Catholics from NYC were finishing up dinner. A small chapel was set up and a big PA system and we figured they had been there all day that Saturday and were wrapping up. A trail angel brought us some watermelon and we all enjoyed some slices.

Watermelon party at Graymoor



Yummy watermelon!!

Around 9pm, as I was getting ready to go to sleep, I saw about 20 big Suburbans pull up and lots of families pour out of the cars. I debated packing up to leave, but figured whatever was going on would end by 11 or 12 that night. I had no idea that an all night worship service was about to begin. Luckily, I had a pair of ear plugs that help muffle some of the noise, but literally, from dusk until dawn (about 5:30am), I could hear loud preaching in Spanish over the huge PA system. Needless to say, all the hikers were exhausted and pretty cranky in the morning.


Dawn at Graymoor

We packed up and headed about 8 miles to a road. UT had gotten off the trail to see some family in CT and met us the road with Gatorades and offered to slack pack us the last 12 miles of the day. We were shooting for a big 20 mile day to make it to RPH shelter where a Hiker Feed had been advertised. (Trail Magic is usually a cooler with cold drinks & snacks. On rare occasions we come across a Hiker Feed, which is more like a big all you can eat BBQ set up for hikers and they are advertised a few days in advance so hikers can plan around them). We'd seen signs for the Hiker Feed at RPH for Sunday night and really wanted to make it. Having a slack pack made it much easier for us to complete the 20 miles.
We set out with some snacks & water in the intense heat. It was a blessing when the skies opened and a tremendous rainstorm burst over our heads. It was so refreshing & thrilling to run down the trail in the rain. All the water sources had been dry in those parts, so it was bizarre to see the trail turn into an ankle-deep rushing stream. Every step was under water, but raced down the trail. We got up to an exposed ridge line and lighting & thunder were crashing all around us. I made the executive decision for the group that we would wait in the rain before crossing a ridge amidst the lightning. I didn't want to seem wimpy, but at the same time, I realized the severity and real danger of lightning. We waited about 10 minutes until we could count a few Mississippi's between lightning strikes & thunder booms before we sprinted across a huge rock with a big American flag painted on it. I wish I'd taken a picture, but we were just trying to get to back into the trees as quickly as possible. We showed up at the shelter earlier than expected, totally soaked, but were so grateful for the burgers & hot dogs cooked by trail maintenance guys. UT met us there with our packs & dry clothes, and also a big suitcase of cold beers - a perfect end to the day. Unfortunately, the storm continued all night and the rain was so loud, we had another sleepless night.

Monday morning, totally exhausted, we hiked down to the home of a nice woman that we'd met the night before at the Hiker Feed. With all our clothes still soaking and only 3 miles to go, Pants & I decided to have a "Hike in Your PJ's Day" and set out in our sleeping tee shirts & long johns. We hiked over to Amy's house - her husband did a thru-hike a few years back and they live near the RPH shelter and like to help out hikers. They offered to let us come by the house in the morning to shower, do laundry, and have breakfast. Moments like this are just so wonderful. I can't express how nice it is to be in a home.

Amy, Ella, & Claire - trail angels!

After a leisurely morning and lots of Belgium waffles, we felt clean, full, and had warm, dry clothes to put on - we felt so much better but still really tired. We trudged along the trail and I found Pants napping in a tree.

Naptime on the AT

We ended up only going 8 miles to Morgan Stewart shelter and decided to call it an early day and go to bed & get rested. That ended up being a smart move - I woke up the next morning, feeling totally rested and ready to get serious about hiking again. My trip to NYC kind of threw me off of my thru-hiker groove and after that great night sleep, I finally felt motivated to pack away some big miles again. I woke up early with the sun and told Pants & Tater that I was headed out and aiming to do a big 20 mile day that day. They were just waking up in their tents and hollered that they'd see me up the way.

I was also starting to think that it may be good for me to hike on my own for a bit. For most of my hike I've been with a group and I really, really love the people I've been hiking with. However, I was craving some quiet, alone time on the trail. I wanted to reconnect with myself and remember the reasons I personally had decided to take on this big adventure. I also had started to think about my life in a bigger post-trail picture and wanted some time to myself to brainstorm & write about that.

I set out hiking and had a great day. A big highlight that day was seeing the Dover Oak - the largest tree on the AT and absolutely stunning.


Dover Oak

Shortly after, I hit the CT border. Stay tuned for the CT adventures.
Also - thanks so much for the sweet, encouraging comments from the last post. I love y'all!!

xo Daystar

New York

Sorry this is so outdated but I'd like to catch up on the past few weeks/states. Leaving NYC was quite a whirlwind. Pants' uncle (we named him UT for Uncle Tom) flew out from Illinois to hike for a few days and met us at the bus station in NYC. After about an hour ride back to Greenwood Lake, NY, we hiked back up the mile long side trail that reconnected us to the AT. I was so utterly exhausted, I found a small stealth spot and decided to make it an early night. It was the first time I've camped totally alone. I'd been a little nervous about it earlier in the trip but at this point was totally ready. I really enjoyed a quiet night to myself and woke up feeling so rested and refreshed.




Pants diving in the Island Pond Outlet

Pants cowboy camping

I started hiking to catch up with my crew (side note - Gribley took a train from NYC to Ohio for a big family reunion and wedding with plans to catch up with us when he returned to the trail). With only a few miles behind me that morning, I was easily distracted by Bellvale Creamery, a local icecream shop run by a multiple generational dairy farm. I met some other hikes there and had a big scoop of white chocolate raspberry, the best ice cream I've had on the trail. The rest of the day as I recall was hot & humid but with little water around. We were so grateful for trail angels in NY, as they would leave many gallons of water wherever the trail crossed a road. Anyway, I hiked up Buchanan Mountain and found Pants & UT and some whiskey. They were planning on cowboy camping (where you put your sleeping bag right on the ground - no tent) on some mossy patches up on the rocks. Despite wanting to put in more miles and catch up with Tater, I decided to call it a day and hang out with the boys. The next morning we got up and headed out in the heat. Our whole time in NY was REALLY hot - 90+ degree weather with no escape. Sure, I'm a south Georgia girl who can take the heat. I played soccer in 100 degree weather. During my NYC days I never had AC in my apartment. I can handle the heat, but being out in the heat, hiking all day long with no escape was overwhelmingly exhausting. It was no question then, when I saw Tater by Island Pond Outlet that I decided to stop and swim and cool off. We decided to stay and camp there and enjoy the breeze off the lake. It was such a wonderful night. Pants and UT caught up and we all swam and had a relaxing evening.


The Lemon Squeeze



Climbing out of the Lemon Squeeze

Friday morning we left camp and hiked through the Lemon Squeeze, a crazy rock climb. We squeeze up, over, through, and around crazy rock formations. I love these parts of the trail! After that we headed to Arden Valley road. There is a small beach there and also soda machines and bathrooms - real luxuries for thru-hikers. Gribley was a few days ahead still - he was taking a train from Peekskill. I called him to ask about the water supply ahead of us. While we were talking I mentioned that I had lost a pair of my good Darn Tuff brand hiking socks and that my mom was going to mail me a new pair. The Honeymoon Hikers overheard and presented me with my lost socks! Haha I love when this sort of thing happens on the trail! 

Gribley's scavenger hunt

That evening we were shooting to camp on Bear Mountain but had received a scavenger hunt text from Gribley instructing us to follow a paved road to a group of three trees with boulder rocks in front. Behind them and under a small rock we would find further instructions. He had figured out a secret slack pack for us. If we left our packs on the trail, we could climb up and back down Bear Mtn and then retrieve our packs at the bottom. We set up our tents by the road and camped and then hiked up Bear Mtn in the morning. There was a cool tower at the top and we enjoyed cokes from the soda machine.


Note from Gibley

After we retrieved our packs, we hiked down to the Bear Mtn touristy area - lakes and crowds and the zoo, not our favorite section of trail but if it has a white blaze, we follow it. The zoo is interesting because it is technically the lowest point of the trail, at 124 feet. Ironically it is also in a way, the lowest figurative point on the trail. We've seen so much wildlife in their natural state, it was heartbreaking to see animals in cages. At the same time though, the zoo claims to have rescued hurt animals and will re-release back to the wild whenever possible.


At the top of Bear Mountain

I'm going to wrap this up and finish the rest of NY in the next post. Happy trails readers! Feeling much better than my last post :)



Two to Go

Crawford Notch in the White Mountains, what lies ahead.

Macon just texted; they are in New Hampshire.

Georgia
Tennessee
North Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
Maryland
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
New York
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine

Quick update from Vermont

Howdy folks & sorry for being MIA recently. I have a bit of a cold and spent the night last night in Manchester Center at a quaint B&B to rest up. The trail has definitely taken a toll on me lately and I'm feeling lower than I have on this whole trip. The honeymoon phase is way long gone and I find myself missing the luxuries & conveniences of "real life" more frequently. On the plus side, the New England forest has been incredibly beautiful and it's so nice to be climbing big mountains again and then be rewarded with such astounding views. The temperature has been cooler in the evenings, which is a nice change from the super hot days and really warm nights we had only weeks ago. We are excited and nervous for the infamous White Mountains just ahead in New Hampshire. I feel like a lot of adrenaline will kick in when we get there, but it's been tough in the meantime, keep trudging through. Any encouraging words from you gentle readers would be much appreciated :)

I'm going to try to write recaps on the rest of New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont here shortly, so stay tuned!

Overall though, I still feel like this has been an incredible adventure and the best thing I've ever done for myself.

Happy trails!

NYC

In Kent, CT at the moment on a public library computer. The weather says bad storms are coming in and there is a nasty rocky descent north of here. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church lets hikers camp on the grounds (or sleep inside in the AC if it's raining!) so I think I'm going to stay here for the day.

Let's see, when we crossed the NJ/NY border, we literally sprinted Indiana Jones style to make our bus on time. We knew it was leaving at 8:20pm and had about 19 miles to hike. Normally the mileage would not have been an issue.. except that in NY the terrain got super hard again! Our soft legs had been used to the flattish ground of PA & NJ and these climbs really wore us out. We finally made it up to the ridge line. Tater & Pants carry the AWOL guide book, which includes elevation profiles. The ridge line looked like it would be flat (easy!) but it actually was a long stretch of boulder hopping. Fun & thrilling, yes, but I was a wee bit scared that one of us was going to break an ankle at the speed we were running. Luckily we made it down to the bus station with a whopping 5 minutes to spare - just enough to gather snacks & phones for the bus ride. We arrived around 11pm at Port Authority, right in Times Square. All of us were pretty exhausted & culture shocked - especially Gribley & Pants who had never been to NYC before. We hopped in a cab and headed uptown to my good friends Ashley & Jim who so (incredibly!) kindly offered to let us stay for several nights. We picked up shampoo, pizza, & beer before arriving at their apartment. After the welcoming hugs hello, it was so great to be with old & new friends, sharing drinks & stories until late in the evening. When the clock hit midnight, indicating it was July 7th, we clinked glasses of Scotch, wishing Gribley a happy birthday. Eventually we headed to the showers & to bed, so excited to sleep in air conditioning.

Saturday morning, we woke up and hit the town! The only problem was that we hadn't really made any plans and it was so hot out that all we wanted to do was sit inside in AC. I'd been wanting to see the new Wes Anderson film, Moonrise Kingdom, so we looked up movie showtimes and headed over. We LOVED the movie! Afterwards, we went to Magnolia Bakery for some birthday cupcakes for Gribley. We finally decided to head downtown to the new REI in SoHo. I remember when it opened last winter thinking, silly New Yorkers, what do you need an REI for? But as thru-hikers, it was a dream. Pants & Tater are both members of the REI co-op, which I will be joining as soon as I have another big gear purchase to make. It sounds like a really great program and their customer service sounds too good to be true. Gribley bought himself a new pack for his birthday and everyone figured out new gear or gear replacements. Finally, we decided, it was time for cold drinks. We fantasize a lot in the woods about mojitos, and so I led the way to Mexican Radio, a great little spot, and actually the bar I went to the first night I lived in NYC. After too many rounds of mojitos & margaritas, we made the foolish decision to skip any dinner plans and head up to Reunion Surf Bar, where Mr. Fabulous was hosting a big party. Overdrive, Peach, Shanti, Babe, The Voice of Reason, and Catnap all were there too. Too many drinks, too much dancing, too much singing, too much fun.. actually I think it was a perfect amount :) Around 11pm (which felt like 4am) we were tuckered out and left to crash at the apartment.


Pants flagging a cab, Bruce Springsteen style



Reunion Surf bar, sadly the only picture I have of the night..



Feeling like death Sunday morning, we realized we never had any real meals Saturday.. just popcorn, cupcakes, and chips & salsa. I left to get everyone my favorite New Yorker hungover breakfast - bacon, egg, & cheese on a roll with a large iced coffee. We moseyed across Central Park to the Met. Afterwards I made everyone get Mister Softee, the best truck icecream in the city. We went back to the apartment for naps and then met my old roommates, Melissa & Sean at a grill uptown.

Ice cream in the park

Monday I met Cole/BeBop for lunch and had dinner with Ashley & Melissa. I kind of sneak-attacked NYC and felt badly not getting in touch with more people, but was utterly overwhelmed coming from the trail back to the city. Tuesday we bought groceries and hit the trail!

The rest of New York state in the next post..