1479.7 miles, 2,734,186 steps

I know, I know, that’s an egregiously cheesy pun, but how else am I supposed to celebrate the state count hitting double-digits? Even someone as dashing as yours truly gets hard-up for clever titles now and again…

On to business. Despite the rough start, this week restored my physical strength and mental clarity. As to the former, I’ve emerged victorious from my month-long battle with two minor injuries, an irritated hip tendon and a skin issue on the soles of my feet. The latter will be evident through the daily logs. Even my gear is in better shape, finally securing a replacement for one of my trekking pole tips that broke off in PA. All in all, I’m in great shape as I embark into New England.

While PA, NJ, and NY all count as the “Northeast”, in my mind CT and beyond inhabit the region of “New England”. While there are cultural differences, it’s more geography I’m thinking about. So often in the Northeast, you’re ridge walking at 1100-1300”, with the surrounding area being more flat than mountainous. As I finished up NY, I noticed the skyline being interrupted by more and more foothills. The peaks are increasing in height, and very soon I’ll finally breach 2000” again. Transitioning into New England feels so much more like GA, NC, and southern parts of VA.

Day 104: Monday, June 3

Fingerboard Shelter to Bear Mountain State Park – 15.5 miles

Today’s focus was Bear Mountain and the surrounding recreational area. Just south is West Mountain, an area devastated last summer due to a torrential rainstorm (a Park Ranger informed me they received 8 inches in under an hour). Severe washout and tree fall still has a large swath of the AT impassable, so I followed the posted detour.

Bypassing West Mountain and ascending Bear Mountain was devastating physically and emotionally. By rearranging my typical rhythm last week, I had enough food to push resupply back to today rather than the typical Saturday/Sunday. I counted on reaching a grocery store in Highland Falls, just beyond Bear Mountain, hopefully by the afternoon. But it took until 4:00 to reach the road where I could get a ride into town. Thus, the entire day’s hike was fueled just by breakfast, not having provisions for lunch. The south side of Bear Mountain has several rock scrambles and steep staircases, and the hunger made everything about twice as hard. Add in scorching 86-degree heat, and needless to say negative emotions ran wild. I wouldn’t say I was seriously contemplating quitting, but it was difficult to draw my mind toward the positives of the trail. I kept on stepping forward, trusting that the anguish would not be fruitless.

And I didn’t have to wait long. A large visitor center crowned the summit. I procured from the vending machines an ice cream sandwich and a lemonade, raising my spirits considerably. The surrounding area and descent down the northern face was adorned with the best-cultivated pathways I’ve yet encountered. The well-graveled walkways were curved and sloped in an aesthetically gentle way, yielding to carefully laid stone steps when the mountainside grew steep. I even met a crew in the process of laying new stairs. With so much care given my the people of the New York to this splendid peak, it earned an official spot on my “greatest hits” list. It’s been over a month since a new entry was proclaimed, Hightop in Shenandoah National Park.

At the base of the mountain lay a sprawling lawn, dotted with picnic benches. In the left hand was Hessian Lake, and straight ahead the Bear Mountain Overlook Lodge. After fetching an Uber into and out of Highland Falls (which, fun fact, is just south of West Point) for resupply, I lingered in the State Park for the remainder of the day. See, the next section of the trail goes through a small zoo, which closed before I finished Bear Mountain. Refusing to bypass the unique attraction, there was nothing else for me to do but linger until nightfall. Basking in the evening light, I feasted on fresh bread and deli meat while admiring the general splendor. For legal reasons, let’s say I found some place not in the park, and definitely not cleverly hidden from sight, to pitch my tent for the night.

Day 105: Tuesday, June 4

Bear Mountain State Park to Chapman Road – 10.1 miles

Waiting for the zoo gates to open at 10:00, the day got off to a slow start. But the exhibits were well-worth the slowdown. These animal specimens were in captivity for veterinary care, unable to fend in the wild either temporarily or permanently. First was Rosie, the neurologically-impaired North American Porcupine. There were bobcats, falcons, hawks, and coyotes, although the last of those proved too elusive to spy. The grand finale was the bear cage, home to two brown bears. The furry giants were just rousing from their slumber, lumbering about the cage in search of treats left by the caretakers. The spot is also the lowest point on the AT, at ~150 ft (yes, I was wrong in my earlier claim that the James River in VA, at more than 700 ft, is the lowest point).

Just beyond the zoo began Bear Mountain Bridge, which took me across the Hudson. The climb out of the low river valley was terribly steep and trying, an incline of at least 50 degrees. The merciless sun was just 2 degrees cooler than yesterday. But it was a relatively short climb, and the forrest waiting for me up top would come to characterize the rest of the New York experience. Where tree cover grows thin and more sunlight penetrates the floor, tall grasses dominate and droop over the path. The Mountain Laurel are in full bloom, and I attempted to capture the vast swaths of umbrella-shaped blossoms in photographs. Level ground tends to be soft soil, but slopes often expose granite faces.

Toward evening I passed the Appalachian Market, a large convenience store oriented toward hikers. While the deli sandwiches were quite enticing, I had just indulged in one the day before. I selected a Caesar salad and a bottle of chocolate milk: my rule with these mid trail markets is to buy one item for nutrients and another for comfort. The fresh greens and cold drink were positively delightful.

Day 106: Wednesday, June 5

Chapman Road to RPH Shelter – 16.1 miles

Mid morning I crossed paths with Ryan. We’d technically met the day before at the Appalachian Market, but here we really got to talking and spent most of the day in each other’s company. He’s a flip-flopper who started in Hamburg PA, roughly 200 miles in at this point. Being a few years graduated from a life sciences degree, he shared some of his knowledge of the plants and animals surrounding us. Right before we split ways, we came upon the “Telephone of the Wind”, a disconnected rotary phone placed to help those grieving over the loss of a loved-one.

The RPH Shelter, or Ralph’s Peak Hikers’ Cabin, is a structure equally practical and eccentric. Walking through the front door, you’re greeted by bunks, two on the left and four on the right. Past these on the left side is a small booth with a table. The back wall is mostly open, leading to a covered patio with a few picnic benches. Amusing touches include a lounge chair out front and a sculpture of feet protruding from the ceiling.

My one companion that night was a SOBO section hiker who’s name I unfortunately forgot. A fellow software engineer, we geeked out over programming languages and my food spreadsheet. After a few decades in industry, he now teaches at a community college. I too have a passion for teaching that I plan to explore once I’m settled into working life, and his path might prove to be an inspiration later in my career.

Day 107: Thursday, June 6

RPH Shelter to Telephone Pioneers Shelter – 16.8 miles

Nothing terribly particular about today. A mashup of the kinds of swamps, ridges, lakes, and road crossings that are regular staples to the northeast. However, at the shelter was “Smalls”, who had completed Day 1 of his own through hike! It was a pleasure to share in his joy, and an interesting reminder that I’ve walked as much or more of the AT than almost every other hiker I see nowadays.

Day 108: Friday, June 7

Telephone Pioneers Shelter to Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite – 18.6 miles

After the largest oak tree (girth of 21 feet) and only railroad station on the trail was a hiker-friendly garden center, Native Landscapes. I loitered there for 90 minutes to charge up my battery bank. Lunch time brought me to the Wiley Shelter, which offered a surprising array of tools on the right wall (“Frying pans! Who knew, right?”).

A few hours later, I was finally into Connecticut! Perhaps it’s purely psychological, but a new air settles about the trail each time I cross borders. This new state is soothing. Don’t get me wrong, the climbs are as real here as anywhere. But the walk along the picturesque Ten Mile River, with lovely pine trees and gently rolling path, put me at ease in this new territory. Enjoying my dinner upon the peak of Schaghticoke Mountain (have fun pronouncing that one), I noticed unripe blueberries. A fine welcome to New England.

Day 109: Saturday, June 8

Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite to Kent CT – 3.3 miles

Not even a full mile off-trail, strolling into Kent was like stepping foot into the ideal northeast small town. Church Street meets Main Street at a wonky intersection marked with an obelisk. Small shops and eateries line the way to the largest structure, the grocery store. Friendly folks, antique cars, and good music aplenty.

Kent also embraces the trail town identity. The visitor center, with its wide lawn, charging stations, and coin-op shower screams “Hiker Hangout!”. Aside from a brief stint at the neighboring laundromat and a few trips for a bite to eat, I loitered there for most of the day. “Caboose” and I shot the breeze for not a few hours. It turned out that Caboose ended his previous though-hike attempt at this very spot two years ago due to a hip injury. I couldn’t ascertain whether he’d started from Georgia again this time around, but it was nonetheless a cool moment to see him on the verge of treading new ground after fighting through a long recovery. His immense excitement and gratitude to finally get back to the AT improved my own mindset. Admittedly, I’d been giving into weariness, even resentment, at the difficulty of backcountry life. But Caboose reminded me how much this time was a gift, a truly once-in-a-lifetime epic adventure that I’ll never encounter again. Our conversation was a massive blessing to me, reorienting my attitude toward a positive outlook and determined mindset.

Day 110: Sunday, June 9

Kent CT to Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter – 7.0 miles

A calm day. After mass at the small but packed parish in Kent, I started for the next shelter. The harrowing descent from John’s Ledges placed me along the banks on the Housatonic River. Pulling into the shelter around 3:00 PM, I pitched my tent at one of the nearby sites to review this post and rest in quiet solitude.

On the Horizon

Last post, I implied I would finish Connecticut by the weekend. I’ve developed a sleep strategy to avoid the heat of the day, so perhaps I will manage to leapfrog Massachusetts instead.

Pebbles

I’d like to introduce two new pebbles, audiobooks and podcasts. Since I list out the songs that capture my mood or otherwise lodge themselves into my mind, it’s fitting to provide a perspective into the other dimensions of my listening experience. With many hours of headphone time available, I’m plowing through titles on Audible and Spotify. Some books I finish in one week, others I come back to every now and again, so I’ll mention each entry as I see fit. As for podcasts, some of these are years-long favorites or recently acquired. Either way, I don’t embrace new ones very often, so I’ll showcase one or two from my repertoire every week.

New birds: Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Wood-Peewee, Fish Crow, Warm-eating Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Bobolink, Belted Kingfisher

Podcasts: I just wrapped up The History of Rome by Mike Duncan. So much western history and culture is definitely by this millennium-spanning empire, so it was due time I took a thorough review. The still under-production History That Doesn’t Suck releases a biweekly segment of American history.

Audiobooks: I hear many references to the works of C.S. Lewis in my circles, and so far I’ve finished The Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain, The Great Divorce, The Abolition of Man, and A Grief Observed. To continue my study of ancient history, I’ve picked up The Persian Expedition by Xenophon (in the first week of June I marched to Kent: 30 parasangs, 7 stages).

Songs in my Head: “Where the Soul Never Dies” by Willie Nelson & Bobbie Nelson and “fluorescent” by Switchfoot

Getting all my ducks in a row,

Maxwell “Oatmeal” Stelmack