Section 8, Appalachian Trail
from: Deleware Water Gap National Recreational Area Visitors Center, 894.5 miles to Katahdin.
to: Salisbury, Connecticut, 689.7 miles to Katahdin
July 1, 2011 to July 15, 2011
Section 8 miles: 203.9
AT 2011, Deleware Water Gap to Salisbury, Conn.
Imagine this eighth section hike being my best one? Hedy (my wife) joined me for this leg and that really made a difference. I could concentrate on hiking around 14 miles a day and count on a a cold beer at the end of the day followed by a shower, good food, and a good night’s rest. I only camped out twice on the 15 days of hiking.
Besides making great time (for me) the country was magnificent. I now understand why New Jersey is called the Garden State. New York and Connecticut were just as beautiful and interesting. I finished 7 miles south of the Massachutsetts border and have hopes for similar success next year.
July 1—Deleware Water Gap Visitor’s Center to Blue Mountain Lakes Road
1,301.3 miles from Springer
18.4 miles
It’s July 1, 2011. I’m sitting at sunfish pond. I’m with Hedy. We’re about three and half, four miles from Deleware Water Gap where we entered the Appalachian Trail. Hedy’s going to say something.
I’m just going to say Hi.
It’s really a nice little Sunfish Pond here. Beautiful day, it was cool walking. The trail wasn’t particularly difficult. A little bit rocky but steady uphill, but a gentle slope, so Hedy’s going to stay here for a while and then she’ll wander back down to the car, and uh, I’m going to continue on and we should meet up in Culver’s Gap tomorrow night.
Met two through-hikers named Balance and Y-Knot.
Ok, it’s a little bit later in the afternoon, it’s about 5:30. I’ve quit for the day. I’m not really sure where I am. I think I’m near Blue Fish Road. Or Blue Mountain Road or something like that, but I don’t see a road. But, uh, I’ll do a little bit more investigation…I’ll know more later. But, uh, it’s a beautiful campsite. I took a picture of it. I hope that uh, I can have it to myself. But, uh, there’s no water so that’s in my favor. I’ve got a bottle of water that will last me for tonight. But, uh, we’ll see what happens. Um, it’s in the middle of bear country but I haven’t seen any bears, maybe tonight. Um, a bunch of people are just stopping outside now, they’re scoping it out maybe they’re going to give it a shot. It’s kind of a loud, noisy group. We’ll see what happens.
The group that I encountered decided to not join me in that camp area but to backtrack a bit to a previous spot they had seen. The group leader said that they would be much too loud. I offered to give up the space because it would have been perfect for them but they were content to backtrack to the other site. An hour or so later a couple of them from the group hiked past me for water, which is evidently quite close, and on their return mentioned to me that they were warned that active bears were in the area.
July 2—to Culver’s Gap
1,311.9 miles from Springer
9.7 miles
It’s July 2, about 7:15 in the morning. Last night I got visited by bears a couple of times. I didn’t see a bear but I sure heard them snorting around and thrashing in the brush and I shined my flashright around but I just couldn’t nail them. Anyway this morning when I got up my food bag was missing. Every bit of food I had is gone. So I’m walking into Culver’s Gap with just my water. I should be fine. But it was quite a surprise to notice that was gone. Alright, that’s it for now.
In the early afternoon I arrived at Culver’s Gap. Hedy had not yet left Deleware Water Gap as I had told her I wouldn’t be in Culver’s Gap until late in the afternoon. I made arrangements to stay at the Forest Motel.
Upon arrival at Culver’s Gap I had a great hero sandwich at Joes. I would go back to him a few more times before Hedy moved our HQ into New York.
July 3—to High Point State Park HQ
1,326.2 miles from Springer
14.3 miles
It rained all day. I believe this is the most drenched I have ever been on a hike. My intentions were to reach Highpoint Shelter but about 1/2 way through I began to realize that would be foolish. Why should I suffer. Hedy could just pick me up and then bring me back the next day. And that began the modus operandi. I was able to contact Hedy and she picked me up at the Highpoint State Park HQ. We had something to eat and I was able to get cleaned up and rested for the next day.
July 4—to County 517 (Glenwood, NJ)
1,344.5 miles from Springer
18.3 miles
I lost an opportunity of a lifetime to get my bear picture. Hedy and I parked our car at the State Park HQ and she hiked a bit with me up to a viewpoint about 1 mile away. I got a nice photo of the High Point Monument. We parted ways and about 5 minutes later a large black bear crossed the trail in front of me. It walked about 20 yards off the trail, turned, stood on its hind legs to look at me and stared at me for a few seconds. While the bear was doing this I was cautiously fumbling with my camera. It would not turn on. After taking thousands of photos it would not turn on for this one. It was the perfect chance, almost as if the bear had posed for me. So the image remains in my mind only.
July 5—to Prospect Rock (New York)
1,356.4 miles from Springer
11.9 miles
July 6—to Orange Turnpike
1,372.1 miles from Springer
15.7 miles
It’s uh, July 6, 2011, a Wednesday, it’s approaching 6:00. I’m sitting on the Appalachian Trail eating some Fritos. I’m winding up the hike for today…um, near this place called Buchanan Mountain. Hedy’s going to pick me up at the Orange Turnpike. I’m about 2.2 miles away. I told her I’d be there around 6:30 and there’s no way I’ll be there around 6:30. So, hope she’s there when I get there. We’ll see.
Saw a bear today. Um, actually it saw me first and kind of skittered off. So it wasn’t a photo opportunity but it was exciting to see a bear.
I know Hedy’s been having a lot of fun. I’ll try to remember to get her to blog something out to everybody.
So, just going to take another minute or two here and then I’ll head on. My next stop here is the East Mombasha Road. It’s 8 tenths of a mile and then the Little Dam Lake is another 7 tenths of a mile and then the Orange Turnpike is another 7 tenths of a mile. So I’ll just take it in those chunks. I should be fine but I will be late for Hedy.
I was late getting to Hedy because I backtracked on the AT about 1 to 1 1/2 miles before I caught the mistake on my GPS. I had lost the trail blazes and then when I found them was disoriented and took the wrong direction. This cost me about and hour lost. Near Little Dam I lost the thread of the trail again and I lost another hour picking it up. It shouldn’t have taken me so long but I wasn’t thinking very well, not making real good decisions.
July 7—to Palisades Interstate Parkway
1,385.7 miles from Springer
13.6 miles
July 8—to US 9, NY 403 (Peekskill)
1,398.3 miles from Springer
12.6 miles
It’s Friday, July 8, it’s about ten minutes to two in the afternoon. I’m just taking a break here. Hedy fixed me a great big huge peanut butter sandwich. It wasn’t too bad. I had some Gatorade to wash it down with.
I’m approximately at a place called Anthony’s Nose. It’s just across the Hudson River. That’s probably the high point of today-crossing the Hudson River. I’ve never seen it before. And um, I’m hiking to um, where the Appalachian Trail crosses Highway 9. And uh, Hedy’s going to meet me there and stay somewhere in Peekskill.
Took a spill today on some uh white rock with green moss again. It’s always tricky, caught me unawares. And fortunately I could walk it off. Just got a scrape or two. And uh, things are going well so far.
July 9—to NY 301 at Canapus Lake
1,410.7 miles from Springer
12.4 miles
The lakes of New York were fantastic. I was surprised at the beauty of the country as my only experience with New York and New Jersey had been airports. I understand why New Jersey is called the Garden State. New York has been equally beautiful with the exception of the quality of water. Fortunately, having Hedy as a car person, I can always drink fresh water.
OK it’s June, excuse me, July 9. Hedy and I are back at the hotel. I want to take this opportunity to have Hedy catch up on what she’s been doing and just give a few words for the blog.
So this has been a wonderful experience for me because I could never imagine how beautiful it is to be in the forest. It is been in God’s creation. You get over there and you are out in the middle of the most beautiful place. It’s just so hard to describe. It’s uh, the experience is that all of a sudden there is this incredible peace. The birds are just singing to you. And then it’s just so peaceful. Your mood changes. Everything is, it’s just a joy to be over there.
My experience is that I get to see a lot of the country because um after I drop John and walk a little bit with him I go and drive around and I can see a lot of the country. It’s um all of these tiny little towns that are very beautiful , they’re very interesting, they have a lot of history in them. I love the way people treat their houses and the way they arrange their gardens and all of the green. I am so impressed with the green. It’s just so beautiful. It’s something that um you will need to see my pictures to be able to see this.
But I did have a beautiful experience the other day after I left John. Um and I started walking and then all of a sudden Oh My God, there is this big black bear over there looking at me. So I thought Oh my chance of a life-I have to have a picture of it. And I got a new camera and I start to get my camera and Oh My God I don’t know how to use this camera very well unfortunately. But there it was and it was looking at me like What are you doing in my forest? And then I look at it “I just want a picture of you”. But um, she walk a few feet and then she still stop and look at me back, like you know, “Come on do it woman, you know , the picture is here.” So I did it and it came kind of dark because that was a rainy day and, um, in the forest when it is raining, these big trees have a lot of shadows. It’s kind of very dark. So it didn’t come out very well. But anyway um, it was so beautiful I thank God. Oh my God, Oh my God, this is so beautiful and at the same time I thought I need my prayers-this is a little bit spooky. I’m in the middle of the forest all by myself and nobody over here. I knew that I had nobody around for miles perhaps and John had been gone for a long time. I saw the bear just like between 5 minutes when I left him and he was very beautiful.
So this is it.
July 10—to NY 52 (Stormville)
1,422.8 miles from Springer
12.1 miles
July 11—to NY 22 (AT railroad station)
1,437.6 miles from Springer
14.8 miles
Upon completion of this hike I was rewarded with a nice surprise—Tasty Tim’s hotdog stand. Nothing beats a hot dog after hiking all day.
July 12—to Conn 341 (Kent, C. T)
1,455.9 miles from Springer
18.3 miles
July 13—to Conn 4 (Cornwall Bridge)
1,467.0 miles from Springer
11.1 miles
July 14—to US 7, Conn 112
1,478.5 miles from Springer
11.5 miles
July 15—to Conn 41, Undermountain Rd (Salisbury, CT)
1,1488.6 miles from Springer
10.1 miles
Well it’s Friday, July 15, 2011. I’m sitting on top of Prospect Mountain. It’s listed on the map here as 1475 elevation. Uh, walked about 6 miles this morning, Hedy walked about 3. So she should be back to the car by now unless she spent some time by the river.
Some very beautiful walk along the river through a Connecticut village called Falls Village and then up to, um, Prospect Mountain. It’s my last day on the trail. It’s been a very successful section this 8th year. Um, I’m going to complete a little more then 203 miles when I get to uh, Highway 44. And uh, I believe Hedy is going to do this with me next year so God willing I’ll be able to complete another 200. I do plan to stop in at the Limestone Spring Shelter. We’ll see how that works out because it’s gone so well today, it’s been beautiful weather and even the hike up to Prospect Mountain which is quite a hike, was graded nicely so it wasn’t really steep.
So, uh, this has been a very successful 8th year hiking on the Appalachian. New Jersey, New York, Connecticut-extremely beautiful states with exquisite views of the countryside. Uh, great places to stay and nice folks. I can’t say enough about it.
I made a sidetrip to Limestone Springs Lean-to, just outside of Salisbury. Not many people visit that place and I can understand why. It was vertical descent to reach it. But, I wanted to sign out as I usually have been able to do at the final shelter of my section hike.
I acutally hiked to Conn. 41, 689 miles from Katahdin. I’m already looking forward to a 9th section hike—Massachutsetts and Vermont.
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