Category: AT Thru-Hike 2024

“Happy trails to you, until we meet again

Happy trails to you, keep smiling until then

Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather

Happy trails to you, ’till we meet again

Some trails are happy ones

Others are blue

It’s the way you ride the trail that counts

Here’s a happy one for you” – Roy Roger’s and Dale Evans

Overkill and I are parting ways today. I have enjoyed our time together on the  trail. I’m not sure I would be where I am now if I had been solo for the past two plus months on the trail. We may cross paths again in the White Mountains  or Maine, only time will tell. Happy trails Overkill. Good luck and stay safe!

Up at 6:30. Said goodbye to Overkill and walked to the Redline Diner across the street for breakfast at 7:00. Overkill grabbed an Uber and is starting about 30 miles north near Bulls Bridge, CT at mile 1465. 

Sunny, high of 82, humid, light breeze.

Checked out of the hotel and got an Uber to the trail at 8:30. The restaurant was VERY slow:( On the trail at 9:00. Running late. 17 miles to go today. Hope to be to camp by 6:30.

Skipped a 5-mile section of the trail between Canopus Lake (day 117) and RPH shelter. I hate to do that but I need to make up time and distance, plus trying to stay near people I know as I move into New England. 

Hard 2-mile climb to start the day after crossing under the Taconic State Pkwy.

Stopped at NY Route 52 for a break at 11:40 and 5 miles. It’s quite humid today. Lots of limbs and branches down and lots of standing and flowing water in the trail. The storm dumped a fair amount of water. Back on the trail at noon.

Crossed over I84.

Decent amount of ups and downs so far today. Slow, steady uphill for the next 4 miles, then about 3 miles of downhill to water in 6.8 miles. 

Stopped at Morgan Stewart Shelter for a quick break at 1:55 and 9 miles. Got 2.9 miles till good water. Making decent time today. Heard from Dana that she shipped my resupply, including new shoes. Should arrive in Great Barrington , MA before I get there mid-week. Thanks, sweetheart!

Stopped for water and a snack at old Route 55 at 3:35. Carrying out 2.7 liters as there is no water near the shelter. Have 5 miles to the shelter for tonight.  Back on the trail at 4:00.

Hiking around Nuclear Lake late this afternoon. A little history for my readers.  “In 1958, an experimental nuclear fuel research lab was set up on the shores of a lake in Pawling, NY, by Nuclear Development Associates. All was apparently fissioning along just fine until the early 1970s, when two serious accidents occurred at the site. First, in 1971, a rubber stopper came off of a plutonium powder container, contaminating a lab room with radioactive material. Then, in 1972, a chemical explosion occurred in the building adjacent to the lake (pictured below in this NY Times article), causing an unknown amount of plutonium powder to spew out into the air and presumably onto the surrounding grounds. Nuclear Lake had earned its name.”

I got to the Telephone Pioneer Shelter at 6:30. Sharing with 3 high school girls out for the night. Ran into Legend and Rooster. They are staying at a very near tent site with two other folks. A bunch of other NOBOs showed up later.

Jon Luning parked near here and hiked in root beer, deli sandwiches, and bourbon. We had dinner together at the shelter. Thanks Jon! Texted with Dana. Sunset is at 8:00 these days. Climbed into my quilt at 8:30.

Overall it was a good day. Great weather and nothing too difficult on the trail. It was awesome to have dinner with Jon on the trail. Tomorrow will be a long 21.6, but the terrain looks nice and the weather looks great.

Technical Notes:

• Corned beef hash 600
• Two eggs 180
• OJ 130
• Coffee 100
• Zero sugar sausage 120
• Fig bar 200
• Pop tarts 370
• Skittles 100
• Root beer 270
• Root beer 270
• Fireball 220
• Bourbon and ginger 100
• Chicken parm sub 1300
• Water liters 2.7
• Miles 17
• Time 9:30
• Elevation gain 3238
• Calories consumed 4200
• Calories burned 6500

“Riders on the storm 

Riders on the storm 

Into this house, we’re born 

Into this world, we’re thrown 

Like a dog without a bone 

An actor out on loan

Riders on the storm” – The Doors

Up at 7:15. The hotel has a decent breakfast. Ran into Legend and Rooster at breakfast. They decided to get off the trail for a day due to the weather as well. We have been seeing them on and off for a week or so.

We did laundry and permethrined some of our clothes. We are heading into tick territory!

Did some major route planning for the next few weeks. Hoping to make some good miles this coming week with good weather. At the moment, my schedule shows me summiting Katahdin on October 9. Not terrible but not great either. The weather is going to start becoming an issue (cold and snow). I hope to make up a few days, but at the same time, I could lose a few days in the Whites due to the weather. Actually, the more I think about this, the more I’m getting nervous about summiting on time. Need to move!

I walked to a barber and got a well-needed haircut mid-afternoon. Also got all my blog entries through today updated and posted. The remnants of Hurricane Debbie hit just after I got back. Heavy wind and rain.

Overkill and I walked to a local diner for dinner. Good food. I love diners! Back to the hotel about 7:30. Talked to Dana for a while. Got all packed up for tomorrow. I’m thinking about getting an Uber back to the trail at 7:30 a.m. I have 17 miles to go, and sunset is at 8:00 tomorrow. Yuck!

Kind of bummed this evening. Watched TV till midnight 🙁

Technical Notes:

• N/a
• Water liters 
• Miles 
• Time 
• Elevation gain 
• Calories consumed 
• Calories burned 

“Some beach

Somewhere

There’s a big umbrella casting shade over an empty chair

Palm trees are growing and warm breezes blowing

I picture myself right there

On some beach 

Somewhere” – Blake Shelton

Up at 6:15. Rained a lot last night but stopped for us to break camp! I stayed mostly dry last night, but need to dry out my rain fly. On trail at 7:30.

Planning to stop at mile 5.7 at Canopus Lake. Snack bar opens at 10:00 and they have nice bathrooms. After that we have a shelter at mile 10. Will make a call at that point depending on weather. Goal is 20 miles but I doubt that happens with the weather we have coming today. Thanks Debbie.

It’s mid 60s and humid but feels a tad chilly. Rain on and off today with the nasty stuff tonight and tomorrow.

Telephone of the Wind. Very cool!

Ran across a random rooster on trail. Anybody missing this guy?

Reached Canopus Lake beach park at 10:35. Hiked over to the concession stand for a pulled pork sandwich which is smoked on-site! Also took advantage of real bathrooms.

We called it for the day. Hurricane remnants arriving this afternoon and all day tomorrow. Temps are dropping too. Guess I need to think about getting my cool weather gear back soon. Anyway, we are getting a hotel room in Fishkill NY and zeroing tomorrow. Will Uber there shortly. We just won’t zero in Great Barrington later this week which means we won’t lose a day. Should be about a 20 minute drive to the Best Western. 

Got checked in early, hung ALL our gear up around the hotel rooms to dry, walked across the street for snacks, showered, and took a nap. Overkill headed to Walmart, then Chipotle for dinner. I’m having dinner with Jon and Pam Luning. They live about 40 minutes east in CT. 

Technical Notes:

• Pop Tarts 370
• Oreos 160
• Coke 140
• Coke 140
• Pulled Pork Sandwich 600
• Canada Dry 130
• More
• Water liters 3
• Miles 5.7
• Time 6
• Elevation gain 
• Calories consumed n/a
• Calories burned n/a

“Some folks like to get away

Take a holiday from the neighborhood

Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood

But I’m takin’ a Greyhound on the Hudson River line

I’m in a New York state of mind” – Billy Joel

Up at 7:30. It’s raining and 65 degrees. It will rain on and off all day. We are going to road walk 2 miles to the zoo at 9:00 with a stop at Dunkin’ Donuts to get coffee. Then we will cross the Hudson. Overall, 18 miles today. This is not going to be a fun day.

Not in a great mental place today. The weather is going to suck for 4 days and we have a long wet day ending with tenting in a field this evening. Yuck.

Left the motel at 9:05. 

Awesome picture of the Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River in the fog.

Hiked through the zoo. The trail runs right through the zoo as illustrated by the white blazes in the zoo gate.

We crossed the Hudson River around 10:30. 

YouTube video walking across the Hudson River.

Now we climb that in the rain!

Stopped at 11:40 for second breakfast. Back on trail at noon. 

Reached the Appalachian Deli at 1:45. Got a big lunch and 2 full days of resupply (ramen, propel, Pop Tarts, trail mix). I’ll also grab a sandwich to go for dinner. Back on trail at 2:45. Still have 8.5 miles to go.

Stopped for a break and to fill up water at 4:30. Trail angles provided fresh water and chairs!

Got to camp about 7:40. Sunset is at 8:05 these days. Got set up in the rain quickly, and my tent is dry. Yey! With the rain and overcast, it was dark by 8:15. Gotta start planning the days better.

Glad I got a takeaway sandwich. Not in the mood to cook in the rain and dark.

Tomorrow will be interesting. We have 20 miles planned, but it’s supposed to rain all day. That impacts things physically and mentally. I need to work on some bailout plans for tomorrow.

Today was a good day after all. Did not rain till late in the day, but the overcast kept temps low. Good deli mid-day, and starting the day with the zoo and the Hudson bridge crossing was super cool!  Need more days like today. That ain’t happening for at least 72 hours due to hurricane Debbie 🙁

In bed at 10:30.

Technical Notes:

• Mini donuts 700
• Body armor lyte 25
• Donut 300 coffee 75
• Mini donuts 600
• Body armor lyte 25
• Hot dogs x2 600
• Wings x6 300
• Body armor lyte 25
• Hershey bar 360
• Skittles 150
• Ham n cheese sandwich 700
• Fritos 350
• Water liters 3
• Miles 15 + 2
• Time 9:45
• Elevation gain 3434
• Calories consumed 4750
• Calories burned 6500

“Last night I took a walk after dark.

A swingin’ place called Palisades Park.

To have some fun and see what I could see.

That’s where the girls are” – Freddy Cannon

Up at 7:00. Reached out to a shuttle for 3:00 pickup. On trail at 8:00.

Stopped at state park at 8:40 for bathroom, water, and a soda from vending machine. Back on trail at 9:15.

View of Lake Welch and a large power plant.

Crossed the Palisades parkway.

Crossed the 1400-mile mark.

Ran into a 6-foot black snake.

Best view of Bear Mountain we will get.

Rained on us the last 30 minutes of our hike. Not bad as it’s going to rain for the next 4 days.

We got picked up by a shuttle at 3:10. Stopped at post office so Overkill could pick up her new trekking poles. Got to Bear Mountain Bridge Motel about 3:45. We are sharing a 3-bed room. It does the job.

Walked across the street to a gas station for a few supplies then walked about half a mile to a deli to get dinner.

Deli blazing through NY.

Back to the motel and hung out. Talked to Dana and read till 10:00.

We have done some bigger elevations the past 3 days. Particularly yesterday. We have not done that since central VA. Our legs have gotten out of shape a bit in the last 6 weeks. We really felt the elevation this week. We need to build back up our legs before we hit the White Mountains. This entire trip has just been training for the Whites.

Technical Notes:

• Pop-Tarts 370
• Pop-Tarts 370
• Pringles 350
• Soda 160
• Beef Bites 400
• Trail Mix 170
• Cookies 160
• Skittles 200
• Trail Mix 250
• Cookies 160
• Root Beer 270
• Italian Cold Cut Sub 1200
• Seltzer 500
• Fireball 200
• Doritos 500
• Water liters 4
• Miles 11.5
• Time 7
• Elevation gain 1880
• Calories consumed 5500
• Calories burned 5500

“The suicide squeeze is on.

Here he comes, squeeze play, it’s gonna be close. Here’s the throw, here’s the play at the.

Holy cow, I think he’s gonna make it” – Meat Loaf

Up at 6:00. Great breakfast. Packed up and left for the trail at 7:05. On the trail at 7:20.

Mid-80s, clear, low humidity.

Stopped for a second breakfast at 9:00 and 3.8 miles. Fairly easy hike so far today and nice weather. It will warm up around noon. Back on the trail at 9:30.

Walked past a pair of raging waterfalls. Bad drought this year, obviously.

Walked quite a ways on boardwalks and arrived at a water cache at 11:15 and 7.1 miles. This cache even had frozen water bottles. Sweet!

Back on the trail at 11:40.

Stopped for lunch at 1:40 and 10 miles.  Back on the trail at 2:10.

Crossed Interstate 87, New York State Thruway, at 3:40.

Stopped just after to get water from a culvert. Water is water, I suppose. We have 4.1 miles to go.

Got to the infamous lemon squeezer at 5:00. This was a bit of a challenge, but fun overall.

YouTube video of lemon squeezer

Hello, deer.

Arrived at the Fingerboard shelter at 6:55. Very basic shelter. Made dinner and went to bed by 9:00.

Technical Notes:

• Bacon x3 161
• Eggs x2 180
• Home fries 300
• Toast x1 170
• Beef bites 200
• Skittles 75
• Zero sugar sausage 120
• Oreo x3 
• Skittles 100
• Peanut butter crackers 200
• Beef bites 300
• Trail mix 500
• Skittles 100
• Ramen 500
• Dehydrated chicken 170
• Pringles 450
• Water liters 5
• Miles 16.6
• Time 11:30
• Elevation gain 3866
• Calories consumed 4000
• Calories burned 6500