Start: Barrett Rd., New Milford, NY
It is never easy to leave a hotel, but today was especially difficult! We left with my family at 8 am and went to the diner for a delicious breakfast. All through breakfast, we contemplated taking a zero and having my family stay an extra day. A decision hadn't been made at the end of breakfast, but we still had to go to CVS for a few things. After CVS, the decision was that my family would go home and we would hike. They brought us to the trailhead we left off at yesterday. We said goodbye, which was particularly difficult for some reason. I'm not sure why because I love being out on the trail and I have my husband with me, but I was so sad as we walked away that I literally began to cry. It wasn't long though until the hiking had stopped my tears. We had a nice, comfortable hike for the first 5 miles. There were some ups and downs, but the trail wasn't too rocky. Just at the end of this nice section, we must have just walked by two rattle snakes. Just after we passed by a southbounder we heard him yell at his dog who had come so close to the two rattlesnakes on the side of the trail that they both rattled. Luckily, the dog wasn't bit, but it was crazy to think we just walked right by them. I was always convinced I'd be able to see them through their camouflage. I guess not! At the 6 mile mark, we officially crossed the NJ/NY border. Although the trail has gone back and forth between NY and NJ for a couple of days, we will not be going into NJ anymore after the official border. The next 4 miles were hard!! From the profile map, they looked relatively flat. Don't ever trust the profile map! We scrambled up a bunch of rocks. Sometimes we had to go straight up! There were many times I just threw my poles up on top of the rocks and climbed hand over hand. One spot was so vertical that there was even a wooden ladder. It alternated between these climbs and walking on ledges. This was fun for the first half hour where we had some beautiful views and climbed to the highest point in NY (Prospect Rock - 1,433 feet), but not so much for the next 4 hours! Once we came to the blue blazed Village Vista Trail, we had 2.1 miles to go and no more ledges. We ended our hike at 17A after 11.9 miles. Since the awesome hotel we stayed at last night is on 17A just 2 miles away, we decided to stay there again. Our new trail friend, No Whistle, was also staying there. Matt from the hotel brought us back, we showered (best shower on the trail. Awesome water pressure, soap, shampoo, AND CONDITIONER!!!), and cleaned our laundry from the day (since it is included with the stay). No Whistle went to dinner at Emeralds on the Lake with us and we shared trail stories and real life stories. She also started in Harpers Ferry and is on her way to Maine. We are back at the motel tonight and ready for some sleep. One of my favorite things about trail life is that I am truly exhausted at bedtime.
End: 17A, NY - staying at Anton's on the Lake, Greenwood Lake, NY
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Once again Joanie Cunningham, great job in the description of your adventures. I told Mr. Cochrane once that the trail is never flat for long because it's on property that has been donated, gifted or owned by each state and it's usually property that no one can build anything on. That means mostly hills and I'm sure you're getting in great shape. Good way to work off your "Fatty Acid". One word of advice if you want to keep your husband.....DON'T SING! I would have pushed you off a ledge one hundred miles ago if you were singing and I was there.
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