Day 57 - Monday, August, 8

Linda

I believe I made a reference yesterday to sleeping like a rock at Graymoor. Well, sleeping on a rock is not conducive to sleeping like one. We were awake off and on all night between the heat, the bugs and the lumpy bed. We were more than happy to get up and get moving. Started out at 7:00 and crossed over several ridges, including Agony Grind, which climbs 600 feet in .3 mile. The humidity was killing us and we had no water at all. Met a guy about a half mile from Old Orange Turnpike who told us to be sure to go the extra half mile to the pipe spring, as it was the only water for a good while. He also said there was a rattlesnake in the trail a few feet down the trail. Sure enough, it was still there when we walked by. I went around one side, and Ronald poked it with a stick to see if it would move. It did coil up, hiss and rattle, but didn't seem to pose much of a threat. Nevertheless, I wanted to give it a wide berth. I hope that's the last snake we see, but that would be asking too much.

Got a ride to the spring which did have great water. It must have been a very popular spot, because there were people all around the spring getting water. Some people were even filling up whole cars with gallon jugs. Had lunch there before going on. Found out it was 12.5 more miles to Roger's Appalachian Cottage where we were headed for the night. Roger was a man who lives by the trail, and has fixed up a little oasis for hiker's. Neither of us were moving or feeling too well from the heat and beat feet, and we started to get on each other's nerves. We walked separately for a few miles and that seemed to help. Passed two guys who said Roger wasn't home today, so there was no point trying to get there by tonight. Later we met two other hikers up on top of a rock ledge who told us there was a small store in Bellvale on Highway 17A, and that we should camp before Roger's area because the rocks are too bad after that.

We walked to 17A and stopped at a house to ask for water. There was an old couple in the yard, and at first the lady was very crabby, complaining there were too many hikers asking for water, and their well was going dry, etc., etc. The man told us not to pay any attention to her, and went to get us some water. They ended up asking if we wanted to leave our packs in their yard while we went on up to the store. We quickly got a ride down to Quackenbush General Store. We picked up a few things we needed, plus ice cream, and a jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce to go with the box of spaghetti we had found on the trail on Saturday (we had found a bottle of Scotch, too, but left that behind). Thought the ice cream would melt before we got a ride back, but we finally made it, then walked in off the road to the first good campsite we saw. Polished off most of the ice cream as a before dinner snack. With no freezer, it was either eat or lose it. Couldn't quite finish it all, but we put quite a dent in it.

There was rain in the forecast, so we set up the tarp - and remembering the Dean's Ravine mud fiasco, we found a flat grassy spot this time. When we were sufficiently ready for the weather, we fixed dinner. The spaghetti was good, but Ragu isn't quite as Italian as the commercials claim. Still beat the heck out of instant potatoes and meat bars. The soft grass made a wonderful bed - quite a contrast from our rock slab of last night. Hiked 15.7 miles today.

Ron

After a decidedly uncomfortable night, we broke camp and were hiking this morning by 7:00. The first few miles were through rest of the park. The open woods made for a nice change of pace. I got pissed at the Lemon Squeeze because the film in the camera broke. I was a shame that so much of this area is littered with trash. Just beyond the park, we stopped to refill our water. I had finished off the remaining water in anticipation of soon refilling our bottles. We tried to get water from a home no one was there. We were facing a pretty bad section without any water. We made the hike up Agony Grind okay and on to several small ridges. During one section we were warned by and approaching hiker of a rattlesnake on the trail. I tried several things to get it to move, but it just stood it's ground. We finally bushwhacked around it and hoped that none of it's relatives were lying around unseen.

After arriving at a road, we hitched a ride a half mile to a piped stream. We stayed for awhile to eat lunch and talk to the people who had stopped to get water. Back on the trail I got mad because I didn't think Linda was going fast enough. I stopped and let her hike on for awhile before continuing. I think the heat and the humidity are getting to me. When things aren't going too smooth, it's good to put some distance between us. Being together 24 hours a day for 60 straight days can get unnerving.

I passed a couple of hikers and found out that Roger's Appalachian Cottage (a popular trailside stop) was closed for the night. I finally caught up with Linda at Fitsgerald Falls. There was a trickle of a water coming over the falls. On top of the next ridge we passed some more hikers who indicated it would be better to camp on the other side of Highway 17A. When we arrived at the highway, we stashed our packs a house and hitched down into Bellvale to pick up supplies.

We made it back to the ridge and packed our goodies (including one half gallon of ice cream) a quarter mile down the trail to our camp. With the forecast of rain we set up the tent fly, fixed supper and ate our treat. It's been a long hot day.

(15.7 Miles - 794.3 Total)