Sprout Days 58-64 (Tuesday, May 24, 2016 - Monday, May 30th, 2016)

Pictures from Graymoor Spiritual Life Center (May 24 & 25)

Some people camped here too

We zeroed here at the pavilion

Free shower (cold water though!!!)

Great place to have a fire

Back on the trail (May 26)

Can you find the toad?

Beautiful day to hike!

Mountain Man and Karma on the trial

Trail today

Hike to our pickup!!! (May 27)

Can you spot the hikers?

Bubbles drinking some water while hiking on the trail

Incredible roots!!  I think the one in the middle looks like an alligator!

Love Chipotle! (The tortilla couldn't handle my massive burrito!!!)

We had an amazing weekend with the family and we were able to introduce Mountain Man and Karma to some of our family members.  It was a great weekend.  We went to an amazing wedding in Cooperstown, New York and we all had a great time.  It was a two day break and it felt good to be with close people from home and to finally introduce our trail family to some of the people that they have been hearing so much about.  At one point all of us were out on the dance floor dancing, laughing, and having a great time. Jimmy was the best man, it was great seeing him and hanging out for a couple of days.

The food was delicious!

Reception was in a greenhouse!  It was really cool!

Poppa Lip and Bubbles boogieing on the dance floor!

On Sunday Bubbles and Freddy a.k.a. Flying Dutchman went back and hiked 6.5 miles by Bear Mountain.  Bubbles got off the trail last week to have dinner with our cousins and had to make up those miles.  Flying Dutchman wants to be on the trail and was happy to go with her!  I wish I could've been there with them but Mb took Mountain Man, Karma, and me to REI to get some more supplies that we needed for the trail.  Flying Dutchman did a great job, we can't wait to see you back out on the trail whenever you get the opportunity! We wish you were here now!

We were so thankful Mb was able to take us to REI. We got some Merino wool t-shirts and I got a pair of Merino boxers too. Merino wool is a special wool that doesn't hold sweat in like some cheaper fabric and dries quickly.  It’s basically a must have for how hot and humid it's been. We both got an air mattress this weekend and I couldn't be happier.  I wasn't getting the best sleep on my sleeping pad and have been wanting an air mattress for awhile now.  Bubbles picked up some new shoes because the ones she had were worn out from all the rocks.  Our initial plan was to get back on the trail Sunday evening but time went by quicker than we anticipated.

We ended up getting hotel room for the night and got dropped off earlier today where we were picked up off the trail. It's really hard leaving family and getting back on the trail.  Of course we want to be out here hiking and doing what we're doing but we are really close to our family and have a wonderful family. Whenever you see someone from home it makes you miss everyone else.  We are truly blessed to have this problem, we hope we see you guys again soon and hope everyone else from home can come out at some point.

We got to the shelter and started talking to Mountain Man and Karma about their hike and eventually got to the topic of them getting off the trail.  It was devastating because we love hiking with them!  Karma has been having terrible feet and ankle pain and now it might be moving to her knees.  It's going to be hard to keep moving on if they have to get off, it has been great being with them for as much time as we have. I think they are going to try to continue on and I hope they do.  We ordered Chinese food and had it delivered to the road outside the shelter. Mountain Man and I tossed a frisbee around that I bought this past weekend. It was a great evening but still a sad one.  All we could think about was the possibility of them leaving and it's not something we want to happen. I hope we all wake up tomorrow and can continue moving on.

In memory of those lost on 9/11

View from the trial today!

Stream

Memory plaque

Day:  64
Miles hiked:  7

Total Miles hiked on the trail:  567.1

Bears:   0

Butterflies:  8

Chipmunks:  3

Cows:  24

Crawfish:  1

Deer:  20

Donkeys:  2

Horses:  12

Inchworm:  1

Really Big Dog:  1

Mice:  2

Nest of bugs:  2

Newts:  2

Owl:  1

Rabbit:  1

Skunk:  1

Snail:  1

Snake:  2

Squirrels:  11

Toads:  3

Trout:  2

Turkeys:  4

Turtles:  107

Vultures:  6

Woodpecker:  1

Guest Blog... Flying Dutchman Sunday, May 27th

Mb and I picked up Bubbles, Sprout, Mountain Man, and Karma on Friday, May 27th near a beautiful lake in New York State.  Several times I wanted to jump in this beautiful lake until Sprout made me aware that swimming was prohibited.  What a bummer!!!!  We also picked up Smudgy Cheeks at Tony’s Deli and we took the opportunity to try a Turkey Sub which was the speciality of the Deli. The food party just started!!  Mb looked at her GPS to find out where the closest Chipotle was located in the area.  It turned out to be located out of state in Connecticut by about 20 miles.  From Chipotle we were on our way to a wedding in Cooperstown, NY where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located.  We met up with my father-in-law and my brother-in-law, who was the best man of the wedding.  They were staying in a room at a house called the 1819 House, which was reserved for the wedding party.  Before we could sleep we needed to stop at Walmart.  Bubbles, Mountain Man, Karma, and Smudgy Cheeks needed to get clothes for the wedding and some miscellaneous things needed for backpacking on the trail.  We ended that evening with Rodeo Burgers, Whoppers, and a couple of cold beers.

The next day, our father-in-law took us to a breakfast place in downtown Cooperstown, NY called the Doubleday Cafe.  The breakfast was nice and big. The interior of the cafe was decorated with pictures of baseball.  After breakfast we headed back to the room we shared with Mb, my father-in-law, brother-in-law, and five hikers!  I serenaded a couple songs (Country Roads and Volare) on my guitar.

Poppa Lip and Bubbles at breakfast

We left for the wedding ceremony around 2:00 in a Catholic church in downtown Cooperstown. The pastor was hard to understand and he sounded sometimes a little bit rude.  After his sermon and ceremony we congratulated the bride and the groom and met at 5:00 o’clock at the Origins Cafe at Carefree Garden for the wedding reception and the wedding party.

I highly recommend this place: http://www.celebrateorigins.com/#about

The Origins Cafe is inside a greenhouse and you can see green peppers growing inside, coffee trees, bananas, and even pineapple.  It was hot and humid inside but the food that was served was the best food I ever had tasted at any weddings.  The DJ that was contracted for the wedding was really good and it seems that he made his music selection by observing his public. I was surprised to hear a couple Indian pop songs, Latin American songs, and also some Benny Goodman songs.

Sprout and Bubbles at the reception

Mountain Man and Karma at the reception

The next day on Sunday, my father-in-law and my brother-in-law left early.  We drove separately in our van and dropped off Smudgy Cheeks at the place where he left the trail. My wife, Sprout, Mountain Man, and Karma went to the REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.)in Yonkers, NY:

https://www.rei.com/

I didn’t go to REI because I decided to give the trail a shot.  I walked with Bubbles six miles that she had to make up.  We were dropped off at Bear Mountain, NY near the Trailside Zoo.  Before getting into the Zoo entrance we walked through a park filled with thousand of families picnicking for memorial weekend.  Many of the animals were sleeping and invisible but I did see one bear.  The weather was a mix of heat with wind but the perfect weather for hiking.  

The bridge over the Hudson was amazing and was the easiest part of the hike.  After this we went onto the trail and then we had to descend and ascend two different hills.  I think the climb was about 400 feet with some rocks and bugs were trying to bugger me at all times.  I also saw many caterpillars on the ground and old autumn leaves.  A couples times I slipped on the leaves.  Luckily, Bubbles loaned me her trekking poles so I didn’t fall.  On our way we saw 2 groups of thru hikers that had already had their camp set up.  Overall, I can say this was my Appalachian Trail baptism and this was visible (all that sweat on my face!!!!) I start now to understand the magic of the trail and wish to walk more often on the trail in the future.

Smudgy Cheeks Day 63 (Sunday, May 29th, 2016)

I was dropped off at Hosner Mountain Road where I accidentally got off of the trail early on Thursday.   I was so tired after the weekend with my family, and celebrating the marriage of Jeremy and Minisha, that I thought about stopping and sleeping next to the trial!  Unfortunately, I realized that I forgot my sleeping pad in my sisters van.  Good thing I'm so tired I'll be able to fall asleep no matter what tonight!

I hiked 5.5 miles to the next shelter on the trail and passed out!  No pictures today!!

Day:  63

Miles hiked:  5.5

Total Miles hiked on the trail:  503.2

Bear: 1

Chipmunk: 1
Deer: 1

Snakes: 2
Toads: 2

Vulture: 1

Zoo Animals:   2 foxes, 1 porcupine, 1 bobcat, 1 turtle, 2 bears

Bubbles Day 61 (Friday, May 27th, 2016)

Today we got picked up from Clarence Fahnestock State Park.  The hike was easy because I was so excited to see my family.  While we were waiting for my sister Mb and her husband Freddy to get to the park, a man pulled over and gave us an "Irish Breakfast”, a 12 pack of beer and a bushel of bananas.  He told us his son is thru-hiking the trail this year and he taught him about "trail magic."  He said, “bye” and hopped back in his car.  We were so happy to have a few beers and bananas.  We saved a couple of beers so that we could give them to a few hikers we knew were right behind us on the trial.

When my sister and brother-in-law arrived we got all settled in and went to pick up Smudgy Cheeks.  When all the stinky hikers were in the car Mb asked us what we wanted to eat.  We asked if we could go to Chipotle because Karma and Mountain Man had never had it.  The closest one was 20 minutes, out of the way, in Connecticut.  As expected, Karma and Mountain Man enjoyed their delicious burritos!

We arrived in Cooperstown, New York three hours later.  We are excited for the wedding and some time with family!

Mountain Man, Karma, and Freddy in the second row, Smudgy Cheeks and Sprout in the third row.
Off to the wedding!!!

Bubbles Day 60 (Thursday, May 26th, 2016)

Today it took us too long to get ready and we ended up hiking through the heat of the day.  It was really tough and I felt like I was going to die because of the heat.  We all felt unmotivated.

We are getting picked up tomorrow by my sister Mb to go to a wedding in Cooperstown, New York.  We struggled through the heat.  The sweat kept dripping into my eyes and it HURT!  We knew we weren't going to make it the19 miles to the next shelter.  We only ended up hiking 6.6 miles and I wasn't mad about it.  We set up our camp near a stream and spent the remainder of the day laying on the ground listening to music and eating too much hiker food.  Mountain Man even played his harmonica which made me very very happy. I love when he plays. Now if I can just get him to play every day we will be set! :)

I got up to throw some stuff in my tent and realized there was a twig or something in my croc. It was a GIANT SPIDER. Orange and mean looking. I stepped on the sucker with all my weight and it didn't crush.  Explain that to me please.  I screamed and jumped up and down for Robby to come save me. I quickly got in my tent and didn't leave for the remainder of the night.  I have been doing great dealing with the bugs and whatnot but not in my shoes. No no! That spider will haunt me in my dreams tonight but tomorrow I will wake up singing and skipping because I get to see my family, My dad, Mb, my brother-in-law Freddy, and my oldest brother jimmy!! Smudgy cheeks will be at the wedding too and it will be nice to hear about his hike since we left each other.

Flowers next to the boardwalk today

Boardwalk trail!