Homeward bound...

H:

Last week was quite a whirlwind week for us and we start off this week with an all day car drive back to Indiana (my weeks start on Wednesday now because a Tuesday was the last day we hiked, it makes sense in my head).  Google tells me it's only 10 hours 26 minutes, and if all day wasn't enough, our experience driving out here to my parents' place in Newport News proved to be much longer due to delays with traffic and construction.  This is the second Wednesday in a row that we will have an all day adventure, lets hope it doesn't turn into a trend.

Our goal was to be up around 6 this morning to get driving and beat some of the heat as we have no AC in our car.  I was up at 6, I just didn't get off the floor, and as it is now 8:13...  At least we packed the car last night with the little bit that we have to take back with us.  All except the chocolate, I was smart enough not to leave that in the car overnight, yesterday the heat index for the area was well over 100 degrees and as of this morning the thermometer says 80 degrees already, you can imagine what kind of day we're going to have.

My ankle is slowly healing.  It went through its bruised phase and has transitioned to mostly yellow.  The swelling has gone down but it's still a bit misshapen and larger than the other ankle.  I'm also getting better at walking.  Then again, with my feet not being used to stepping on level surfaces, I'm surprised I'm not having more problems.

Part of recovery has been a lot of sitting around with ice packs on my ankle which means I have been able to get a fair share of knitting done.  Before we left Indiana I was asked by several people if they could send us things while we were on the trail and another made a joke about drop shipments of yarn to me.  Not being sure how to coordinate individuals sending items, I put the last two ideas together.  Folks from my social "yarn-ie" circles could all chip in about 10 yards of sock yarn.  What do you do with that?  Make socks of course.  One person collected the yarn, rolled it into a ball, and sent it to my parents for putting it into a resupply box.  It made it to my parents and was scheduled to be in the next shipment... the one that didn't get shipped.

Which meant that as soon as I got back I was handed what turned out to be around 800 yards of yarn, enough for two pairs of socks!  First day back I cast on and started knitting.  Pair one is almost done and I should be able to start the second pair today on the ride back to the Midwest.

Recovery

H:
I'd like to say that we're on the road to recovery, but really it's just my ankle that I can speak for.  Our psychological viewpoint is going to need more time to readjust to the change that happened so quickly and many months ahead of schedule.  For a few more days we look to be resting up at my parents' before being amazingly and so suddenly available for a stint of house sitting for some friends.  The friends who are in fact watching our cat and we will now be able to watch their cats and their house while they are away.

That means we will be looking for a place to live starting in July sometime.  We still have our RV tucked away in storage and will need to get back to that and what little we own contained inside its walls, which now seems like an insanely excessive amounts of possessions after 2 months of backpacking.

The biggest problem today is "the hunger."  The hiker hunger that develops after hiking all day for the last few months isn't quite as bad as the people we met hiking from Georgia but it's pretty bad.  Everything we see we want to eat, and then when we're done we're thinking about what's next.  To compensate we have a lot of fruits and vegetables sitting out as a distraction.  Yesterday we had a good bit of fruit, a huge salad for lunch, another huge salad for dinner and a couple of bowls of broth based soup. Okay... and a few leftover truffles from the Kent Coffee & Chocolate Company visit... and there was that Snickers bar I found in our food bag when looking for dirty laundry.  While we didn't lose a ton of weight, we did lose some and built a good bit of leg muscle in the process.  We're now on a mission to not gain back the weight like we hear happens so often.

As for the ankle, it's still swollen as is the side of the foot, but I can hobble about alright to the bathroom and to the kitchen, and there isn't much pain now.  Flexibility is alright pointing my toe up and down but the side to side motion is still seriously impeded.

Today is another day of rest, and a bit of a celebration.  Dave and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary today.  We're probably going to celebrate by watching a movie while I ice my ankle, oh wait, that's what we've been doing since yesterday.  Ah well, when you have something that works why change? (c;   What movie?  I think it's The Hobbit today.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! June 16th & 17th, 2015

Soup Mix has sprung her ankle and cannot hike.  She and Knotty Boy are riding a bus to return to Newport News til she heals.   Ice and Doctors.

But we'd have to return the umbrella and we'd get wet anyway...

H: 

We were sitting outside a Chinese restaurant in Kent, Connecticut when it started to rain. We had just finished eating so we threw away our trash and sat down inside in the oppressively hot restaurant to wait.  A little girl, 7 or 8 years old, sat across from her father in a booth as they were waiting for take out. "Oh no! We're going to get soaked!" she moaned to her dad.

"We'll be fine" he replied and then looked up to see that the drizzle was now a downpour. "Oh."

I had watched them walk to the restaurant while we had been eating outside. "You'll be fine," I interjected, "you see, I have an umbrella you can use."

After just a moments hesitation the very wise child noted: "But it won't work because after we walk home with the food we will walk back here to give you your umbrella back and we will get wet anyway."

Normally this would be a correct assumption but today was a magical day. "Actually you can keep the umbrella."

The dad attempted to refuse the gift and once again the girl spoke beyond her years: "But won't you get wet too?"

"Oh no, you see, I am leaving here in a car."

Dave handed over his umbrella too and the deal was sealed with a handshake from the dad and smiles from the little one.

Why did we part with the umbrellas we had searched so long for before our trip? Sadly, because our hike was now over.

A few hours earlier we crossed a road, climbed a wooden stile in a field, and about 100 feet later, I fell. Maybe it was just good timing, luck, or because I can no longer walk on a level surface, but it was the perfect spot to roll my ankle.

Several times the day before I had slipped on wet rocks, leaves, mud, and a few times when atop a large craggy hill thought, "Whew, I am glad I didn't hurt myself, just think if someone had to haul we out of here!"

It just so happened that a few minutes after my stumble and after trying to stand and realizing that no more hiking today was going to happen, a couple with a dog who had run past us before were on their way back to their car. They happened upon us sitting in the mowed path in the field: "You know, there's a great creek just ahead that you could rest at."

"I got one better," began Dave, "can you drive us to town? My wife just hurt her ankle."

In no time we were bundled into their car with our packs and headed to a local Inn. Turned out the Inn was closed but we said we would sort it out from there. They left us on the porch with what was obviously another crazy hiker but returned a moment later with a bag of ice and a couple of cold drinks. We thanked the couple again and sat down on the steps.

What to do? I was pretty sure my ankle was sprained and not broken so we iced my ankle, drank the drinks, and Dave went to the local pharmacy to get a wrap.or brace while I talked with the crazy hiker who turned out to really be drunk off his ass. It was past the time we were to eat lunch and granola no longer held any appeal.

Dave came back from his walk to a pharmacy and we Ace wrapped my ankle before stuffing it in my shoe. The workers doing maintenance on the Inn pointed out a good restaurant 900 feet away (we knew the distance because we checked with GPS because "near by" means something different when you have a car). Dave carried his pack and I hobbled to the Chinese restaurant while the crazy/drunk (and by this time stoned) hiker carried my pack and joined us for lunch.

While eating we made an executive decision, because we are the executives of our hike, we needed to go "home." My ankle might not be broken but it was certainly going to take time to heal and the best place was to start at my parents' in Newport News.

We made contact with Kathleen from a few days ago and worked it out that she could pick us up, give us a place for the night, then drop us off at a bus stop the next day.

After we ate lunch, the crazy/drunk/stoned hiker was sad to part ways but he went off to his own world and we are now back to where this story started.

Today is Wednesday the 17th of June and after much debate and deliberation we have decided to end our hike this year. We still aren't sure of the extent of my ankle injury. I was able to hobble around today but the side to side stretch of the ankle is gone and this is critical in hiking as we found out over the last few months. Instead of pushing to get back to hiking we are going to recoup, regroup, and get started on what's next. What is next? We're not exactly sure but we're ready to find out.

Currently we are on a bus back to Newport News and about 100 soup packs we didn't get to on the hike. At least we have food to eat!

Location: Day 52, June 15, 2015

41.699604,  -73.505913 
Another state!  We have left New York and we are in Connecticut!
Latest start to date on day 52 at noon.  It rained pretty hard last night so it takes a longer to get going. Still did nearly 10 miles with an 850 ft. climb in 1 miles at one point.

States so far are:
West Virginia
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
New York
Connecticut

Email from Knotty Boy, June 14, 2014

D Robinson wrote:

2 nights ago we stayed in Pawling at the Lions Club's park just outside of town after spending the day doing laundry and eating at three different restaurants. We waited out a tornado watch that night in a bar until 11 P.M. before we got a ride to the park. We set up under the pavillion in case it rained torrentially. Turns out the bulk fell in the area north and west so we escaped with a drizzle.

We rode buses all day Saturday to get to Woodstock which was very touristy. We participated in the contra dance and had a blast. Freight Train enjoyed himself too, and plans to look it up when he gets back to Chicago.

We met Peter, the caller for the night, and even before we danced we were talking with him about going to Albany for another contra dance the next night. It seemed like a good idea at that moment but by the end of the night we wanted sleep more than anything, well except food. Plus we need to figure out shoes before we dance again because the barefoot dancing was causing blisters that I can't afford.

We met Katheline at the dance and she lived halfway back to where we left the trail AND she was super generous in offering a ride, food, and a place to sleep for the night so we would be set up for a shorter day of bus rides. Little did we know her kindness would also include a ride back to the trail today and the reminder that we would be amazingly close to another dance by next Saturday! What an incredibly awesome weekend!

Tonight we are camping on a tent platform outside a shelter name escapes me. Tomorrow we finish New York and begin Connecticut.

We are very sad that Freight Train has completed his section hike of the AT and is now off on another adventure but we wish him well and hope that he has fun. Well, we know he will have fun.

That's all for now. Time to sleep!

Location Day 51, June 14, 2015

41.637936,  -73.532051
We have a couple bus rides today to get back to the trail.  Dancing was a blast but very hard on the feet danced in our socks.  We will figure something out for the next dance.

Ready for departure..

Time to say goodbye to Freight Train for now. He was dropped off at the bus station 4 weeks to the day that we had traveled on and off together. Have a great time visiting New York and Fire Island this weekend.

What a way to kick off week 8 with a Contra dance

Sure it looks like fun at first but it took Soup Mix about 3 hours of juggling bus schedules for the 3 different buses and 5 hours, including lay overs to do it. The pay off, we got to Contra for three hours with an awesome bunch of people and it was Freight Train's first time. He had fun.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Byb7pYnD5yKjfkNvRHVxYjZqSGpoSWtzcTM0WG5fT1FYNTZSM1FTOWdyX0xHYVVCS1ozcDg&authuser=0

Taking a look at week 7

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Byb7pYnD5yKjfkpaTWdETEFCMjlrMS1aTnROM3dWZWhITjlzVXNvQ251ZkoyWXJyVklsMWc&authuser=0

A blast from the past..

Frogmonkey has been keeping tabs on these new long distance hikers. I'd forgotten about these pictures being taken by her. Moxie and Frogmonkey thru hiked in 2014 and we met them on our first day while they were out for a weekend hike for a few miles. They still had quite a pace to keep up with.

Frogmonkey

Knotty Boy Soup Mix and Moxie

It was still quite cold the next morning. Freezing rain collected on the edges of our tarp the night before.

Location Day 48 June 11, 2015

41.564640,  -73,691673
We are staying at Morgan Stewart Memorial Shelter. We covered 9 miles today of nice trail even if it was a bit uphill.   Tomorrow we are going to Pawling then trying to find a ride to a bus stop that will take us to Woodstock, New York for a contra dance on Saturday.

(editor's comment: Dave & Heather are about 45 years too late for Woodstock.)

Location 47 June 10, 2015

41.514244,  -73.792458
Staying at the RPH Cabin.  Hiked 5 miles to get here.

Location Day 46 June 9, 2015

41.465950, -73.822853
Staying at the Clarence Fahnestock Park Campsite.   15 miles today,  glad to be at camp.

Location Day 45 June 8, 2015

41.347271,  -73,919540
We are at the Graymoore Spiritual Life Center.  We did 7 miles today over some pretty good inclines. We are close to the 400 miles mark.

Taking a look at week 6

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Byb7pYnD5yKjfkZBOVFILTJ4aUprREdhdHFPMnVpdG51VS01U3JfbzBPY1R5aWpMOHVqUGs&authuser=0

Location Post June 7, 2015 - 2nd encouter with "bears"

41.308445,  -73.989120
Tonight we are camping at an undisclosed location "near" Bear Mountain Recreational Area.
Ok, we are camping in a grass parking lot at the rec area,   but the bears (police) did give us permission after they found us setting up our tents.

Maps June 6, 2015 - start and end of today's hike

Possible route from  41.251845,  -74.211075  to 41.278934, -74.058098.   Google maps shows the route by the road.    The mileage by the road is close to the 10 miles Knotty Boy Soup Mix hiked to day.

Location Post June 6, 2015

41.278934, -74.058098
We are staying William Brien Memorial Shelter.
Close to 10 miles today with a visit to Lake Tiorati

Thanks to Google Maps



.

Maps June 5, 2015 - just over the New York State Line

By the Trail - over 315 miles



By the Road

Via US-15 N 283.67 miles  4 hours 35 minutes

 

Taking a look at week 5

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Byb7pYnD5yKjfnQ2cHhWcVRkcWhZZDVOMlZ3OHpIS0dWN2ZvbUttTEg1bUJtUjhGZTg5elE&authuser=0

Location Post June 5, 2015

41.251845,  -74.211075
Staying at Trail Angel John's house tonight  We had some bbq'd hamburgers, steak and Brussels spouts.  Some weather coming in tonight so we're glad he was available.  When we called the number  he left on the trail, he said there were only two rules:  1) You have to shower.  2) You have to pet their dogs.  Freight Train agreed immediately to there rules.

It started with a ride from a nice couple into Warwick, NJ..

Bagged a drive-in movie last night, saw Tomorrow Land and Avengers. It was Freight Train's first time at the drive-in and enjoyed himself completely. Next morning we got a ride to a lake by a friend of someone we met on the trail the day before.  Freight Train rented a pontoon for a couple of hours so the 5 of us enjoyed an awesome sauce time on the lake. After that we had tacos for dinner then went to a creamery where we ate ice cream. After we parted ways with our new friends we caught a great sunset and as people saw us with ours back packs, we talked to a bunch of people about our hike. To top it off, Freight Train put local law enforcement up to a picture with us, in between pulling people over for speeding.

Location Post June 3, 2015

Another state down! We made it to New York.  We are staying at the Warwick Drive in Theater,  The Story is that hikers can camp there after the movies are over.  We plan to watch a double feature of TomorrowLand and then Avengers before we setup our tent.   Currently we are relaxing in the share with a beer and ice cream.  Life is good.

Water...

H: 

Yesterday I used an outdoor shower.  I decided to do my  laundry at the same time.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  Halfway through the shower/laundry it started to rain.  The hot water from the shower mingled with the cold water from the rain running off the roof of the building I was standing next to.  

I tried to hang the sopping wet clothes up under an eave so that they would dry.  The rain poured down for an hour then stopped.  The humidity remained and later in the evening the rain started again.  The clothes never dried.  

That was last night.  This morning everything was still wet.  After squeezing 8 people into a "4 person" shelter we all woke up early... for us.  It was still raining.  Do I wear soaking wet clothes to hike in or do I wear my sleep clothes?  I hiked out in my sleeping clothes under my rain gear and our day started.  It rained all day.  Some point in the day on the trail we crossed into New York.  

We made it to Unionville, NY to pick up a mail drop, then hiked on in the rain.

We made it to the state line and crossed back into New Jersey, it kept raining. 

We hiked a mountain in the rain.  

At the top we took refuge in a shelter at the rain let up.  Freight Train joined us and a new face "Rope" settled into the shelter. 

Should we stay or go on to the next town?  It was only 1 P.M. and the rain had let up.

The rain started back up and we hiked on somehow persuading Rope to join us in our hike to the next town... in the rain.

4 wet hikers standing by the side of the road after hiking down a mountain in the rain caused a car to come to an abrupt halt.  Jay, a very kind local, took us to town and we are now sheltering in the St. Thomas' Episcopal Church Hostel in Vernon, New Jersey... in the rain.

What was the first thing I did when I got here?  Took a shower.

Taking a look at week 4

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Byb7pYnD5yKjfk9NaUxVV3d1TXFCQ0M0dURWYk1VbVE3eEpGdmhxUnVaandwZWROaFByU1U&authuser=0