Heat, Slackpacking and West Point

Often, daily walks differ from what has been planned. The weather, damaged equipment and sore feet are typical guilty. But in the nine days since I published on July 5, Little has been initially conceived. In spite of that, we have accumulated thousands, we enjoy ourselves and we have progressed, but not as expected originally.

Trusting the kindness of friends

After the sword from the water gap of Delaware Back to Wind Gap, PA, we made a walk full of New Jersey on July 7. The 24 -mile walk took more than 12 hours, taking us to Brink Road Shelter after 8:00 pm the land had been varied, but the heat and load of complete packages made us play. The mosquitoes greeted me in the shelter when I fell asleep (I suppose I should have bought that network the last time I was at home).

Despite tired legs, we soon had an angel of path in «Uncle Charlie», a friend’s uncle in Gettysburg. He put us to a Nero, and then supported us while we undertook three holks through New Jersey. Heat and humidity were oppressive, but were manageable when the package weighed a fraction of its normal weight, and knew that it returned to a shower and a complete dinner. Based about Port Jervis, New York, Charlie led the secondary roads of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, helping us to complete the state of Garden in the part. It was also interesting to know about their efforts past in the maintenance of trails and improvements in New York. Central and I found New Jersey much more picturesque than expected (although I had a good part of rocks). We were lucky to walk part of the path on July 7 with Stephen, a data safety specialist who has been bitten by the Trail Bug. Thanks for the photos you took that day of the bear and the score of 1300 miles, Stephen!

And in New York

We cross New York on July 11. The anomaly of climbing rock shelves in the middle of the forest when we entered the state was soon one of the defining characteristics of New York. While initially it seemed fun to cross the rocks and granite ridges, he was soon exhausting and slowed our progress. We arrived at the Wildcat shelter that night, rejuvated by the ice cream in Bellvale Farm Creamery, only two miles before the shelter.

On July 12 we did more than 12 miles, staying in Wildcat Shelter, a classical stone structure that lacked water and privilege. Fortunately, both were available in a state park just a little more than one mile along the path.

We share the shelter with buttoned and artist. Botoned Up won that title when the loan shirt of a hostel was put on, which turned out to be a white and booted oxford shirt. When attending a public dinner on Monday after Easter in Hiawassee, Ga, the city’s elders did not believe it sponsored dinner as through a trip, since no true through Hiker would be so dressed. And the artist was a hiker with a sketch panel, recording images with paper pencil. They were pleasant companions.

Visiting West Point and Highland Falls

My drums was flat the next morning, so central and I took an Uber to Highland Falls, New York, the city that contains West Point, the United States Military Academy. I always wanted to visit the school, and I was lucky that Central is a school graduate and a former staff member. We walk all over the campus, starting at the Visitors Information Center. Our visit was a fascinating mix of history and education. We saw links of the chain that denied the Hudson River in northern Hudson to the British during the American revolutionary war, as well as the chapel and statues of famous graduates of West Point. Central took a photo with the statue of General George Patton. It is claimed that the statue of Patton is directed away from the library, since time never passed while attending West Point (but central loves libraries!).

They took a photo with the statue of General Dwight Eisenhower, one of my favorites since childhood. I suppose that when one attends Eisenhower Elementary School and spends a couple of summers working on Eisenhower’s National Historic Site, it is natural to respect the leader. And Ike came from the Dutch actions of Pennsylvania, I would not be surprised if I ate Hogmaw!

Central and I uploaded a series of hills to the exchange of the army and the commissioner to reproach for the path, access to these shopping centers and West Point available for us because we are both retired military.

We left tomorrow, shaking the rest of the path on the east side of Hudson, before crossing the river and moving towards Connecticut. I really enjoy visiting small villages and learning about people and the history of our country. I never met the naturalist John Burroughs, a companion and partner of Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt, taught school at Highland Falls. What else should I learn?

I have taken my backpack, again, and I am ready to assume heat and land. Keep fresh, hydrate, enjoy your summer and learn something new about your hometown and county. Hogmaw out.

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