Lukej
Secret Shelter campsite to Wawayanda Shelter campsite - 18.7 miles hiked today - 1364.7 total AT miles hiked to date.
What an interesting and diverse day. We packed up this morning, said our goodbyes to Jake the donkey, and headed out. Within the hour we had reached Unionville, and we headed into town for a resupply at the general store there. The selection was pretty slim, but we were able to stock up on some of the basics. Even better, they had homemade breakfast sandwiches that were the best I’d had yet on the trail. After filling up on a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich, we headed back out on the trail.
The balance of the morning was spent on flat trail, much of it a road walk around the Wallkill National Wildlife refuge. Lots of birds, deer, and small animals, including what looked like a gopher. It wasn’t until we reached the Pochuck Mountain shelter and stopped for lunch that we started the first of a series of strenuous climbs that continued throughout the rest of the day. After cresting Pochuck Mountain we descended back down and followed a series of boardwalks, culminating in a suspension bridge. From there, we crossed a cow pasture before arriving at the Heaven Hill Farm and hot dog stand. Enjoyed second lunch there of a chili cheese dog, followed by ice cream.
I probably look more like the cover of the album:
Anyway, from the top, you could just make out the High Point tower that we had passed just yesterday. Hard to believe it was so far behind us already.
By the time we crested that mountain, it was starting to get late and we still had four more miles to cover, much of it climbing. We finally reached the shelter around 8 pm, set up our tents, ate dinner and turned in. All in all , we had climbed over 3500 feet for the day. I have to remind myself that equates to climbing 350 flights of stairs in a day. Tomorrow should be another eventful day, as we officially pass the NY state line.
Until next time…
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