Trail Journal - August 06, 2005
 
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August 06, 2005
     Slack packing on 17a New York back south to Vernon NJ.  My back feels a lot better today.  My friend who is a trail angle loaned me his pack cap to back pack with today  It's not as long and it doesn't rub my back.  I'll probably slack pack tomorrow and I'll just take it from there.  I have a doctor's appointment on Monday afternoon. 
     Today the terrain has really been good.  We're hiking the ridge tops, some large stones in the trail, but easy to get over and boulders are rounded on the top.  There are rather large rocks to either side of me.  It's through a wooded area, I'm not sure if I'm in a state forest right now or not, since I'm hiking backwards. 
     According to some of the people in NJ this is the end of the glacial ride between here and PA.  Going over some large boulders, but they're rounded so this is a lot easier hiking, on the ridge top.  A nice view of the Greenwood lake from the top of the rounded boulders.  I can look down into the valleys, the lake must be quite long, with a lot of houses and boats on the shore line, nestled between the mountains. 
     Today is a cooler hazy day.  We're gong through a lot of hemlocks and cedar trees as well as other hardwood trees.  It been easy so far and making good time.  You can tell that's really been dry in this area, the leaves are starting to turn on some of the trees.  I've also see a lot wilted weeds.
     There goes EJ and I'm on top of this big old rock pile.  He didn't look down so he can catch me.  I hear this plane. Kathy   This is a roller coast of large boulders, first you go up and then you go down, up and then down.  I passed Monkey and his 2 friends going north and stopped for a while talked to Cruise Control.  I think I picked a good day to slack pack.  Cruise Control said that it was really difficult hiking from NY state line and I can see why because I've been hiking on top of large boulders and its been like a roller coaster.  Doing this with a heave pack would have been quite strenuous. 
     Look at Greenwood Lake with a lot of sail boats, a small island out in the middle of it and quite a few houses along the shore lines with a couple of Marina's.  I can see way out along the horizon, probably a 100 miles.  This is a pretty area. 
I just came out to the top of the large boulders and there was no place else to go except to go back down over them and to that I had to hike some ledges back and fourth to get down to the next level.  When we came to an area where there was no way to get down except to use the ladder that they had built up against the rocks.  Simon and I was on one side and another Thumper went to the opposite side and came down and took Simon's back pack of.  We dropped it to the ground below and then he went down the ground level using the rocks, while Thumper held on the his collar and slowed him down. 
     I came by a bush that smelled like Jasmine.  Most of the woods in this area are the regular hard woods, a lot of scrub oaks right along the rock cliffs.  A lot hemlocks and undergrowth. 

     Going up what seems to an old stream bed.  I imagine that water does run down through here when during the stormy season.  Going back on on top of large boulders and we'll be in the direct sun light.  I took the blue blaze instead of going up on topof Prospect Rock because of the intense heat.  I'm trying to keep Simon out of the hot rocks and heat.  I took the blue blaze trail that I though was going to go around the rocks and join the AT.  I hiked a good mile or more and never did join the AT.  Then I took another little side road that I thought maybe would  come into the AT.  I never did see any white blazes so I so I hiked back to Prospect Rock  and I'm no back on the AT.  From here I can see Lakewood Lake and other outcropping that we were standing on.
     Sky is really pretty today with big old puffy clouds and buzzards flying around.  I just met a guy from Zanesville, OH - Kevin Gavin.  He was telling that he had read my NIN article in the Newark paper. 
     I smell some of the shrub that smells like jasmine and it does resemble the shrub.  We hiked a couple of the ledges going down and I was wondering if Simon could make it and then he was got down low enough where he could just jump off.  Rocks steps were tricky coming down. 
       I'm going across a wooden bridge that goes into a nearby swamp.  That water looks yucky.  Every creek crossing we have don until has been dry.  The trail is on the south side of the swamp land.  I crossed the NY state line back into NJ. 

     Northern NJ areas are a little like PA.  More large rocks right in the trail with not much space to put your feet in.  Just crossed more boardwalks through the swamp land.  This is one NJ is noted for is it board walk crossings and all the swamp lands.    Nothing grows in these swamps but skunk cabbage, cat tails and swamp grasses.
      Just passed the Wawayanda Shelter house.  I'm in Wawayanda forest now, hiking on a graveled road, must be going into the park.  No one had maintained the park trail,  briars and weeds stick out over into the trail and you can hardly tell where the trail is.
      I must be getting close to another roadway.  I hear traffic to the south of me. 
      Now there's none rock right after another an no place to put your feet.  Going down steep rock steps on switch back around large boulders going down into Vernon.  They told be that they were a bear and they would be to come up them.  Glad I'm going down them. 

I hiked 15 miles today, but I noticed that at the 10 mile marker that my hips started really getting sore, of course this is the fist I've hiked this week.  I hope it's not connected with this other little problem that I've been trying to get cured.  I would really like to slack pack tomorrow. 

     Swing'n Jane and Simon
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