Follow-up to my 10 May update, I chipped in for two large pizzas and a 2 liter Coke with Old'n'Slow and Broken Arrow. While we waited for delivery at the main lodge, very heavy rain moved through, so we sympathized with the delivery man. We took the pizzas back to the bunkhouse and we joined Wildfire in the common area to eat while we had a great conversation about our hikes, jobs, etc.
We saved some pizza and soda for breakfast this morning, and I had a couple of reheated slices and the remaining Coke after prepping my pack.
Turns out Broken Arrow started hiking very early (6 am). Old'n'Slow was out next at 7:15am, and I followed shortly thereafter, though I stopped at the lodge to use the WiFi briefly. Wildfire was hanging around to meet a friend who was section hiking New Jersey.
It was a great day to hike, sunny but cool. After a short climb, I passed Old'n'Slow on the trail. There were great views from rocky outcroppings along the trail (pictured). I was impressed by how pretty this part of New Jersey is.
The trail passed a fire tower (pictured) but I did not try to climb it.
After the trail dropped off the ridge into a heavy grove of Rhododendron, I found Shirtless filtering water from a stream. He camped near the fire tower during the storm, but did not get the heavy rain that we experienced. He also reported that an employee invited people into the fire tower the previous day, so we missed our opportunity.
I eventually caught up with Broken Arrow, and we were both passed and left behind by Traveller, who had also camped nearby and toured the fire tower (and banged his head in the process). I left Broken Arrow behind, but she later passed me and stayed ahead but in sight for quite a distance as we followed an easy service road along the ridge.
Eventually, we came upon Traveller alongside Blue Mountain Lakes Road eating his second breakfast. Broken Arrow proceeded but I detoured to check out the spring 200 yards down a washed out roadway. The spring had a pipe and was flowing well (pictured), so I topped off my supply and returned to the trail. By that time, Old'n'Slow had gotten ahead of me, but I caught up and we spent most of an enjoyable afternoon hiking together and chatting.
There was a large beaver pond along the way with two lodges and a dam (pictured). Yes, a busy beaver!
At one point I lost the AT trail blazes, so both of us looked around and found to our dismay that the blazes led steeply up a rock face (pictured), so we climbed it carefully.
Much of the trail was level and easy, with a crushed rock surface. Near the Buttermilk Falls Trail, Old'n'Slow confirmed the trail location to a couple day hiking, then we were joined by Broken Arrow. I was in the lead when I heard rattling and stopped short, spotting a large (4-5 ft) timber rattlesnake along the right edge of the trail ahead. All of us waited for the snake to move, but it was in no hurry. We made noise and waved to push it along. It first moved further up the trail and into a bush beside the trail, still blocking us, but after five minutes moved across the trail (pictured) and away so we could rush past. For the rest of the day I was very alert to rustling leaves near the trail! Old'n'Slow gave me a lot of credit for hearing the snake and stopping us in time.
Old'n'Slow took a picture of me while we walked through blueberry bushes along the rocky ridge line (pictured).
Wildfire and his friend caught up with us, and we reached the Brink shelter (pictured) at roughly the same time, though Traveller was already settling in and Shirtless arrived later. We had a full house of five in the shelter; Wildfire and his friend opted to camp nearby.
Old'n'Slow gave me credit/blame for his longest hiking day (14 miles) yet.
We got rain that night, and expecting more rain for several days.
No comments:
Post a Comment