Day 7, June 20th Stoney Brook Lean-To

Day 7, June 20^th, Stoney Brook Lean-To

I wake up at 6:00 am. The boy scouts are just getting out of their hammocks. I do not think they will be on the trail by 6:30. I start my pack up and get ready to eat routine. The leaders come up to use the picnic table with me, and we talk about today’s plans. I hope to get to the bivouac area on the other side of the Allegany River. They are planning a food pickup at the next road junction. We all leave around 7:45. It does not take long for me to become aware of how much pain I am feeling everywhere in my body. The hiking is slow. Mentally and emotionally I am fatigued by the discomfort. The pack feels like lead even with 2 meals gone, though I have added 2 liters of water making my start supply 4 liters. I check the map often and double-check the blazes. I return to the AT habit of checking both forward and backwards for the blazes on the tree. One goes accustomed to and feels reassured to certain frequency of blaze marks on the trees, rocks, posts, or the road.

I have not developed a daytime eating pattern. On my Thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, I developed a 10:00, 12 noon, and 3:00 rest and eat break. I imagine I will get into the same pattern again. I remember a hiker on the AT who showed me how he had arranged his pack so that he could eat and drink as he hiked so he could hike all day without stopping for a break. I am not that hare-core!

My progress is very slow. I find that the slant of the trail plays some part in the pain of my non-surgical right hip. When I was doing my preparation walks in Wisconsin, the hip hurt, but I dismissed it. Here it often hurts with every step. I am still plodding along rather than hiking. My mind knows it takes more work because I loss the momentum of forward motion. I use my brain to instruct my body to stride. My body takes a few strides and then fatigues. I am back to plodding.

I stop about 11:00 am for food and water. I sit on a fallen log that is not too dirty. The scenery reminds me of the Appalachian Trail the canopy of green, the rocks, the trees, the smell and feel of the ground. The flashbacks of the past are being drowned out by the immediate present of the trail and discomfort in my body. The pack feels so heavy as I sling it onto my back. I feel cold water on my back and quickly take the pack down. In the awkward movement of slinging the pack up, I have pulled the bite valve off its tube. My old tube clip rusted and broke a couple years ago. I had been using a rubber band until yesterday when I found a discarded tent line and plastic tightener to use as a hanger. I swear realizing that to not have a bite valve will make it hard to drink while I hike. The pressure of the water in the Plady means that the bite valve could have shot several feet in any direction. A quick look around, I do not see it. I am careful not to disturb the leaves and grass so that I wont cover it up with my movements. I look again, no bite valve. I open the top compartment of the pack and fish out my glasses. With them on, I see the bite valve about 3 feet away from me. I figured out that I could double the water line and hold it with a rubber band if I lost the bite valve. I would not be able to replace the valve for many weeks until I got to a big enough town with a good sporting goods department. The only item I lost on the whole Thru hike of the Appalachian Trail was a small knife left on a rock wall after fixing dinner. I remind myself once again to double check before leaving a campsite and after I use an item to pack it away. I say a little pray of gratitude for finding the bite valve then rearrange how I have it placed on the pack. I resume hiking and recognize that I am behind on my planned itinerary.

It is 3:30 when I arrive at the Lean-To, I am tired, completely soaked, I take my pack off, and sit down at the picnic table. The sun is out and there is a strong breeze. I start thinking about how far behind schedule I am. I was planning to be at the Bivouac campsite tonight. The strong breeze feels good at first, but I start to feel first chilled and then cold and dull. I become more fatigued. It seems funny to my mind, but all I want to do is get warm. I take my sleeping back and air mattress out of the backpack and get out my large blue ground cloth. I set it all up; climb into my back put the pillow under my head and fall asleep feeling very cold. I wake up 1½ hour’s later feeling warm. I realize that I had first stage hypothermia even in this warm weather. I get up go to the spring get water, and come back to start dinner. I am in for the night. Going to bed at 7:30 is really early but feels good. I am now further behind schedule, but this is the right thing to do. I hear more coyotes and an owl in the early evening. Nice music to go to sleep by.

Day 8 June 21st bivouac

Day 8 June 21^st Bivouac

I hear the birds around 5:30 am as my mind comes to consciousness. I roll over telling myself, “I can sleep another ‘round’”. I wake up at 6:30 lay on the air mattress as the air is pushed out of it by my weight. I deflate the pillow. Roll over and stuff my sleeping back into the stuff sack. Then roll up the mattress and put it into its stuff sack. Now for breakfast while I get dressed and start loading the backpack. I eat a few bites and pack something. This goes on until I am ready to start hiking. By 8:00 I am ready to hike. There is some up hills that are gradual. Then a downhill that allows me to move a little faster and this feels good. I can hear the Interstate below me. I get to a grass field and as I start through it a man with a backpack is coming towards me.

We stop and talk. I tell him there is a steep hill coming up. He say that he knows it, and that he hikes it at least 2 or more times a week to stay in shape for longer hikes. We talk about the trail in general and part company.

When I get to the road, the blazes are unclear so I get the map out and figure that I have to turn right. After 50 years I see a white blaze. I am in the sun now and heating up rapidly and starting to sweat. I have to turn left on another road and go under the Interstate. Then the trail goes through a grassy part of the cloverleaf on Interstate 89/17. I begin to feel more tired. The weeds are like weights on my legs. I get across the cloverleaf and again the blazes are unclear. I look at the map and then read the instructions on the back of the page. It says that I am about to inter the reservation and that I should walk quietly. It also says that part of the trail is the old park entrance. All I see is a mud road with old puddles of water. It is the only way to go. A cat crosses in front of me. I wonder if it is wild or just out hunting from some home I cannot see.

I am feeling very hot now. The mud road becomes and old cement road with numerous ATV side road shot offs. My body is fatigued and in pain. Every step becomes exhausting. I walk 15 steps and have to pause. I wonder why I am doing this crazy hike. It seems like it is taking forever to go 100 yards. I feel sluggish and in slow motion. I remember a similar feeling on the AT but it was in the cold and this is in the heat – heat exhaustion??—I do not realize it until 2 days later when I look back on the experience --.

I plod on, resting, plodding, resting, plodding, resting, plodding – there is a house to the left with a small lake, the mosquitoes start to swarm me, I plod on. I get to the old iron bridge over the Allegany River. It has the Indian name for the river painted on it. I cross the river and take a picture. I sit on a large square rock at the end of the bridge to eat and drink. A couple of cars make their way slowly over the bridge and wave at me. I think about hitch hiking a ride and quitting the hike. I decline the thought with some reservation. I sling my pack on after reading the map both sides. I go 30 yards where I am suppose to turn right on a snowmobile trail that parallels an active railroad track, Western NY & Penn. The guide says it is an active track and to be careful. The trail looks more like a footpath than a trail. Just as I turn right here is a run off of water coming from a large pipe under the track. The water is clear. I have no idea where it comes from. I feel it and it is cold. I take my pack off and get out my Aquamira Frontier Pro filter. I chose this filter because is much lighter than my pump filter. I filter one liter and drink most of it. I filter 2 more liters and put them in my pack. I start up again and hear several ATV’s roaring nearby. I walk down the path. It is covered with brush and I have to work my way around several dead falls. The blazes go across the track and up a hill on Sunfish Run RD. I feel a little better after the cold water.

I am in the sun again and getting fatigued again. The road walk, one of many to come, stops at the entrance of Camp Li-Lo-Li and turns right down a farm road. I decide to rest for a while. I pull my small tarp out of the pack and put it on the ground. I get some smacks out of the pack and sit down. The sign says Welcome and Volunteers Welcome. I toy with the idea of exploring the Volunteer Welcome, but fall asleep. A delivery truck wakes me up. He waves at me. I eat and drink. The mail delivery van drives by and 15 minutes later returns. This time he waves. A Harley rider drives by and nods at me. I rest for an hour plus. The Harley passes again and waves at me. I but the tarp back in the pack and sling it up onto my shoulders being careful of the bite valve. The guide says there is no water at the Bivouac but there is a stream between the bivouac and me. I start up the road and come to the stream in less than ½ a mile. I fill all the Plady’s and continue up hill. I actually get some “striding steps” for 10 yards several times. I stop often going up hill. When I figure I am about ½ up the hill, I stop for a rest. In taking the pack off, the bite valve goes flying off. It takes a couple of minutes to find it. I must be more careful !!!!! I reach the top of the hill and see a very very steep down hill logging road.  Even going very slow I slide several times. At the junction in the road I see a small sign in a tree to the left “Bivouac” (it is the only one I will see for the whole hike). I turn left and see a log that will make a seat and take my pack off. Then I start the routine 1. drying line up, 2. unpack putting things on the small tarp, 3. start soaking the rice 4. set up tent, 4. change into dry camp clothes, 5. hang up wet clothes, 6. blowup air mattress and pillow 7. put sleeping back in the ten along with mattress 8. eat and cleanup 9. set out tomorrows breakfast and lunch 10. go to bed.

I continue my journal. I note that I have one day of food left and according to my speed and the map 2 days of hiking before I get to Ellicottville. Before I headed out from Wisconsin, I emailed the RV Park that is ½ way between here and Ellicottville about staying there. The return email said there was camping space there that I could use. It is also next to a golf course restaurant. I figure I can get enough food at the park store to get me to Ellicottville.

As I look at the map, my planned schedule, I realize that I am behind and very fatigued. My body hurts and this has not been fun. I tell myself that I can always call up MP at Worthington State Forest and ask if they could use a volunteer for the next 6 weeks. This would give my hiking time in the woods and be round people I have enjoyed over the years. I will give myself some time to see if my body starts to feel better. I change my goal to seeing how much of the FLT I can hike in the next 6-7 weeks since it looks like I would make the whole trail as I did with my Appalachian Trail Thru hike. I go to sleep with a plan and a couple of options feeling more relaxed about the whole hike. I hear a chainsaw down in the valley. As dusk settles in, the noise and yelling stop. I drift off to sleep.

Day 9 June 22nd Ellicottville, NY

Day 9, June 22^nd Ellicottville, NY

I wake up stiff and sore. I am still fatigued. I pack up, sling the pack on my back, it is lighter with no water. I head down the hill where the guide says Tom Hook’s has water. When I get there, a lady calls out from a window asking if I need water, I answer yes. She comes out and turns on the faucet. I tell here where I am from and that I am just starting and End-to-End hike on the Finger Lakes Trail. I pack up, look for the white blaze and see it on the telephone pole and head right down the road. After I have gone a quarter mile I see not blazes ahead of me. I turn and look back, a habit one develops on both the AT and the FLT. I see the white blaze on the pole. Several cars pass in both directions. Some drivers wave at me. I set the pack and walking sticks down by a road sign and decide to walk down to the curve and see if there are blazes pass the curve. There are no blazes so I can only conclude I missed a turn somewhere.

It is difficult for me to ask for help. It was true on the AT and has started to be true on the FLT. There are times when meet or have met people on the trail, talked with them, and 400 yards down the trail realize I had some questions that they might information for me. I flag down the next car that comes towards me. I ask if I have missed the trail. The man says yes and tells me to get in and he will show me the blaze I missed. He asks me if I stopped to get water and I said yes. He tells me it is his home. I introduce myself and tell him my plan to get food at the Elkdale RV Resort explaining to him I had one day’s food and two days hiking ahead. He laughs and says there are “nothing there but RV’s” and no camp store. I tell him I have a food box in Ellicottville. I am beginning to feel some despair at my dilemma. I might be able to stretch the food out, but with my fatigue I know this is not a good idea. Tom asks me if I want him to take me to Ellicottville. I hesitate; if I take him up on his offer it means I wont hike every mile of the FLT. He sees my hesitation and says it is up to me. I say yes, and immediately notice my body relax as if a burden has been lifted.  He goes inside and tells his wife what he will be doing for the next 45 minutes. (we are going to do in 45 minutes what I had scheduled myself to do in two days).

On the way to town, Tom tells me that a couple of years ago a man broke his leg and crawled down from the bivouac to his house. He took him to the hospital. He said he had met allot of hikers over the years. We pass the RV “resort”. It has only RV’s parked and clearly no store. Tom drops me off at Kelly Lodge. He leaves up to me if I am to give him gas money. I give him $10 and go knock on the Lodge door. Tracy’s Shepard dog greets me with a good sniffing. Tracy offers me coffee and we talk for an hour. She is managing the lodge for the owner. She grew up in Ellicottville, was living on the east coast working as a social worker, and came back after a bad relationship. We talk about social work and my plans for the next 48 hours.

(This the first of many examples where something or somebody shows up to help on my journey. Over the years I have noticed that once I commit to a course of action, things fall into place – magic happens both on the trail and at home, but at home I am often too busy to notice.)

She gives me a key to my room and I pick up my bounce box and food box. It is a short walk to the motel part of the Lodge. I check it out. It is a night room with a large bed, TV, large shower, and plenty of room to spread out my food and gear for planning, sorting, and packing. But first a shower, the first one in 4 days. Then I turn on the weather channel, a habit developed on the AT. I lie down and nap. It is a short walk to the down town section of town. I find a health food store and ask about potassium supplements. They have a bottle for $29, I decline. I am speculating that with the heavy sweating I am leaching out potassium resulting in some of my fatigue. I got over to the  Topp’s grocery store and find potassium at $6 a bottle, I buy it. I talk to the young girl at the checkout and tell her I am from Wisconsin. She lights up and says she live in Eau Claire with her dad for several years and that he still lives there. I then walk next door to the Subway and get a 12 in. Tuna meal. I am eating slowly and taking small bites. A man notices and then comments on my strange behavior. I tell him I have been eating trail food for 4 days and that I wanted to enjoy “town food”.

I locate the Post Office for mailing my bounce box to N. Hornell, Econo Lodge. I call the Genesee Falls Inn located in Portageville and ask if it is ok to send a food box and explain that it is all dry food with no spoilage. Lew says yes. I tell the approximate date I will arrive. I call Gina and tell her to send the food box marked Portageville then go back to the Lodge. I spread out me food and look at the map, figure my pace into days and find that I need to pack for 5 days and have food for 4 day. I go back to the grocery store and purchase what I need. On the back to the Lodge, I meet a lady and ask her the location of the Library and email. She gives me directions. Back at the Lodge, I sort and package my 5 days of food and set it off to the side of the room. The Library is fairly new and the computers are fast. There are some grade school children on the computers playing games while their parents nudge them to hurry up. I check my emails and send my first report to my friends. I also type in my journal and add my pictures and send them to myself incase some thing happens to the camera.

I contemplate gaining back a day by starting hiking tomorrow, but I reason, given the fatigue and mood I have been in the past several days, it is more important to rest – so I will be careful and cautious.

I go back to the Topp’s store and feel the usual overwhelming from the many choices of each item. I buy a dinner to cook in the microwave, a can of beer, and a salad. While the dinner heats up, I watch TV and then eat. It is evening in a dry room and I am clean. Tomorrow is a true zero day of rest, eating, planning and packing.  I hear the cars in the street as I fall asleep. I wake up in the night to thunder and rain and go back to sleep dry and warm.

Day 10, June 23rd, a zero day

Day 10, June 23^rd a zero day

I eat a couple of extra Power bars and start going through every item in my pack and judge it’s necessity. I figure I take out about a pound and add it to the bounce box. I pack the food in the food duffle bag and leave the Lodge to mail my bounce box at the post office. Afterwards on the way up the street to the library, I see the lady who gave me directions yesterday. She is washing down her porch. I say hi and she recognizes me. We talk about the trail and mildew on houses in both NY and WI. I tell her that I paint house and have power washed quite a few over the years. Completing the computer work at the library takes about 2 hours. When I get back to the Lodge, I ask Tracy if she would give me a ride to the trailhead tomorrow and she says yes. We set a time for leaving in the morning. I got back to Subway and get another meal. The owner and I talk about my journey. He tells me to come in for a free breakfast before I start my hike. I go back to my room and watch the weather channel, pack up, eat dinner, and go to bed. I guess I have decided to continue the hike with the goal of hiking as many miles as I can. This rest has lifted my spirits. More rain during he night – the grass will be wet tomorrow.

Day 11, June 24th, bivouac north of Franklinville

Day 11, June 24^th bivouac north of Franklinville

I get up at 7:30 and go to the Subway for my free breakfast. The lady did not find the note the owner said he would leave for her. She is suspicious of me and calls the owner. He verifies his offer to me. I have the biggest breakfast they offer.

Tracy and I start at 8:30 am figuring it will be a 15 min. ride to the trailhead. She is going to breakfast with a friend and invites me and I tell her about my experience at Subway. She has to meet her friend at 9:00. We drive up and down the road but are unable to locate the trail. I ask her to drop me off at the library and I will figure it out from there. At the library, I talk with the woman behind the desk and ask about the trail. She says it is a couple of miles up the road. I ask how people react to hitch hikers locally. She was not sure, but said she would take me to the trail when the other attendant arrived. Her husband is a local Forest Ranger. I tell her about my experiences with law enforcement in NJ. We talk about places we have hiked and camped. I observe that I do not have the strength I had when I did the thru hike of the AT. She said she understood. The lady arrives and Susan drops me off at the trail. It is easy to see why Tracy and I missed it. The blaze is a couple of trees into the woods and the path is covered with weeds. I am starting the next section of my hike feeling much better than I did 2 days ago.

The trail is a combination of road walk and woods. At one point a storm approaches me and I sit on the porch of an abandoned house while it passes by. I take a break and eat.

The rain clears and the sun comes out. The rain has cooled things off and taken humidity out of the air. I am hiking more comfortably. I rest every time I start to feel fatigued. Eventually I get to road 16. I decide to attempt to hitch hike into Franklinville. The guide says there is a good restaurant there. The yuppie cars speed by without waving. It is clear that they wont stop. I imagine their thoughts as “if you are crazy enough to hike with a pack in this weather, you can get your self to where ever you need to go, besides you look rather dirty and I do not want to get my Beamer dirty”. I start hiking down the road and come to an ice cream stand where I order a triple shake. I ask if I can fill my water bottles up explaining what I am doing. They say yes. The water is clean and cool. The lady smiles and waves as I sling my pack up and head back up the road to find a place to set up camp on the trail.

I hike about a mile back into the woods and set up camp just off the trail. There are a number of thorn trees in my location so I have to be careful on my tent placement.  I check to make sure there is nothing that will puncture my air mattress. I hang my food. People keep asking about bears, so I play it safe. I clean up with Wet-Ones. There is no water near by.

I can hear the road and the frogs as I fall asleep with the birds.