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Appalachian Trail – Bear Mountain, New York

New York
Bear Mountain

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It Goes On.”

- Robert Frost

Journal Entry 6.16.00
“18 miles today to Wildcat Shelter. I hitched out early today and hit the trail at 6:45am. Good thing too because it was a long and hot day. There were lots of exposed rocks in the sun and the hiking became very tedious quickly. I found a tick in my head just as I was writing this and L’Escargot just ripped it out with tweezers for me. It had a chunk of my skin in its mouth. How gross! Boy am I glad I found it. Anyway I’m in NY now. I’m here tonight with L’Escargot, Two-Stepper, and Hedgehog. I had some pain in my lower back/butt after falling flat on my ass on a rock today – man that really hurt!”

Wondergimp in Island Pond

Journal Entry 6.18.00
“At Glenmoor Friary. Yesterday it was so hot that I thought I was going to die. It was the hardest day in a long time. The sun was beating down as early as 7am. It was an absolute struggle to do 10 miles. Hedgehog and I got to Rte. 17 and a trail angel, Gene, offered to take us to a deli for lunch. So we got hoagies and ice cream and went back to the trail. We hiked to Island Pond and had a swim. Then we hiked to Tiorati Lake and got fruit off of some woman. Then we actually continued hiking, and made it to the shelter at 9pm, for a total of 20 miles. Today I did 15 and even that was hard but I think I was still tired from yesterday. I tried to get to Bear Mountain before it started to rain but that didn’t happen. Another 5.4 miles here and I had no idea but I walked into Freaknik! I guess it’s St. Anthony’s Day and there were Haitians everywhere! They had completely taken over the pavilion for hikers. It was most interesting and unexpected – not what I thought I’d see at a monastery – that’s for sure. But they were most hospitable and gave the hikers food and beer. The Haitians have packed up and are gone now and we have the pavilion to ourselves again. Ah, the quiet is so nice. Wholesome has caught up and he’s here with us tonight.”

Hedgehog in the Lemon Squeeze

Journal Entry 6.19.00
“7pm at RPH Shelter. 18.7 miles today. FINALLY nice weather after all this yuck. Another shelter by the road here so Hedgehog and I just ordered pizza! I am tired.”

Hiking in NY

Journal Entry 6.21.00
“18.5 miles today. 16.8 miles yesterday. I left RPH early yesterday morning and hiked 5 miles to Stormville to pick up my maildrop. I was hitching into town to pick up my mail drop when a police officer in an unmarked car pulled over. Oops! He told me that hitching was illegal but then was kind enough to give me a ride anyway. I was so glad that I didn’t get a ticket. I resupplied and then did another 10 miles. By the end of the day I was beat. I felt achy and tired. I hung out with Hedgehog before we set up our tents for the night. Then at 9:30pm the Memphis boys rolled in and were loud as usual. At least it wasn’t 2:30am like the night before. Today being the summer solstice was Hike Naked Day. I started out in my undies for the first 9 miles. Then I actually disrobed and went nude for the 1 mile to the NY – CT state line. It was fun and luckily I didn’t see anyone even with 1 road crossing. I got 6 deer ticks today. They are SO tiny – you can hardly see them. All on my legs. Tomorrow I only have 3 miles into town and then I can chill all day! Can’t wait! Dad and Paul are supposed to arrive tomorrow evening. A mere 725 miles to Katahdin from here!”

Journal Index

Georgia – Overview And the poop on the Trail Divorce

0 (miles from Georgia) – Springer Mountain, Georgia Whose idea was this again??
87.7 – Georgia / North Carolina Aint no all-inclusive package vacation story…
161.7 – Fontana Dam, North Carolina No Rain, No Pain, No Maine
204.6 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park I My deodorant gets the heave-ho!
268.7 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park II The Food Appreciation Trail
336.5 – North Carolina / Tennessee & Trail Names How the Gimp got her name
390.7 – North Carolina / Tennessee The famous Roan Mountain hitch
452.9 – Crossing into Damascus, Virginia 3 states down, 11 to go!
516.7 – Grayson Highlands State Park Roughin it at Partnership Shelter
573.3 – Bland, Virginia My wonderful trail angels!
665.3 – Pearisburg, Virginia The switch from boots to sandals
767.4 – Catawba / Troutville, Virginia Heat wave in Virginia
839.4 – Montebello / Rockfish Gap, Virginia ‘Hiking with Gimpy Sr.
920.0 – Shenandoah National Park Rattlesnakes, Jack Daniels, and bears – oh my!
988.3 – Front Royal, Virginia Invasion of the Boy Scouts
1001.1 – Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia The mental half-way point
1061.4 – Maryland / Pennsyltucky Y’all done drank enough beer!
1123.8 – Duncannon, Pennsylvania The Half-Gallon Challenge
1208.9 – Port Clinton, Pennsylvania $1 Yuengling drafts and the rocks of PA
1283.9 – Pennsylvania / New Jersey Friends and family visit WonderGimp
1334.2 – High Point, New Jersey Rain, rain, rain, trail magic, and more rain
1440.7 – Bear Mountain, New York Hike Naked Day!
1486.1 – Kent, Connecticut Gimpy Sr. and Barkeater hike with W.Gimp
1543.8 – Great Barrington, MassachusettsWelcome to Mosquito Hell
1618.0 – Massachusetts / VermontPhoton and strobe lights for the 4th of July
1687.3 – Killington, Vermont The Inn at the Long Trail
1738.1 – New Hampshire Live Free or Die!
1794.4 – North Woodstock, New Hampshire Gettin’ above treeline
1814.4 – AMC-land, New Hampshire Entering the White Mountains!
1854.0 – Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire Mooning the tourists on Mt. Washington
1869.2 – Gorham, New Hampshire My first Moose sighting!
1920.7 – Andover, Maine The way Life should be…
1979.3 – Rangeley, Maine Closing in on the end
2015.6 – Kennebec River, Maine Eye of the Tiger!
2095.7 – Monson, Maine 100-mile Wilderness
2152.0 – Abol Bridge, Maine Katahdin is in sight!
2167.1 – Baxter Peak, Mount Katahdin, Maine Goodbye Capilene – Hello Cotton!!

Other Pages:
Map – Yep, 14 states
Gear – What to Bring
FAQs – See for yourself
Glossary (learn the AT lingo)
Links to Additional Info
Trail Injuries Everything from blisters to swampfoot
Trail Privies Bring your own TP
Class of 2000 Katahdin Thru-Hiker Pictures