Day 16 on the Trail

Dave called about 8:20 last night, and I could not believe where he was -- in a motel in the town of Ft. Montgomery, NY.  His plan was to stay at the Bear Mountain Bridge Motel, but it was full, so for twice the price (and a little more walking) he checked into the Holiday Inn Express.

As of 6/27/11:
Miles to day - 18.9
Miles todate - 186.3

About that 18.9 miles -- Dave may have underestimated his mileage the day before, but regardless, he went 29.9 trail miles in two days, with Monday being the longest of the two days.  He walked until after 8 pm, checked in, changed his clothes, called me at 8:20, then went out to dinner.

He said it had been another tough day with more steep climbs and descents, but found some fire in his belly in the afternoon.  He had climbed a rock hill and came across a couple of day hikers.  They offered him beer, water and Gatorade and he downed almost a liter of Gatorade.  He asked how far Bear Mountain was, and they pointed out how he could see it from where they were standing.  At that point, he was determined he could make it and off he went.  Hours later, he was at the HIE.

Dave called me again after he had dinner at the barbecue place next door.  He said it was good Carolina-style bbq, and he also enjoyed a beer, and lots of water.  He was so relieved to have had a shower and be in his cleaner (note I did not say clean) clothes.  He will do all his laundry Tuesday.

When he's not hiking, he takes off his boots and wears his camp shoes.  This year he took his new "monkey feet" shoes - Vibram 5 Fingers shoes.

He likes them a lot, though wishes he had paid a little more to get a thicker sole.

Dave said he still hasn't seen any bears, but in a mud puddle he spotted a big bear paw print.  He's seen a lot of deer, including two bucks in velvet that were no more than 20-30 feet away from him.  He took their picture, but because of the sun is not sure if it came out.  

He met a nice young man about 20 years old, called Milo (Meelo).  Dave said he walked really fast, at least twice as fast as Dave, but then would take long breaks, so Dave kept catching up with him.  The tortoise and the hare?

Dave went though a section formerly known as the Fat Man's Squeeze and now called the Linen Squeeze. (I wondered if he meant Linen Press, but he said the hikers called it the squeeze.)  (Now that I write this, I wonder if he said Lemon Squeeze?  Maybe I'll remember to ask him.)  In some points it was only 18 inches wide, and is a slanted rock formation, so it was very difficult to get through.  Dave said he made it, and by the way he thinks he's lost 8-10 pounds.  

For those of you who have been to Rock City on Lookout Mountain, you've also been through a Fat Man's Squeeze.  It almost gave me claustrophobia!

I was very glad Dave made it to a hotel and will be able to get off his feet for a while!