There’s my friend John and his (and my) new friend “Lifesaver.” We three slept in the Fingerboard Shelter. Lifesaver had arrived early, John and I after dark. Turned out Lifesaver was leaving the trail. He had started at Katahdin and expected to Thru Hike, but boredom got the best of him. It’s tough being a SOBO young person out on the Trail at this time of year. The “bubble” of NOBO hikers has passed. It gets really quiet. 

I think he will be back. He had just graduated from Engineering School and is headed back for graduate studies. My friend John is a retired engineer. A very experienced and successful retired engineer   They hit it off immediately. 

It was great. I love thermodynamics.  😊 

It was great for John to help ease him back into the real world. He was great. 

It was quite a nice Shelter. 

Look at us. Don’t we look great? Two old friends having the time of their lives out on the Appalachian Trail!

Lovely Fall colors climbing. 

Interesting plant life. 

Then the rocks started again. I was a little better my second day. It was John’s first day back to the grind.  Remember my face yesterday?

I am so mean. See this face? Look in the distance… if you can’t see

It’s John in recovery mode. Ticks be damned! I need the cool earth!

He’s the same teammate now that he was back in high school. I knew he wouldn’t quit. In fact, I was counting on it. How would I ever finish????

I really wasn’t much better and I remembered clearly how it felt to me the day before. We were not in a hurry. 

Up and off we went. 

We hiked until dark. Stopped 1 mile short of our destination. It was another mile UP HILL to the shelter spur and almost a mile off the trail to the actual Shelter. No way in this heat!

We stopped by a nice stream and camped. It was also the last water until Bear Mountain the next day. Good decision. 

I pitched up my tent a purified water while John prepared to “Cowboy Camp” by the stream. 

I have no photos of this. I was too tired I think. 🐸 Frogs were appearing as it got darker. Shortly after I got into my tent, something ran by and dove into the   creek! Muskrat? Big fast frog? Otter? 

We’ll never know. 

We woke early, broke camp and headed up the hill. The first of two tough climbs before the descent into Bear Mountain Park. 

Up climb one. 

Up climb two. 

And…

A coke machine!!!!!!! Coke is the best when you’re really thirsty. John had his first one in some time!

Had a chat with some people at the top of Bear Mountain and decided not to climb the tower. 

Now down!!!!!!

Who did we come upon? Two kids building cairns. John asked them where they were from and they said, “The Bronx!” NEVER in my life had anyone ever told me they were from the Bronx! Their mom came down as we asked them what their names were. The young girl said her name was Ezekiel. Her mom said, ” Your name isn’t Ezekiel!” The little girl confessed, “I’m Jennie.” The young boy said, “I’m Ezekiel!!!!!” 

Too funny!

Mom was really excited. It was their first time in the park. They were really nice. 

Off we continued down. 

We could hear the kids having fun and following us down. Bushwacking!!!!!!

We were sure they were going to get hurt!!!

They survived. Youth. 

A beautifully constructed mile path down. 

The Inn!

Walt Whitman. 

Tribe Tea! Amazing how happy one can be to drink this stuff. Never saw it before. Didn’t care, it was cold and wet. 

The AT goes right through the Trailside Zoo! Pretty cool! Not a fan of Zoos. The people were wonderful and my hope always is that the donations go to the right places. I had a good feeling about this place. 

A few animals. Some fish and 

Reptiles!!!!! Love snakes. This is a Copperhead. 

We got our picture took. Like our grandparents would have said. 😊

I realized later that I had passed 400 miles, with the help of John and Gates and Scott and a bunch of others.  You’ve seen them in previous posts. I had lots of help. Lots. 

Our mushroom friends again. 

Across we went to the car. 

Perfect ending it was, crossing the Bear Mountain Bridge. 

Total miles done:  404.5

🔨🔨