As I finished hiking the trail in New Jersey, I entered New York. No, I didn't go into the city. New York is a State with a lot of land. The Appalachian Trail crosses a small piece of the lower corner of the State of New York. One of the landmarks is Bear Mountain. You would think that it would be some large, tall mountain, but it's not. The mountain itself is relatively low in height (compared to other mountains on the trail). Because of its proximity to the city and suburbs, it gets a LOT of use by local residents.
Another interesting thing about Bear Mountain in New York is the fact that the Appalachian Trail started there. When the trail was being put together, this is where they cut the first part of the trail. October 7, 1923 was when the first section of trail was opened between Bear Mountain and Delaware Water Gap! Bear Mountain is also close to the Hudson River.
When I reached Bear Mountain in 1980 I was HOT! So far I had been walking North and following Spring. But finally the Summer weather had caught up with me and it was miserably hot. Fortunately I had "an Ace in the hole". If you have been reading this blog all the way through then you may recall a post from May 26th called "Limo Ladies!" That's where I talked about meeting two women at a shelter in Tennessee who were finishing a week of hiking. They were from New York and promised to cook me a big supper when I got to Bear Mountain, New York. Food will attract bears and hungry hikers!
I found a pay phone and made a call. In less than an hour I was riding in a wonderfully clean, air conditioned car headed towards a big feast! Bev L. had picked me up, just as promised. That night I was glad to sleep indoors (with air conditioning). It was wonderful (did I mention the air conditioning?). My journey continued and I was thankful for hospitality along the way!
2011 update: This morning I weighed in at 173.4 pounds. I went jogging yesterday and today. My new running shoes are wonderful! I haven't been very strict on my diet the last couple of days, but I am still working on it!
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