Zen Weekend

Saturday...and the house is filled with the scent of laundry drying and Strawberry Muffins baking.

Busy upcoming week, so this is the calm before the storm.

This week...manageable. 

Early week Summer Brunch at Almost Home with Chris and Don.

Chris had exciting news...having been contacted because of his 4.0 GPA to join an exclusive group/sect by the Dean...which was very neat! Also discussing he and Tina's upcoming honeymoon.

Don sharing the news of his soon-to-be hiking in Switzerland...proof that he is taking retirement very very seriously!

Promises to reconvene in Fall.

Coffee and chat mid-week with Diane and Brenda...and planning September's mall--ratting and brunch and shopping trek. Possibly Plainfield!

Rain off and on here...hoping for a few dry days soon so that I can bring the herbs in to dry. The patio garden now spent and will be replaced shortly by mums, pumpkins and faux vines on the arbor. The trappings of Fall.

With the days staying below 80's and the nights dipping into the low 60's I am already seeing the colors starting.  Preview of beauty to come.

September 1st...I will drag out the Fall Box and begin the transition.

Only weeks now until "Idgy and Rose's Fall Adventure" and plundering Avon and Hobby Lobby & Micheal's...Olive Garden and Birthday Tiramisu...and Principato & Peach Wine together.

Can't wait!

Sofi who is in the midst of her hopefully last heat of the year...who loves loves loves everybody (and thing) right now...and whose vocalizations leave no doubt that there was a Siamese in the woodpile.

And John's Gizmo...

"What do you MEAN you are leaving...again???"

"Oh..okay...not right now..."


Planning our August Escape...Casino Trip...and Loretta's 78th Birthday!

And Emma's Birthday coming up next week...finally a teenager!

Busy times ahead.

But for the next two days we relax...

Which is hard to do, since we have an ersatz POTUS who is pretty much INSANE and definitely in meltdown mode. From calling himself the King of the Jews and The Chosen One to Hereby ORDERING companies to cease business overseas

(Google it...I don't make this Shit up)

And now...since the stock market has taken, yet, another dump...this time 600 points.

And he is all

"Who ya gonna believe...me or yer lyin' eyes?"

You know you have hit the bottom when this guy

Eleven Day Scaramucci

in a desperate attempt to stay relevant himself...is literally begging Republicans to run someone against Trump in the Primaries.

To quote The Joker

"It would be funny...if it weren't so pathetic."

Six polls now have the Orange Mussolini below water at 36%...and I'm good with that.

My current campaign (since the upcoming slide into a Recession...by all indicators...seems almost certain) is to give CREDIT where credit is due
and preemptively naming it

The Trump Recession

 (closely following the Obama Recovery)

before he tries to pin this on The Democrats...or Hillary...or Mexico...or Whatever.

(and mark my words, he will)

Also on Friday...speaking of WHATEVER...the world became just a little less evil with the demise of a Koch Brother.

One down....One to go.

"...and all your money won't another minute buy..."
                                                                    KANSAS




 Just watching the shit-show...

We may need more popcorn.

Virtual AT: NY State Line to Fingerboards Shelter

"Beans, here...Rocking the ( virtual) New York State Line!"

Six states to go!  

828 miles give or take!

90 miles of the AT run through New York...although it skirts the city proper by about 30 miles, it still manages to route through a pretty populated area.

Urban hiking?

Never really give it much thought.

Anyway...here we go.

A mile in we see Prospect Rock...our first NY landmark.

and hiker, "Patriot", took the opportunity to pose with the American Flag atop it; which was a neat touch.

To the top of Prospect Rock!

Climbing to Prospect Rock 

https://youtu.be/ntyk9khqwdY

Down Village Vista Trail

to the Eastern Pinnacles

and Cat Rocks

The Cat Rocks Bypass...lol!

Cat Rocks.

And first person view of hiking this section. (A must see)

Pinnacles and Cat Rocks to Wildcat Shelter

https://youtu.be/BQ-rKD8t01s

(...and a very high clench factor...even sitting here on a keyboard watching the screen...damn!)

To Wildcat Shelter

Which comes complete with a water source (stream) and a bear box!

I have to say I am impressed. I didn't know what to expect in NY on the trail...after already encountering graffiti in Pennsylvania and the numerous run down shelters of New Jersey.

I headed to an outfitters before entering the state and left a lot of my lighter stuff in a hikers box. I am now ready for the colder weather to come. After the Pinnacles and Cat Rocks...I am grateful for my new boots.

Ran across a couple of SOBO's who assured me I will need them...as well as the warmer stuff.. Their advice was to try to reach the Summit before October 15th...as afterwards can be dangerous or impossible because of the cold, snow and ice.

And so we press on...

To Fitzgerald Falls

Hear the Falls Yourself!

https://youtu.be/gjYD9men52Y

To Mobasha High Point

 And the View...

And so far all our views have been of tree tops...I must admit, I am looking forward to when we finally get a glimpse of NYC from an elevated position!

Onward to Buchanan Mountain

Where steps that resemble rebar have been affixed to help us with our climb!

 Buchanan Mountain

Past Little Dam Lake

And down to Agony Grind

Obviously aptly named.

Where Trail Angels have left offerings of fresh water to refill with near the top!

(Okay...New York...I take back all those preconceived notions I had about this section of the trail and your people...)

Crew Building the Stairs at Agony Grind.

https://youtu.be/68eTqo_g9RI

To Island Pond

And the Lemon Squeezer

and like the bypass at Cat Rocks...also a trail marking

(...making me laugh out loud...)

Hiking the Lemon Squeezer

https://youtu.be/A0ibNAGQg0o

Until we have reached tonight's destination

Fingerboards Shelter

https://youtu.be/te21pTrEjuc

Build in 1923 of stone and perched on a stone slab.

Someone has already started a fire in one of the two rock fireplaces!

Feel like home (for the night) to me.

See you down the trail!

Love,

"Beans"

Virtual AT: Pochuck Shelter to NJ/New York State Line

"Beans...hitting the virtual trail again!"

But first a PSA:  Take a hard pass on the One Pot Pasta with Marinara...you'll thank yourself later.

Says it is food.

Not actually food.

BLEAH.

(...yes...I suffer so you don't HAVE to...)

Down Pochuck Mountain



Across Pochuck Swamp

And the Pochuck Suspension Bridge

And to the Amazing Pochuck Boardwalk

(...I may just be easily amused...but I really LOVE this part...)

Boardwalk and
Suspension Bridge Hike
(First-Person View)

https://youtu.be/ykjTcjQzfKA

(...maybe because I could do this board-walk section in real-time wheel chair and all...)

And up again to Pinwheel Vista (Stairway  to Heaven)
 

 Wawayanda Mountain

And the Overlook

What a perfect day for this climb!

On to Iron Mountain

 Past another abandoned iron  furnace

 and the Wawayanda Shelter

Which is also closed at this time.

To Long House Creek

Bringing us only 1 mile from today's destination

The New Jersey~New York State Line

Where we will stop for today.

It is 74 degrees now...but the White Blaze App. says low 60's tonight. Got to get serious about warmer gear. The leaves are changing quickly now, and some have already dropped.

We are 1362 miles in with only 828 miles of the AT left to go!

We're going to DO this!

Getting my breath from today's hike and maybe just simple Mac and Cheese tonight.

More down the trail.

Love,

"Beans"