T+20 This journey can nearly drink legally

​T+20 (June 18, 2020)

Navigation Report:
Starting Point: "Secret Shelter" mile 1345.9
Destination: Pochuck Mountain Shelter mile 1353.0

Travel Log:
10:00 Break Camp (mile 1345.9)
11:00 Colt Rd. (mile 1347.7)
11:10-12:45 Unionville, NY (mile 1347.7)
1:05 Pastures
1:45 Wallkill River (mile 1350.2)
1:50 Wallkill National Wildlife Preserve (mile 1350.5)
2:15 Moorhen
4:15 Pochuck Mountain Shelter (mile 1353.0)

Daily mileage: 7.1
Total mileage: 200.4

Commander’s Report:
I started off this morning with a wildlife extravaganza. First, an Eastern Milk Snake was slithering through the grass at breakfast. After breakfast I wandered around checking the farm out and again saw the deer from last night in the adjoining field from where I spotted her yesterday. Lastly, I saw hummingbird combat. What started out as a single bird flying around feeding ended up being an aerial 4-way free for all. Unfortunately, you guys only get pictures of the snake. I didn't have my phone on my little exploration.

I got out of camp at a reasonable time this morning. Resupply awaited in Unionville, so I was eager to get food to last until my first mail drop Tuesday in Fort Montgomery, NY. I need five days of food for that time. I managed to get all of that covered at Horler's General Stone. A bit pricey for a resupply, but they had all of the essentials. One of the main attractions of this shop are the really nice subs at their Deli. I got a roast beef on a hard bun. It must have had a pound of meat in the bun. Definitely hit the spot!

After Unionville, the trail runs through a series of fields. Again, I think I took too many pictures of the fields, but I guess I am a nostalgic guy. The second is my favorite of the lot. You get field, trail, scenery, and a double blaze where the trail heads back into the woods.

Fields and hills. You need anything more?

Just another field

​After the fields, the trail runs along a couple of country roads until you get to Wallkill National Wildlife Dreserve. This appears to be old, disused onion fields that have been allowed to turn back into wetlands.

Hills surrounding Wallkill National Wildlife Preserve

​In the preserve, I met a variety of birds. Most numerous being the red-winged black birds, all of whom were acting aggressive toward me - I was wandering through their territory after all. I did spot something I had never seen before. The SEEK app says that it is a moorhen. It looked like a really short version of the green monster from Dock Dodgers cartoons, just black with a red beak instead of green on green.

Moorhen. A black football with a red beak.

After the fields and swamps, it was back to the trees for a rather abrupt climb to the top of Pochuck mountain. Before going up, the water bottles were all filled up, so the extra 4L of water weight was really noticeable given the rapid ascent here. Up at the shelter, I set up my tent and ate some dinner. The huge sandwich made me not want any big prepared meal, so I grazed on snacks instead. What? Don't judge me.

Dedication on Pochuck Mountain shelter

​I'm now going through a section of trail where camping options are limited and are oddly spaced out. Thus, I find myself in a group of other thru hikers

There's a couple with two dogs, whom I split a shelter with 2 nights ago. There's French Press, the German who I sheltered with last night. Then there's Cyborg who, like me, is attempting to juggle a thru hike with a long layoff. He got back on in Harper's Ferry a bit before my restart. Finally, there's Germ. He's in the same trip in a blender situation, but he additionally hurt his ankle and so will shortly be getting off trail. All were camping at the shelter this night. Another guy, Viking, stopped by, but continued on with the plan of stealth camping further down the trail.