Day 87 - Fahnestock State Park (July 4)

I lost Filadelfia on the way to RPH shelter. With our late start, it was unlikely that we were going to make it to the shelter. This shelter was 31 miles from the last one and 25 miles from town. I had to repack my stuff, and Filadelphia said he would go ahead because I walk faster than him and could catch up. That was the last time I saw him. Somehow I got in front of him. I might have passed him in the zoo.

I actually did not cross the Hudson River until this morning. I thought we were shuttled across the river yesterday. The trail went through a zoo and then across the river.

My left knee started hurting today. There is some kind of pain every single day. I'm hoping the pain is just from doing the 28 miles yesterday over the very rugged terrain. I will find out tomorrow if this pain is an indication of something serious.

There were several areas where I walked on an old rail road bed. Someone said the railroad was built in the Civil War. The amount of physical work required to build something like this is amazing.

I'm camping at the Fahnestock campground. Thru hikers get to camp in an overgrown patch of weeds and forest. At least I have a place to camp, and its free. There is one other tent here, but I've not seen or heard its owner.

As for Caryn's comment about every day being a weekend, every day is more like a physical ordeal. I'm pushing myself to the limits of my endurance on most days. I'm doing this trip because I wanted to know what it's like to travel a long distance by foot. I was not interested in a long term camping trip. I like walking, and have been doing considerably more distance every day than most people.

When you see a picture of me, you will know that I'm not exaggerating about the physical ordeal. I lost so much weight that I look like a heroin addict. I can not eat enough.

I have very little free time. I spend most of every day walking. I'm often up by 5:00 AM, and walking by 5:30 PM. I often walk to 8:00 PM or later. Its a very simple life. I can not tell you how much I appreciate the little things like good friends and cold beers in the refrigerator.