McAfee Hikes

Date Written: 9/28/2024 | AT Mile 855.4 | Day Total: 18.9 miles | Gain: 3189 ft

Movie last night was good for my standards. I’m by no means a movie critic. The movie ended at 11:30pm, the latest I’ve ever been up during my hike. I was fighting to stay wake.

I woke up 7:30 this morning, packed up my bag and ate some breakfast. We thought about going to the bagel shop down the street but I’ve got so much extra food so just snacked on it for breakfast.

I got a ride back the trailhead at 9 and headed on my way. There’s a half mile boardwalk once you get past all the pastures. For as gloomy as it is outside, there are a lot of day hikers here too. There’s a 30% chance of rain all day today. As soon as I started a hiking, it started to get misty.

There was a cable bridge over Pochuck Creek that people were crowded around, so I didn’t take a picture of it, but it was pretty neat. I was able to crank out the first few miles today super quickly because it’s so flat.

I had a nicely graded up to an unnamed Mountain. It was a fine view from a rocky outcrop just over the top.

At this point in the day, it’s raining on and off. Enough so that it’s soaked my clothes and my backpack. I’d wear my rain jacket, but I just sweat it out faster than it would get wet. My clothes are quick drying anyway. I randomly saw a few broken down old cars in the middle of the woods.

I decided to have a late lunch today. There’s a house that offers seats, chargers, and possibly soda. I have to make my way through Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge first. It’s an entirely flat meadow that I go around for 2 miles. There were some day hikers here too for a stroll.

Sure enough the comments were true. There is a house around the corner that had cold drinks and benches. The sprite can I have must have frozen once. The bottom is bulged out and doesn’t sit flat. I tried pushing it back in, but it only made a mess and I got sprite all over my sleeve. I just washed it off with some water. I was wet anyway. Thanks Birdfeeder and Dusty Curtains!

After lunch, I had a very gradual climb up to the shelter where I hope to stay tonight. I’m passing a ton of grassy pastures. The rain sticks to the grass and drenches my shoes. It’s still raining on and off with some heavier cells rolling through.

At one point, I came across a flooded section of trail. I guess it’s a known section that has kind of turned into more of a swamp. It was a short detour around to the road and then back to the other side.

I continue to calming up to camp past a few more pastures and a few roads. The rain is pretty continuous now and I’m pretty wet. When I walked up to the shelter there was a group of middle aged men already in there. I talked with them briefly but they were not very welcoming. I pondered out into the rain to find a spot to setup camp.

I pitched my tent then put my bag inside along with myself. I slowly unpacked everything and setup for dinner. I’m going to try to go to bed early tonight. Staying up late yesterday has me exhausted.