Reflections and Looking Forward

Looking out from the Balsam Mountain Firetower

Nearly 900 miles along the main Finger Lakes Trail and its six branch trails gives you some time to think. I have a B.A. in philosophy and so I always joke that I do indeed use my degree as I think deep thoughts while hiking the trail. So here's some of those for ya...

I've had a lot of people ask me what it is that keeps drawing me back into the woods and onto long trails for months at a time. I enjoy sharing these thoughts in particular because I think that there is something in there for others to learn and just may make them curious enough to venture out and do the same.

Trail somewhere between Bossard's Cabin and Hornell along main FLT

I am drawn to the simplicity of hiking a long distance trail. Don't get me wrong, the logistical efforts are many and the act of literally hurling yourself up and over mountains day after day sometimes through less than ideal conditions is not simple...but the fact that being out here doing just this sure is. My focus is pure and my purpose is clear. Each day I wake up and I hike. There is no question what I'll be doing for the day. While I hike I observe the plants, I consider where I'll stop for my next break, where I'll fill my next water bottle, where I'll get shelter if a rainstorm rolls in, and where I'll sleep for the night. I fulfill my goals for the day, more or less, then build camp, compile my notes, spend the evening writing, make sure I'm secure for the night whether that be hanging a food bag or rigging up  a bugnet, and drift off to sleep. Through the repetition of these acts, the trivial begins to drift further and further from the forefront of my mind, until finally it nearly falls away. Those things that really matter become readily apparent and are in stark contrast to those that really do not.

Hiking near Seneca Highlands Road at dusk

To some to desire to experience life in this way may seem unrealistic or even selfish...but to me this is what I call experiencing raw reality. With the trivial at a distance, the smallest of acts such a kind word or someone feeding you a meal or offering you a ride that doesn't know what it is you're doing becomes incredibly significant. The goodness that people are capable of offering is incredible and you feel this through and through. And damn it, that's real.

Star Left, Shepherd, and the trail magic of Mike on Bailey Road

The smallest of luxuries such as a shower, a giant bowl of Chinese takeout, a good book to read, a favorite song that you haven't heard in months, become heaven on earth. I mean there is really nothing better than sitting on the gritty curb of a nowhere gas station and enjoying an ice cream cone on a hot day. Everything feels better, tastes better, sounds better, and again...that's what those things really are. I think in our everyday life these sensations and perceptions simply become muted as we interact with and take in so much sensory experience that we can't possibly process it all.

Now this means that pain is heightened as well. Walking on an open blister for miles or being so tired that you don't want to lift your foot for another step, or so hot that your vision starts to blur or so cold that you think you won't possibly make it through the night seems like the hell on earth. But then guess what? You keep hiking until your feet go numb or stumble upon a cold stream or the sun warms your bones the next morning and you realize that for as intense as that all was...you made it through and you always do. Pain is passing and really so is the elation of hearing a beautiful song. But that's part of the wonder and excitement of not only the trail but of life, you never know what is next. I thrive on this unknown. Not a whole lotta point in running from it, may as well embrace it.

Standing on trail, yes that's right, on trail, through the Catskill Forest Preserve

The one continual fountain of support or the greatest luxury I should say you experience on the trail is the beauty. Living life simplified also allows space for the beauty to come into clarity and fill you up. I have mentioned before that the Finger Lakes Trail is not a trail of daily summits and rewarding views...but it is grand in its simple everyday beauty that continues for miles. Hiking through a landscape that changes but is repeated over and over again, gives you the chance to pick up on different aspects of a similar place each time you pass through it. The tenth pond you've seen in the last week suddenly is no longer a pond but a body of water nourishing a host of algae and Pond Lilies and Milkweed and Cat Tail and home to dragon flies, toads, humming cicadas, and that beaver that has built his pile of sticks along its edge. The dead trees standing in the center and green mountainside in its reflection and sun bouncing off its surface is the most beautiful thing you've ever laid your eyes on. Although you aren't aware of it, you stockpile these experiences. After days, weeks, months of this, they fill you with a quiet contentment and deep down happy that although it may not always be at your surface, you may always draw upon it.

A pond along the FLT outside of Ellicotville

I suppose I could say in a nutshell that thru-hiking above all keeps you present and provides you with the resources to deal with the intensity of the present.

This is what keep me hiking. I'd be curious to hear what draws y'all to the trail...keeps you hiking. Comment on this thread either by blogger or facebook and let me know. I'm curious.

And what now?

I'll be continuing to blog for certain. Expect posts particularly about the plant life that I encountered as I start to pour over my notes and begin the process of writing the guide to the edible and medicinal plants of the Finger Lakes Trail. I will also be posting about other local adventures on trails in the northeast and upcoming events in the area. I may very likely be speaking about the Finger Lakes Trail at the upcoming Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association Gathering and will be the guest speaker at the FLT Spring Campout this coming June.

Depending upon the post, these may or may not be posted to the Finger Lakes Trail or Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association Facebook pages, so please do take a minute to like my page: https://www.facebook.com/thebotanicalhiker on Facebook and/or become a member of the blog (you can do this by entering your email in the space provided to the right of the present post) so that you will continue to receive regular updates.

I will be remaining in the northeast, primarily in Milford, Pennsylvania for the next couple of months. During this time I would thrilled to offer some plant walks and talks about my experience, so if you have an idea or a group that would be interested, do drop me a line! I will be returning to Asheville, North Carolina for the winter to continue working on the upcoming book and promoting my already published, A Guide to the Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Mountains to Sea Trail, about NC's 1200 mile long distance trail. Come late spring, I will be returning to the northeast and planning to relocate to New York state so that I can offer educational classes, workshops, and plant walks about the flora of the local area and the logistics of long distance backpacking.

Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

This trail was primarily a wilderness trail like the Appalachian Trail and a notable shift from the oftentimes civilized aspects of the Mountains to Sea Trail, however even greater than this latter trail in its solitude. I went days without seeing or talking to people, encountering dayhikers only in the Ithaca and Catskill portions of the trail. Above all, I adored it, and am missing it already. My heart aches at the rhythm of crickets chirping outside my bedroom window at night and my legs yearn to hike miles. If you are considering a day, a week, or a full on thru-hike of the Finger Lakes Trail...by all means do it. It is an opportunity of a lifetime!

Thank you to all who supported me along the way. It's true I was a solo hiker and hiking without a support team, however thanks to the FLT community as well as folks who lived along the trail, it hardly felt like a solitary endeavor. I rarely felt lonely given the number of people who reached out to me via Facebook and my blog. Remarkable. All of you made this journey so much more meaningful. Beauty really is greater when shared with others.

FLT Eastern Terminus: Claryville

Celebrating at the eastern terminus of the Finger Lakes Trail

I made it!!! After hiking nearly 900 miles along the main Finger Lakes Trail and its six branches, exactly 2 months later, I arrived Monday, August 3rd, at the eastern terminus of the FLT in the Catskill Forest Preserve just outside the tiny town of Claryville, New York.

Finger Lakes Trail eastern terminus sign

I could barely believe it as I took my final steps down the wide dirt path that would lead to this humble lil marker. How had two months passed already? For so long the end had seemed so far away and now suddenly I was here and I wanted to make every step, every breath, every swaying tree limb and nearby birdsong count. As I crossed the Neversink River just before town, a river that I knew I could follow all the way into the town of Port Jervis, New York where I had lived for sometime, I knew I was close. I did my best to soak it all in knowing that as much as I had anticipated this moment, part of me would be sad when it had finally come and gone.

Neversink River

I was thrilled to have my parents, Pam and Doug Houskeeper, my father better known as House the Cat, on the trail join me for my last mile. Although there is a 13 mile roadwalk between the Willowemoc Wild Forest and Slide Mountain Wilderness (both part of Catskill Forest Preserve), the hiker is graced with at least the final mile of trail being true woods trail. You must walk one mile from the trailhead parking lot on Denning Road to the terminus and then turn around and walk back to the parking lot. I was grateful for this mile as it gave me time to reflect. These reflections will come in my following blog, for now there is so much to tell you of the days leading up to the end!

Walking the abandoned NY Rt. 10

I headed out of Bainbridge on mostly roads, passing through the even smaller town of Masonville and finally back into the woods. I was grateful to have not started until late in the day, considering although it had been hot to begin it was considerably cooler with the sun beginning to sink behind the mountains and I neared my lean-to for the day at Getter Hill. The following day, I hiked 24 hard but beautiful miles beginning to get a taste of what the eastern part of the trail had to offer. The morning had been cool but the end of the day had been brutally hot, the trail ridden with mosquitos and black flies. I ascended altogether well over 1500 feet of elevation that afternoon up the steepest climbs I had encountered yet, the last one with 3 liters of water on my back as there was no water to be had where I was camping for the evening.

A view of the Rock Rift firetower

In the morning I passed the Rock Rift firetower and then did 8 hard miles over what I had been anticipating would be easy miles given the railroad grade that was shown on my map. Scratch that notion. As many of you know I hike in shorts out here, as normally I'd rather incur the scratches and scrapes than endure the heat of long pants however...when it comes to thigh-high stinging Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis) that stretches for miles...mmm perhaps some long pants or gators would be more sensible. About halfway through my miles I seriously thought about putting on long pants...you see the Wood Nettle kept alternating with large patches of Jewelweed (Impatiens spp.)conveniently enough, so I kept hoping that perhaps the Jewelweed would persist. When I finally gave up hope I stopped to change but was swarmed so quickly by a whirlwind of buzzing squeeters that I decided I'd rather keep swooshing through nettle at full speed than stop and rifle through my pack. Ah well...at least I got to this smiling face a lil faster...

Anita and I on trail

 Anita came to join me one last time on my thru-hike and lemme tell you...this woman is hardcore. As soon as we met up, she announced that this was a day for record breaking heat in New York state as we both swatted the relentless biting flying critters. Didn't stop her! And I was thankful because now I at least had a partner to take my mind off all the discomfort I was experiencing. We trekked through the woods for some more miles and then thankfully, back out onto the road where the breeze blew the squeeters away. Once back on wide grassy horse trail for our last miles, we even glimpsed a black bear. He moved quickly out of sight...so no pics were taken...but stay tuned for that...

Thank you Anita, for your friendship and support out here on the trail. You were not only a hiking partner but a trail angel! Keep hikin' woman!

Rachel and I on trail

After having dinner with Anita at the DEC horse campground, I compiled my plant notes and wondered if my dear friend, Rachel Horn, who was driving all the way from Asheville that day would be able to find me at my lil picnic table and fire ring in what felt to me like the middle of nowhere. Thank you to Seth, a state park employee who offered me fresh water and a shower up at the main campground while I waited! But sure enough at 9pm...she rolled up without a single hitch in her plans. We caught up about our lives over the last 2 months until the moon was high in the sky and hit the hay. However, we couldn't have all of our fun on this night, as the towns of Downsville and more importantly, Roscoe were in our future the next day.

The mason jars displaying the 5 different herbs used in the making of Prohibition's gin. The last jar is a combination of all of these herbs.

Although we hiked into Downsville, after lunching in town at the Schoolhouse where Rachel had dropped her bike overnight for safe keeping, so that she could hike with me in the morning and bike back to her car, we headed onto the funky lil fishing town of Roscoe. We had our priorities straight and so before checking into our room at the Rockland Motel, we hit the Prohibition Distillery located in the old Roscoe firehouse. Here I found quite the botanical treat. We took a tour through the distillery and learned that their gin is quite literally infused, imagine a giant tea bag full of herbs being dropped into a giant vat of high alcohol content gin, with fresh orris root, coriander, juniper berries, lemon verbena, and bitter orange peel. The young man working here was very excited about their process and his energy was contagious. A great start to the town adventure. By the way, while sampling their fine beverages, their parking lot is also a great place to dry out wet clothes from your nearby hike on the FLT after walking in drenching rain.

Drying clothes atop Rachel's car after our morning of walking in the pouring rain - method works great!

At the Rockland House, we enjoyed an affordable room and nearby Rockland House Restaurant, eating piles of fresh vegetables  off  the salad bar and sampling the also local Trout Town brews served on tap. However, our fun didn't end there as there was still one more local watering hole to visit. At the Courtyard, which was about to close, we didn't sample any drinks but we did entertain ourselves with their creative country décor. Later that night, we also had the fine opportunity of meeting Lonnie and Rod, who were visiting to welcome new pledges into their fraternity, which had originated in Port Jervis. These guys were quality, full of support for my hike, handed over granola bars for the road, and even cooked up a big breakfast the next morning outside the hotel that we made sure to get in on as well. And, man did we luck out given that Lonnie is a hired chef for the New York Jets. He knew how to cook up some grits!

Endless plates of salad from the salad bar at the Rockland House, as well as complimentary cheese and crackers.

Getting up close and personal with a friendly fish at the Courtyard - there were so many creatures on the walls at which to marvel!

Of course, even after eating breakfast with the guys, no trip to Roscoe is complete without a visit to the world famous Roscoe Diner. However, the food didn't last long enough our plates for any pictures to be taken. I love northeastern diners. Needless to say I left Roscoe one happy hiker full of both food and gratitude for a visit from a friend.

Rachel and I in Downsville

Hiking out of Downsville I returned to the Campbell Mountain Lean-to, the first place I had visited on the FLT, a week before beginning my thru-hike. What a feeling to be here once again, now just three days from the end of my journey. It was also here that I glimpsed the note on the final map that read: This is bear country...protect your food! Ah, all of the northeast is bear country. I had encountered plenty on my other hikes and hardly any to speak of on this hike, plus the map had been published in 2013. Even if the men from Lancaster Construction that I passed earlier in the day had warned me of a very large black bear that had lumbered across the woods and down my trail. It was probably a hollow warning.

Campbell Mountain Lean-to

The next three days were some of the most beautiful scenery I have passed through the entire hike. Just as I had said about the Onandaga Trail, this too was what I had envisioned when I dreamed of hiking the trail.

Trail through the Catskill Forest Preserve

The climbing was intense, especially on one day in which I climbed Brock Mountain, Mary Smith Mountain, Middle Mountain, Beech Mountain, and Cabot Mountain all in the course of a mere 15 miles, and was rewarded with an astounding view of green then blue layered mountains in the distance at nearly every summit. Also with few road crossings and heavily wooded trail filled with peeling Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), and American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) growing amidst, atop, and between boulders the size of cars and covered in Rock Tripe lichen (Umblicaria). I thrived on beauty and enjoyed being a such a physical being in such a physically substantial environment. At my feet grew entire carpets of various Lycopodium, Catskill specific species such as Large Leaved Goldenrod (Solidago macrophylla), and Mountain Aster (Aster acuminatus) and near the marshy areas I squished by Green Headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) and bright fushia stands of Bee Balm (Monarda didyma).

Large Leaved Goldenrod (Solidago macrophylla)

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)



Green-Headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Atop Balsam Mountain, I even surpassed 3500 feet, reaching the FLT's highest point on the entire trail at 3660 feet. This may not sound very high to those who have hiked extensively on the west or even east coast, but here in New York, the environment changes dramatically. Trees were stunted and the trail was nothing more than a narrow corridor. I thought I may have stumbled into Vermont on accident.

These signs were visible approaching from either side of the Balsam Mountain summit

To top it off, I was able to take a .25 mile sidetrip to the Balsam Mountain Fire tower, which is the only one I've had the opportunity to climb this whole hike. Luckily I had just caught Tom and Laurie Rankin, caretakers for this particular weekend, who guided me up the tower and pointed out where I had come from, what mountains I would be heading over and the PA and NJ mountains close to my parents home in Milford. I was also given a history of the area, learning that Laurie's father had been the last full time employee to man the tiny box atop all those flights of stairs and had also built the cabin that visitors may now tour full of historical photos and woods gear. This was a special place for me, but it held an even greater significance for these two. Thank you for sharing it with me Tom and Laurie! Also, thank you to Lou Werner of Bovina who I shared a picnic table with atop that mountain, enjoying lunch and pleasant conversation in the bright midday sun.

View from Balsam Mountain firetower

Laurie and Tom Rankin outside the cabin that Laurie's father built.

I lolly-gagged for quite sometime at this tower, thinking I had lots of time to get my miles done. However I had not anticipated meeting a friend in the marsh nor not being able to find the water source at the much overgrown Fall Brook Lean-to.

Bear in the marsh just west of the Fall Brook Lean-to

Apparently this fella thought this was good place to grab a snack as well. I was just noticing the abundance of wild food here along the marsh and examining a Bedstraw (Galium spp.) when I noticed the tree trunk at my feet had been gnawed through to shape of an hourglass. Just then I heard a rustling in the tall grass and could see it parting in a zig zag heading away from the trail. A beaver! I had thought to myself. I stopped and looked and listened to the huffling of a busily breathing beaver and click clack of teeth on a log, when this fuzzy round-eared head popped up. Not a beaver. I snapped a pic and he soon plopped back on his rear, disturbed in his dinner, to look about. I got a good look at him but was too enthralled and spooked to snap a pic. He then dove head first back into the marsh grasses. I took this as my opportunity to get a move on.

Arriving at the shelter less than a half mile away and reading numerous accounts of not only a black bear in the area and the stream having gone dry, I decided to keep on walking. Where to...I didn't know...but the FLT wasn't gonna let me go easy on my last night!

After stumbling across an unmarked stream, I ended up pitching my tent precariously on the edge of an embankment just inside state land. I made a late dinner, hung my food bag high in a tree a ways down the trail, whooped and hollered some like a crazed woods woman to scare off any nearby 200 pound furry friends and drifted off to sleep. My last night on the trail.

To close this post, allow me to share with you my real eastern terminus photo...

Feeling victorious and donning a traditionally fabulous summit outfit at the eastern end of the Finger LakesTrail

One must be properly attired to hike the Finger Lakes Trail...especially the goggles...these are essential in the monsoon season of June, not to mention that even a hiker needs to pick up the occasional souvenir such as a t-shirt from the Outpost. I told y'all I had another outfit!

Finger Lakes Trail you have been quite the adventure...stay tuned for my next blog in which I'll share my...ahem...more serious reflections on the trail and my future plans!

Almost There!

Cheesin' with my pal, the FLT

I am both sad and incredibly thrilled to say...I am almost there! I am presently in the tiny town of Bainbridge on Map 26 with just a little over 100 miles left to travel. When I began I had a stack of maps - 54 to be exact - over half of which I had sent ahead to Irene Szabo because they were too heavy to carry. Now I am down to a mere six. I can hardly believe it.

View of New York hills

Whenever I start a trek of this magnitude I don't spend too much time looking ahead to the end while hiking. This makes the task seem insurmountable. I learned this on my first AT hike, my 1000 mile attempt I should say, when at 2 weeks in with swollen knees and blistered feet, thought, I have to do this for another 5 month and a half months? Best to take it one day at a time, focusing on stepping atop the next rock, dodging the next mud puddle, eating the next granola bar, and maybe so far as to where  you will sleep that evening. This lil lesson from the trail is one that I have transferred to the rest of my life. One step at a time. And now...holy ?@*! I'm here! Well almost.

One of the many stonewalls along the FLT and throughout the woods of NY

As you can see from my blog posts and those who have been trying to keep in touch with me via phone...wifi and cell service have been next to none. Since leaving Ithaca I have virtually hiked from one state forest to state park to stretch of wild private land to the next. Especially since finishing the Onondaga trail, the last of my 6 branch trails to hike along the FLT, the trail has become more unruly. It is evident that not too many venture out this way. But it's a shame. Because this portion of trail has been breath-taking and with all this quiet time to myself, I've had all the more ability to soak it in while I can.

Seen lots of these lil snails along the way - luckily I move faster than they do

Daily I stroll along rock walls that come and go for miles, weaving throughout the woods. I startle turkey and grouse and little tweeters of all kinds of which I don't know their names. I sidestep salamanders bathing in the wet of the trail and frogs the size of my thumbnail that hop as fast as their warty legs will take them. I gain momentum only to do a double take, then stop in my tracks and crouch down to eye level to examine yet another plant, wondering exactly which species of Agrimony I have, or Thistle, or Bedstraw. I look to the sky and wonder, how many more days of sun will I be graced with? or maybe hours or minutes? And I have moments in which I wish this simple hiking would never have to end and moments when I curse the very trail I walk upon and wish I had 100 miles less to do and best of all, long stretches where I think nothing at all. This trail has been a gift.

Indian Cucumber (Medeola virginiana) - the root is crisp and edible like a small potato or cucumber, however only harvest these where you have identified there to be an abundant population as they are endangered in some states (not classified as endangered in NY)

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) - the above-ground-parts can be made into a tea or tincture helpful in raising the body temperature and breaking a fever. 

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) - the leaves may be steeped for a flavorful lemony mint tea aiding in digestion or warming the body, and the individual red florets, which also have a minty flavor, may be eaten raw, in baked goods, or used to adorn a variety of dishes

Queen Anne's Lace aka Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) - all parts of this plant are edible from the flowers to the roots. It is actually related to our domestic carrot, the biggest difference being that this plant's root does not contain any beta carotene and is therefore whitish instead of orange. However, be CERTAIN you have this plant as fatally poisonous Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata) and Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) can both resemble this flower. Look for the purple floret near the center of the flowering top. Not for beginning foragers.

Agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala) - the above-ground-parts may be steeped and made into a tea that is both astringent and diuretic, excellent for treating UTI's and inflammation in general.

However...with all this serene solitude one has to at times shake things up at bit. Enter the OutPost. I hit the Outpost, a lil biker bar on the edge of McDonaugh, on day in which I had a mere 13 miles to do. This has now become an easy day. So when I arrived at 2:30, I ordered a Coke and a big tossed salad and settled in, doing some writing and mileage planning for the next 2 hours. That was until Lynae and Carol strolled in. With my maps strewn all about we got to chatting about what I was doing out here but we hadn't gotten to the part about the plants yet. Then out of the blue Lynae exclaimed, "Do you know you can eat Day Lilies?!" I knew I had some friends-to-be here then and there.

Carol and Lynae

After some more chatting and wishing I could do nothing more than sit down and share a couple rounds with these ladies, Lynae and Carol said, "Too bad you aren't hiking back toward Bowman Lake, we'd have you over for the night!" To which I responded, "If you want to pick me up 5 miles down the road, I'll come over for the night!" I still had some miles to do before I could call it quits for the day as the next day I had a whopping 20 miles in store for me. Then I added, "Well and I would need to be dropped off at the same point about 8 am." They looked at each other, "Well sure, we could do that. But after we're done with you, you may not want to hike 20 miles tomorrow!" These ladies were so much fun, I decided it was worth the risk.

Carol and Lynae - can you tell these ladies are fun?

Many drinks and stories and even herbal recipes were swapped on this night as we tuned into the oldies station on a wind up radio and ate piles of veggies steamed over the fire. It was all I hoped it would be. The next day...I did indeed wake up at 8am and not much feel like hiking...but I did...20 miles to be exact and hiked off with wildflowers in my hair bestowed upon me by these two wild women. Thank you for the spontaneous trailside fun Lynae and Carol!

Lynae, Me, and Carol at Bowman Lake

I will have just one more stop in a town, maybe two, these being Downsville and Roscoe and so I hope to get a blog post out to y'all from there. I wish I could keep you up to date and have you virtually hike along with me all the way up to the eastern terminus...but alas I suppose this is a wilderness experience. If you don't hear from me before that lil country road in Claryville...I'll see you at the end!

Onondaga and Onward

Me at the southern terminus of the Onondaga Trail - excited to start my final branch trail along the FLT

And now, the Onondaga Branch Trail. I absolutely adored this trail. This branch trail was everything that I envisioned the Finger Lakes Trail to be when I had been conjuring images in my mind, and all packed into a mere 40 miles. I hiked for miles on pristine trail that wound through pure pine woods and rich mixed hardwood forests. I climbed up and down, over and over and over again, atop rolling hills and through shallow valleys. The woods were healthy, abundant with Lycopodium, Mitchella, Eastern Hemlock, Pale and Spotted Jewelweed, flowering Wood Nettle and Bee Balm, golden Agrimony stalks, and even Goldenrod with beginning buds. Oh and Christmas fern, New York Fern, Interrupted Fern, Bracken Fern, and the list goes on. I passed ponds with burping frogs and tall Cat Tails and meadows filled with electric hum of cicadas. Magical.

View from Labrador Unique Area jump-off point (I can only assume for hang gliders? Yikes!)

Looking across one of the Onondaga many ponds

One of the many falls inside Hoxie Gorge State Park

In my travels, I had the incredible fate of meeting up with Tessa Careaga. She was a trail angel in every sense of the word. Despite all this beauty, I was suffering from two days of intense heat. My calves ached, my stomach turned, my feet raw, and every article of clothing I owned drenched in sweat and covered in dirt. Hell, I was covered in sweat and dirt…and exhausted. When I called her from the Skyline Visitor’s Center, where a wedding was in full swing and I had been reduced to such hiker desperation to start scheming by the glow of a nearby soda machine how to score a plate of food from the reception area, she suggested instead of just a shuttle from the Onondaga terminus, I come home with her for the night. She lived just a couple of miles away and on DeRuyter Lake. I threw back the rest of my soda, vanquished my hungry hiker plot, and got to hiking toward Tessa.

Me and Tessa Careaga, a trail angel indeed!

That night we enjoyed our own banquet of fresh grilled vegetables, giant bowls of salad, corn on the cob and Lake Saranac microbrews, all with a view of the lake. I was in hiker heaven. Not to mention a shower, laundry and all that good, good stuff. The next day, Tessa slackpacked me my last 10 miles and then we headed into Cazenovia for lunch and resupply. We zipped around town doing this and that and managed to get it all done in one afternoon and me back to the main FLT junction outside of Cuyler by 5pm with just 5 miles to hike to the Paradise Lean-to. Incredible.

Thank you Tessa, your generosity was such a gift and kept this hiker hiking!

The next day I planned to trek 20 miles to the Perkins Pond Lean-to. However…some more interesting things came up. In the morning I had the pleasure of chatting with Yahoo’s GrindTV reporter, Rob Pursell all the way out in California. He was full of good questions and it was fun to fill him in on the journey while on trail. Here’s a link to that article: http://www.grindtv.com/nature/the-botanical-hiker-is-about-to-set-a-new-record-but-shes-more-interested-in-edible-plants/#kBKKWEB2f8yUIWgg.97

I had also received an email from a blog reader, Char Revette who lives on Paradise Hill. She had invited me over for tea given that I was just a couple miles away. Well tea with a fellow FLT fan sounded better than pounding out the miles on this already late morning. So to Char’s house I went and arrived just in time for more than tea, but lunch! We dined on quinoa and veggie stew, fresh veggies and dip, fresh fruit and chips and black bean salsa. What a treat. I also had the pleasure of meeting Char’s daughter-in-law, Tracy, and 2 grandchildren, Oliver and Reagan. Char is a lifetime member of the FLT and regularly walks the trail, as well as a forager. Thank you for the pleasant stop along the trail – you and your family were wonderful company and your home is beautiful.

Me and Char Revette outside her home on Paradise Hill

Leaving Char’s home I was soon in the Bull Thistle Club’s neighborhood. The trail through here is beautifully maintained and a dream to hike given that from what I’ve seen so far it’s climbs are easy and its woods are filled with miles of rock walls, pines of every kind, and a number of old growth trees that the farmers spared. In the last two days I have met a number of these hard-workin’ maintainers, evident by the register entries I saw at nearly every register stop.

John Carhart hard at work along the main FLT

The first was John Carhart. The moment I stepped on this trail I knew I was on someone’s beloved section of trail. I followed the fat laid stones, cut logs and twigs, and even bark shavings that had been laid atop the muddy shallow spots in the trail until I rounded the bend and met John carrying a 5-gallon bucket of tools. We chatted and I told him I was headed for the Pharsalia Shelter. Although I had already been in communication with Donna Coon, head of the Bull Thistle Hiking Club, John helped to pass the word along that I was officially on their section of trail and where I’d be for the night.

Thank you, John for all that you do….now if we could just get you to lay those logs and rocks the length of the trail that would be splendid! And Donna, although we never had a chance to meet we certainly got to know each other through our multiple phonecalls back and forth. Thank you for being there!

Sharon, Art, and dog Ted at the Pharsalia Woods Lean-to

I spent the night at this lovely newly built shelter, enjoying the handmade rocking chair and small tables inside on which to place my odds and ends rather than in a pile on the floor, and fell asleep to the thwat! and thud! of freshly shaved pine cones that the squirrels dropped from the tree-tops high above once done with their evening snack. And in the morning, I awoke to Art, Sharon, and dog, Ted bearing their own snacks for me and a greeting. Gatorade, honey roasted peanuts and granola bars were on the menu this morning without my having to even pull my food-bag out of the tree. Art constructed the furniture and benches found at this lean-to and both of them regularly maintain this lovely open space. It was pristine. Thank you Art and Sharon for your welcoming and dedicating your care to this shelter and nearby miles of trail!

The sitting area outside the Parsalia Woods Lean-to

Art's handmade rocking chair and nightstand

Please stay tuned for the next most current blog post full of plant pics and yet more faces of the Finger Lakes Trail!