Whiley Shelter, August 1, 1983

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Aug 1 , 1983 Monday (752.1 mtg) From Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal

I woke up at 4:45 and was off as soon as I could see. Got stung by another bee this morning as I started the long New York road walk. I got confused when I reached NY 292, the road to Holmes, NY, but finally got straightened out enabling me to locate the post office and store only 50 yards down the road from the A.T.. I received a package, and a letter from Glen Stolar. Met and talked with several people while packaging and getting food ready. I talked with one attractive lady named Cathy Miller, from Carmel, NY for quite some time, she seemed very interested in my stories.

After packing, I set off and soon reached Murrow Memorial Park near Pawling, NY. Many children were swimming in the lake, and I took off my pack, my socks and boots, and my t-shirt and lay on the sand for a while. Not knowing the rules, I got up and began to enter the water. Suddenly they were all yelling at me to get out of the water! Apparently it was time for only children associated with a particular camp to be in the water. I had to get out and wait for a while longer before my little dip. I did not have to wait long for 12:30 to arrive and the all clear for everyone to swim. I just kind of shrugged and said to myself, "I am already cooled down from hiking, maybe later." I did hop in for a short swim right before I resumed my hike.

Knowing the road walk was soon coming to an end, I stopped at a house situated along the road to ask the residents if I could get a little water before continuing into the woods toward Whiley Shelter. I knocked on the door and was greeted by Suzanne Broidrick, of Wingdale, NY who allowed me to fill my water bottles, and as an extra bonus was offered a cold RC Cola to cool me down. We talked for a while and before leaving, I got invited to breakfast the following morning. The shelter was not that far away, but I was not sure that I wanted to retrace my steps in the morning. I said that I was not sure whether I would be back in the morning, and said goodbye as I continued on up to the shelter. I arrived at the shelter just as the rain began to pour out of the sky. I took off my pack and my clothes and just stood buck naked in the rain. Those scorching days of summer were here, and this was like free refreshment. I later discovered that one of the straps on my pack was giving out, so I decided I had to attend breakfast back down the trail in hopes of getting a needle and thread to repair the strap before it broke somewhere down the line. Twenty-five miles for the day.

Note 2012: As a result of my 25 mile day, and more high mileage days to come, I distanced myself away from the group of hikers I had been hiking with for almost two weeks now, and had no contact with any of them until 2012, when Marcel Montville came across my website and initiated contact.

A package was sent first class to Tyringham today by my Mother costing $4.50 first class shipping. (See content list)(see postal receipt This receipt is hand written over original receipt because the ink disappeared)

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