Shenandoah Mountain

• Day:  107
• Start:  1403.7
• End:  1426.2
• Miles:  22.5
• Hours:  11
• High temp:  74
• Low temp:  65
• Thru Hikers met:  4

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Bear Mountain Bridge

By 0530 hrs I'm just two doors down at Perry's cafe. He makes an omelette the way I enjoy it with cheese and bacon plus there is lots of coffee. We chat between in and out customers for 45 minutes. Back at the motel I bring my pack out to the car as Doug steps out. I'm back on the trail by 0630 hrs, a nice respectable start.  Crossing the Hudson is he first order of business. 

Looking south on the Hudson River

Just prior to a highway is a boardwalk, I can hear the vehicles and even see a building. 

The trail crosses NY Route 9 and right there is the Appalachian Market.  This market has a small grill so I order an egg and bacon with provolone on a kaiser roll. I round out my meal with a large Powerade Zero.  So very nice to have places to get food do close to the trail. 

The Appalachian Market

My meal

The trail is nice today with moderate climbs and descents. I stop at a AT parking area to dump my garbage and top off my water from a convenient spigot.   Not to long after I see a deer. I speak nicely to her and she does not bolt. 

Another boardwalk through the biggest grasses I've seen yet.  

Yes the boardwalk is in there

Even though I'm in the forest and it feels remote, there are many times when neighborhood sounds or highway noise is heard. Today I'm passing through some remote neighborhoods so I hear construction sounds and garbage trucks as well as cars.  Seems strange compared to other trails where remoteness is so prevalent. 

I come to a pond that could have beavers.  I see a couple of water fowl but that's all. 

Beaver pond 

I find a quiet section of the trail.  The humidity and temperature are down to today making my hike much more pleasant. 

Now I'm on a section of nicely built trail. It is mostly level with few rocks.  A few places are elevated on rock causeways. 

Lot of work to build this nice causeway. 

The trail crosses NY Route 301 then follows high on a ridge along the length of Canopus Lake. 

The south end of Canopus Lake

I've reached my 20 mile mark and feel like I'm about done for the day. Plus the bugs are coming on. I start looking for a nice site. Before I find a place I get a another view of Canopus Lake. 

The northern end of Canopus Lake

I find a nice flat slab of rock on Shenandoah Mountain.  It is shielded from the trail and main rock slabs by a stand of brush. I think it's a good spot because of the cooling breeze and open feel.