We left Allentown early this morning and were on the trail by 11am. We got to slack pack all day since Bear Bell’s mother was going to pick us up about 19 miles later.
It was a good hike. We passed the largest oak tree on the trail… the Dover Oak. There was some trail magic going on underneath, and we were treated to cold poweraid and fruit. A few miles later we passed by the Appalachian Trail train station where it’s possible to catch a train into New York City. Just after the train station was a garden center that is a popular stop for hikers, as they keep a refrigerator full of sodas, iced tea, and ice cream. We actually ran into a group of hikers that we thought were way in front of us, so it was nice to know we hadn’t lost a lot time with our two zero days.
The rest of the hike was quick, and we only got rained on a little. We crossed over into Connecticut, and Bear Bell’s mom hiked a few hundred yards up the trail to meet us. She drove us back down to Bear Mountain, where we stayed with her friends John and Rita. This is the same John that brought us out to lunch last week. They again showed us wonderful hospitality by letting us shower, putting us up for the night, and feeding us a big dinner.
