9-14-12

AT miles hiked today: 10.7
Total AT miles hiked: 1358.9
Miles to complete my thruhike: 825.3

I am tenting with my friends at a state park campground just off Dennytown Road. The original plan was to aim another eight miles for the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center but then we met Kori during our late lunch at the campground. She said they had reserved the whole area and were having a pig roast tomorrow, and a party here tonight. We were welcome to stay, set up our tents, eat, drink and be merry with them. She also offered to take us to her house and let us have showers. Um mmmm. SOLD!

So she drove us to her house for showers and gave us amazing iced coffee and juice and let us charge our phones and ipods while we were there. Then she brought us back and we set up our tents in an area a little bit away from the party but not too far from the porta-potties.

I helped set up the tikki torches and met a lot of fun and interesting people. They built a gigantic bonfire, with whole logs that were delivered by a lumber truck of some sort. I have never seen such a bonfire in my life! Then there was the food. There was so much and it was so good and I felt so lucky.

We met Mickey, a section hiker, on the trail before this, and she also stayed. We were trying to figure out how to get back for the pig roast tomorrow night and she offered to drive us back here from the Bear Mountain Bridge which crosses the Hudson river. That means we get to slackpack if we can get a ride back there the following morning. Hey, Kori says she'll give us that ride! Woohoo! A slackpack and a pig roast tomorrow. I'm so exited.