Washed Out

Washed Out

Fr. Jim Mulloy and I camped on Monday nite, June 21, near Lake Nawahunta in Harriman State Park.  Gorgeous evening with a pleasant breeze that mitigated the day's heat and humidity.  

We cooked hamburgers and hot dogs over a fire, then enjoyed the fire and the evening.  After we retired for the nite, a HUGE thunderstorm rolled in—and, we found out on Tuesday back at Don Bosco Prep, there was a tornado alert in northern N.J. and southern Rockland County (N.Y.).  All we got was lots of thunder, lightning, and heavy rain.

In the a.m., my rainfly was soaked, as it should have been.  Inside the tent, perfectly dry.  Fr. Jim had to return to DBP.  After Mass and a substantial breakfast, I returned to the park.  Rain was forecast—accurately; it lasted off and on all day—so I ditched the soggy tent apparatus and headed for the Brien Memorial Shelter, south of Silvermine Lake where the Menomine Trail intersects the Appalachian Trail.  

I got there at noon and found 2 thru-hiking women whom I guessed were middle-aged (obviously, I didn't ask!) and a small dog, eating lunch.  They hadn't been able to find the spring; I showed them, and they re-supply their water.  (So did I.)  They were hiking from the N.J.-N.Y. state line to the Connecticut line.  Another hiker they knew came by, and all went their way.

Not long after, 4 more thru hikers came in, all young (post-college age, I think).  One guy had started in Pennsylvania, the other 3 (2 guys and a gal) at Harper’s Ferry—all heading to Maine.  Lots of discussion among them about where to camp for the nite, where to resupply, etc.  They left, and I was finishing my supper (freeze-dried lasagna, not to be recommended) when a much older gent ambled in.  He was, in fact, 74, as he proudly told me, and on this jaunt he was covering 4 states (after starting from Pennsylvania):  N.J., N.Y., Connecticut, and (he hoped) Massachusetts.  He also admitted to starting to feel his age; I sympathized; also showed him where the spring is located.  He had a sense of humor, e.g., asking where he could plug in a light.  And he was talkative.

That shelter has no inside fireplace, so we were at the mercy of the dampness and lowering temperatures (heading into the 40s, it seemed).  I didn’t have enuf warm, dry clothes after having hiked in the rain and changed into what was still dry.  So I used some discretion (for a change?) and decided to pack it in while there was plenty of daylight left (even under the clouds). At 5:45 p.m. I headed back to the car at Silvermine Lake.

Photos from our Lake Nawahunta camp and my hike past Silvermine Lake: https://link.shutterfly.com/TCEpoWEnkhb