Day 114 - 23rd July - Fort Montgomery to a bush camp - 17.3 miles

An early departure and we are passed by all the cadets from West Point on their 5 mile morning run. It was interesting to see that there were women among them, and African Americans as well. We cross the Hudson River on a suspension bridge and reach the start of the trail.

We are amazed to find an abandoned hikers pack, with things strewn everywhere. There is a two mile climb to the Hemlock Camping Ground, we are met by 'Sherpa', who asks us if we have seen his son, Anthony. It becomes evident that it is Anthony's pack we have found. Sherpa says Anthony "got lost" yesterday, and the police found him and Sherpa told them to drop him at the start of the trail - this was at 6pm and he never arrived at the campsite. Sherpa heads down to the pack and we wonder what will happen next. We later hear on the AT grapevine that he does find Anthony and there is a mediation between them with another hiker acting as the go-between, so that Anthony is able to tell his father that he doesn't want to hike the trail any more, and his father has to accept that his dream is not his son's dream.

The rain sets in the for the morning and we have a meandering walk through valleys, and ridges. The highlight of the morning is when we 'discover' the Appalachian Market Roadhouse - we had not read our trail guide properly and had not expected to find this treasure - hot food, loads of food, coffee, every colour of lemonade you can imagine. We buy a whole lot of food and sit out in the drizzle on the picnic table watching the traffic go by on the freeway, and stuffing ourselves.

We follow the trail and do not turn off to the monastery - it is a 1 mile detour so decide to pass it up. The drizzle continues and just as we think its time for lunch we find a little garden seat with a roof, overlooking a dam, at the bottom of somebody's garden, so we take up residence. The rain continues and our feet are now wet.

At a road crossing we find Beaver Chief, last seen on Day 93 at the ice-cream challenge at Pine Grove Furnace. He is wet, and as he is travelling sooo light - he is cold - he has no tent, and no waterproof coat - and is huddling under a small shelter thinking he might stay and sleep here if the weather doesnt improve. We continue on, through beautiful steep granite gorges and find ourselves in a picturesque valley with a parkland feel and decide this is the place to camp for the night.