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Highlight Hiker Blog
9-11 Memorial Hike, New Shoes and The Injury
September 11, 2020
I've started and re-started this blog entry a thousand times. I hate to say that the reason I've been away has been due to an injury, but that is the sorry truth. It was September 11th, and I was feeling particularly melancholy. I just couldn’t shake it. Not solely because it was 9-11, but also because I was still feeling a weight of grief from my father's passing. I hadn't planned to go out that day to hike the AT Corridor, but there I was... healing my broken heart within the loving power of the trees. I had hoped to hike from Mt. Peter (sobo) to Cascade Lake Park, but I also knew that I had to plan my hike in a timely manner as I had an obligation to fulfill by way of taking the kid to an orthodontist appointment. Thrilling, I know. Just try to contain your excitement.
"But what happened? How’d you get injured, Highlight?" I hear you say. Well, it didn’t take long in my ridge walk high above Greenwood Lake to figure out that my new Topos, which I had such high hopes for, weren't going to give my ankles the support they needed. I basically overpronated my foot getting over a rock scramble, and tore my Abductor Hallucis, which is the muscle that does the important job of flexing your big toe. But this injury is a double edged sword because I also have a classic case of plantar facitis... so I really damaged a lot of connective tissue that, over the last few months, I had worked really hard to repair and correct. No good. And a big deflation of my spirit. For a person who relies on nature to feel balanced and solid, not being able to even walk up and down the stairs in my own home is a debilitating blow. But I managed to keep myself in check over the last few months and am slowly healing in order to get back out there before the autumn leaves turn and fall. There is, after all, no more beautiful time to hike in New Jersey than in the blush of autumnal colors.
Believe it or not, while I was out there, a lot of amazing things and happy meetings happened. I met two different sobo AT Thru-Hikers, Ace and Armadillo, and had a really nice chat about favorite films and kids with a day hiker in the parking lot. Unfortunately, I didn’t take pictures of any of these lovely and kind humans, and regretfully didn’t write down Ace’s Instagram handle so I can’t follow him… but I remember he was a genuinely nice kid from Nebraska, having a great time on the trail. If anyone knows his Insta handle, lemme know. Armadillo is an incredibly cheerful human, though, to be honest I got the impression that when I crossed his path he was between things: thinking about this and that. Still, he has some great photos on his Instagram page and is worth following at mediocremountaineer (which made me snort laugh with amusement when he told me). Give him a visit…. tell him Highlight sent you!
Long story short: I need the support of a mid-boot. So back to the store I go for yet another pair of Oboz. Since the colder, wetter months are ahead, I’ve decided to give the Bridger B-Dry mid a try… in the correct size this time. I love the Sawtooth mid, because my feet tend to get really hot and these boots provide a ton of ventilation. But then I think back to a number of cold, wet hikes with creek crossing this past February with well ventilated boots. I think back to how long it took my toes to thaw out. And I think maaaaaaybe a B-Day boot is better for winter/spring, and the Vent boot is best for summer/fall. You can never have too many boots, amiright???
But don’t get me wrong - I love the Topos. These freaking shoes have the comfort value of fuzzy slippers. But the Topos will be reserved for more even terrain where I don’t need as much hoof’n support.
Alright, already! I’ll quit my yappin’ and get to the photo album! ENJOY!
There are two parking areas off of 17A. This area is closest to the trail head and will easily fit 5 - 6 cars. There is another, larger parking area a little further west of here, just a short walk (with groomed path) to this location.
The trail crosses 17A (only a little hair raising with speeding traffic) that heads north. I, however, continued on from here southbound toward Cascade Lake Park.
The welcome kiosk is updated regularly and has a lot of nice AT info.
The welcome kiosk at Mt. Peter trail head.
Me? I was headed toward Georgia today.
Indeed, there I was.
The AT leads in to a forest just beyond this small goldenrod field.
I thought this tree was shaped like a heart. It was a gentle reminder for the people who lost their lives on this day in 2001.
The AT winds down and out from Mt. Peter, and it's steep depth on the eastern side can be a bit disorienting.
Plenty of stone malls demarking former farmland in what once was Dutch-owned country during the Revolutionary War.
The walls in this area are very impressive. When you think of the work, and the length of time it must have taken for land owners to mark their boundaries. It proves that with persistence and patience, building one stone at a time, you can conquer big obstacles.
It's just like thru-hiking: one footstep at a time you can hike over 2,000 miles and through 14 state. It gives me hope that one day, I'll be standing at the top of Kahtahdin.
A steep slope on either side as you walk south toward Greenwood Lake and the New Jersey state line.
The goldenrod was in different stages of bloom throughout the trail, all of which was beautiful.
You get a small peek at your elevation at this powerline clearing.
More goldenrod.
The sloe evens out a bit as you grow closer to Greenwoods Lake.
Large boulders and erratic dot the landscape, and you are reminded that, step by step, you're heading to the spine of a mountain.
Nothing like a little bit of All American litter.
I'm guessing that this was some kind of gate for the land I had been passing through.
The Village Vista side trail heads down the mountain to Greenwood Lake where Thru Hikers can resupply at the market and grab pizza, burgers, tacos and beer.
Village Vista signage. I loved it's homemade quality. It harkens back to another time.
You know what time it is? IT'S RIDGE WALK TIME!
I had hoped to be able to see the New York City skyline on this important day, but the clouds weren't destined to break up until I had turn about and could no longer see the city.
A look north from the same spot.
Greenwood Lake is mostly visible throughout the AT corridor, all the way to Abram S. Hewitt State Forest in New Jersey.
Ridge walking in the new Topos. Nary a blister was in sight, but the injury I sustained later was much more serious than any blister.
Greenwood Lake as far as the eye can see.
Yep. That's the trail. This scramble wasn't hard to navigate for a short person, but I took my time.
If you look closely, there is a heart shaped rock right along the path down. There were heart shapes everywhere on the trail, and on this particular day, it brought me a lot of comfort.
That's the obstacle from the other side. Believe it or not, it was harder to get up than down!
I loved this tree hanging over the trail. It just wanted to be noticed.
Clandestine campsite on the ridge.
Yep. That's the trail. I carefully picked my way over this dry seasonal creek bed.
Quintessential rhododendrons envelope the trail.
Despite the lush green color, there were hints of fall creeping into the forest.
Yep. That's the trail. Right up to the spine.
A well earned viewpoint.
I just love these walks.
This was as far as I got. I knew I had about another .75 miles to get to my intended goal of Cascade Lake Park, but I wanted to rest and have a bite to eat, and sitting high atop the mountain, reflecting on the day was better than pushing myself to hit the goal. I took my own lesson to heart and disrobed the tootsies to let them air out while I snacked.
It was right about here on my return trip, that I ran into Ace. His destination was also Cascade Lake Park, so I chatted with him about the trail head leading off the AT and let him take a photo of my paper map for reference. Nice kid. I really hope he makes it to Georgia!
AW! Snake! This is your garden variety Eastern Garter. He scampered away from me after giving me a long study. I just stood there and let him do his thing before I moved on.
Meanwhile, back at the creek crossing....
The campsite was freshly used. Earlier in the day I passed two thru hikers that looked very grumpy and didn't want to talk heading north. I'm going to use my power of deduction and guess that they spent the night here.
As I crested the ridgeline to this view, I felt the sick pull'n'stretch as my foot overturned in on itself (twice) on a scramble. This was the moment where I said to myself, 'You have to keep going.'. And so I went. Gingerly.
It was a long ridge walk with a torn muscle. My big toe in the loosey goosey Topo had to do a lot of work and every pronated step hurt. But I focused on the clearing of the weather and the peaceful day it had been, and how soothing hiking is when you have a heavy heart.
This was the last photo I took. I was simply in too much pain. I wanted to get back to my car. I met Armadillo not too far from the parking lot and we stood and chatted for just a few minutes before he needed to push on.