cant we all get along.

[Marta]

Yep, I'm in Catagory #4 too, but I'll freakin crawl to Katadin if I have to, but no one's tried that yet, and I'll do it in less hours than posts I'll have when I attempt it.

That was one of my mottos: I'll finish if I have to crawl.

Crawling wasn't necessary very often. Limping, however....

My other motto was: Age and guile trumps youth and strength.

[rocketsocks]

That was one of my mottos: I'll finish if I have to crawl.

Crawling wasn't necessary very often. Limping, however....

My other motto was: Age and guile trumps youth and strength.

Heck yeah, I guess many do many things out of pure Tenacity, doesn't matter why, or what it is, there just going....period. LOL I like your mantra.

[Driver8]

See Driver......resistance is futile

I can quit anytime I want to, Coach, I swear!

[Driver8]

fireworks tonight on the beach.

That's what she said. ... I swear, I can quit this anytime. ... Really. ...

[coach lou]

That's what she said. ... I swear, I can quit this anytime. ... Really. ...

Driver... you havin' fun yet?

[moytoy]

Yes I had made that observation! We know.........there is little time left, gotta get them laughs in nowAre you a Northeast transplant...........you seem to have that sense of humor..... but so does rstrakis!..........and Jacko.

bump bump..I once spent the night on 42nd st in NY does that count as being from the NE? I was raised in Maryville, Tn. (Marville). Lived all over. A wandering hillbilly I guess you could say.

[Iceaxe]

It is time to let Lone Wolf back in to defend himself.
He probably don't really care at this point, but it is becomming rude on our part to talk, in jest and sideways about him, without his ability to to respond.. don't you think?
RESTORE LONE WOLF... PLEASE.

[coach lou]

It is time to let Lone Wolf back in to defend himself.
He probably don't really care at this point, but it is becomming rude on our part to talk, in jest and sideways about him, without his ability to to respond.. don't you think?
RESTORE LONE WOLF... PLEASE.

My vote goes for the old Jarhead!..............but, he was on last nite I believe!

[Lone Wolf]

It is time to let Lone Wolf back in to defend himself.
He probably don't really care at this point, but it is becomming rude on our part to talk, in jest and sideways about him, without his ability to to respond.. don't you think?
RESTORE LONE WOLF... PLEASE.

i haven't gone anywhere. i'm on moderated status for a few weeks. no need to defend myself. y'all play nice

[Driver8]

Big, hot hike by Coach Lou and yours truly yesterday. Car 1 at Jug End Road crossing, up in the humid, slick aftermath of a rainy overnight to Everett, with quick stops at Hemlocks Shelter and Guilder Pond. Over Everett (a little breezy, thank goodness on an increasingly hot, lingeringly humid day), with a snack break at the top - Coach was hungry, I wasn't, but it was nice to rest for a few in the shade of some scrub), down into the saddle - no hint of water in the upper reaches of Race Brook along the trail on descending - and up Race.

Ran into another middle-aged Connecticut man lost in the wilderness, John, at the summit and he became our third. Took him to see the cliffs, which he hadn't known about. Didn't tarry there, as he needed to get back home at a certain time, and, frankly, it was hot and miserable. I mean, the summit of Race, so exposed as it is, at 3 pm, was just blisteringly hot. Easily over 90. And so dry that many of the trees there are in danger of dying, and the blueberry bushes are just toasty. Nothing but dried little beads of would-be berry on the bushes. I just hope the bushes survive this year for next. Sad, disappointing for me - I love the berries and had such fun with them on my first trips in the Taconics two summers ago. The local views were amazing to the other Taconics, and the faint, light blue Catskills were neat to see, with some distant Gunks to the southeast. No view of Greylock, however. Probably 40 mile views in that direction, maybe 45. Just not quite enough to see the Chief.

Back down Race to Race Brook Falls Trail, which was misnamed today. No water at all in the brook to a little downstream of the campsite, no running water until maybe 0.3 east of it. A mere trickle, at that. It was scarily dry. Like west Arkansas in August, not at all like Mass in July, not even August. I've never seen it so dry out there. We made our way down the main trail, not bothering with the brookside option since there was nothing to be seen with the falls. The upper big falls at the trail crossing were running but faintly, mostly hiding behind the rock shelf that always obscures part of them. I dared to drink from the most flowing of the pools - hope I don't catch anything - and Lou and John smartly didn't. I brought 164 oz of water and Powerade, drank an additional 24 oz of trail magic water from the Guilder Pond parking lot (THANKS, trail angels) and ran out of water at Race summit. Lou had brought two gallons, maybe more, and didn't need as much as me, so generously gave me about 24 oz halfway down Race. That got me down the mountain, with the 24 oz or so I drank at the brook, with about 16 oz to spare. Thanks a bunch, Lou!

Lou is fun to hike with. Very smart, lots to talk about, smart and good humored with lots of life experience to share. By the last mile and a half or so, he and I, and John, were talked out, so hot and dry was it. Our talk on the way down, such little as it was, was mostly about how damned dry it was and how little water there was in the brook. We passed and visited with 7 thru-hikers on the way, Pancho, Great Dane and Butcher at Jug End trailhead, Oak at the top of Jug End, Hill Hopper and another guy on the shoulder of Race (remember his name, Lou?), and another one somewhere in there. Passed about 25 day, weekend or short trip hikers and no sectioners.

For Lou, who's training to do a tough Maine section with HB57 next month, and for me, losing weight and working on fitness, plus making another trip to the Whites and western Maine next weekend, it was a good, very tough training hike - about 11 miles, including side trips, and about 3000' elevation gained and lost, including ups and downs along Jug End and the shoulder of Mt. Undine and the trip down to the Race cliffs and back. For me, given the high heat and humidity and dry conditions, which made the ground uncharacteristically hard, this hike was as hard, more or less, as my day going up and down Washington four weeks ago. (Jewell Trail was easier than these, the A.T. stretches on a par, and Ammo, of course, tougher.)

But for the pleasures of seeing this beautiful place at its best, I'd say to anyone who asked me, wait til there's two or three good soaking rains before heading out there. It's dry as a bone right now, and the forest is not a happy place.

[rocketsocks]

Very nice post Driver8, it certainly does sound like you had a great time and most definitely "all got along", as your report is aptly place.

[Driver8]

Thanks, Rocket. It was fun, but hard. Nicer when the brook is flowing strong and there's lots of falls to see. I made one mistake, at least - the Gunks are to the southwest from where we hiked, not the southeast.

[hikerboy57]

Nice pics driver8!looks like you had a good day. Harriman was bone dry last week too.

[rocketsocks]

Thanks, Rocket. It was fun, but hard. Nicer when the brook is flowing strong and there's lots of falls to see. I made one mistake, at least - the Gunks are to the southwest from where we hiked, not the southeast.

Funny you mention that as I am not familiar with the area where you were, but was trying to visualize just where I thought you were, and something was telling me, hmm, the gunks are here, Mt. Grey lock is over there, so that means they must be, here...no wait, there west of? But yep, it sure was hot and humid yesterday, and I think were being served up another today just like it, I hope to take a little hike locally later today...rain or shine!

[Driver8]

I hope to take a little hike locally later today...rain or shine!

Have a good hike, John. I may just head to the beach today, like most of the sane people around.

Thanks, Hikerboy. Hope to get out with you soon. Lou's great.

[coach lou]

Have a good hike, John. I may just head to the beach today, like most of the sane people around.

Thanks, Hikerboy. Hope to get out with you soon. Lou's great.

I'm starting to blush Driver, and my X may want to debate that with you..................I have to ref 2 ICE hockey games today!!!! Air conditioned cross training!

[Driver8]

I'm starting to blush Driver, and my X may want to debate that with you..................

Which ex? Zing! Have a good time in the a/c today, my friend, and let's all do our best rain dance.

[rocketsocks]

One rain rain dance coming your way today

[Saprogenic]

Wow, what a thread. You guys are something else. The thing I find the craziest, is all of these 'outdoorsmen' who spend all their time online. Not just talking about this site, but the wave of older men who love the outdoors, and all you ever see is them talking on the computer. How about everyone get off their ass and go outside. That should calm things down.

[hikerboy57]

Wow, what a thread. You guys are something else. The thing I find the craziest, is all of these 'outdoorsmen' who spend all their time online. Not just talking about this site, but the wave of older men who love the outdoors, and all you ever see is them talking on the computer. How about everyone get off their ass and go outside. That should calm things down.

how many hours a week do you get out and hike?
this is what we do when we're not on the trail. and most of us spend considerable time hiking, by the way.both activities help keep some perspective on sanity and whats really important.and we like too argue a bit, but its just like kids arguing about their favorite baseball teams, regardless of which team we support, we all love baseball.
and its a great place to learn about the sawyer in line water filter!