Mile 772 (NY) : September 6, South of Dennytown Rd

Both MacGyver and Impact were up and getting ready as I had breakfast. This shelter had a picnic table and we sat and talked for a while at the table. They planned to hike to RPH shelter, about 8-9 miles away. I wasn’t sure how far I would go today but wished them well and headed out.

It was supposed to be another warm day with afternoon thunderstorms then cooler weather following the rain. The trail crossed several roads in the morning and I was glad to find some trail angel had stashed water jugs at each crossing. And at one there was a cooler with some cold drinks as well.

A short while later I came to a high point with a view. There were two SOBO hikers resting there—Tinkerbell and Cool Boi. I had seen their entries in trail logs recently and notes of thanks at the water jugs. They were from Boise, Idaho. Tinkerbell is an O.R. nurse and Cool Boi recently completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering.

The trail descended and crossed under the Taconic State Parkway. Just on the other side was the RPH Shelter. It was an old building with a porch, covered picnic tables, bunks, a nice grassy area, and looked very inviting.

I stopped in to have a rest and eat at the tables. A little while later Tinkerbell and Cool Boi arrived. We all had a good break and they said they planned to go to the Canopus Lake Beach as their next stop. It was about 5 miles away which would put them there in mid afternoon. I said it sounded good and I might stop there for a swim as well. I had also read that the park had concessions—snacks, drinks, and grill items.

I headed out first and hiked the five miles in the increasingly warm day. Before the beach there was an overlook. The lake looked like it had quite a bit of plant life—not great from up here. But there was a dock and I looked forward to a cold drink and something to eat.

But as I reached the bottom of the hill and trail junction there was a sign that said the concessions wouldn’t be open daily after Labor Day. Well, that was it. No beach for me. I continued on down the trail for a couple more hours until I heard thunderstorms in the distance. I quickly found a place to set up and thankfully beat the storms. I hung out dry and cozy in my hammock as the storms continued through the evening.