Day #15 on the Paumanok Path...

Another early wake up for us today! We left for the trail by 5:40 am, and were walking out by 7 am. We have found this helps us maintain a much better time schedule, due to the distance we now have to drive to even start.  We have determined that including today, there are 4 more days of hiking until we reach the finish line at the Montauk Lighthouse. We are getting very excited to finish up this great achievement we set out to do back in June.

So our hike began on Northwest Road, and brought us immediately into some interesting history. Along with the remains of a well and a foundation from a home, there were stones that marked the foundation of an old school house that housed 30-40 students and the teacher!











The logs you see in the picture were placed along the existing foundation corners to show just how small this school house was. We were fascinated with these areas of history and all of the information that is researched and posted for us to learn from. What a great start to our day!




Some of my photos seem random, like this leaf that looks like a crab claw, but we are mostly in woods, surrounded by brown pine needles and fallen leaves, and plenty of green leaves still on the brush and trees.  So, when a pop of color shows up, it is quite prominent to us, and I feel it deserves its own picture. I think I enjoy finding these random pops of color throughout our walks.

side of the road selfie

We began today's hike thinking we were walking about 9 . 5 miles. The first three miles went very quickly, as we were walking through mostly woods, in what is listed as Northwest Harbor on the map.  We crossed over a few roads, but for the most part, were in the woods.

We wound around the trail and came up on the longest foot bridge we have had to cross thus far.  Most of the little ones we cross were amazing projects completed by eagle scouts, that help walk over muddy areas, or very little streams in the woods. Today, we walked over a lengthy bridge that crossed a pretty extensive stream (the largest one we've come across yet).

 After crossing this marshy area, we came into an area of tall skinny trees, which looked cool, but the trail is not as pronounced in these types of woods and you rely on the blazes to guide you.  Because the trees are so skinny, it sometimes becomes difficult to locate the blazes. So you definitely have to pay attention through here.

a view from our day 

We came across a few turtles again today. This has become one of my favorite parts of hiking. Because I was able to snap a picture face on with a turtle before, I am trying to have all the turtles I see, pose for a selfie. Some are more cooperative than others.

This guy was really small and skittish.  I try very hard not to disturb their travels, but am very excited to have them be a part of our daily experience.

The next one we came across was struggling to climb up the mossy ledge. It was the perfect angle for me to grab a shot before moving along.

The last one we saw hung out and didn't seem too shy as I tried to get close up for his shot. I started reading a little information about these beautiful creatures, and found a very informative website HERE.

One really important thing I learned is how important it is to not to take a box turtle from where you found it, as they never wander far from where they were born.  According to the WEBSITE,  A common trait that many box turtles share is a deep connection to the location they were born in. Most specimens do not travel far from the place of their birth. One of the leading causes in the decline of box turtles is humans taking them from their homes and then re-releasing them elsewhere in the wild. Box turtles who experience this will often wander aimlessly, trying to find their original home until they die.

 

We usually see plenty of deer in our travels, usually trotting away because we have startled them by walking. Today, we were lucky to grab these photos, as the deer were just as curious as we were. Several times, the deer just stood and watched as we slowly walked on the trail.

another pop of color

We both agreed that this section was absolutely beautiful. One of our favorites to walk through.  This section of the trail ended up being 11.3 miles, instead of the 9 . 5 that we had thought, but we made it to the end.

You can check out our latest progress on the map below. When totaling up the mileage of each hike we have taken, the distance is just under 98 miles.  We will hit the 100 mile mark when we continue the hike this week.  With about 27 miles left, we are excited for the end!

Until Next Time,
Rosa & The Thruhiker's Wife