Day #8 on the Paumanok Path...

Last week, I ventured out to see what the next portion would look like for Rosa and I, and was met with some pretty challenging events... getting a little lost, several times, breaking my prescription sunglasses, and my phone battery dying. I want to say a huge thank you to all that reached out to me and offered a portable phone charger for my next venture.  I did appreciate the outpouring of concern.  A huge shout out to my trail angel Kenn, because last night he dropped this off with a note attached.

trail angel gift from Kenn

So as of today, I am fully backed up with a heavy duty back up charger, "adventure" edition.  Thank you Brother K.

Rosa and I were back on the trail this morning, and ready to go! It was decided we would hike from where we were last picked up together, 2 weeks ago.  Last week's adventure was just a trial run for the upcoming, underdeveloped portion of the trail.  Today, we were ready.

our trail angel Mike dropping us off

Mike dropped us off at the intersection of Newtown Road and Gate Street in Hampton Bays. We proceeded down Gate Street, and walked the length of Canal Road West, along side of the Shinnecock Canal.  Thanks for the ride ~ now we set off to hike approximately 10 miles to where my jeep was parked.



As we crossed over the canal, we took some selfies as the view was much better than last week.

Shinnecock Canal Selfie

The next few miles would be spent navigating through residential roads, thankfully marked with bright white blazes.  This is the section I missed last week, as I did not see the white marked at the entrance of Old Canoe Place Road. Even though we were road walking, it was down a private, quiet street, with beautiful homes, and minimal traffic. The trail took us along side some homes still unders construction and into another beautiful section of woods.

We weaved our way through the woods, and ended up at the entrance to the Nature Sanctuary. This was the place where my glasses broke, and I was covered in ticks last week.  We reapplied our tick spray and dove it.  Almost waist high in weeds, branches and brush at times, it was the hottest part of the day for us, and with no shade in sight, we couldn't wait to get through this section of the trail. We saw some beauty, like the lonely orange flower blossoming among greenery, and some not so pleasant views, like this pile of bones lying in the trail.  Thankfully, we exited the Sanctuary with no ticks, and were on our way to another section of road walking.

We walked east on Route 27, and crossed over at Tuckahoe Road through a few miles of residential streets.  This portion of the trail, which crosses through the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, is completely out in the open.  There is no shade, just winding roads, in the heat. We headed east on Sebonac Road, and were so tired and hot. So, with these conditions, there was nothing better than the Mr. Softee ice cream truck that pulled up near Tuckahoe School. Of course, we flagged him down and bought creamsicle bars.  What a welcomed treat as we continued along the road to the entrance to Tuckahoe Woods Preserve.

Orange Creamsicle Treats!

With just under 9 miles under our belts at this point, we were really feeling the heat, and were so tired! The walk through the woods here was fairly uneventful, other than a few welcomed rests at various benches that were built by Eagle Scouts, and random bursts of very cool air, as if someone had opened a fridge right above us. Those were wonderful.

a welcomed rest stop in the Tuckahoe Woods

 The view from this bench was great - you can see for miles around. The bench was a nice place to rest our legs after the walking we did through the Preserve.
We sat, enjoyed our water break, reapplied our tick spray and were on our way to the last leg of our hike.  I think at this point, we just wanted to be at the car. Between the heat, and now having over 10 miles under our feet. it was time ot call it a day.


The last part of today's trail was some of my favorite, so far. The huge fallen trees, the twisted tree trunks, patches of ferns, and foot bridges were very interesting and fun to walk through.

One of many uprooted tree trunks

twisted tree branches

one of the many foot bridges we crossed

As we approached Millstone Brook Road, we developed a pep in our step, as we knew we were close to the car.  Only a few more minutes of road walking, and my jeep would be around the corner, waiting in the wooded lot of the Nature Preserve. And just like that, there it is! THANK GOD!

so happy to be done after 12.8 miles!

 So, you can check out our progress on the map below. A long, but very rewarding day for us!

Until Next Time, 

Rosa & The Thruhiker's Wife

A Few Days to Decompress...

After a 90 mile day, riding for 13 hours, the guys rolled into Steamboat Springs Wednesday afternoon.  This now being their final destination for this adventure, I am sure they were excited to just relax.  They logged a total of 1,664.8 miles along the Great Divide ~ WOW! That's awesome guys!

MattyRedrock was able to meet up with his uncle, who needless to say, was happy to greet him.

He is yet another trail angel along their journey, as he has put them up in his apartment for a few days until they fly home.  They secured flights back to NY for Saturday, so it leaves them a few days to wrap up some chores, like laundry, shipping their bikes home, and hopefully a shower or too before they come home to greet us!  I am hoping Scarecrow will revisit some of the great people and places he remembers from his CDT hike before he comes home.  Especially for our youngest trackers, Jimmy and Kiera Flynn, here is their CURRENT LOCATION

The guys are safe, happy and anxious to come home.  It's not usual for Scarecrow to be anywhere on his journey for days at a time, so he is anxious to be on his way.  We have been chatting over the past few days, and he is excited to meet our new addition "Luna" as well as relax a bit before returning to the daily grind of work.

This has been a wonderful, rigorous adventure for the guys ~ I cannot wait to see the rest of the pictures and hear your stories when you return home.  Safe flights for both of you ~ different flights into different airports!

Until Next Time,

Corinne & The Thruhiker's Wife

I found my Shoes in a Tree!

As the guys headed South, Scarecrow was excited that the bike route was directing them through a town called Lima.  Scarecrow had hiked through this town back in 2014 while thruhiking the CDT.  He had fond memories of this little town, one reason being it was a mail drop for hikers along the trail.  The Mountain View Motel accepted packages and mail for the hikers along the CDT, as well as cyclists riding the Divide.  Many hikers had new shoes sent to them at this location, and it was tradition to leave your old pair on the "Hiker Shoe Trees".  Scarecrow had left his worn out Montrail hiking shoes there, and when he returned to the motel over this past weekend, he not only found his shoes, but met up with Mike, the owner, who remembered Scarecrow from two years ago!

"Hiker Shoe Trees, in honor of the shoes that have walked the Continental Divide Trail, 3100 miles border to border

That was a very happy moment for Scarecrow.  While at the motel, the guys took a room, so they could not only rest, but fix up their bikes.  Flat tires are frequent, due to the gravel, litter, and other roughness on their tires.

much needed bike repair!

While staying the night at the Mountain View Motel, Scarecrow and MattyRedrock ran into two CDT thruhikers that were tent camping for the night.  Scarecrow knew all too well what that was like, and decided to give some trail magic to these hikers.  He went to the front desk, asked if there was availability, and bought the hikers a room for the night.  He said it felt so good to be the one giving the "trail magic" as he had been the recipient on so many occasions in the past.  The tow hikers, one named "Knees" and the other named "Homework" were very appreciative and I am sure well rested by morning.

 Knees & Scarecrow

Scarecrow & Homework

While talking with the two thruhikers, I am sure Scarecrow shared his Triple Crown stories with the guys.  "Homework" actually recorded a podcast about Scarecrow and his achievements.  Pretty cool, heh?

The guys were very happy to have finally left Montana and enter into Idaho. It seemed like forever that they were in Montana!

Montana/Idaho border crossing!

This sign literally marks the border between the two states.  They will only be in Idaho for a short time, before crossing over into Wyoming.  They were expected to reach there as of yesterday.  Of course, they are meeting people from all over the world, including a family from France.  The wife of the family took this picture for the guys.  "Merci beaucoup!"  The guys also met a woman, driving her car through the area, and the license plates were from North Carolina.  She also had an AT sticker, so Scarecrow struck up conversation with her to find out that she is an AT thruhiker, and is a trail angel for hikers along the Appalachian Trail.  Forgive me for maybe misspelling it, but Scarecrow said her name was Rayen Bird.  Awesome stories of awesome people they are meeting along the way.

Scarecrow ended his update with me sending this picture.  The guys LOVE when they see signs like this, as it means DOWNHILL riding for them.

We wish for you a smooth, downhill ride for the remainder of your travels.  We remain so proud of all that the two of you are accomplishing on this trip.  We are all cheering and supporting you guys to your destination! To see where they last checked in, click HERE

Until next time,

Corinne & The Thruhiker's Wife

Let's Meet Some of the Trail Angels along the Divide...

A great check- in from Scarecrow with lots of thanks for the folks they have met thus far.

Scarecrow, Duncan, and MattyRedrock

 At the beginning of their journey, Scarecrow needed some last minute adjustments on his bike, so they found a place called Gear Hub, in Fernie, Canada.  Scarecrow wanted to give a shout out to Duncan, from Gear Hub, who worked on his bike and got him back up and running on the trail in the same day.  He said they were helpful friendly and efficient in getting him back up and running! So, if you are ever in need of some professional, friendly assistance for your trip on the Great Divide, visit DUNCAN at Gear Hub and he will take care of you. Thank you Duncan!

Felesha & Jeremiah

When the guys left Eureka, Montana, they stopped at the H.A. Brewing Co. and had their 48 oz Limit of the Pioneer Ale with their server Patricia and two locals that were very helpful with the upcoming town of Whitefish, Montana.  Thank you Patricia, for I am sure they savored every last drop of their refreshments before they left.  And, to Felesha and Jeremiah, thank you for any and all information you provided to our guys!

Patricia from H.A. Brewing Co.

If you are in the Eureka area, stop into H.A. Brewing Co. and ask for Patricia. You will get outstanding service and a delicious beer! 

The guys were on their way, but before they ventured on with their long trek, they decided to indulge in some goodies.  Scarecrow said, "We couldn't resist packing in a back country growler and a foot long subway each."  Enjoy!

goodies from town

So Matt & Ted's Excellent Adventure continued on, and the guys knew they had a long trek ahead of them.  They were headed for Whitefish, Montana, which was over 50 miles away.  Well, they arrived safely, performing what Scarecrow calls "the full pack explosion" to dry themselves out.  In a text, he wrote, "After 62 miles of 12 hours of rain with 2 crippled bikes, we had to do the full pack explosion to dry things out at the Stump Town Inn, in the town of Whitefish, Montana, while our bikes were being repaired."  Thank God for the sunny skies above to help with that mission.

the full pack explosion

After a long phone check in with Scarecrow, I am happy to report that things are looking up for both of them.  Their bikes are being repaired, they are taking a zero day to get chores done like laundry, hydration, and rest for their legs.  Enjoy your day off, guys!! You deserve it!  Upon your reentry to the trail tomorrow, may you have smooth cycling, a healthy bike, beautiful weather and strength to get you to your next stop.  Just keep pedaling! #mattandtedsexcellentadventure

Wishing you the best,

Corinne & The Thruhiker's Wife

Introducing their first Trail Angels...

Matt and Ted landed safely in Calgary, Canada around 7:30 pm (our time).  They were met by my cousins Gary and Mary Leskowitz, who were gracious enough to not only pick them up from the airport, but give them a place to eat, sleep and pack their bikes for the upcoming trip.  From the moment that they heard about what Teddy was doing, they were excited and ready to assist with whatever was needed to assure a smooth arrival into Canada.

Mary was so kind to take pictures of the guys getting ready.  They had to transport their bikes disassembled in boxes, so their first task was to put their bikes back together.  Looks like that chore was a success!

photo by Mary Leskowitz

photo by Mary Leskowitz

 The guys also needed to unpack and rearrange their belongings to fit in the bike bags ~ this was no easy task! You can just ask Corinne and myself about what packing day was like before they left.

photo by Mary Leskowitz

 Thank you to the Leskowitz family for the accommodating space and willingness to open your home to our husbands.  It is EXACTLY what they needed to be able to begin their journey on a positive note.

Looks like MattyRedrock is all packed up and ready to go! From the background, it looks like Scarecrow is NOT so ready ~ I hope you can get all of your stuff together Teddy!

photo by Mary Leskowitz

 After packing, the guys were invited to a BBQ, which I am sure they appreciated very much.  Home cooked food will be scarce for the next month, so I hope you were able to bulk up on some good eats before you left.

My cousins live in Calgary, about 10-15 minutes from the airport where the guys flew in.  The beginning of their ride begins in Banff National Park, about an hour and 25  minutes away from their home.  Thank God for the internet, because now everyone can see the route from Calgary to Banff by clicking HERE.  Scarecrow and I actually watched this a few weeks ago to get an idea of what he would be seeing.  Cool, right?

So, today, after what Scarecrow described as an awesome breakfast, Gary packed up their bikes onto his car, they said their goodbyes to our awesome family of trail angels, and were on their way to Banff.

photo by Mary Leskowitz

photo by Mary Leskowitz

You both look great! Smiling, thumbs up, and ready to go!  We all hope and pray you remain this happy, healthy and positive for the duration of your ride on the divide.  As the guys get on the trail, and begin their ride, you can  CLICK HERE TO TRACK THEM.  I will provide this link in every blog post, so don't worry about having to find it.  

Once again, a huge THANK YOU to Gary, Mary, Nathaniel and Noel Leskowitz for your generous hospitality and kindness.  Your family has helped these two begin their journey ~ all of you are amazing trail angels, and we appreciate all that you have done for Matt and Ted's Excellent Adventure!

With love, appreciation and gratitude,

Corinne & The Thruhiker's Wife

Scarecrow's Triple Crown Homecoming!

photo by Darien Maginn Photography

It has been almost a month since Scarecrow arrived home to his family and friends.  It has been a whirlwind to say the least.  Let me rewind and share with you some of the highlights and happenings of Scarecrow since his completion of the CDT on September 23rd... the day he became a Triple Crown Hiker.

To arrive home to us from the finish line, Scarecrow had to travel from Canada back into the United States, via a hitch from a couple named David and Melissa D'Angelo.   I had shared an email they sent on September 24t.  I will repost this from an earlier entry:
An email entitled "Greetings from a Scarecrow Hitch" came through today:

Hi,

I wanted to let you know my wife and I had the pleasure of picking up Teddy this afternoon just south of the US/Canada border. Please wish him once again our congrats on having just completed the Triple Crown. While he may have been stinky on the exterior, it was quite clear he's awesome on the inside. We had a great opportunity to talk before dropping him off in East Glacier. It was fun to hear about his adventures. We hope that when you and your family get to visit Glacier, that you'll enjoy it as much as my wife and I have.

Wishing you all the best,

David & Melissa D'Angelo

PS: Once I get the photos off the camera, I'll send you a photo from an overlook we took while driving with Teddy to East Glacier.

THANK YOU again to David and Melissa,  and thank you for getting Teddy safely to his destination.

Once back in the United States, in the town of East Glacier, Montana, he would catch a train in the Amtrak Station to Spokane, Washington.  This train would arrive at 3:45 a.m. where our family trail angels, Willie and Mary Ruthkowski, would pick him up and bring him to their house about 45 minutes away.  While enjoying comfort of family, Teddy got to rest, visit with two amazing people and have the best waffles he had ever eaten.  As a matter of fact, a waffle iron is now on our purchase list because of Aunt Mary's recipe.  

Scarecrow visits with the Ruthkowski trail angels

After a few hours of catching up on Scarecrow's adventure, it was time to be driven to the Spokane airport for a flight to Denver, Colorado to begin his journey back across the country to New York.  A huge thank you goes out to Aunt Mary and Uncle Willie for the pick up and drop off from teh Amtrak and airport, along with the meal, company, love and support you continue to show me and my family.

After a safe flight to Denver, Scarecrow stayed in a local motel overnight in anticipation of his early morning flight (6:00 a.m.) to New York, via a layover in Maryland.  I am sure he was just as anxious as his family to get home after all of that traveling.

While Teddy was plane hopping on Southwest Airlines, some of his biggest supporters gathered at the airport to greet him as he arrived.  We were all excited and nervous to see Teddy.  I also was lucky enough to have Darien Maginn there with us to capture the anticipation, happiness, excitement, love and support that was waiting for Teddy as he disembarked the plane.  She, as most of you know, is the amazing photographer who joined us for Teddy's last homecoming from his PCT adventure.  Thank you so much for your fantastic work and for capturing these very important, exciting memories for me and my family.

Cathy, the kids and I made posters to greet Scarecrow - I was happy to have something to hold onto as I awaited the sight of Teddy turning the corner.  As we waited, with each person exiting the plane and walking through the gate, my heart began beating faster and faster.  He was basically the LAST one to come through the gate to greet us, but as soon as we had a glimpse of his tall, thin frame coming around the corner, excitement was everywhere.

photo by Darien Maginn Photography

We were clapping, waving, and I was crying of course.  Pride, relief, happiness, joy and love filled the airport for Scarecrow as he turned the corner and came through the door, walking stick in hand.  He looked so much thinner, and much hairier than when we saw him last!! It's a DONE DEAL - he left on his journey and returned a TRIPLE CROWN HIKER.

photo by Darien Maginn Photography

As anxious as everyone was to see Teddy and congratulate him, the kids and I were able to give a first round of hugs and present him with our own version of the crown he has worked so hard to achieve.

photo by Darien Maginn Photography

photo by Darien Maginn Photography

 

photo by Darien Maginn Photography

We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in our lives, celebrating these amazing moments with us, being there with and for us, and sharing in our joy and happiness as we cheer Scarecrow on towards his goal.

photo by Darien Maginn Photography

Thank you to everyone who came to the airport to greet Scarecrow as he arrived home.  And thank you Darien Maginn, for capturing these moments - you were right on point with his homecoming AGAIN.  I loved putting together this comparison of your amazing work from the last two trails.

photos by Darien Maginn Photography

We were headed home to begin our homecoming celebration.  

Grateful and appreciative for the support,

The Thruhiker's Wife