July 26 Mile 1410-
One would think that after a certain time of daily snake sightings one would get use to them. If I was going to get bit by a rattle, today was the day. My mind has been in "bear mode" and not in "snake mode" lately. Here's what happened. It was before lunch, we just finished climbing Anthony's Nose Mountain and coming close to our 1400 mile marker. I was in front not really looking at the trail, as my scan was farther down and on either side of the trail...for bears. The trail was wide and well used. I place my right foot down and saw movement. What I brushed off as a limb, was actually a 4 foot rattle in the middle of the trail. I did a high step, long leap, run up the trail. After stopping and lowering my heart rate, Shadow and I met on either side of him to inspect. He had 8 rattles and 3 lumps which I can only assume were chipmunks, aka his breakfast. We have learned there is a direct connection between the amount of snakes versus the amount of chipmunks we see. The more snakes, the fewer chipmunks. After freaking out a few more miles, I calmed down.
We passed 1400 miles today! Whohoo! As we sit this evening there are 770 miles let to go. Meet a couple more SOBOs today at a mini-mart along the trail. Grabbed a slushy to cool off and continued on. We ended the day in Clarence Fahnestock State Park. Clarence started acquiring land in 1900 to make this park so it is laced with stone walls from former residents. The stone walls here are different than down South. Here the are much wider, but just as tall.
An afternoon thunderstorm blew in to cool things off. We heard more rain was to come so we set up camp early.
New York has been a pickle for us. We've been either extremely hot or extremely wet everyday. Looking forward and still Northbound.
Country Mouse and Shadow still NOBO (North Bound)
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