August 10-12, 2024. 22 miles (which I turned into 29).
Time to start seriously training for my fall thru-hike. Past time, really. This means hiking with all my gear from now on whenever possible, with some days off for rest.
So, with a full pack, on Aug. 10 I did an out-and-back of five miles on the southern portion of the WVRT (Gardiner to the southern terminus and back). On Aug. 11, I did the portion between Gardiner and New Paltz (ten total miles out-and-back), and today I left my car in New Paltz and got a ride to the northern terminus in Ulster and hiked close to fourteen miles to return to my car. My back seems to have healed and is doing well.
The WVRT is popular trail, and I saw many people walking and biking each day. Almost every single person said hello to me with a friendly smile. I am not used to that. In New England, people do sometimes nod at passersby and may occasionally smile, but not to the extent it happened on this rail trail. Maybe it was because I was wearing a giant loaded backpack and therefore looked a little out of place? Anyway, I liked it. People were nice.
The rail trail offers views of the Shawangunks on its southern section. As you move north, you get streams, lakes, marshes, some old minings caves, a trestle bridge, and some historical buildings related to the Rosendale cement industry (Rosendale cement was used in building the Brooklyn Bridge). The most northern couple of miles in Ulster feel more wild and remote. The whole thing put together is a nice walk/ride, and the local communities make good use of it.
