I awoke this morning after spending my first night in a lean-to. I knew the day was supposed to be a wash out. I saw the pinks of the sunrise and jumped from my sleeping bag, literally running down to the shore to catch the good light. Sure enough it lasted no more than two or three minutes, then the sky was all gray.
After making nearly 20 miles today from in town at Long Lake I arrived at the State campground in Lake Durant. It is supposed to rain very heavily tomorrow and my plan was to reserve 2 nights, take a zero miles day tomorrow and head into the nearby town of Blue Mountain Lake to visit the Adirondack Museum. When I arrived at the booth I was told there were no hammocks allowed at the campground. In some respects I can see why they might have such a policy but I use tree straps for my hammock so the ropes don’t damage the tree. Seems like a bad blanket policy.
I am very disappointed as I was looking forward to seeing the Adirondack Museum. Short of staying at Lake Durant and hitching into town I’d be going pretty out of my way. So I pushed on another 5 miles or so and made it to Stephen’s Pond lean-to.
The rain is supposed to start pretty early and I’m shot from nearly 25 miles today so I’m spending my very first night ever sleeping in a lean-to after 70 or so nights in the woods. Lean-to’s are generally dirty, attract rodents, and no where near as comfortable as a hammock but I’m super exhausted and well, don’t knock it till you try it…Mosquitoes are horrendous here so I’m using my hammock and its bug net like a bivy. I can hear a army of them buzzing around me right now.
