Got My Blue Blazes Back! - Day 161

  I have turned another corner, and I'm now on the Onondaga Branch of the Finger Lakes Trail. This one is blazed blue because it's the branch the North Country Trail takes to head northward toward the Adirondacks. This blue isn't the same as North Country blue, but it's blue! This is the east end mentioned in A Halfway of Sorts.

There are nice stepping stones that were added across Cheningo Creek since I was here last. Very much appreciated. I don't think high water will dislodge those!

Beautiful Cuyler Hill greened up for me, just in time for my arrival. This is where the Onondaga Branch splits off.

Possibly the most interesting event of the day was that I met a man (Dave) who is on a 4-month adventure loop. He started hiking in New York City on the Long Path (not the Long Trail) that connects to the Finger Lakes Trail eastern terminus. Then he hiked west. He's going to hike all the way to the Pennsylvania border where he has a bicycle. Then he's going to ride north to Buffalo, east to somewhere and back to NYC.

We chatted briefly, and then each moved on. I hadn't gone more than a tenth of a mile when I saw a very new bungee cord on the path. I picked it up, and there was also a cord for some electronics there. I knew it had to be Dave's. The trail was right beside a dirt road, and he would have to cross it to continue. I also had maybe an extra minute to catch him because there was a trail register box there that he would sign. I hoofed it back down the road, calling his name every so often. Sure enough, he heard me when he crossed the road. He was mighty glad he didn't lose that cord.

Long day, but blue blazes and meeting Dave at the end of the day perked me up.

Bonus section: Not that bad a day.

Any time I begin to think I'm having a bad day, I'll just look at this picture and be assured I'm not having that bad of a day!

Miles today: 15.6. Total miles so far: 2075.6

See Max and Peaches