July 19: Leaving Garrison, NY

I got a bonus phone call after Jonathan returned to last night's roosting place to retrieve their phone which had been charging and forgotten. They spent the night at Graymoor Spiritual Life Center which is a Roman Catholic religious community of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. They are located atop a mountain overlooking the Hudson River Valley and have been providing hospitality to hikers for many years. They stayed in a field with a community of a dozen or more other hikers, including 3 dogs. They enjoy the company of dogs. BAM was there as well as a group of 3 women. Madeline enjoys finding the company of other women for men far outnumber women on the trail. The Friars used to actually provide rooms, dinner, showers and laundry service to the hikers but perhaps the number of hikers has swelled beyond their capacity to do so anymore. The hikers had planned on a shorter day yesterday but plans were thwarted by a lack of water at their original destination so they pushed on another 5 miles to Graymoor (very thirsty) but well worth the extra miles. Water is filtered from streams along the way and with lack of rain, one can not always depend on the sources. They have a lofty goal of 19 miles today.