Appalachian Trail (day 61) - Dennytown Road Campsite to Pawling / mile 1454

NY's deli blazing continued, weather was still fantastic and the trail conditions improved.

What I've encountered first thing in the morning was quite unexpected and very charming it it's simplicity. It was an oldschool dialup phone attached to a wooden board with a notice explaining what it was here for, it was called "Telephone of the Wind". I'll let you read the note yourself and in case you wondered, I've made a call myself.

Not long after trail was passing next to Ralph Peak Hikers Cabin, it was once an enclosed cabin but one end was removed to make three sided shelter. It had three bunk beds inside, a table, back porch and even a hiker box. The lawn was cut for additional tenting, it made you feel like you were in someone's backyard. I wish I've stayed here for the night.

My main goal of the day was of course food related, I was heading towards Corrado Pizzeria just off AT's mile 1440, I've got here at noon and made a big mistake of ordering a large "meat lovers" pizza. Antonio who was pizza chef did not question my decision and delivered me a huge 18 inches meat covered monstrosity. Despite all my hikers hunger I've only managed to eat half of it and packed the rest for later. Antonio started to question my "thru hikers" status claiming that he saw hikers eating the entire large pizzas before! It was his third daughters first birthday today and Antonio's wife came in with her to eat some pizza as well. All jokes aside it was a 25$ well spent and I enjoyed my time here.

After leaving pizzeria, trail was running next to some amazing old oak trees including 300 year old The Dover Oak, largest oak tree on Appalachian Trail with six feet diameter, a beautiful giant it was, hopefully it will get to live for another 300 years, or more!

Another trail curiosity was a lake called Nuclear Lake, the peculiar name came from the plutonium research facility that was once located on its shores. It was shut down in 1972 when a chemical explosion occured. The area was tested and deemed safe before AT was routed past it in late 70s. Unfortunately camping was not allowed on its shores and it was still a running joke in the community what kind of "special powers" one can obtain after having a swim in it.

I've stopped on an unmarked campsite just under a mile from another (and the last one in NY) restaurant called Tony's Deli, I was planning to get there tomorrow morning for a coffee and a light breakfast (I still had a quarter of Antonio's pizza to finish!) Great day, I couldn't ask for more really.

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