"Escape the Escarpment" TBTS fundraising event '05

[Jay H]

Thats good Jade, looking forward to meeting you. Kind of dismayed by the lack of action on the fundraising page, but I hope all of you have simply been collecting pledges via the pledge sheet.

My job is easy, thanks should go out to Warren and the volunteers like Darren, Ian, Teejay, Rich, and to everybody associated with this and the Devil's Path hike. I got an email from Tom Eske who unfortunately cannot make the hike, but he was very helpful lastyear even by shuttling us to Prediger Rd.

I don't know if I'm thinking ahead too much, but dayhiking the Great Range in the ADKs next year would be another challenge, although the water cache each year is going to get harder and harder!

Jay

 

[daxs]

Jay - I have been using the pledge sheet and collecting money that way

Seema - Don't worry. I am bringing a small cooler with a stash of diet pepsi

 

[jade]

I had planned to donate by check on Friday, but just went to the pledge page....you can count on a $20 cash donation for water and other treats from me as well.......thanks everyone!!
....Jade

 

[hermit]

I am going to hand Darren a check at the finish.I think he is going to be there,if not Jay will get it.$250 . 10 bucks a mile, that's my going rate . Teejay , I owe you a drink or 2 of your choice for the shuttle. Thank's ..I will be at Shutt rd.at 4:30 a.m.

 

[sli74]

Haven't had a chance to fundraise much this year, new job, new city . . . BUT I will hand over a check for my contribution.

sli74

 

[sbear]

Haven't had a chance to fundraise much this year, new job, new city . . . BUT I will hand over a check for my contribution.

sli74

Well, now I know whose name to put on my donation!! Happy hiking everyone, wish I could have joined this year.

Steve

 

[Jay H]

Steve, we'll miss ya this year, thanks for the luxurious transportation at the end last year and letting me crash in the hotel!

Maybe next year!

Jay

 

[Warren]

Darren, I just got a post nofication for a question about gettign there, but it's not here in the thread, but anyway:

84 will be free of NYC traffic. do aviod the major cities on 84 during rush hour they can delay you a bit. By your schedule you should miss out on that

 

[Jay H]

I think the only real traffic on 84 is typically by Hartford, but I know last year there were doing a lot of construction in and around Hartford area but it wasn't too restrictive. I'm not sure what there would be this year. However, taking 84 brings you to Newbergh and then you'd go north past New Paltz, past Kingston, past exit 20 to exit 21.

Would it be faster to simply take the Mass Pike to Albany or is there typically a lot of traffic in Albany?

Jay

 

[teejay]

Getting there

My experience has shown I-84 to be a zoo from Hartford to I-684 and the Taconic Parkway in NY. Hartford can be jammed as well as Waterbury and Danbury. Once you pass I-684 and the Taconic you get away from most of the NYC traffic but you'll still have quite a ways to go north when you reach the Thruway. It won't be as bad coming west in the afternoon or evening but it can still be bad.

If you take I-90 into New York and continue straight, don't exit, on the Thruway at exit B-1 you will run right into I-87 and almost completely miss Albany altogether.

I don't think taking the Mass Pike/Thruway will add very many miles, if any.

teejay

 

[Papa Bear]

A question for Jay: will you have a cell phone we can call if we get lost finding the place Friday evening or, for that matter, Saturday coming off the trail (say if your car spot is missing and everyone else is drinking beer somewhere)? Will the phones work near the campground and/or near the trail's end/restaurant?

As a backup, do you have a phone # for the campground and for the restaurant? You may have posted these somewhere. Forgive me if I missed it.

Thanks

 

[darren]

I deleted the post not too long after I posted it. I checked mapquest and figured out that the distance is just about the same going via the mass pike to albany. I usually go via albany so I'll go that way again.

Thanks

- darren

 

[Jay H]

Hey Rich, I don't have a cell phone, the campground phone is

(518) 821 2392. The nice lady who I've been conversing with is Peg Lynch, I'm sure she can help anybody that might be lost, she surely knows Rt 23 a lot better than I would. I'm hardly ever on Rt 23 itself, mostly south or cutting through Rt 23A.

I wouldn't know if the phones would work at the campsite, maybe, they would most likely be a pay phone at the campsite since it is a popular one. Since the escarpment trail is closer to the highway (I-87) than say the Devil's Path last year, there might even be reception on some of the viewpoints, Windham, perhaps North Point. I wouldn't know, like I said, I don't have an active cell phone.

I have a list of all the hikers that we'll update on Friday and on Saturday, we'll pretty sure have somebody chillin at the end. Dinner reservations are at 8pm at the Last Chance in Tannersville.

Maybe Friday night, we can update the list with anybody who has a cell phone. My little spreadsheet I have printed for Darren, Warren, and TeeJay has a column for a cell number. If any of you (Darren, Warren, TeeJay) has a cell phone, we could add that to the list and we could tape that to the inside window of one of our cars at the end and you could try to see if you can call one of them via a cell phone or perhaps a payphone in the campground itself.

However, I don't forsee that problem at all. Never had a problem at the Devil's Path and Spruceton road is more desolate than N/S Lake!

If anybody gets lost, feel free to call the campground. and we can organize the search party! Activate your PLB, send up signal flares, call the US National Guard, etc. etc.

Jay

 

[Guinness]

My Friday night plans have changed....again.....I'll be arriving at the campground around 9:00 on Friday. See you there!

 

[imarchant]

Hey Rich, I don't have a cell phone, the campground phone is

(518) 821 2392.

I wouldn't know if the phones would work at the campsite, maybe, they would most likely be a pay phone at the campsite since it is a popular one. Since the escarpment trail is closer to the highway (I-87) than say the Devil's Path last year, there might even be reception on some of the viewpoints, Windham, perhaps North Point. I wouldn't know, like I said, I don't have an active cell phone.

However, I don't forsee that problem at all. Never had a problem at the Devil's Path and Spruceton road is more desolate than N/S Lake!

If anybody gets lost, feel free to call the campground. and we can organize the search party! Activate your PLB, send up signal flares, call the US National Guard, etc. etc.

Jay

I have cellularone cell service. On Rt. 23 the campground is in an area with spotty coverage. It is at the base on a long climb. A couple miles up the road there are some increadable views. The is a strong signal from there. Once the road crests coverage drops completely, including the trailhead.

On the trail, I know there is a good signal from North point and all the viewpoints after that. There is a very weak signal on Blackhead. Windham peak and other views to the north most likely have a good signal.

Note: on the directions Rte 145 is a State rd, not a cnty rd.

 

[hikethe115]

I'm not sure if I'll have service there, but my cell phone is 845-926-6208.

 

[Warren]

I will not be able to leave work at my usual 2:00 time. I anticipate getting to the campground by 10:00 pm tonight. Pass this info onto all involved. Margaret will be up ahead of me and should be a capable substitute warren

 

[sli74]

Is there such a thing as a "substitute Warren"?
See ya tomorrow, I will be asleep by 10pm, hopefully.

sli74

 

[daxs]

With the weather we are having here in Jersey, I may roll in considerably later than my planned 8:30. We have had heavy winds and torrential rain all day long and the roads have alot of standing water in them. As if I did not already hate the Garden State Parkway. We are speaking about building a Coast Guard Ark its so bad.