We'll leave the light on!

My last post led to the Burroughs Memorial in Rochester Hollow. For those who would like to spend the night in the area, I highly recommend this five-star accommodation found farther up the trail. No reservations are needed and there's always a vacancy, or at least a little corner to oneself.

This lean-to is the ultimate in camping comfort, hence the high rating (suck it, Plaza!) It's solidly built and the three walls are well-insulated.

There's a stone fire pit at the entrance...

and plenty of firewood.

A frying pan and spatula are included in your visit...

as well as a broom for cleaning up (or to serve as a pretend dance partner).

There are hooks for hanging your soggy clothes and shelves for storing your gear. On one shelf I found an EEKtm (Emergency Environment Kit) stuffed into a Tropicana bottle.

Let's open it, shall we? An array of its contents reveal...

-emery boards and nail clippers, because no one likes a messy manicure on the trail.
-needle and thread for when you have to sew up a gaping wound (C'mon, that's what  they always do in the movies!)
-a toothbrush (I'll take my chances with a twig, thank you very much)
-a Vicks inhaler (the ragweed count is pretty high right now)
-Chapstick (I'll pass on this, too)
-a dime (a coin toss is the only fair way to determine who gets the primo sleeping  location)
-a panoply of lighters
-a pencil for crossword puzzles & a pen if you're really good at them.
-plastic baggies
-dress socks, for that rare, but impromptu job interview in the forest.

I stuffed a surprise in the bottle...but I'm not sayin'! You'll have to find it yourself.

And lastly, but in NO WAY least (amirite, ladies?) is an outhouse!

And what an outhouse it is! It's HUGE! And CLEAN! And handicap-equipped! (I wish my dog would stop being such a camera hog. Jeez!)

In fact, disabled persons are permitted to use an ATV throughout all of these trails. How wonderful is that?! Seriously, this is the best lean-to I've ever come across in the Catskills. I wouldn't be surprised to find a mint on my bedroll in the morning.