Bittersweet

I want to say thank you to everyone for their kind words, prayers, encouragement, and enthusiasm in my adventure.  However, Rachel and I have decided that this is not the year to complete.  Several factors have weighed into this decision and we are both good with it.  We are already working on future plans so that I will finally complete this trail. 

We decided that VT border would be the stopping point this year. 

Below are some pictures from atop Mount Greylock (highest point in MA) and less than 10 miles from VT border.  I have been fighting the rain the past couple of days and caught a break on top of the mountain.

I have made it home and spending some great time with my family this week before school starts.  If there is one thing that I learned this past month while hiking, it is that I miss my kids!!!  Reflecting on my father and watching other families out on the trail really made me realize how blessed I am with my family.  Hopefully some portions of the trail will be hiked with my kids by my side.

Thanks again for all the kind words...
Switchback-



Highest Point in MA



War Memorial on top of Mt Greylock



Mt Greylock



Rainy view from the top





Caught a break in the rain and a rainbow



Worth cutting ANY trip short



p.s.-  If you have asked Rachel recently where I was, she may have told you a "white lie".  We wanted the kids to be the first to know and not have it posted on Facebook before I was able to post it first.  thanks for understanding.

The Cookie Lady

I have successfully pulled off the slackpacking between Great Barrington, MA and Dalton, MA.  Below are some pictures from that section.  There is a lady, "cookie lady", that runs a blueberry farm along the trail and she caters to hikers.  She bakes cookies for all hikers, allows tenting on her property, you can pick fresh blueberries for $2 per lb, allows you to replenish your water from her well, and sells other snacks. 



County Road Crossing the AT

Bro- No shoulders... the friendly kind

A hawk that flew through the trail and perched to watch me walk by.

Switchback at the blueberry farm

Show how dry the trail is this year.  These boards are placed b/c this is typically a very wet area. 
So wet that the boards are used to keep you out of the mud and damaging the trail.

Into Mass.

View in CT

Halfway through CT I officially entered the New England area.  This is beautiful country.  Since I last wrote, I have entered Massachusetts and made my way to the town of Great Barrington.  Nice place with lots of history. 

I stayed the night in the Eastern Mountain Retreat Center.  This is a "multi religion silent retreat center".  Evidentally, when there is an active retreat, you cannot talk while here.  Luckily, the few of us hikers that stayed there hit it on a night when there is no active retreat. 

 

Below are some shots from the end of  CT and the beginning of Mass. 



On top of Bear Mt CT- Highest point in CT




On top of Bear Mt CT

Looking out over CT



Crossing stream on CT/MA border



Into MA



View of Mt Everett in the distance-
Had to climb over it before setting up camp for the evening

Much needed "trail magic" from a "trail angel"...
water has been tough to come by in the woods lately, water like this is WONDERFUL!

boarded walk in the woods

Shhhh!

In an effort to help my foot, I have shuttled north to the town of Dalton (free hostel) and will be slackpacking the section between Great Barrington and Dalton.  Slackpacking is hiking sections without your full pack.  I found someone to shuttle me to/from different points along the trail.  This will hopefully be a bit easier on the pain.  If all goes well, I will be in Vermont by Sunday or Monday.







History

I spent a few hours in Great Barrington and Pittsfield waiting on my shuttles to Dalton.  I decided to walk around and look at some of the history... wow!  Check this stuff out.


This is actually on the trail before GB, but worth noting.



Church in GB

Site of 1st resistance to the Brits



Another old Church



Once a private home in GB, this castle is now a school for troubled youth



Worth reading, especially for baseball fans.  Sign found in Pittfield, MA



CT is Beautiful!!

Salisbury, CT Library

CT is a beautiful state.  The bugs are the worst here by far but the hiking has been wonderful.  I have slowed my pace a bit so my days are a bit longer.  I am currently in the town of Salisbury, CT.  Weather has been pretty good with a few afternoon thunderstorms.  However, tonight we are under flash flood warnings until the morning so I plan to find a roof tonight. 

I haven't shared my injury story yet on the blog due to pride but enough people know already so I guess I'll share it.  I fell in New Jersey down some rocks and injured a toe on my left foot.  I thought it would go away but it actually kept getting worse.  I finally went to see a Dr and they confirmed that I have a hairline fracture.  He told me that there is not much he can do but it would help to stay off of it... so I continued hiking.  It has slowed me down and hurts on the downhills but I have managed to limp through it.

I should probably take a couple of days to rest my foot.  We will see what happens.  The MA border is within a days walk from here... 

Below are a couple of pictures and a link to a video I took of Kokepelli playing the American Indian Flute.   http://youtu.be/BBRQML6gLsQ 

Thanks for all the emails and encouragement... Switchback!

View after a 1000 foot climb.  Drying out clothes while resting.

Housatonic River

Happy Birthday Pop 7/31/12

Pop and my kids (early 2009)

Bridge over Hudson River

July 31st-  Today is my dad's birthday and I have spent a lot of time thinking about him today.  He would be 67 today. I attribute my love for the outdoors largely to him.  A lot of people do not know that my father, the computer programmer, graduated with a Biology degree from Mercer and a Masters degree in vertebrate zoology from Auburn (War Eagle).  He had a love for everything outdoors.  From the beach to the mountains and from plants to animals, he was always pointing something out or identifying something for us boys.
As I walk through the woods early in the morning and listen to the birds sing, I hear my father whistling at me as if he was saying "hello".
I know that dad wanted to spend more time with his grandkids, he wanted to take simple walks with them and get to know them.  He wanted to watch them grow, see them graduate, and be there for their weddings.  He wanted to make sure that they knew him and wouldn't forget them. 

He left me with a great love for the outdoors that I can enjoy and pass along to my children.  I will always do everything I can to remind them of my father and teach them about the outdoors as he did for me.

Another state down

Dover Oak Tree

I am now in CT!!!  I have managed to stay around a couple of hikers (Knoxville and Duck Soup) and keep their pace.  However, I think it is taking a toll on my body.  I caught them at a road crossing with a couple of trail angels.  This is at the Dover Oak Tree, the largest oak tree on the AT.  Girth of 20' 4" and estimated over 300 years old.  

 Below are some pics from the last week.. finishing out NY and crossing into CT.

trying to keep warm

Kokopeli playing his Native American flute

Shelter for the night... watching a storm roll through

View of Bear Mt Bridge

random view in NY

Farm walking in NY

Train station stop on the trail to NYC

Wooden Water tower-NY

Farm in NY

Green tunnel in NY

Drying out clothes after storm- NY

NY/CT state line

River Crossing- CT

Drying out clothes during lunch- CT