An unexpected side trip

Most thru hikes take 5-6 months to finish and for many "life happens" at least once during that time; pulling them off trail.  

Since we want the full AT experience, we were excited to have a "life happens" moment this week.  My daughter Taylor was serving a mission in Japan.  She was due home October 30 and we planned to finish our hike and be home for her return.  After a recent bike accident they decided to send her home early nothing life threatening, just some knee issues).  So, Erik and I jumped off trail to fly home and be there for her return.  (The trip from Great Barrington, Massachusetts to Albany airport was an interesting exercise in cultural diversity as we took two commuter busses, a Greyhound, an Uber and then a shuttle; but we made it and enjoyed seeing family and friends).  We flew back Monday to get back on trail Tuesday. 

The trail gets easier as we head south but we still need to manage our knees and feet so they last the full distance.  I developed a loping gate to mitigate the impacts of steeper descents and envisioned Legolas with his agility, grace and light steps.  I fear I look more like Cornelius from Planet of the Apes but either way, the feet are getting a little better.

We have been hiking through the Berkshires and enjoyed the easier trail conditions and scenery.  Things did get wet for a few days (heaviest rain we have experienced) but that did not dampen our enthusiasm.  Still enjoying every day on trail as we meet people, enjoy the scenery and appreciate the solitude.

Day 48 - we slept in since the B&B was so nice (and an awesome breakfast - highly recommend Harbor House for anyone visiting the Berkshires) so we hiked from Cheshire to Dalton.  Rain persists so we took a room at the Shamrock Inn.

Not a lot to see today but many new flowers as we head farther South 

Love the bright red

Its new

This butterfly reminded me of our yard back home

Marigolds 

I have no idea

Again, not really a flower but bright and yellow

Day 49 - found out we have to fly home for the weekend (Albany is closest airport) so we adjusted plans.  We will head for Great Barrington which is 40 miles south.  21 miles today gets us to the cabin at Upper Goose Pond.  Highly recommended since the care taker makes a pancake breakfast and a solid shelter for another rainy night.  PS - it rained hard all day today, wettest we have been :(.

Awesome Trail Magic - Poptarts, Twinkies, Fruit Pies and Gatorade - Thank you Commander, you brightener a rainy day!

AT meets Mass Pike

Welcome to the Berkshires 

Day 50 - a 19 mile hike over the Tyringham Cobble and Mount Wilson brought us to Mass 23 and Great Barrington.  We Uber to Albany tomorrow, fly home Thursday and return to Great Barrington Monday night.

The cabin at Upper Goose Pond was a great shelter from the rain and they served pancakes for breakfast.  Was great place to spend the night (with 14 "friends")

Tiny but beautiful 

View from Tyringham Cobble

Don't know what it is but Erik loves it

Days 51-56 - side trip home to see Taylor's return 

Taylor is back home after more than 15 months serving in Japan - Yea!

Sign in our front yard welcomes her home.  Shimai is "Sister" in Japanese.

Day 57 - back on trail with fresh legs.  We hiked 16 miles to Hemlocks shelter.  After 6 days off trail it was amazing how sore 16 miles made us (.  Still good to be back on trail.

Canopy opened to a pleasant Massachusetts country side

Bonus for those history bluffs that recall Shay's Rebellion

Nice view from the top of our last climb in Massachusetts 

Day 58 - an 18 mile day to Lime Creek shelter which it turns out was down in a ravine.  Still, nice to have shelter from the rain.  A WET day as it rained long and hard.  Good news is the trail legs came back ;(

The mountain views are all the same on rainy days :(.

Although nothing like Maine or NH, still some steep climbs/descents in Massachusetts 

Colorful fungus garden

This one is new

A cool rock bridge over this stream

Another cool waterfall - so many idyllic spots along the AT

Welcome to Connecticut  - our fifth state 

Bear Mountain, our first day in Connecticut and we climb to the highest point in the state.  The AT has taken us to the highest point in Maine, NH, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut.  Better like climbing ;)

I love the way this tree has grown over its host rock

Think these are new

The pinks and purples just pop

Day 59 - another 18 miles and we get to West Cornwall, Connecticut.  Another rainy day so glad to be in a hotel to dry out tonight.  We passed our 700 mile mark today, less than 1500 miles to go.

A dam on the Housatonic River

And the falls just below

Less than 1500 miles to go, we are almost there 

Thinking of home

In between the down pours we saw some sunshine

And some of the most beautiful scenes are when when the sun and rain mix

This fragile little flower was a cool find

All the rain has the creeks and streams swollen making fording more exciting (and wet)

Hard to get a good shot of this new flower we found late in the day

Erik snapped this, finding the beauty in even a hard day.  Initially I was bummed by the rain.  Then I realized in a 150 day hike we will see several rainy days, there is no avoiding it.  So, rather than complain, just embrace it and focus on the positives (cooler, no bugs, free shower . . .)  Life, like this hike, is a long haul and will have its rainy days - there is no avoiding it.  Best to embrace them and find the positives.

Day 60 - A 20 mile day brought us to Ten Mile shelter.  We almost stayed at Mt. Algo, but when we got there it was already full of people (and a huge white dog) so we had to push through the rain to the next shelter.  We arrived late and quickly tented up as we knew more rain was cominh.  This shelter was also crowded as lots of NOBOs also knew rain was coming.  We set up. had dinner and went to bed around 10 PM.  Around 11PM the skies opened up and it didnt stop raining until 11 AM the next day :(. Was dry in the tent (sanctuary :)) but all our kit got soaked.  When the ra li n stops it is so humid it is hard to get things dry.  The humidity and heat indexes are setting records.  Tough sledding for two guys who spent the last 12 years in the desert but we are working through it.

A vibrant Connecticut country side during a break in the rain

The clouds start moving in, a warning more rain is coming (and there was a lot.of it)

Day 61 - with the rain we got a late start so only hiked 13 miles to the Telephone Shelter.  Milestone today as we passed from Connecticut into New York.  In Connecticut we were close to where Erik was born and as we passed into New York we hiked close to where I was born. Kind of cool and nostalgic.  An actual dry day helped lift spirits though the heat and humidity continue.  The NY shelters have water pumps; we still need to filter but the water is cold :).

Since we are SOBO it is actually welcome to NY and good bye to Connecticut  - Erik's state of birth.

These old school pumps were a cool way to get water 

All the rain has the streams full so appreciate the bigger bridges 

This was the largest field we trekked across so far

And it had local residents that we spooked across the creek

Have not seen styles like this since a Lake District hike many years ago

There is an actual train stop on the AT.  It runs on weekends and heads into NY City.  Next time we will coordinate so we can catch a Broadway show ;)

This is either an otter or a baby beaver (animals don't hold still like the flowers). We saw several adult beavers in the same fen and Erik almost went in for a swim with them (ask him about it)

This one is definitely was a beaver

This is the second largest oak tree on the AT.  Largest is down south and we will see it in a few weeks. This one was still impressive.

Day 62 - a healthy 21 mile hike took us to the Canopus Lake campground.  Kind of cool since they have actual facilities.  The bathroom had a shower (cold water only - brrrrr) and the snack bar had awesome breakfast sandwiches in the morning.  Still, like a resort given what we have been doing.

Not as big as the oak but this maple was close.  I love big old trees.

Found these hiding in some grass

These were all along the trail in a field in NY but have not seen them anywhere else

1425 and counting 

This was such an awesome toadstool. 

Erik on the top of Shenandoah Mountain.  A whopping 1283 feet but in this humidity it felt like 4000.

A nice canopy break as we hike the hills of New York.

Day 63 - another 18 miles and we spend the night at the Hemlocks campground.  More of a stealth spot really as there is no privy or other infrastructure.  Stopped by a deli on the way (almost a deli a day in NY) and had some fresh OJ and Italian ice.

We found these growing along a creek feeding Lake Canopus

Can you guess what this is?

It's a little purple mushroom 

Day 64 - a NERO as we crossed the Hudson and spent the night at Bear Mountain Inn.  They have a little zoo and museum we explored since it's a short day.  NY issued a heat index warning today so was happy to spend the afternoon in AC having ice cream and a hot dog.

The AT takes us right across the Hudson River via the Bear Mountain Bridge.  I remember driving this bridge in my old IBM days at White Plains and Somers

Hudson is the biggest river we cross, glad we didnt have to ford this one

To the right of the toll booth is the museum and zoo

The birth of the AT

Tomorrow we head into Harriman state park and then into the Palisades.  I remember taking my customers to IBMs Executive Briefing Center in the Palisades thirty years ago.  It was gorgeous then and expect the same now.  After a few days in New Jersey we enter Pennsylvania and work toward Boiling Springs - our half way point.  Next update from Wind Gap. Pa (where I first hiked the AT over 40 years ago) in about ten days.