Some kind of purple fringe orchid near Griffith Pond on Vermont. Another orchid. Another? Maple syrup tubes! Ok, this doesn’t smell like wildflowers, but it was a really cool privy at Thistle Hill shelter. Finally, a privy that isn’t a dungeon! The ones in the south are usually open at the top so you can actually breathe!

We’re sitting at the very hoity-toity campus of Dartmouth at the moment. I certainly feel out of place, especially when we went to a college where flip-flops, shorts and pj bottoms were the haute-couture of the day and spending time between classes at the beach were the norm. Yes, my friends, we have made it to New Hampshire. We made a pit stop in the town of Norwich, VT, just on the other side of the Connecticut River to get some day old and free sandwiches from Dan & Whit’s General Store. Mmmm! We also benefited from two trail magic’s during our road walk from the trail head! Yes, my…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISTI. From, Your bro, sis-in-law, and your favorite niece.

So, we’re getting a cool front tonight/tomorrow. I’m not looking forward to it—well, sorta. The cooling off part I can handle, I can’t handle the rain that is coming with it. I hate rain. Or rather, I hate rain that I have to walk in. Being wet in clothes isn’t too bad, but I hate, despise, and sneer at having wet feet. It makes me really grumpy. Last year apparently there were 30 straight days of rain. I would have bailed after the first few days. Not to mention I’m getting all antsy about the Whites and am not going to be happy to have rain and bad weather going…

Another on the ground video. Pennsylvania.

At a shelter in New York. Chris watched this ‘fella/gal’ go into its nest for awhile and decided to set the camera down and see what happened next! Feel free to skip ahead to about 25 seconds.

Ah, taking another nearo here in Manchester, Vermont. We went so many weeks without doing anything, mostly because through NJ-MA there weren’t any good places to stop. Everything gets expensive and hostels are few and far between. Last week we stayed at Tom Levardi’s house in Dalton, MA. It’s this guy who has a house on the trail and basically lets hikers camp or stay inside his house for free. You get a shower, laundry and ice cream at the end of the night. It’s a pretty sweet deal and I recommend everyone stopping in when you go through Dalton. We left Dalton on Friday and stopped in at Diane’s…

From our days hiking with Caboose and Spark and Merf. Meeting Hit and Miss at the Cookie Lady’s house. Finding a Moose track! COOL! The beauty on Upper Goose Pond. At the Mt. Wilcox #2 shelter for the night. Blueberry pickin’!! On Bear Mtn, Ct, right before going into Mass. Merf and Chris swimming in Sages Ravine. Too cold for me! Chris and Caboose on Bear Mtn.

Calling his wife to say he was done! Relaxing at the end of the trail, right before coming into Dalton. Make Time and Cob.

Alright, finally some time to do the best of #2! This is from Mile 501 on Pine Mtn to Harpers Ferry. Best View: -Chestnut Knob Shelter, Va: 561.8, elevation 4,409 -Rice Field Shelter, Va: 633.2, 3,375 -McAfee Knob: 703.0, 3,197 -Cold Mtn: 802.7, 4,022 -Rock Spring Hut, Shenandoah: 917.7, 3465 -Crescent Rock, WVa: 996.9, 1,312 Best Section: -Va606 to Wapiti Shelter: Miles 602-609.8 -Hazeltop Mtn, Shenandoah: 909.7 -Sky Meadows State Park: 977.6 Best Food: -The Barn: Atkins, Va. Cheap, very good hiker food. Right on trail. -Exxon station at Atkins, Va. -Ming Garden, Waynesboro, Va. Best Chinese buffet out there. -Trents Grocery, Va: Cheap, cheap burgers….good pulloff for a burger.…