Neighbors in Williamstown

We are staying at the bottom of Mount Greylock while we do some slackpacking to complete the AT in Massachusetts. Highgear and Farsight are saying hello to the neighbors.

Jumping off Mt Greylock

Morning on the highest peak in Massachusetts's as we continue our section hike of the AT in MA.

4th of July, Williamstown, MA

Taking a zero day to celebrate the 4th of July with the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence beneath Mt Greylock on the open green at Williams College.

Back on the AT in MA!

Hiking section through Massachusetts this July. Some thunderstorms and flood warnings so far, but that's nothing compared to the bumper crop of hungry mosquitos! Undettered we have pressed oh and are looking forward to a great swim at Upper Goose Pond this afternoon.

Where did the map go?

Sadly, Instamapper, the mobile tracking application I used to keep everyone posted on my latest location closed down this past December. It had been operational for over five years and provided a good service. Thanks to the Instamapper team for the hard work that went into a great five year run! New alternatives exist. Before starting out again, I'll get one operational that will let me auto-post back to the blog. Happy trails!

Summer Update 2012

High Gear joined me this summer for some great backpacking in Pennsylvania and Connecticut . Covering miles on the AT with one of my favorite hiking partners is a lot of fun. She really makes a difference! Most of the time, I'm hiking alone and meet people along the way when I head in to town or finish the day at a shelter.
We had some ambitious plans to spend several weeks on the trail. Unfortunately, a large bone spur started a tear in the tendon on top of my right foot. Luckily, this has been fixed with some surgery and several weeks of keeping my right foot elevated and still.
The last few weeks of recovery have been frustrating to say the least. I had planned to cover hundreds of miles this summer, so sitting in an apartment recuperating requires much patience. I've read several books and seen lots of the London Olympics. Hopefully, the stitches come out and the bandages come off soon!

Bearded Woods

Along the trail, I've survived by taking advantage of the unique community of people that support AT hikers. Here in Connecticut that means several nights at the Bearded Woods hiker hostel. This new 'bunk and dine' opened just a couple months ago and it is a godsend! Hudson (an AT 2000-miler) and his wife Big Lu (both are trail names) custom built a great place tailored to hikers, do the laundry, fix dinner and breakfast for anyone who calls from the CT trailheads. Hudson has also been very generous with shuttle rides and helping me slackpack as I get back up to hiking speed this year.

Hudson spent several thousand hours building an AT themed, well managed, clean and comfortable spot just up the road from Limerock Race Track. I'm glad I called when I found his number on the trail! Like the other great hostels I've stayed at along the trail, it's inspiring to see someone mix their passion for the AT, their generous hospitality, and their desire to run an independent business into a great part of the Appalachian Trail community.