Daily Miles: 11.4, Total Miles: 1,807.8 As nice as it was camping next to Wachipauka Pond, the croaking frogs were so noisy I had to put earplugs in. I’m also happy to report that my sticks for tent stakes held up but I will be looking for replacements in Lincoln. The challenge today was Mt Moosilauke, 4,800 ft elevation. A steep, very rocky trail was made even more difficult by steady rain near the summit. A complete whiteout for me,…

Daily Miles: 23.9, Total Miles: 1,796.4 I was just starting out this morning after getting to the trailhead from Lyme NH. Through the trees, I saw what looked like the dark opening to a cave. As I got closer the cave started moving and I immediately realized that it was a large black bear. By far the largest of the five bears I have seen on the AT. I said, “Hi Bear”, he gave me a stare, huffed once and…

Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 1,772.5 Not as much rain as I expected but I still enjoyed my zero day in Lyme NH. A good breakfast here at Dowd’s Country Inn, caught up with hiker chores and took a walk around town. Lunch at nearby Stella’s – a bluegrass band was practicing in a nearby room and sounded good. I had to check whether there was any connection between Lyme NH and Lyme disease. I’m happy to report the connection…

Daily Miles: 3.7, Total Miles: 1,772.5 The Barring Owls were hooting like crazy off and on all night early this morning. Misty morning, up and over Holt’s Ledge, no views today in a complete whiteout. Got down to Grafton Turnpike, sparse traffic and no phone signal, so decided to walk the three miles into Lyme NH. I had previously made a reservation at Dowd’s Country Inn, the forecast for rain the rest of the day into tomorrow. Early to check…

Daily Miles: 15.3, Total Miles: 1,768.8 After a good sleep at the Norwich Inn, I walked back through Norwich VT and over the Connecticut River into Hanover NH. This is the home of Dartmouth College and this is graduation weekend. First customer at the post office, I picked up and packed up my resupply. A quick coffee and blueberry muffin at the grocery co-op and I was back in the woods on the trail. A couple of good climbs today,…

Daily Miles: 19.5, Total Miles: 1,753.5 A mix of town and country today. Out of the forest this morning into a rural area with farms, some with sheep, and large properties. Further on, I saw a string of small diameter tubing wrapped around and connecting several trees. Saw this a few other times in VT, wow, these are maple trees! Wouldn’t it be great to tap into the tube and drink pure maple syrup. If only it was that easy!…

Daily Miles: 22.5, Total Miles: 1,734.0 I got an early start from the Greenbrier Inn this morning. Got back on the trail, walked past Kent Pond and then down to Thundering Falls. The rest of the day was a rollercoaster, up and down, on mostly overgrown trail, including bushes, trees and tall grass. Checking for ticks on a more frequent basis, also been seeing a lot more frogs recently. Had a late lunch at the Lookout Cabin, complete with a…

Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 1,711.5 A laid back, recharge day and I definitely conserved energy. I did walk down the stairs a few times for breakfast and across the street to the Deli. The Deli provided a lunch/dinner meatball sub and a Whoopie Pie for dessert. I did some planning on the next leg and packed up my resupply. A relaxing afternoon watched the French Open and reading a book on the balcony. The only interruption today was housekeeping…

Daily Miles: 17.4, Total Miles: 1,695.3 It was a beautiful morning working my way around the rest of Little Rock Pond. In addition to hardwoods, there are more stands of tall pines and firs the last few days. I took a nice break at White Rocks with cool views of the surrounding area. Up and down all day, 4,000′ vertical, along a mostly shady trail with lots of good water access. I am now within 500 miles of the finish…