Massachusetts 8/3

Ryan called just minutes after making that last post.  He was in Massachusetts and was in particularly good spirits.  He said it was the prettiest day on the trail since leaving Georgia.  The temperature was in the low 70’s and they were sitting on top of a mountain eating lunch. In the valley below they could see three lakes and no roads or houses for as far as the eye could see.   He went on about the drastic change in scenery and temperatures.  He said it had been great sleeping weather and the woods in Connecticut and Mass were perfect for hiking.  The canopy shades the trail and undergrowth is minimal.  

The only down side he has found with his new latitude is a disturbing lack of honey buns in any of the trail stores.  He explained that honey buns are his latest trail craving and he considers them the perfect trail food.  They have lots of carbs, lots of calories, light weight, and they tasted as good smashed in your pack as they do fully inflated.  He said that water has been abundant for the last hundred miles and is coming primarily from natural springs along the trail.  A good water supply means less weight and better hydration.   So far the springs in New England have been abundant and clean.  He’s not had to filter water for days.  The water is pumping out of the ground cool, clear and clean.  Trail Maintainers and Rangers say that as long as you can see the source and it’s pumping right out of the ground you are safe to drink without filtering.  Water filtering on the trail is not only time consuming but expensive. 

Although I’ve never heard Ryan speak of the trip as anything but enjoyable, he spoke with particular reverence for the trail and the adventure.  As far away as the end still is, he seems to be looking forward to that day with both joy and sadness.   He really seemed intent on enjoying every moment of the next two months.  He refuses to leave Maine without a picture of a moose.  He’s very excite about hitting the White Mountains.  Southbound hikers often start in mid June and they are running into quite a few south bounders at this point.  Apparently, they are telling some intriguing stories of the Whites. 

He used that worn out phrase of finally “hitting his stride”.  He’s been saying that since South Carolina.  I think he’s there.  He is starting to get back into some elevation and was surprised just how easy the ups-and-downs have become. He said he is doing 2,000 feet of elevation change without a break, a drink, or even getting winded. 

It hard not to be somewhat envious. 

Still waiting on that picture disk!