Hi from Hanover, N.H.

Brittany and Kirstin have very limited cell phone and internet service and have asked me (Karen - their mom) to write a short blog to update everyone on their hike. They called last night (Saturday, June 27) from Hanover, N.H. - home of Dartmouth College. They were staying in an actual tree house! You will have to wait to hear more about that.

They finally finished "Vermud" nicknamed because of the mud. They are tired of the rain and are excited to have less than 450 miles left to hike. The "whites" lay ahead of them and they will once again be hiking elevations. According to Kirstin the "whites" are the mountains that are topped in snow year round. She said they are very glad to have their down jackets with them (even though it was in the 90's the last couple of days).

Hopefully they will be able to update their blog shortly. Stay tuned!

I'm Feeling Lymey

Greetings from Williamstown, Massachusetts. Today, we will be crossing into Vermont with less than 600 miles left to hike! We are hoping the rain holds off but the sky looks pretty dark. On the upside we are heading out with new shoes. We hope that helps lessen the pain in our feet. "Too Klean" has been having a rough time falling asleep at night because of the feet pain. "Dirty Mess" has been struggling with back aches. Uncomfortablness is expected out here, but pain is a bit concerning.


We have had some great days lately despite the weather, high-mileage days, etc. Of course there have been some rough days as well. We joke most days that we feel "lymey." Some of the symptoms of lyme disease are lack of energy, headaches, muscle and joint pains, being tired, pain, weakness, or numbness in the arms or legs, loss of confidence, etc. These syptoms are also typical of thru-hiking. We our diligent about checking ourselves and each other for ticks but know there is a good chance of getting Lyme's disease.

Caveman...if you're reading, we heard you got Lyme's and broke your thumb :( We hope that you are feeling better. Keep trekkin'!

Clemencia...we miss you and wish you the best in Washington!






Packed up and ready to hit the trail.

The high point of Massachusetts.

A vista on top of Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts.

Yippee! Trail Magic outside of Dalton, Massachusetts.

Upper Goose Pond in Massachusetts. We skinny-dipped in the pond. Not only did it lift our spirits but got a few days worth of dirt and sweat off of us.

A fancy privy...it had two basins (one for pee and the other for poop). The instructions read, "If you are female, the best way to use this facility is to urinate in the #1 basin first, then use the #2 seat for defecation, if desired." We weren't used to such luxury so we appreciated the "how-to" instructions.

The trail covered in water because of rain. No wonder our feet are always wet!

Yippee! Passing the Conneticut/Massachusetts border.

Yippee #2 of the day! Over 1,500 miles hiked.

The trail in Massachusetts.

On the high point of Conneticut.

Hiking, hiking, hiking.

Fellow thru-hikers enoying town food on a street corner. They had pizza delivered to them at a road crossing before heading back into the mountains..

"But Mom, we don't want to hike today!" We tented out in the rain because the bugs were so bad but spent the morning in the shelter to wait out the thunderstorm.

A copperhead on the trail. Fortunately, we were warned by another hiker that it was on the trail.

Packed up and ready to hit the trail again after staying in a NY barn.

Massaging our feet for free during a break.

"Dirty Mess" and "Canada" explore CT.

Enjoying a campfire after a long day.

We're about to cross the Hudson River on a hot day.

The outline of NYC in the distance. The "real world" feels so far away, but when we took this pic, the biggest U.S was only 35 miles away.

"Too Klean" climbs up some pesky NY rocks. Hey, the rocks were supposed to be done in Pennsylvania. They clearly are all over the AT.

"Too Klean" heads through the Lemon Squeeze in NY. Other fun obstacles in NY include Agony Grind, etc.

We got our tent set up before the thunderstorms rolled in. We were pumped even though we didn't make it our goal mileage for the day.

"Dirty Mess" and "Canada" hiking through New York.

"Too Kleans" hiker knees. Some of these spills not only caused bruises and cuts but also tears.

The high point of NJ in the distance that we climbed up the previous day.

The fine folks of Unionville, NY invited us up to enjoy pizza and beer after they saw us getting off the trail to head into town. We loved their trail magic, kindness, and company...thanks so much Jackie, Pattie, Bert, and Earl!

We stopped to rest and dry out our gear in the sun (we rarely see).

A New Jersey state trooper stopped by while we took a rest at a road crossing. He was suspicious/curious about our hiking poles. We ended up chatting with him for about an hour...it made our day:)

The sign shows that hunting and hiking are allowed on the A.T. but not biking. Our question...how in the world is it even possible to bike the trail?

Stealth camping (aka illegal camping) under a pavillion at the Delaware Water Gap. We tried to be as subtle as possible to avoid being kicked out by rangers or cops. It ended up pouring that night and soaking all of our gear...I guess we deserved it!

We're starting to CLIMB again!

We're sitting in the library in Salisbury, CT (the quintessential New England town). We took a night off the trail to dry out our soaked tent, clothes, and bodies as well as take showers, resupply and get a dose of the real world. After watching this morning's weather report, the next few days are going to be a bit rough. Today (Wed. June, 10) our plan is to hike 14 miles after a late start to enjoy town. We will cross into Massachusetts (yea...10 out of 14 states completed!). It's amazing to think we have hiked 2/3 of the trail and have less than 700 miles to go!

After leaving the rocks of Pennsylvania, our hiking buddies agreed PA received bum trail rap. It's getting rocky & hilly again which is similar to first 3 states we trekked. "Canada" (a geology professor) said it best..."We were told Pennsylvania was bad. New Jersey was worse, New York was worser, let's hope Connecticut isn't the worsest." Hiking steeper mountains once again is preparing us for the New Hampshire 6,000'ers.

Since our last post, we've spoiled ourselves with deli's and ice cream shops. It's been nice to break up the daily mileage to eat tasty food. These fun stops are close to the trail (approx. 0.3 miles off the trail) on paved, highway roads.

The 3 highlights of New York,

1. We stayed with the mayor of Unionville. His hospitality, generosity, and kindness touched us deeply.

2. Hiking on the trail through a zoo. We saw 3 caged bears, the only bears we've seen on the trail (thank goodness).

3. Staying in a farmer's barn (a friend of a friend of "Canada's).

These days, hiking is more of a mental struggle than a physical one. Granted, our bodies still hurt but staying motivated takes great effort. Also, the bugs are really bad. Beyond mosquito bites all over our bodies, we are pulling ticks on a daily basis. "Too Klean" has poison ivy and is trying her hardest not to spread it. The humidity is unreal. Within a few minutes on the trail, we look like we have taken showers. Oh, the warm weather woes. If it's not one thing, it's another out here. We have concluded that perfect hiking days are rare and infrequent.

We miss everyone and can't wait to catch up in person. Because of limited time, we are unable to download pictures. Hopefully, we'll post them shortly! Happy Trails!

P.S. Garage Man & Pound Hound we're glad you found us. We are so happy to hear you're getting back on the trail. GET YOUR TUSHES HIKING!