NET: Day 15 Pleasant

August 31, 2018 If I had only one word to sum up today, it would be “pleasant.” Here are ways it was pleasant on my walk today: We started the day at Stephanie’s house playing with her two young daughters and getting to know Stephanie. We had met briefly on the Appalachian Trail, probably in …

NET: Day 13 Heat Advisory

August 29, 2018 We got up at 6 a.m. to get on the trail before the predicted heat sapped our energy. We didn’t set a destination because we didn’t know how we would do. Our first challenge was to navigate the half mile roadwalk on Rt 185 from Paul’s AirBnB back to the trailhead. Yesterday, …

NET: Day 10 Safe

August 26, 2018 Today, we reached an important milepoint. Well, two milepoints. The first was Little George’s restaurant on the north side of the Westfield River. It closes at 2 pm on Sundays. We got there at 1:20, just in time for breakfast – and lunch! I ordered an omelette and a Big Burger. John …

NET:Day 9 Continuing

August 25, 2018 Breakfast at a kitchen table in an antique New England home, described by the owner as “a great place to have lots of visitors”, was a sumptuous respite from the trail. Our treat for breakfast was smoked salmon from yesterday’s Whole Foods shopping, an English muffin, a banana, and coffee brewed in …

NET: First 95 Miles

August 24, 2018 We’ve walked for a week. Our planned average of 10 miles per day grew to 12.6, putting us at a recognizable landmark – the Connecticut River. The river poses a logistical consideration because there is no trail crossing provided. The trail simply ends, and not even at the riverbank on the north …

NET: Day 3 Sense of Home

August 19, 2018 Our nice and early departure at 6:45 got nixed when we decided to make the side trip to Royalston Falls. “It’s only three tenths of a mile and it’s unlikely that we would come back here just to go to these falls. So, we should go.”  I don’t usually use should, but this …