Day 151 - Friday, September 10, 2021

Today’s hike will complete Massachusetts. Then we go right to New Jersey and resume hiking where we left off last January before the trails got heavy snows and we jumped down to Harpers Ferry. We’re hoping to complete NJ in 4-5 hikes. 

We purposely switched hikes yesterday due to the forecast. It looks like it all worked out and we may complete this hike without any threats of rain. Today we will are hiking from  MA 23 (paved) (1532.3 NoBo) to US 20, Lee, MA. (1553.2 NoBo) for a total of 20.9 miles 329.5 


We began hiking at 6:30 am and the temperature was 59°.






Look left, then right… then left again 😉




Rock scrambling up Beartown Mountain…






We have seen an unusual number of Eastern Newt Eft the past few days. I was surprised to see them in a group; we must be in Newton, Massachusetts 😂.















Trails were very accommodating today; only a few muddy areas. Mosquitoes were worse of all our hiking but the bug spray keep them away. 




Haven’t used a fence ladder in a while?




This section of the trail was under 3 foot of water this year after all the rain where hikers had to go around using an 8 mile detour 🥴. 









Old Chimney.






Meet “Cheddar” and “Time Machine” (r-l). They are from Maine and North Carolina and started at Katahdin on June 16th. We saw many of the SoBo thru hikers we met for the last time as we’re jumping down to New Jersey and will be too far south to run into them again. Happy Trails to “Splash”, “Littlefoot”, “Zacksquach”, “Blue”, “Tadpole” and Mike.  Mile doesn’t have a trail name - but now he does. I’m naming him “Clipper” as he hikes as fast they sail. So if anyone sees him let him know Splinter gave him his trail name 😉.











Crossing the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90).


We finished hiking at 6:00 pm. Another state done 🎉. Now onto New Jersey.



Till next time... Happy Hiking  🥾 


😋  


“Acts of generosity in this wild and primitive setting…where basic amenities…are intentionally absent–are often received in a heightened sense of wonder and gratitude by hikers. These acts of generosity are referred to as “trail magic.”

                  (Appalachian Trail Conservancy)



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