August in Vermont, where sultry means 85 degrees and 80 % humidity.

31 Aug:  Ron needs to tell Walt and Jim when to expect us.  I guess if the new bike arrives in Jessup, MD, we will go there to see what Bob's BMW actually offers to us for a trade in when they can see our bike in person.  And Ron will just have to change the descriptions of the Bankstons to take into account the puzzling new thoughts about the information in Anson County.  Cynthia is ready to hike, and Ron is still on his computer after checking the weather and marshalling his thoughts.  And we did hike to the sinkholes without stress or distress. {GMC: 2 hours w/ hoe}

30 Aug:  Exercised, oatmealed, and Cynthia is off to get a manicure, and girlicure!  Ron went for a hike at 3:22 and arrived at the sinkholes at 3:58, but the rumbles of thunder convinced hiw to return instead of hiking to Jungle Junction.  Calls to the BMW dealer were disappointing.  The new bike is not yet arrived in the States, and the dealer is likely to offer only $4,000 to $5,000 for our present, 6-year-old bike for which we paid in excess of $25,000.  Ron is thinking that since our  bike (the BMW K1600GTL) is still perfectly good and well maintained, we might as well continue using it instead of spending so much for a new bike.  Ron also is in a quandry about the various George Leas in Caswell County and elsewhere.  And that spills over into new thoughts about the Bankstons in Anson County, NC.

29 Aug:  We hiked to the sink holes once again… 3 miles, while Ron worked with a hoe.  Icing the feet with real ice this time finally paid off with a good nights sleep.

28 Aug, Sunday:  How did Saturday disappear?  We hiked to the sink holes again today.  Cynthia got up there much more quickly than on previous days (at least Ron didn't catch up as fast as usual).  Today when we arrived at the sink holes, Cynthia felt that she could easily make it to the ski run but decided to be happy with todays hike.  Upon return to the Inn we ate salads, and Cynthia iced her back and feet (with frozen pineapple and frozen mango).  It was fun to meet a couple from Big Pine Key, FL. {GMC: 1 hour w/ hoe}

27 Aug:  I guess DNA sucked up the entire day without Ron noticing the blog at all.  We did hike to the sink holes again, but Cynthia’s sleep last night and tonight was disturbed.  {GMC: 1 hour w/ bucket & trowel}

26 Aug:  Again we awakened, exercised, ate, and are now set to hike uphill again.  Cynthia delayed icing her feet yesterday and had a disrupted sleep.  Ron ain't too well rested either but we are more energetic than last week.  Ron is again distracted by DNA, so James Lea may have to wait until tomorrow. {GMC: 1 hour w/ trowel setting rocks as steps}

25 Aug:  And today the rains finally came.  Fortunately Cynthia and I were only about a quarter of a rocky mile from the Inn and our el cheapo plastic ponchos kept us reasonably dry.  We then spent the day on our computers, quite happy that the Wi-Fi has been fixed after last night's failure.  {GMC: 1 hour with bucket moving dirt}

24 Aug:  Another day with a "comfortable" hike to the sinkholes to help Cynthia's bursitis and arthritis in her feet.  Trail maintenance continues at a subdued rate since Salt counld not commit to leaving my waterbars alone.  Mostly, I now try to bury the waterbars beneath a mound of dirt.  Documentation of James Lea continues to be absorbing.  Ron realized that we haven't met many hikers this year because he is absorbed in sudokus at every meal.  More icing and the feet are feeling better and we are sleeping better.  {GMC: 1/2 hour w/ hoe}

23 Aug:  It showered ever so lightly overnight and was mostly dry by morning.  The forecast is again rain 83% chance at 1 pm, pop up thunderstorms using moisture from the Great Lakes.  We hiked uphill for an hour and returned before 1 pm for lunch and to work on James Lea.  It stayed dry the rest of the day despite the forecast.  Cynthia is beginning to consistantly ice her feet after hiking, especially if Ron reminds her. {GMC: 1/2 hour w/ hoe}

22 Aug:  We slept better except for lying awake for an hour or more about 2:30 pm.  Fortunately it is cooler and breezy today.  We hiked early since there was rain in the forecast, but it didn't show up today.  We did our usual trip to the sinkholes without difficulty, but are a bit puzzled that we haven't felt as strong or hiked as far as in previous years.  {GMC: 2 hours w/ hoe}

21 Aug, Sunday:  Another day closer to goodbye August.  We didn't sleep all that well last night, and it is hot again today, 82 degrees at 11 AM.  Cynthia's arthritis in her feet has been a problem despite icing them yesterday afternoon.  Now we have new ice and a new bottle of water, so Cynthia is living high.  However, as she ices her feet this morning, she decided not to hike, so Ron will go as soon as his body assimilates the energy from a bowl of frozen mango.  Waterbar maintenance calls.  The newest procedure is to bury the rocks in the waterbars under dirt so that Mr. Salt cannot see them. {GMC: 2 hours w/ hoe & bucket}

20 Aug:  A screaming two-year-old is making breakfast a challenge.  The dad finally removed the screaming boy from the dining room.  Whew, thank goodness that removal happened before Ron arrived at the breakfast table.  Now we are set to go a-hiking, and we hiked for a good hour almost to the sinkholes before turning back in order to get to Sugar and Spice for a second breakfast on our way into town for bananas, grapes, jellybeans and frozen mango, staples of our diet. {GMC: 2 hours w/ hoe}

19 Aug:  We celebrated Cynthia's better feeling iced feet by hiking to the ski run and back today, 2.4 miles each way for this terrific view (above).  Scott, the chef here, continues to outdo himself cooking salmon and potatoes excellently well for us.  James Lea continues to progress slowly.  The ice bag is getting quite low, but frozen mango is a great alternative. {GMC: 4 hours w/ hoe}

18 Aug:  Ron plans to spend the day working on James Lea, but Lo!!, the skies stopped showering by 10:30 AM.  Cynthia slept poorly with more back pain and is icing, so Ron may have to hike solo, and he hiked all the way to jungle junction, about 3 miles each way except that he took a left onto the gravel road uphill towards Pico peak.  Scenery on the gravel road was outstanding with emerald green ski runs down from the top of Killington peak and a more expansive views of the scene above. {GMC: 1 hour w/ clippers}

17 Aug:  We slept the night through!  Ron slept 8 hours uninterrupted.!!  Thank God for life and everything else (especially Cynthia).  3.4 miles to the sinkholes where we met two charming hikers, YeahYeah and Flip and treated them to lunch.  Too amusing that Flip and Anna were classmates at Appalachian State University and completed a semester project together last year.  We whiled away the afternoon in the Inn because it rained.  Cynthia wants to hike to Jungle Junction tomorrow, but it looks like we will have a rainy day. Cynthia thinks we won't see Salt again, that he has made a statement and wants to avoid us.   

16 Aug:  Ron's sleep was interrupted for a couple of hours with ruminations about how to motivate Bankston cousins to get their DNA tested and how to convince Salt to leave the water bars alone.  No good ideas for either task, but we arose early, ate early and hiked about the usual hour after Ron spent yet more time on the jigsaw this morning and then again this afternoon after our hike to the sinkholes and back.  Ron moved into place two big rocks, the last he will do until he has a chance again to talk with Salt to see if we can arrive at an agreement of water bars versus ski run.  We did enjoy treating two hikers, James and Anna to lunch w/ desserts.  {GMC: 1 hour w/ lever}

15 Aug:  The puzzle overtakes all conscious thought!  But, we exercised, oatmealed, hiked 2.5 hours to the sinkholes, and returned.  Ron is upset and disappointed that Salt is moving rocks from the water bars again.  If Salt is determined to destroy the trail, there is no reason to continue trail maintenance.  (Salt professes intentions to snowboard down the trail.)  Today's hiking and trail maintenance is completed; Cynthia showered and did the laundry with great satisfaction, while Ron puzzled away the afternoon!  {GMC: 2.5 hours w/ hoe & lever}

14 Aug, Sunday:  We hiked Kent Pond Trail for 4.5 miles while Ron carried clippers  attacking branches overhanging the trail.  OH NO, Ron is hooked by a puzzle!  In his defense, it was initiated by a thru-hiker.  {GMC: 3 hours w/ hoe & lever}

13 Aug:  Ron was behind in updates; now he needs to sleep.  We hiked the Sherburne Pass Trail to the sinkholes, with Ron doing trail maintenance on water bars.  There is one huge rock he is trying to move into a better place.  {GMC: 2.5 hours w/ hoe}  

12 Aug:  Good Morning to us!  The sun is shining, the high is forecast to be 74 cool degrees.  Yay!  We hiked a good hike, and Cynthia's aches and pains were quiescent.  Ron then returned to the waterbars for another 1.5 hours before dark.  It is time for a shower, shirt wash, toothbrushing, and bed.  {GMC: 4 hours w/ hoe & bucket}

He came, he sawed and he conquered

11 Aug:  Ron awakened at 2:30 am and stayed awake working on James Lea until 5:30 am.  It made for a very tired morning until we began hiking.  3.4 miles hiking.  Ron cleaned out water bars and retrieved one big rock that Salt threw away.  The trail looks good with the hanging tree removed!  Ron intended to get to bed early tonight - but no, he never actually does that. {GMC: 2 hours w/ hoe}

10 Aug:  Will we cool off as forecasted on Sunday and Monday? Glorious cool day!!!!  3.6 miles hiking to the sinkholes and back.  Cynthia's bursa, back and feet are considerably improved.  She feels like a new woman - or her normal self. {GMC: 2 hours w/ hoe}

9 Aug:  The forecast is for a warm night but a cooler day.  It’s a little bit cooler but remains too humid to hike.  Ron is still fatigued from yesterday's extreme sauna conditions and hasn't had the energy to go work on water bars.  Instead, he is working on James Lea.  Cynthia is working on Bankston DNA.  We are blessed!  Life is good!  {GMC: 1 hour w/ hoe}

8 Aug:  Forecast is HOT again, highs in the mid-80s.  Cynthia has an appointment in Rutland for the afternoon, so we can sneak off to Sugar and Spice for a late lunch at 1:30 if we finish hiking early.  And we did finish in two hours and twenty minutes after Ron trekked ahead of Cynthia with the trusty saw and removed the large log blocking the trail (two levers and a counterbalance log helped).  The day was miserably humid, and Ron's shirt would have won any wet shirt contest.  {GMC: 2:20}

7 Aug, Sunday:  Wow !!  The whole month of August stretches out before us.  Interesting to think that we will soon be asking, "Where did that month go?"  For now, today, a-hiking we will go - if the internet ever works well enough to see the forecast.  Not bad, bye.  Woo-Hoo!  We hiked almost to the sinkholes, where Ron finished sawing the huge hanging tree with three branches.  We heard it creaking and cracking until it finally gave way and fell with a resounding thud.  9 PM, and it is still stinking HOT.  Ron had to wash his clean shirt again already and took a shower for good measure.  Thank goodness Wannie found a fan for our bedroom. {GMC: 3 hours sawing} 

6 Aug:  Ron, being filled with ambition and zeal, mended zippers on his hiking pants.  (The only pants he ever wears.)  That kept him busy until 1 pm lunchtime (salads).  Cynthia worked on improving her Sudoku skills and iced her sore feet!  We got to bed "early" after a bedtime sudoku session. {GMC 1.5 hours w/ bucket (for water bars)}

5 Aug:  Let's guess, will we hike or will we not?  Cynthia has sore feet is the first clue!  Well, we did manage five miles to Thundering Falls Road.  {GMC: 3 hours w/ clippers}

4 Aug:  Another great day looms ahead of us.  The plan was to hike Thundering Falls on the AT.  After breakfast, we discovered that we were tired, and the temperatures were already crazy hot, so we decided to take our tired bodies to bed and sleep the day away!  We finally bestirred ourselves at 4 PM to toddle over to the Inn for dinner.  Scott, the chef, is quite talented and used the caramelized juice from baked sweet potatoes to glaze the baked salmon.  Mmmm!  Now we are relaxed and full and happy.  Ron continues to work perfecting Cynthia's James Lea book.

3 Aug:  Ron awakened at 4:30 am, perfect for planned departure at about 5:15 am in dawn's early light.  It was cool at 58 degrees and often quite foggy, but never bad enough to slow down.  The views of the fog over the wetlands when the roadway was clear were wonderfully enchanting.  He arrived in Troy, New York, at 7 AM, washed the bike, shopped at Walmart, and was quite amazed to be invited into Max BMW before 8 AM.  His notion had been to park the bike for a couple of hours to allow it to cool off before the 84,000-mile servicing.  The service manager is Tony Beatty; nice to meet someone with a familiar name.  The estimated six-hour service was completed after 5 pm, but Ron was happy to have so much time to work on Cynthia's James Lea book.  The sun is shining on Cynthia, the temperature is a pleasant 70 degrees in Killington, and it is boring working on DNA.  She was a happy Smooch Smooch when Ron arrived home at 8:15 PM with a whole bag of groceries.

This is the photo from 10 years ago. In the black jacket, Bomber carried a rubber chicken on his hike.

2 Aug:  O What fun!  We met Bomber again, ten years later,  This time, Bomber (Eric) had his lovely bride with him, and we enjoyed a delightful breakfast reminiscing.  After breakfast, Cynthia did a FaceTime with granddaughter Ellanore, and the 15% rains started at 11:30.  About 3 PM Ron decided to hike since it wasn't raining - but those 15%ers kept getting him wet as he sawed at the two large trees still remaining.  Cynthia took another zero day working on DNA projects.  {GMC: 3 hours}

1 Aug: Remember how energy-filled we were yesterday?  But that was last month when Cynthia was younger; her energy dissipated this month; she slept the morning away!  Ron worked on James Lea all morning, then lunched with Cynthia after she awakened before trundling out of the room with a saw in hand.  He exhausted himself in the "heat" today, sawing another large limb from the big broken tree near the sinkholes.  The innkeepers must think we are weird because we eat so many vegetables.  {GMC: 3 hours}

Happy smooch smooch to you! July is Birthday month

 

Happy Smooch Smooch to You, 
Happy Smooch Smooch to You, 
Happy Smooch Smooch Dear Smooch Smooch, 
Happy Smooch Smooch to You 
(sung to the tune of Happy Birthday to You).

The Inn at Long Trail ^ is below the big white rock (named Deer Leap).

8 OCT:  We are expected at Cynthia's class reunion in Northwood, Iowa.  Ron's next pacemaker report can also be sent today.

3 AUG:  Wednesday: BMW motorcycle 84,000-mile service appointment.

1 Aug: Ron needs a title and photo for August in Killington, VT

31 Jul, Sunday:  Yikes, tomorrow is August.  On the last day of the birthday month, we enjoyed a lazy morning and computer work. Finally, at 11:30 AM, we gathered all of our energy, backpack and hoe and headed off to the Sherburne Pass Trail, where we successfully climbed to the ski run, 2.8 miles straight up.  We enjoyed a lovely lunch (of an apple and a carrot) overlooking Deer Leap.  A lovely hiker named Teresa chatted with us at the ski run.  Cynthia did not recognize her at first because the sun was in our eyes.  The hard part was standing up again!  The flies and gnats were surprisingly absent today, even at the Ski Run.  Ron continued to work on water bars going up the mountain and down.  Our successful hike totaled 5.6 miles roundtrip.  The nicest part of our travels is the people we meet while hiking or in McGrath's dining.  Today's hike was successful on all counts.  We are energized, refreshed, and ready to hike tomorrow.  {GMC: 4 hours w/ hoe}

30 Jul:  Today's big adventure is to remove the huge tree from the trail, ax in hand, with help from Salt (guys name).  Cynthia is working on a project at the Inn where she can access wifi.  Ron and Salt used saw and leverage to roll an eight foot section of the tree down the trail.  After a nap and dinner Ron hiked up to the other major obstacle and sawed for 8 minutes.  (GMC: 4. hours with saw & hatchet)

29 Jul:  Only three days left of Cynthia's birthday month.  We hiked 3.4 miles to the sinkholes and back.  Celebrate soon.!! Cynthia did! She celebrated by showering and looking gorgeous.  Life is very good.  It was fun talking to two tables of people at the Inn tonight.  Murray got back from California tonight after 36 hours in airports.  Cynthia iced her bursitis and feet again before bed.  {GMC: 2.5 hours w/ hoe hoe hoe}

28 Jul:  Supposed to rain in the afternoon. The plan was to hike early, and we were successful in beginning our hike right at eleven AM and ending at 1;23 PM, burning up all of our energy very early. It is humid with a trillion gnats in our faces.  Ron suggests we inhale deeply and swallow. Did you know that all of the gnats in the world together weigh more than all of the elephants?  3.4 miles {GMC: 2.5 hours}

27 Jul:  Supposed to be dry again today, but since Cynthia's bursitis is still aching, we hiked our usual therapeutic Kent Pond trail to Thundering Falls, but the leg warmed up and was OK.'we enjoyed meeting a cute couple from Texas, Buckey, and Whoopie!

 Six successful miles! Then it was time for dinner.  Then more James Lea.  Except we laid down and fell asleep. {GMC: 3 hours with clippers (Ron's hand needs a rest.)}

26 Jul:  Up early, well rested, exercised, fed, and ready to hike Kent Pond again.  Cynthia's bursitis did quite well, and we discovered that our get-up-and-go returns after a few days of good rest.  We hiked 4.2 miles and enjoyed seeing a couple of "ghost" flowers (click here).  We've eaten our typical luncheon salads with Irish soda bread for dessert, and Ron went out with a hoe and saw after working on James Lea for an hour.  We met the nicest "adventure" motorcyclists today, Cathy & Ray.  They are riding 2-up on a BMW 1200GS Adventure.  Today was day four of the Northeast "discovery" routes.  Ray had planned to camp at Gifford Woods Park, but a bear visited the nearby dumpster twice, and Cathy insisted they move.  And now it is 11:37 again.  Fooey.  Cynthia slept so nicely that Ron stayed up until 1:30 working on James Lea.  {GMC: 3 hours w/ clippers + 3 hours hoe & saw}

25 Jul:  Only a week left of the birthday month.  We awakened too late to exercise before breakfast !!  Ron rushed through most of his to not be exercising later on a full stomach.  After breakfast, he returned to obsession with James Lea.  Now, nearly noon, it is dry enough and cool enough to hike.  Ron is curious to see how the rain affected his trail maintenance, but we hiked Kent Pond again to be gentle with Cynthia's injured leg and had a good hike. However, it was a disappointment to not go downhill to Thundering Falls to witness it "thundering" because of the night's rain. {GMC: 1.5 hours w/ clippers & saw}

24 Jul, Sunday:  Today, we should be rested and refreshed with get up and go restored.  Wish us luck.  We managed 3.6 miles on the Kent Pond Trail and headed off to Sugar and Spice for egg white veggie omelets and blueberry pancakes.  Have you ever tasted the difference between real and artificial maple syrup?  MMMM!  We rode into Rutland afterward to pick up a prescription for Cynthia, bought groceries, and were lucky to return to the Inn dry (no rain yet).  Good grief !!  How did it get to be 10:50 pm already?  Time to get to bed.  The forecast rain started soon after midnight and continued until after daylight. {GMC: 1.5 hours w/ clippers}

23 Jul:  Another glorious day to be alive.  UFFDA!  Our bodies are telling us to rest today.  After breakfast, we slept for several hours, lunched, and returned to the room on this hot, enervating day.  These cabins in Vermont do not have A/C.  Cynthia is icing her feet and bursa!  Ron was shocked to discover that he get up and go got up and went.  Lying abed and falling asleep until 1 pm was another shocker, so he decided to take a day of rest this hot afternoon (87 degrees) and work on James Lea.  Before dinner, Ron sang the (original) birthday song to Sistah Carol; she was appreciative.  After dinner, he returned to his sawing on the massive tree trunk for an hour. {GMC: 1-hour sawing}

22 Jul:  Ron is committed to working on James Lea again now for several days (between sudokus).  Thank goodness for a relaxing day yesterday and a good, long night's sleep.  And now we are exercised, fed, and ready to hike up the Sherbourne Pass Trail (click here) again.  Unfortunately, Cynthia took a fall and wrenched an ankle.  We arrived at the Inn for dinner later than usual; the Irish band started playing the endless sing-along, O Danny Boy.  (To Cynthia, it sounds like 99 bottles of beer on the wall.)  Ron went out a second time to see a little on his favorite oversized tree trunk nearby. {GMC: 3 hours w/ hoe}

21 Jul:  We have faith that we will survive this long.  Thank God we did and enjoyed another day of rest and relaxation.  Ron sauntered up the trail only a little way, twice, with a bucket and hoe to work on water bars.  (And was chased indoors by rain after being warned by thunder both times.)  Scott, the chef, cooked us a wonderful salmon dinner with veggies and baked potato.  Irish soda bread toasted dry is our favorite "dessert."  We are happy "campers." {GMC: 3 hours streambed maintenance w/ hoe & bucket}

20 Jul:  Will Ron be able to move after yesterday's exertions?  Yes, but Cynthia is all worked out.  Ron took a leisurely morning to catch up on genealogy but plans to hike to Pico with a saw after lunch (whenever Cynthia wakes up - she is now stirring).  Uffda!  She slept until 12:38, and then we headed to the Inn for lunch.  The chef is late, so hunger will be abated at that time.  Ron left at 4 pm and hiked to the AT Junction (Jungle Junction), 3.2 miles up yonder, with a plan to do some sewing on the way back down.  The heat made for an exhausting, sweat-drenched two hours uphill and caused Ron to begin to believe that he was not in the shape he had been in before here, but the downhill return reassured him that his body was doing well. {GMC: 4.5 hours - some sawing}

19 Jul:  Birthday month is half past, and the rain is entirely past.  Hiking ahoy!!  Cynthia is frustrated with the Wifi…!  She has to go to the Inn or access it by holding the Mac up to the window.  So forget communication until September!  We hiked to the sinkholes.  Ron sawed logs fallen across the trail en route.  Today's amazing find on the forest floor was the tiny bolt that fell out of the saw four days ago.  One very large tree remains, but not for long.  Because of the trees shading the trail, it is surprisingly comfortable as long as we have a breeze.  The number of hikers has increased at the Inn and along the trail.  Ron and the trusty saw returned to remove more of a tree at six PM. {GMC 4 hours +2.5 hours sawing & streambed maintenance}

18 Jul:  If we can move, we will hike - unless it rains.  Pray for rain.  Our prayers were successful ALL day, but the total accumulation was not substantial.  Ron spent the day working on the Yocum genealogy claimed by cousin Duncan and then transitioned to typing obituaries from Verla's collection into the Rambo Family Tree.

17 Jul:  The plan is to make today easy with a hike on the AT around Kent Pond to Thundering Falls and back.  It was NOT easy; we could both barely drag ourselves there and back.  Fortunately, the bugs were not bad, and the weather was not hot.  5.7 miles later, we staggered into the Inn for large luncheon salads and tried Magner's Irish cider (click here). {GMC: 4 hours w/ clippers & sawed one tree blocking trail}

16 Jul:  Another day for which to thank God.  Breakfast was a hoot!  The wait staff surprised Cynthia with the birthday song, plus a blueberry pan "cake" and birthday candle!  We hiked six miles round trip to the ski run, but this time we rested a couple of times in each direction.  The trail has lots of rocks and roots, so it is not an easy climb.  We enjoyed salmon and baked sweet potatoes at the Inn, and nearby guests sang Happy Birthday.  We struggled over a Sodoku, and now it is time to sleep!  {GMC: 4 hours clipping}

15 Jul:  We hope to awaken again, God willing. We did awaken on this cool, sunny, gorgeous day in the Green Mountains. Cynthia had a girl's day at the Signature Day Salon.  And we lunched at the Inn.   {GMC: 1 hour with saw}

14 Jul:  is another gorgeous day.  We hiked, and Ron hoed as we walked.  (His hands needed a break from all the sawing and clipping; using a hoe is easier.)  Today Ron is trying to increase his energy with a bowl of "frozen" mango before hiking; it worked only moderately well.  Using the hoe is hard on Ron's back.  If it ain't one thing, it is the other.  Cynthia talked Ron into relinquishing his clothes so that she could wash them.  He showered and pre-washed his clothing.  Can you imagine that Ron is ALL clean?  {GMC: 3 hours with hoe}

13 Jul:  is a gorgeous day.  We hiked, and Ron sawed as we walked uphill to the sinkholes.  An army of people with cross saws is needed to cut through the one large tree that fell across the trail in yesterday's storm.  Ron was tired when we began hiking, and all the sawing did little to rejuvenate him.  We were in bed before 10 pm, but Ron was unable to fall asleep until after he got up to work on the computer for an hour at midnight.  {GMC: 3 hours with saw}

12 Jul:  Anniversary of eleven years and two months!  Rain is anticipated, giving us a break from hiking.  But the rain did not appear by lunchtime, so Ron hiked with the hoe and bucket to do trail maintenance.  Cynthia took a break to catch up on a huge backload of correspondence.  After hearing distant thunder, Ron returned to the Inn moments before the storm arrived with torrential sheets of rain and hail blowing sideways for thirty minutes.  (Timing is everything.)  Ron returned before dark to inspect the trail for damage from the deluge, but there was little evidence of the rain.  It is awfully dry here. {GMC: 4 hours with hoe and bucket}

Surrounded by stinging nettle

11 Jul:  This is the biggest week of the birthday month; the lethargy has to go.  Cynthia decided doing Sudokus is the root cause of lethargy.  It is possible Irish Soda Bread may be a contributing factor, although it is very tasty.  We hiked the Sherburne Pass Trail to the sinkholes and return; Ron removed a lot of stinging nettles and sawed fallen trees. {GMC: 3 hours sawed there trees} 

Mrs. SmoochSmooch in radient glory

10 Jul, Sunday:  One of us is exhausted.  The other one is on his computer doing family group sheets.  This means that it will be lunchtime soon so we can eat and avoid hiking today because it is too warm.  Well, at 12:45, before lunch, we pulled ourselves out of our lethargy and slowly ambled up the Sherburne Pass Trail for a total of 3.8 miles round trip; this doesn't sound like a lot, but the climbing is cumbersome.  Ron used clippers up and downhill.  We met Herb and Cathy from the Green Mountain Club at the sinkholes.  Herb informed us that the trail is slated for rerouting above the sinkhole to avoid imminent collapse.  Upon the return and after eating veggies, Cynthia sank back into familiar lethargy.  Sigh!  Ron heard three good bear stories from Murray to get the adrenalin pumping.  The most exciting was about his son, Conner, who bicycled downhill past a large bear which then woofed at him and took up chase.  To his dismay, as he heard momma bear's claws clattering on the rocks behind him, Conner discovered that two cubs were fleeing downhill ahead of him on the same narrow track.  He avers that he has never peddled faster down that track, and he was desperately hoping that the cubs would vere off the trail, which they eventually did.  After he crossed an open area, he stopped to look back and saw momma displaying her displeasure by snorting and clawing the ground. {GMC 3 hours w/ clippers}

9 Jul:  Happy Birthday Rachel!  We hiked up the Sherburne Pass Trail North to the Deer Leep Junction, then southbound on the AT and Long Trail to Maine Junction. The crazy rock scramble up over bounders was not easy. But, the day was lovely and we continued hiking easy until the downhill that seemed forever down and down and down to Route Four, the highway hill climb to the Inn at Long Trail, our home for the next two months.  The hiking time was three hours and the distance covered was 3.5 miles. Cynthia cleaned up for dinner and listened to one song of the Live Irish Music.  OUCH.  Ron went back up mountain to saw and move two big logs.  A BIG guy named "Salt" came along and helped pry one sawed log off the trail.  {GMC: 4 hours w/ hoe, clippers and sawed two logs}

8 Jul:  More dry weather, suitable for a hike up the Sherbourne Pass Trail with bucket, hoe, and clippers.  (Ron's hand might complain about the overuse of clippers yesterday.) After many delay tactics, including lunch, we hiked 3.8 miles roundtrip to the sinkholes and back.  It was humid, and still. The mosquitoes feasted on Cynthia and she has a nasty blister on her toe, good grief!  The chef prepared a lovely tuna steak and shrimp dinner with baked potato and veggies.  {GMC: 4 hours with hoe} 

7 Jul:  The forecast is for a dry day.  Lets Hike !!  Hiker Camel (Bridget) awakens at 4 AM to begin hiking while it is still dark; Rude and Daddy Long Legs start hiking with the first light.  We sleep in.  We started at noon and hiked from Gifford Woods State Park to Thundering Falls, almost six miles, and returned exhausted; Ron sawed through two logs that had fallen across the trail but was only able to move them aongside the trail.  Granddaughter Corrie and husband Alan had their fourth child last night, a baby boy named James Alan, 10 lbs. 4 ozs. 23 inches long.  Cynthia bluetoothed her cell phone to Ron's pacemaker reader and sent a report to his doctor today.  {GMC: 4 hrs - sawed two logs & clipped a million branches)

6 Jul:  The morning rain kept us indoors, and Rude surprised Ron by presenting him with a very colorful AT-themed Buff neck gaiter.  Ron rode into town for frozen mango, pretzels, and grapes and mailed his storage locker check and an SCS Fellow award.  Late in the day, we hiked to the top of the first hill on the Sherbourne Pass Trail.  Ron did a bit of sawing - wow !! is he out of shape !!  Daddy Long Legs asked if we had been here on July 4th, 2019; he thinks he remembers meeting us then, and the blog bears him out.  We did indeed arrive here on July 4th, 2019.  Goodness, but time is zooming ahead too fast.  (Birthday month is passing apace.) {GMC: 1 hour - sawed a bit.}

5 Jul:  Another happily United day.  But today's forecast of rain is holding true, so this may be a day of rest to help Cynthia's ankle and knee recover.  There was no sufficient break in the rain for Ron to decide to ride to town.  Cynthia is sudoku'ed out.  We had a fun time at dinner with three hikers who arrived early for breakfast after hiking down from Killington starting before daylight, Bridget (Camel), Rude, and Daddy Long Legs.  They will zero tomorrow, so we will enjoy their company again and get a group photo or two.  Ron mended several holes, wrote a check for storage locker rent and submitted a service request to BMW Max near Troy, NY.  He has scattered his mess all over the living room couch and the bed.  Tomorrow he will mail the check in town and call BMW Max.

Stream feeding into Kent Pond

4 Jul:  Happy Independence Day!  United... we slept until 8:30 and returned to sleep at 10:30 AM until 1:30 PM.  After a very late lunch, we hiked 3.2 miles along Kent Pond.  Imagine our delight to encounter Charlie, swinging an axe to clear a tree from the trail.  We reached a big rock that signals to Ron where the trail begins a constant descent to Thundering Falls (click here).  Cynthia turned back five minutes later, whereas Ron, the Speedy Gonzales, continued hiking and pulled a tree off the trail before returning to catch up with Cynthia back at the bike.  God bless the USA!  We have some Wifi in our room this year, but only on the Mac computers, so writing happens sporadically.  {GMC: 2 hours - pulled dead tree from trail.}

3 Jul, Sunday: Exercised, well-fed at our happy hiking place, the sun is shining, and United, we hiked the Sherburne Pass Trail.  A fabulous 2.5 months of glorious hiking stretch out ahead of us.  We love it here!  The 2.9-mile hike to this ski run seemed so easy, that we didn’t stop for rest.  The downhill became torturous for Cynthia’s feet and knee because she didn’t stop and rest on the way up.  You can sorta see the Inn at Long Trail beneath the patch of white rock.  This will give you an idea of our elevation climb.   God bless the USA!  {GMC: 3 hours - waterbars.}

2 Jul:  United we hike!  We enjoyed a wonderfully good night's sleep accentuated by extensive rain, but then we never got started hiking.  Maybe tomorrow.  Ron did wash the motorcycle a bit and rode into Rutland for groceries.  We are delighted to have internet in room 17 now, and there is a new bed and couch, besides a new concrete sidewalk and new yellow lines in the parking lot.  Okie gave Ron a host of new sudokus, which helped to derail productivity.  Oh well, maybe tomorrow again.

1 Jul:  United we ride!  After a good night's sleep together, we packed everything onto the bike and rode to Kimball Farms (click here) to retrieve credit cards.  Of course, this means we both enthusiastically ate ice cream despite our strict and faithful adherence to our diet at all other times!  The ride to Killington was confusing because Ron misread the maps and misremembered the route, causing him to pass under I-495 and continue far too far looking for an entrance before he stopped to consult the GPS for a better way.  Cynthia will post, “Thoughts From the Back of a Bike Staring at a Red Helmet,”  It could be a best seller.  Oke greeted us upon our arrival at the Inn.  It certainly was good to see him looking good.  The route: MA-1A S through the Sumner Tunnel to MA-3 N to cross the Charles past the Museum of Science into Cambridge, immediate L on Commercial Avenue past hotels to Memorial Drive, past MIT & Harvard to MA route 2 (where Ron also missed a turn and wandered a bit before stopping to consult the GPS).   MA-2 W to I-95 N to MA-225 W to Carlisle Kimball Farms to retrieve "wallet" and more ice cream.  MA-225 W to I-495 S (eventually) to MA-2 W to exit 90B, MA-140 N -> MA-12 N into New Hampshire, and NH-12 N to Walpole, NH, L on US-5 cross river into Vermont N on I-91 to VT-103 W much further than expected to VT-100 N past all those beautiful lakes to Killington & US-4 W to the Inn at Long Trail (click here)