I confess, I have been a little lazy with the blog lately. It's a combination of  having too much fun/hiking till exhausted/poor cell service. After my last post, I entered Vermont. In a couple days, I will be finished with Vermont. It really is amazing how pretty the trail is in New England! It just keeps getting greener and greener. It has been wet lately, so the moss all over the trees, rocks, and logs is so bright and lush. 
We have become seniors on the trail, meaning, we are are in the last quarter. Graduation is getting close, but all the more difficult. We are in great shape, but also our bodies are a little torn up. Our spirits, however, are higher than ever!
The "walking wounded" as we call ourselves were reunited, and once again have split up in a couple smaller groups. Spiceman had some vertigo problems in the morning a couple days ago. He ended up with a ride on a stretcher being pulled down the mountain behind a search and rescue ATV. All tests in the ER found him healthy, but he needs to take a rest. 
Before the group was separated, we all had a great time at the Green Mountain House hostel. 

This place definitely goes in the top 3 for places to stay along the AT. There is a full kitchen, so we got in early and did some shopping. I made a huge lasagna, and Spiceman and Sparky grilled steak and veggies. For desert, I made cookies and the hostel provides a pint of Ben & Jerry's for each hiker. 
It has been awesome hiking with Sparky again. We make a good team! (these old fashioned water pumps are fun)

Sparky, me and Voltron all started the same day, and met on Springer Mountain.
As we get closer to New Hampshire, the trail is starting to have more difficult areas, and it's great to be in a good group for the climbs. It has been really wet the last couple days, as we have hiked through some areas that last years hurricane Irene destroyed. Bridges were taken out and the trail washed away. There are detours to route the trail around these areas, but we chose to hike the real trail, as southbounders have told us it can be done safely. 

Here is a fallen over tree that the trail walks across now. You can see the cairn of rocks to mark the trail. There are also areas we hopped rocks to get across streams. One bridge was replaced with a ladder. 
Last night, we made it to a stone shelter that we were told leaked in the rain. It rained hard, and there was water going everywhere. I stayed comfortable in my tent, after making ditches around the tent for the water to drain from the ground, that is. It was fun standing in the shelter watching the rain before bedtime though. 

The rain sure did make the next morning beautiful!

Tonight I am in the Greenbrier Inn. It's a great hotel, and giving me some rest I need. Turns out I may be developing a little allergy to bee stings. I am nursing an ankle that got stung 36 hours ago. It looks and feels like a really bad sprain. Hopefully tomorrow it will be a little better. Thank goodness for Benadryl and Ibuprofen!
Even though this July was the hottest on record in the nation, I received my cold weather gear today. Sounds strange doesn't it?  We are going to be going to higher elevations soon and in areas with unpredictable weather. Time to be prepared! 

I haven't missed tv since on the trail, but I have missed watching the Olympics. It is nice to watch tonight! Go USA! Also go Brazil, as my friend Joao Schwindt competes in London!

Miles hiked:1700.9
Miles to go:483.3