Canopus Lake, NY
Dinner - I'm at an overlook just north of Canopus. Sun has another hour of life in it yet, but the feet wanted to stop - so we take a break. Funny how minds run in tandem. I was walking with Slacker a few days back, discussing how the Trail has changed - harder now. And how we've been through a number of climes - as if to test a different aspect of us. Today, Indiana Jean and I had the same conversation.
As if Georgia was to weed out those who took this lightly. Carolina gave a state of park regulations and what towns could do to you. Tennessee gave terse weather, climbs, a tease of ridge walks. Virginia gave all three, plus a test for perserverance. WVa was HQ. Maryland gave tedium a try, along with a short taste of rocks. PA repeated the rocks test and the towns test, with more tedium. NJ offered views, something we hadn't had a lot of since Virginia - weather, a swamp, rocks - then decent hills. NY continues the hills, mixed in with views and a taste of climbing -- as if we'd forgotten these are Appalachian Mountains. Did I mention hazy, hot and humid? So what next?