Hanover, NH

We are in Hanover, NH. Arrived in NH this morning! We have hiked over 1/2 the trail now! 1087.5 miles was in Manchester Center, VT. We were going to try to do our 1/2 gallon ice cream challenge there but things didn't work out for us in this town. We hitched into town (5.5 miles from the trail), but then the hotel we stayed in was still 2 miles from town. It rained on us and we just didn't get everything done we wanted. We were going to try to do the 1/2 gallon ice cream challenge here but I found a wonderful bakery with lots of wonderful desserts and decided to also get this wonderful peach/blueberry pie! So we'll see how much pie and ice cream we can eat. Actually we'll probably share the pie and ice cream with our hosts and other hikers at the hostel we'll be staying. We'll be getting clean! Yeah! There's a grill at the hostel so we're picking up steaks and corn on the cob to grill for our dinner tonight and then we'll have the pie and ice cream! Good eating!

So we have actually 1209 hiked miles and gone through 9 (most of VA, WV, MD, PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT) of the 14 states (left to do NH, ME, rest of VA, TN, NC, GA).

We recieved some more trail magic and angels! This gentleman was walking on the trail doing a short hike. Asked us if we were thru-hikers on the AT. He offered to take us to his home for a good night's rest. We really weren't too sure at first but decided to take him up on his offer! He took us to the grocery store and asked us what we wanted for dinner! He cooked dinner for us. We slept in his bed and he slept on the sofa. We had breakfast the next morning and he took us back to the trail! He enjoys people and hearing about their life stories and adventures and asked us to put his name in the shelter journals because would love to host other hikers as well! Trail Angels are wonderful people who just want to help hikers enjoy the trail and their company!

We also experienced a "secret shelter." We were heading along the trail and found a note that told us of this secret shelter! We decided to check it out! It was for real! The hosts are backpackers/hikers, too. They were concerned about hikers and the shelter problems of the shelter that was 1 mile from their home. Apparently there are underaged partiers that go to that shelter and will harass any hiker who happens upon them in "their party shelter". Guess there's not a lot that can or is being done to allieviate this problem so "River Dog and Swanee" decided to build this "secret shelter" on their property for the hikers so that they don't have to worry about this problem! Swanee came down to welcome and greet us and brought us a soda and a beer and water! Wonderful trail angels! And we recieved trail magic the other day-a cooler with sodas! We each had a soda! Refreshing on a hot day of hiking! Thank you to all the trail magic/angels out there! We appreciate your magic and care!

Found some miniature strawberries! Have eaten a few but you have to eat a lot of these to get your fill of strawberries! There are suppose to be raspberries, blackberries and blueberries along the trail, too. I've seen some raspberries but not many ripe ones yet. Looking forward to getting our fresh fruits of these berries along the way!

Going through VT much of the trail seemed to be muddy, swampy, wet and like a stream. A couple hikers comments in the shelter journals called nicknamed VT Vermud and Vermuck! It became a chore at times to try to keep our shoes and socks dry!

A turkey vulture surprised us on one of our climbs!

NY had this "Lemon Squeezer" on the trail. We had to take our packs off and carry them to get through. Also in NY the trail went through a zoo! That was interesting! Why would they take us through a zoo to see caged animals when we're seeing them in the wild? If you count the 3 bears we saw at this zoo, we've seen 10. The first was an adult bear coming down a tree in Shenandoah Nat'l Park, VA! It came down that tree so fast it looked like it was coming down a fireman's pole! I thought for sure it was coming to get us because he was coming down so fast but he just looked at us and we kept on going! Harriman State Park, NY we saw 2 adult bears together about 50 feet away from us luckily going the other way. While we were in VT we saw 3 bear cubs; 2 must of heard us coming and were climbing 2 trees-they were very fast up those trees!; the 3rd cub we saw on another day-he was heading right to the trail just 20 feet in front of us but took off in the other direction as soon as he heard us talking!; the 4th was on the side of the street looking like it was going to try to cross the street but decided not to after seeing all the cars-that one was a big adult bear!

One of the big black snakes we have seen! We've seen a lot of snakes, much to my chagrain! Mostly garter, ribbon, and black snakes. Did see 1 rattlesnake and I high-tailed it out of there! Dan thought it was pretty cool! We saw rattlesnake skin right before a boulder/rock climb and I was pretty scared the whole time! Dan just told me to keep on going! Didn't see any snakes on that day but the next day walking across big boulders there was the rattlesnake slithering between 2 boulders just under my feet! I'm so thankful that that has been the only poisonous snake we've seen. Hopefully it's stay that way!

Mountain Laurels! They look like little cups on top and the underside looks like a different flower! They're really pretty, whites and pinks!

Starting in NJ we've had some "boardwalks" on parts of the trail. There is a lot of swampy areas along the way. In NJ there was 1 mile of the boardwalk (pic on left). There were several other places that we really could have used these boardwalks!

Dan with one of my newphews! Dan has never had facial hair before our trekking! The first time Dan's mom saw him with his hat and sunglasses and his facial hair (at the wedding festivities), she didn't recognize him! (This was about 2 months of not shaving).

Our next stops:

Dan and Debbie McMonigle

c/o General Delivery

Gorham, NH 03581

Please hold for AT Thru-hiker.

Our estimated date of arrival July 15.

Dan and Debbie McMonigle

c/o General Delivery

Andover, ME 04216

Please hold for AT Thru-hiker.

Our estimated date of arrival July 20.

We appreciate all your comments! Enjoy hearing from you! Thanks for all your prayers, support, Children's Hunger Fund donations for our cause and your love and friendship! God Bless you!