75% done with the AT!

Another quick update from the trail - Keychain, Zen, and the Thinker spent last night just past Killington, VT, and will hike on today. The best news is that they passed the 75% mark the other day, followed shortly by the 500 miles to go mark. Shawn plans to be in Hanover, NH, this weekend... and once they cross into New Hampshire, its only two states to go!!!

More mud...

Keychain has reached Manchester Center, Vermont! I just had a very brief chat with him, and he's currently trying to find his way around town around to see if he can get to a library to blog. In the meantime, I'll update you with this tidbit: in the last 11 days, its rained for 9 of them. I get the feeling that morale on the trail is a little low.... I think I speak for all our faithful readers (hi families!) when I say, "Go Keychain!" "You can do it!!" and, of course, "Mud, shmud."

Mud, Mud, and More Mud

Word from the trail is that Vermont (where Shawn is now) has experienced almost double its usual rain fall in the past month ... which apparently is making for some muddy hiking, wet shoes, and pruney feet! The hikers (Keychain, Thinker, Brama, and some others) made it to Bennington, VT, last night. It was an unplanned stop for Shawn, but he decided to stay over last night as a treat after a few days of walking in the at-times calf deep mud and water. I say good call! They're heading out today, and on towards Manchester Center, VT.