Day 117: Mt Greylock

Day: 117 Miles: 14.8 Trip: 1589.4 Started: Chesire, MA Destination: Williamstown, MA

Veterans War Memorial
at the summit

I'm feeling a little better today.  The weather has started to cool, but temperatures are still in the upper 80's.  Today I passed over Mt. Greylock.  It is the highest peak in Massachusetts at about 3500'.  The summit is accessible by car and there are a fair amount of tourists on top of the mountain.  It is always strange to walk for hours and miles to get to a summit just to be greeted by a parking lot full of tourists.

I have come to realize that hikers tend to look down a bit on those that have driven to such a place.  I hike up a mountain for miles pouring sweat for the simple payoff of knowing that I got myself up top unaided and with my own two feet.  Enjoying the view by driving to the top just seems like cheating now.  There is one good thing about touristy places however, they require facilities.  I was able to purchase a cheeseburger and a few sodas as Bascom Lodge before heading on.

It was nice to have a true highlight in Mt Greylock and it picked up my spirits a little for the rest of the day.  The climbs are getting a little steeper and I imagine that the White Mountains will be far more difficult.  I just hope that increasingly difficult terrain comes with equally rewarding payoffs.