there's bears in them there woods

one panel in the History of Americans

We ride down the Vermont side of the Connecticut River before crossing to stop at Dartmouth College and take a look at the Orozco murals in the library there.  After this surprising little cultural gem we shuffle south east along the Northern Rail Trail which takes us through the woods and past several beautiful lakes towards Concord. As always, we camp in the woods. 

one of several covered bridges we see

it's mid-October and still very warm

It's only on our last day of the rail-trail that we pass a cyclist going the other way and, as is typical, he wants to chat.  He tells us that only the other day he saw a bear cross the trail. Glad we didn't meet him, or the bear, on our first day - I'd have been terrified and Gayle would've been unbearably excited..... At the end of the trail we stop for the night with Warm Showers host Charlie and his family and share a great Sunday dinner with them. 
 

the trail was busier on Sunday

In Concord we are visiting an old friend of my parents.  Lois lives in sheltered housing.  We stop to ask a taxi driver directions.  He's not got an American accent - probably migrated here as an adult.  He asks us where we're heading.  Mexico, we say.  He looks amazed and impressed and before we know it he's holding out a twenty dollar bill to us.  Here. take it.  We quickly say thank you but insist we don't need any money.  Wow, what a gesture.  


Lois is in fine spirits when we reach her, despite being under medical supervision with suspected pneumonia.  She is convinced she will be 'released' shortly and chats merrily away.  And that evening we stay with a young couple on the south edge of the city.  Kelly and Joel had a sign in their back garden warning about dangerous squirrels.  But then they told us a bear had been spotted helping itself to a bird feeder just down the street.  Bears, bears, bears.......

with Lois