Mt Greylock, Massachusetts and Arrival in Maine

Day: 30
Miles: 6,666 (exactly)
Location: Gorham, Maine

Love that quote...

One adventure ends and another begins... I've arrived safely in Maine after traveling 6,666 miles exactly through some of the wildest parts of America.


I couldn't resist squeezing one more adventure out of this trip; the climbing of Mt Greylock. It was a very easy "climb" that was not more than a mile. Really, it was more symbolic than anything. I'm not big on ceremony or long goodbyes, but this was my last mountain on this adventure but also the beginning of a new adventure! I mean this in two ways; its the first mountain of a new quest to climb New England's 50 finest mountains and also my first "metaphorical" adventure in New England. I thought it was a nice touch! Mt Greylock also happens to be my 12th state highpoint climbed!

The War Memorial atop Mt Greylock

Geez, what an adventure. I haven't seen the sun set upon the same horrizon in 30 days!


By the numbers...

• Total Milage: 6,666 miles
• Total Time Spent Driving: 155 hours
• Average MPG: 30 mpg
• Cost: $1,100 (about)
• States Visted: 18 (California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario (Canada, obviously), New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine)
• National Park Units Visted: 19 units, 9 of them being National Parks
• Mountains Climbed: 9 (Mt Humphreys, AZ, Mt Elbert, CO, Panorama Point, NE Middle Teton, WY, Deer Mtn, CO, Harney Peak, SD, White Butte, ND, Mt Greylock, MA)

I accomplished nearly 33 separate goals on my "List of things to do before I die". I say separate because I actually accomplished over 40 but some of these overlap such as "Visit Minnesota" and "Kayak Voyageurs National Park".


All in all, I accomplished everything I wanted to do when I set off 30 days ago save for one thing; I couldn't climb Longs Peak in Colorado due to weather problems. I'm not sad though, I set some ambitious goals and accomplished them!

One of the first pictures I took on this journey

In case you wanted to know, here's the list of everything I set of to do!

• Hike Mojave National Preserve, CA
• Climb Humphreys Peak, AZ
• Visit Wupatki National Monument, AZ
• Visit Sunset Crater National Monument, AZ
• Hike Monument Valley, AZ/UT
• Visit Valley of the Gods, UT
• Hiking Natural Bridges National Monument, UT
• Hike Hovenweep National Monument, UT
• Hike Mesa Verde National Park, CO
• Canyoneer to the River of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO
• Climb Mt Elbert, CO
• Visit Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, CO
• Visit Garden of the Gods, CO
• Visit family!
• Hike Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
• Climb Panorama Point, NE
• Cross Country Ski Medicine Bow Mtns, WY
• Hike Yellowstone National Park, WY
• Climb Middle Teton, WY
• Visit Teton National Park, WY
• Cave in Jewel Cave National Monument, SD
• Cave in Wind Cave National Monument, SD
• Climb Harney Peak, SD
• Visit Mt Rushmore, SD
• Visit Minutemen Missile National Historic Site, SD
• Visit Badlands National Monument, SD
• Visit the Geographic Center of America, SD
• Climb White Butte, ND
• Hike Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND
• Kayak Voyageurs National Park, MN
• Hike Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WI
• Hike Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI
• Hike Mt Greylock, MA

I'm damn proud. It's been a great adventure. I'll post something more reflective soon!