“The ultimate purpose? There are three things:
To walk;
To see;
To see what you see.
— Benton MacKaye, creator of the Appalachian Trail.
And a fine mantra for any long walk.
Between Moosilauke and Monadnock lie the “in-between lands,” with Cardigan and Sunapee as the major waypoints.
My route to Cardigan proved mostly delightful: backcountry roads, snowmobile tracks, and old Class VI roads bordered by cellar holes and foundations from pre-1800 New England life.
From Cardigan to Sunapee came more of the same with quiet woods, old lanes, and traces of the past save for the final stretch, which turned utilitarian. Still, the mail drop brought a new pair of shoes; trail magic courtesy of the postal service and my amazing partner Joan.
The Monadnock–Sunapee Greenway turned out to be a gem of a trail: winding through villages and stone walls, across memorable summits, and past interpretive signs that offer glimpses of the people who once carved lives from these hills. A neat little trail, indeed.
Monadnock sits just past the mileage halfway point, but it feels like the psychological one. With its granite peak behind me, Massachusetts lies just down the trail.
I’m now in southern New England and leaving the last major peak behind.
With Monadnock behind me, I’ve entered southern New England. The terrain will ease, and the sense of wilderness may soften, but I suspect I’ll still find joy in walking through the place I once called home. It may not be as wild as northern New England, but the history and subtle beauty still make for a memorable pilgrimage as I make my way to the ocean.
A journey that began among mountains now continues towards the place that shaped my formative years
