Larry and Eileen Hiking and Travel Loghttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/feed.xml2022-07-20T23:11:28.084000ZWerkzeugNH – Mt. Robertshttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-roberts2022-07-16T02:04:51.422000Z2022-07-16T00:58:23ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>On a sunny and not too hot day in July, we decided to hike Mt. Roberts in Moultonborough, another peak on the 52 With A View list, about an hour drive from Lincoln. Mt. Roberts is in the Ossipee Range, and is part of the Lakes Regions Conservation Trust's Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area. It offers beautiful views over Lake Winnipesaukee, and at the peak, some views north to the White Mountains including Mount Washington. Parking is at the top of Ossipee Park Road.</div>
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<div>The hike is 4.5 miles round trip with a 1350 feet elevation gain to a height of 2,582 feet. The orange-blazed trail offers a easy to moderate ascent through both woods and open areas, and footing is generally good, with some rougher sections and small amounts of rock outcroppings -- and lots of low-bush blueberry.</div>
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<div>The hike starts at a parking area on Ossipee Park Road (elev 1250 feet). The first half mile or so was a wide trail with mild slope. At 1.2 miles (elev 1620 feet), a short-side path leads to a large open ledge with views of the lake. Mt. Kearsage in Winslow State Park in Wilmot, NH can be seen in the far distance.</div>
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<div>We walked in woods and in open areas with similar views. The path that where we walked out of the woods is just right of center in the picture below.</div>
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<div>A view of Gunstock with its ski trails.</div>
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<div>Mt. Shaw and neighbors, another (52 with a view) hike in the area.</div>
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<div>Eileen at the summit with views to the north (from atop the rock outcropping).</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f9dfa755-c891-7b5e-2b27-fb17eab3631d/14ae58a4-9213-9c1b-0ea0-4e4e13a9fad3.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Mt. Carrigain (far left all the way back) peaking up over the bowl between Mt. Whiteface and Passaconaway, and Mt. Washington (right all the way back) can be seen through the haze.</div>
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<div>Our hike. It took us about 2 hours to get to the summit including stops at the various viewpoints and stops to take pictures. The walk down was about an hour and a half.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f9dfa755-c891-7b5e-2b27-fb17eab3631d/678eec9a-d115-a127-4222-9f555add3cd8.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:897;"/><div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f9dfa755-c891-7b5e-2b27-fb17eab3631d/12376ec5-96b4-211f-b729-8e532cffa765.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:950; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>— Eileen and Larry Samberg, 15-Jul-2022</div>
Provence – Day 10 and 11 – Bonnieux → Avignon TGV → CDG → homehttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-10-and-11-bonnieux-avignon-tgv-cdg-home2022-06-27T00:16:17.849000Z2022-06-15T16:00:14ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday, June 15 and Thursday, June 16, 2022</span></div>
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<div>Wednesday we were picked up around 10:45 am for our 12:48 pm TGV, this time an INOUI train, destination CDG.</div>
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<div>Once at CDG, we took the CDGVAL for a 5-minute train ride, checked in to the Ibis Styles, had some dinner at the other Ibis, and went to bed. The next morning we found out our plane was going to be 3 hours late. We headed over anyway, checked our bags, had some breakfast with our 15 euro apiece vouchers for the late plane, headed through immigration, took the train to L and hung out at the Yotel lounge, took the train to M, went through security, bought some wine and goodies, and boarded the plane for home. Of course we sat yet another hour, as some bags had to be unloaded for some passengers who didn’t board.</div>
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<div>In spite of some reports we had heard, we really did get through bag check, immigration, and security steps pretty quickly, not having to wait more then 5-15 minutes for each. And on landing, we were through global entry (what a wonderful thing) in 30 seconds — just facial recognition and no passport scan needed, had our bags in 15 minutes, and were on the bus not much more than 1/2 hour after landing. Of course traffic was a mess and it took and hour to get to Logan Express. Then home, a quick dinner, and bed.</div>
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<div>Fin.</div>
Provence – Day 9 – Bonnieux → Buoux Castle → Auberge des Sequinshttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-9-bonnieux-buoux-castle-auberge-des-sequins2022-07-20T23:11:28.084000Z2022-06-14T16:00:09ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><b>Tuesday, June 14, 2022</b></div>
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<div>Tuesday’s hike was supposed to be from Bonnieux to Buoux to Auberge de Sequin, listed as 11.7 km, 7.3 miles. We had asked before the trip if we could shorten up the hike and start from Chateau Buoux, now an environmental education center. The hike ended up being about 5.25 km, about 3.25 miles.</div>
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<div>We got picked up around 10:45 am. There was a little confusion on the part of the driver as to where we were being left off — the voucher said Chateau Buoux but there is also a Fort Buoux ruin near Buoux, and when we realized he was driving there, we explained that we were supposed to go to Chateau Buoux, which is now called Chateau de l’Environment run by the Luberon Nature Park. It was a short backtrack to the correct turnoff, so no harm done.</div>
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<div>Our walk begins here.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/357f5e75-a6df-d02f-0ccc-d48b6545716c/563019e1-1134-c3e3-8b6b-775cce8bee07.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>From the Chateau grounds, we hiked about 15-20 minutes up to 13th century Chapelle St. Marie. We walked into the church and walked around the grounds a bit before continuing on to Buoux.</div>
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<div>Continuing on to Buoux.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/357f5e75-a6df-d02f-0ccc-d48b6545716c/4457bb2e-fbb6-85c1-ede0-d0ffaf673ec8.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Buoux is a very small village with 17th century stone dwellings and narrow cobbled streets (called "calades"). We walked around for a few minutes, snacked on some goodies, drank some water.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/357f5e75-a6df-d02f-0ccc-d48b6545716c/a794c51f-944d-6aa1-075e-9bd53043bf92.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We then headed off mostly on dirt tracks and some woods.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/357f5e75-a6df-d02f-0ccc-d48b6545716c/ceabc529-0e95-e832-d2f9-a6056964ec88.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>GR blaze showing a turn.</div>
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<div>Now we head down towards the cliff.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/357f5e75-a6df-d02f-0ccc-d48b6545716c/de9b3b07-612e-e3d2-6a9f-f7d0e3573796.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>About 2.5 km into the hike, we reached and walked along a cliff, where we could peek over and see the auberge hotel complex in the valley far below.</div>
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<div> At about 4 km, we started down a series of switchbacks on a centuries-old, cobbled mule-track to the valley and the auberge. We sat in the outside cafe, and drank Perrier and a auberge-prepared lemon drink, and were picked up around 2:30 pm for the drive back to Bonnieux.</div>
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<div>Time for refreshments.</div>
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<div>Our route.</div>
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<div>Dinner was at <a href="https://www.laterrazza-bonnieux.com/" rev="en_rl_none">La Terrazza di Bonnieux</a> in the old town. We had antipasto and pizza and enjoyed the view. We headed back to our B&B and sat in the backyard and watched the sunset. A wonderful trip.</div>
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<div>A perfect way to end a perfect trip.</div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-10-and-11-bonnieux-avignon-tgv-cdg-home" rev="en_rl_none">Link to Day 10 and 11</a></div>
Provence – Day 8 – Gordes → Lacoste → Bonnieuxhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-8-gordes-lacoste-bonnieux2022-06-27T03:05:13.660000Z2022-06-13T16:00:56ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><b>Monday, June 13, 2022</b></div>
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<div>On Monday, a pre-arranged taxi took us from the hill town of Gordes to the hill town of Lacoste for a short walk to the hill town of Bonnieux for our last two-night stay. We spent a little over an hour in Lacoste, walking up to the top of the hilltop town, visiting the Castle of Lacoste, and then wandering around to other spots before heading down out of the cobbled streets to start our walk. </div>
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<div>Such old towns.</div>
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<div>An iconic shot in Lacoste.</div>
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<div>One of the ancient gates.</div>
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<div>Just a pretty spot.</div>
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<div>Besides being a beautiful hill town, at the top of Lacoste is the famous castle, dating back to the 11th century, modified over time, which was occupied by the (in)famous Marquis de Sade in the early 1770s. The castle was mostly destroyed during the French Revolution. In 2001, Pierre Cardin bought the castle, and started renovating. Each year, prior to his death in 2020, he organized a musical artistic festival to the west of the castle. The other remarkable thing about Lacoste is that the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has a huge educational facility nestled into the ancient buildings for students to study abroad.</div>
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<div>View through the ruins.</div>
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<div>A note about trail signs. Many of the trailheads and intersections along the way are marked with yellow trail signs that are on wood poles with the location on top and signs on the pole in the direction of various destinations. In this case, we walked to the primary school, looking for a path with a "Lacoste" top sign and a directional sign marked "Bonnieux". We headed down the path. </div>
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<div>About 350 meters into our walk and in now what was an open farmland area, we turned around for an amazing view of Lacoste on our left and Bonnieux on our right. We were right by a cherry tree orchard with workers picking cherries, and one of the workers smiled at us while we stood there taking pictures, and said to us something like, "quite a view, isn’t it (in French)," and we agreed.</div>
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<div>Lacoste behind us.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/dafe7ec5-cda4-c589-49e2-bb9b46fd353c/3ab98ecf-1997-0dc2-7787-3df72f6bc115.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Bonnieux ahead of us.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/dafe7ec5-cda4-c589-49e2-bb9b46fd353c/b80c9df4-eef2-5945-409f-f3ba4c489858.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Soon after the orchard, we headed in the woods briefly, then out onto a grassy track, then onto a paved lane. We walked up to a Bastide home on our right, and ended up in a conversation with an ex-pat who lives in Luxembourg and vacations at this house every summer. </div>
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<div>We continued on our way, following the step by step instructions, alternating between dirt tracks, shaded paths, and some paved or somewhat paved lanes. We ended our ≈ 4km walk at our B&B, <a href="https://leclosdubuis.fr/en/" rev="en_rl_none">Le Clos du Buis</a>. With the sun and the heat pushing 90 degrees, that was plenty.</div>
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<div>Our route.</div>
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<div>The B&B was right in the "newer" lower part of the town. We checked in and relaxed over our picnic lunch in the garden. Then we headed up up up for a walk to the oldest part of Bonnieux, then back for a shower, and dinner at <a href="https://www.laromerestaurant.com/en/" rev="en_rl_none">L’Arôme</a> at 7:30 pm.</div>
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<div>Le Clos du Buis.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/dafe7ec5-cda4-c589-49e2-bb9b46fd353c/a4a2432f-cd63-9766-95ea-f9bfa2b35813.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Looking up the street from our B&B.</div>
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<div>The old part. We went up...</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/dafe7ec5-cda4-c589-49e2-bb9b46fd353c/bbd20d04-0143-ff3b-286d-229be8960d61.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Good shoes a must on these cobbled and steep streets.</div>
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<div>Looking back down on the "newer" part of town.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/dafe7ec5-cda4-c589-49e2-bb9b46fd353c/7ca7bca0-ef85-072f-c56f-6efe86e12dc0.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Mount Ventoux in the distance.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/dafe7ec5-cda4-c589-49e2-bb9b46fd353c/3c16ca1a-95e3-de14-ee2a-1b1229d40752.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-9-bonnieux-buoux-castle-auberge-des-sequins" rev="en_rl_none">Link to Day 9</a></div>
Provence – Day 7 – Gordes – Abbey de Sénaquehttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-7-gordes-abbey-de-senaque2022-06-27T01:01:45.865000Z2022-06-12T16:00:43ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><b>Sunday, June 12, 2022</b></div>
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<div>Our lovely B&B in Gordes, <a href="https://www.domainedelenclos.com/en" rev="en_rl_none">Domaine de l’Enclos</a>, was across a valley to the old town, with a great view of Gordes from a nearby street, and about a 10-minute walk to town. Gordes is one of "beautiful villages of France". It has been occupied since prehistoric times. It has a castle from the 10th century, remodeled in the 15th century Renaissance style. Gordes occupies some of Les Monts de Vacluse, a group of mountains and hills, part in the valley of the Calavon (a local river) also called the "Luberon Valley".</div>
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<div>First some views of our B&B, views of Gordes from near our B&B, and pictures in Gordes, taken at different times during the two days.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/f366d996-7d7d-14d3-d01f-1f2509e42891.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The living room. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/5cd26d93-e4f9-9fbd-ded5-f653e90727af.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The backyard.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/3012bb8f-ec50-4888-3806-a04e17e7fa5f.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The village of Gordes (across the valley).</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/6efe359b-73a0-4a80-1d12-e6709345b4e2.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The castle in the center of town.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/2d294dd3-0224-d0b8-5bd0-7a1a881e23d6.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Another shot of the center of town.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/1108e79f-03fb-fffb-8a5c-04fec89e27a2.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Cobbled streets.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/b2a7f9c8-a49c-9623-5062-6d677280c234.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>And a lot of steep cobbled streets.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/b244c0bc-d1de-7117-1731-f0fe4008cf38.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Views galore.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/85aaceb1-0cdc-d948-91d5-90f47f9b2524.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>On Sunday, we hiked a classic 6.2 miles (10 km) counter-clockwise loop out of Gordes that includes a stop at the Abbey de Sénaque. This hike was a roller coaster — up to one side of a valley, into the valley, and then back up to the other side of the valley, then down to the Abbey, and then up again to Gordes. This loop is partly on GR, partly on local trails.</div>
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<div>It was another very hot day, with a lot of walking in full sun and some shade. The first km was our walk into town, at which point we followed a gradually uphill lane north, with yellow trail markers, and later, yellow and blue trail markers.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/3144733e-b4df-5ddd-a949-f1babf04246b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div> At about 4 1/2 km in the hike, we reached a explanatory sign and panoramic view of the Sénancole Valley. We could also see Mont Ventoux, Provence’s highest mountain, off in the distance (picture on another day).</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/165d71b7-b917-d3c3-e009-4d9351d36c75.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Looking across the valley to the other side.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/55a845c1-2792-26c1-fc49-1ef477f8d8ad.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Larry looking out over the valley to the other side.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/5a069c71-f183-897a-d58a-8e2529e06e80.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We then descended into the base of the valley, curved left, and climbed out at ≈ 5 km into the hike. We looked across the valley and took a picture of the sign. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/22eb9d37-38fb-7e4e-4efc-4777cfd5d5cb.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Heading back up to the other side.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/cc14e6df-542d-7c4e-484a-1442c46e0232.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Looking back across the valley to the sign on the hill.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/782fcf13-1d9c-663b-67ca-e3417bc43f4a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>At this point, we were close to the top of the loop and about to head southwest and south. Just before the track began to climb, we took a left that descended gradually. Not quite reading the instructions right, that left was a parallel path to the one in the step-by-step book, but it merged with the correct path as we leveled out.</div>
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<div>We walked left of a young olive grove, and then reached an old Provençal farmhouse, at which point we headed down the few steps of a grassy slope, took a left fork down a trail to the Abbey and the main road. This was at about 7 km into the hike.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/0baabd80-8143-4ac4-c467-f2a006632e04.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>We crossed the main road and through the entrance gates of the Abbey and down the paved driveway to the Abbey. We wandered a while, had a snack, took pictures, etc.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/bae08733-8bfd-c9f6-cace-5567c7303222.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Lots of lavender.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/f1fdcfbd-0ed7-1762-24a4-e256fd2c819a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>To continue the hike, we headed up the u-turn of the driveway at the Abbey, walked a short distance away from the Abbey and turned right off the driveway on to the red-and-white striped GR trail marker. We doubled back past the Abbey and headed pretty much straight uphill.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/8cb51a99-21d0-b8b9-fca0-2a2757d5185f.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>View from the climb back up to Gordes.</div>
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<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/b0cfe00b-e309-e509-923d-de9486c6371d.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>We eventually arrived at the main road, and then turned right off the road at the Côte de Sénacole yellow hiking sign post, descended a bit, and followed the instructions back to our B&B. The entire hike was about 10 km (6.2 miles).</div>
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<div>Our route.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/54ce9ba2-c9f9-9cbf-9cd3-ffe53d866e5d/b27a1ab5-f412-0b99-799b-671c303f5075.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:700; --en-naturalHeight:827;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Dinner was at <a href="https://bastide-de-pierres.com/" rev="en_rl_none">La Bastide de Pierres</a>, an excellent Italian restaurant.</div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-8-gordes-lacoste-bonnieux" rev="en_rl_none">Link to Day 8</a></div>
Provence – Day 6 – St. Rémy → Les Baux-de-Provence → Gordeshttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-6-st-remy-les-baux-de-provence-gordes2022-06-27T03:05:46.660000Z2022-06-11T16:00:47ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><b>Saturday, June 11, 2022</b></div>
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<div>The winds subsided on Saturday, so we could hike Saint-Rémy-de-Provence to Les Baux-de-Provence — about 10 km, 6.2 miles. It was very, very hot, but we made it. We left around 9. We did a detour to an outlook that was incredibly worthwhile as we got a fantastic view of Les Baux. Then a stop at Carrières des Lumières before entering Les Baux. The details:</div>
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<div>The route, mostly on the GR6 (grand randonnée), follows a rolling trail along a ridge and continues as the path gently undulates to Les Baux. The route heads south then west then southwest.</div>
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<div>We headed down the main road from our B&B for a little more than 1 km, and turned right long before Saint Paul de Mausole. We quickly passed a walled Jewish cemetery from the Middle Ages, open once a year in September. About 3 km from our start, we reached the southern end of Lac du Peirou. Once there, we picked up the red-and-white stripes of the wide track GR for about 6 km continuing south and then west. Before turning left (south) off the GR to the 1 km path to the paved road to Carrières des Lumières, we did a detour 500 meter to and 500m back from a rocky outcrop for an amazing view of Les Baux. </div>
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<div>Jewish cemetery.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/1ade3fd1-d1cc-91e6-2281-ad3da79486ac.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Classic signpost. We hiked the GR6 route, blazed with red and white stripes.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/07b63aef-16da-369e-9435-8947e09ce290.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Eileen against a beautiful backdrop.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/1531681d-ccd9-f793-c1c7-ac3bd399e253.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The wide track is visible above the brush.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/4589dfca-3ebb-bddd-db39-6eb8a6d24f09.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Most of the trip was on this wide track.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/57404112-7491-65ea-6f4a-b22e748c937b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Another view as we walked.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/9e56ce64-16f2-b866-803c-ff79ae55c93f.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We took a detour for a primo view of Les Baux-de-Provence.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/7443e8f5-dbe1-a852-e23f-8d68db3d16c7.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Larry #samberging.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/a5d2ffe7-ea99-496d-60c3-82d973a57930.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We got to Carrières des Lumières about 1 pm. We had a snack and entered the enormous space at 1:30 for a 30-40 minute very creative show of scenes in Venice.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/18e0fdd9-0317-11e1-044a-30d168726716.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The projections changed and moved.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/e60f604f-6349-77c5-bd15-03dabaeb2445.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>An enormous cavern.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/a00ed34f-3db9-3e03-f05a-d0b6190ef486.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Then we walked the 1 km to Les Baux. We headed up (I mean up) to the top of Les Baux, got a good view of the Castle ruins (we did not go in), took in the view, stopped for some drinks. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/1bbbddd6-5885-8155-aeb9-3470cb135397.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Cobbled streets.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/c148bf6a-8e52-8f20-4e1a-9b360b8400cd.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Castle ruins.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/afc2d388-daa3-b279-cf01-4f436cca5779.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Looking east.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/2c97df8c-f77d-eaf8-2ac6-673df58c2571.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We headed down a little after 4 pm through the original gate – the Water Gate – to a road to catch our ride (a very funny guy) to Gordes. He has lived in the Luberon all his life.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/f3fee49b-5254-22ab-15d8-68b655f173ce.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Our route.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/24175d64-fccc-ad0c-24b7-664421f84f63.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:876; --en-naturalHeight:810;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>When we got to Gordes, we checked in to a high end Bed and Breakfast, <a href="https://www.domainedelenclos.com/en" rev="en_rl_none">Domaine de l’Enclos</a> for a two night stay. We walked into town to have a magnificent dinner at <a href="https://restaurant-artegal-gordes.com/" rev="en_rl_none">L’Artégal</a>. Below is my duck starter.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c495ef15-3fba-e7c2-ae99-9aa522265418/d1a2304f-5579-86f4-5189-ca5006f00ea6.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-7-gordes-abbey-de-senaque" rev="en_rl_none">Link to Day 7</a></div>
Provence – Day 5 – St. Rémy-de-Provencehttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-5-st-remy-de-provence2022-06-26T23:49:05.330000Z2022-06-10T16:00:38ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday, June 10, 2022</span></div>
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<div>No hiking today because of fire hazard — this was supposed to be the 6.2 mile (10km) loop south along the Van Gogh trail and Saint Paul de Mausole, into the Alpilles east of the main road to the the Rocher des Deux Trous (the rock with two holes), and back north to finish. </div>
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<div>So we went to Saint Paul de Mausole and Glanum, and after a break, the Museum of the Alpilles. </div>
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<div>We walked back down the Van Gogh Trail to Saint Paul de Mausole, a former Romanesque monastery that was converted into a psychiatric home in the 19th century. Van Gogh completed 150 drawings and paintings in the (almost) year he was here. The walking path from the entrance to the building is lined with flowers and shrubs, and features nice reproductions of his works on the stone walls. We visited a re-creation of his room and then walked through the gardens of lavender and poppies, a view he could see and painted from his barred window.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/21324dd1-06ff-2453-4f7e-9d194d5aaa9a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><br /></div>
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<div> St. Paul de Mausole.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/0f0d2669-36fa-724d-9f97-330914b7c30b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Recreation of Van Gogh's room. </div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/692c952a-4297-9ed0-f99a-3e8301a3ac8a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Garden in the back, that he painted through his barred window.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/b504ce63-4351-84e1-21f5-38b31761dd16.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>On the way out, we walked around the monastery walls to where our walk would have started just to see it.</div>
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<div>We then walked a short way down the road to the ruins of Glanum – an enormous site occupied across many centuries, starting with Celtic tribes, then Greek influence, and finally Roman. We walked up to an overlook and took in Glanum and St. Rémy in the background on the left. Across the road is Les Antiques, a mausoleum from 30 BCE and France’s oldest triumphal arch, built around 20 CE.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/4718e7e8-0fcd-089a-2b59-7b93dced31c1.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Remains of a temple.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/52ec435d-e4ca-95e7-858a-32d50de651a5.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:960; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><br /></div>
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<div>View from the outlook.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/8f374150-8efb-d08d-6d1f-e11aabcf5ffe.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>St. Rémy in the background.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/87d346d2-690c-27fc-7d4e-9d362f220d72/24c64411-23f0-a3db-7cb2-203e004094c7.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>After a break back at our room, we went to the <a href="https://www.avignon-et-provence.com/en/museum/alpilles-museum" rev="en_rl_none">Alpilles Museum</a> — an Ethnographic and Natural History museum of Provence.</div>
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<div>And of course another excellent dinner, this one at La Cuisine des Anges. </div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-6-st-remy-les-baux-de-provence-gordes">Link to Day 6</a></div>
Provence – Day 4 – St. Rémy-de-Provencehttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-4-st-remy-de-provence2022-06-26T21:21:40.741000Z2022-06-09T16:00:15ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday, June 9, 2022</span></div>
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<div>After breakfast at the hotel, we were met by Nadia Gay from <span style="font-style: italic;">WalkInn Provence</span> for a review of the trip and vouchers. We took Rossi taxi for the 30-minute ride to Saint-Remy-de Provence.</div>
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<div>Saint Rémy is in the northern foothills of the Alpilles Mountains. The chain of ragged limestone stretches east to west, is 15 miles long, and peaks at 1300 feet.</div>
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<div>We left our bags at <a href="https://hotelsouslesfiguiers.com/en/" rev="en_rl_none">Sous Les Figuiers</a> (under the fig trees), a boutique B&B just north of the historic city center. We met owner Armelle. We found out that hiking was prohibited today and likely tomorrow due to high heat and wind.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/0403092c-7ae2-6776-0251-01ca2337d304.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Breakfast and late afternoon drink area.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/edd8be66-3d3d-8ba5-eb08-449d42cc8bec.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Our room.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/db2ac09c-fa41-7976-d49a-74f5fad25dfa.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Then we did the "Van Gogh Trail", which starts in the middle of the historic center and heads south towards Saint Paul de Mausole, where Van Gogh was a patient from May 1889 to May 1890. Along the way are landscapes that inspired Van Gogh and reproductions that were the view of the time.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/f53b656d-6e0e-a656-45d5-e2b14240b4b0.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>We headed back up to the historic center, passing through the ancient South Gate, ate some take-away lunch from Maison Bergese sitting in front of town hall at one of the many "places" in the center. We then headed back to the B&B to check in, relaxed by the pool, and sipped some complementary wine courtesy of Country Walkers.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/13543f81-5ff2-7e5b-23cb-83666fb9aea3.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:930; --en-naturalHeight:1240;"/><br /></div>
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<div>We found out we can’t hike Friday due to fire danger, so we planned to see the many good attractions in St. Rémy.</div>
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<div>We headed to an excellent dinner at the Bistro Découverte on Blvd Victor Hugo right at the South Gate. After dinner, we walked up to the Nostradamus statue and the ancient North Gate. </div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/287240cf-42ed-f364-6ab1-304014e5b90c.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Ceviche</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/549ebb39-c6ba-4ac5-353f-a52ce06ff5b2.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1240; --en-naturalHeight:930;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Nostradamus</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/7e33d9b0-1d41-dbe8-1156-5f74542117ce.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:930; --en-naturalHeight:1240;"/><br /></div>
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<div>North Gate</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9c3d9624-54c3-be06-bfb3-5bb66493513c/64c479f6-c3ad-b3fa-c4be-3df17582ccae.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:930; --en-naturalHeight:1240;"/><br /></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-5-st-remy-de-provence">Link to Day 5</a></div>
Provence – Day 3 – Avignonhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-3-avignon2022-06-27T01:25:08.340000Z2022-06-08T16:00:12ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><b>Wednesday, June 8, 2022</b></div>
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<div>Our first stop was the synagogue (in Place Jerusalem), <a href="http://www.aci-avignon.com/" rev="en_rl_none"><span style="color:rgb(220, 161, 13);">http://www.aci-avignon.com</span></a>. We rang the doorbell and a woman let us in and let us wander around the main sanctuary and the women’s balcony. The arrival of the Jews in Avignon dates from the 1st century after the destruction of the Second Temple. The first synagogue on this site dates back to the 1200s and was part of a Jewish ghetto. The current synagogue was completed in 1848, after a fire destroyed the previous synagogue completed in 1787. </div>
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<div>Our next stop Les Halles (Place Pie). This is a classic European market, open until 2 pm, with foodstuffs of all kinds.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/4c50b17a-2464-461c-0238-f9d24c8e9e58/338030d9-17ab-d79d-bd7d-b193b3485b52.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Yum.</div>
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<div>We then passed through the Place de l’Horloge, with the 19th century City Hall built around a 14th century clock tower, the 19th century opera house, a two-level carousel, and lots of restaurants.</div>
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<div>The old clock tower hidden by City Hall.</div>
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<div>We headed to the square in front of the Palace of the Popes (home to the Popes in the 14th century), took a few pictures, and headed down side streets to the St. Benezet Bridge, more commonly know as "Pont d’Avignon."</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/4c50b17a-2464-461c-0238-f9d24c8e9e58/ae34aa4b-b8f8-5ee7-74fc-71e447999c08.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>Using an iPod-type audio-guide, we walked along the bridge, stopping at various points, learning about the history of the bridge. "A wooden bridge spanning the Rhône between Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and Avignon was built between 1177 and 1185. This early bridge was destroyed forty years later in 1226 during the Albigensian Crusade when Louis VIII of France laid siege to Avignon. Beginning in 1234, the bridge was rebuilt with 22 stone arches. The stone bridge was about 900 m in length and only 4.9 m in width. The bridge was abandoned in the mid-17th century as the arches tended to collapse each time the Rhône flooded, making it very expensive to maintain. Four arches and the gatehouse at the Avignon end of the bridge have survived."</div>
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<div>Les Rocher des Doms.</div>
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<div>Next we headed up many, many steps to the Rocher des Doms, a beautiful park at the top (in picture above), with views of the river and Barthelasse (an island between two sections of the Rhône), and of the mountains to the east. The timing didn’t work out to take the ferry to Barthelasse, with its path along the river and the classic view of the Pont d’Avignon.</div>
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<div>Another view.</div>
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<div>Pont d’Avignon looking down from Rocher des Doms.</div>
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<div>We headed back down the ramps back to the Palace of the Popes, and retraced our steps past Les Halles to the Rue de Teinturiers (dyers). This street, with canals and waterwheels, was the textile manufacturing area in the 1800s. We also had a wonderful lunch at L’Offset (Chicken Caesar salad and wine, of course).</div>
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<div>Rue de Teinturiers canal.</div>
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<div>A water wheel.</div>
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<div>Lunch!</div>
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<div>Dinner was at <a href="https://www.cour-honneur.com/?lang=en">La Cour d’Honneur</a>, down the street, recommended by our hotel. Larry had gravlax, shared, which was more like sushi, and was excellent. Larry had sea bass, Eileen sea bream. Eileen had dessert, shared.</div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-4-st-remy-de-provence" rev="en_rl_none">Link to Day 4</a></div>
Provence – Day 1 and 2 – An Overview and Getting to CDG and Avignonhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-1-and-2-getting-to-cdg-and-avignon2022-06-30T00:36:58.783000Z2022-06-07T16:00:02ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We have always wanted to go to Provence, and in late March, we signed up for a Country Walkers self-guided trip, giving us the freedom to be on our own, but with a planned itinerary and transfers. The itinerary included two nights each in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the hilltop town of Gordes, and the hilltop town of Bonnieux; five step-by-step hikes ranging from 3 to 7.5 miles; transfers (including our first/last from/to Avignon); and 3 dinners. Although Country Walkers could arrange our flights and train to Avignon, we did this on our own. Here is a map of the towns and some of the hike destinations.</div>
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<div><b>Monday, June 6 – Tuesday, June 7, 2022</b></div>
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<div>We left from Logan Terminal E on Delta. We boarded the plane for our overnight flight on time, but we sat on the ground for an hour waiting for bag transfer from Terminal A. Upon landing at Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) and a long walk, we went through Immigration and then picked up our luggage. We had about a 3 hour wait for our OUIGO TGV (high speed train). The OUIGO is their low-priced train (all same class, no dining car, etc., but just fine). We left about 2 pm and arrived at the Avignon TGV station about 5 pm, and then took the 5-minute local train to Avignon Centre, at which point we walked about 5 minutes to our hotel, Hôtel de Cambis. The hotel is right on the main Jean Jaurès/Rue de la République. We opted for a light dinner right outside our door at The Pipeline (Salad Provençal with tuna, Fish and chips).</div>
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<div>Enjoying a glass of rosé.</div>
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<div>Our hotel in Avignon: <a href="https://www.hoteldecambis.com/en/" rev="en_rl_none">Hôtel de Cambis</a></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/provence-day-3-avignon" rev="en_rl_none">Link to Day 3</a></div>
NH – Cascade Path (Waterville Valley)http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-cascade-path-waterville-valley2022-04-30T00:44:26.425000Z2022-04-29T21:08:01ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>As a starter hike this spring, we did a loop hike that we was roughly what we did a number of years back (in the opposite direction). Since we haven’t blogged it, it must have been quite a long time ago.</div>
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<div>A number of this trails are multi-use -- hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing, and at major trail intersections, there a map with a "you are here" star. The trails are relatively well marked with yellow blazes.</div>
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<div>Immediately to the east of the Waterville Valley Ski Area on Mt. Tecumseh is a small mountain called Snows Mountain. Snows Mountain has an old, small double chair lift that is still in operation for the ski academy at the base.</div>
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<div>A bit north of the ski lift is Cascade Brook, which comes down the mountain in an amazing sequence of small cascades and waterfalls. This is a moderate hike. It is not long (about 3.4 miles for the loop we did) and it is not steep, but the trails and footing are variable, mostly smooth and easy to follow with some areas of rocky areas that have to be traversed. We would rate this a great family hike if you skip the Greeley Ledges Trail.</div>
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<div>We hiked the loop clockwise, starting in the parking lot at the base of the Snows Mountain chair lift (elev 1520 ft).</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/4e1eb227-cae2-4938-d442-e67a17588f68.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>The first part of the Cascade Path parallels a roadway for a while. There are several houses along the road and there was a fair amount of construction on this day. At the point where we entered the woods (about a quarter mile in, elev 1700 ft), there was a nice view of the the Waterville Valley Ski Area.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/9721f915-d4f7-11f6-f4b8-fe73b9e26e70.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>We continued along the Cascade Path. Soon, there was a sharp left onto the Swazetown Bike Trail followed quick by a sharp right to stay on the Cascade Path — we missed this, ended up on the Beanbender Trail, and needed to backtrack a few hundred feet.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/c162acf1-e5b2-bb1b-750c-e4666245cc05.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Eventually the Cascade Path reaches Cascade Brook. It meets the Lower Snows Mountain Trail at about 1.15 miles (elev 1672, a little lower than the previous elevation). A few yards farther along there is a bridge that crosses the brook to the east (north) side, but we stayed on the west (south) side. (We went down the trail on the right side of this photo.)</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/ce540268-bb2a-66e6-0087-fc24ac9cf5ef.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>From this point we walked about 0.6 miles up along the west side of Cascade Brook, seeing one cascade and waterfall after another for the entire stretch.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/c79a182c-7d0b-62b6-9774-12000a180b02.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/0d7259ba-d315-7b40-80d1-87627d306cc6.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>At 1.6 miles (elev 1944 feet), we reached the Upper Snows Mountain Trail. Turning left would take us across another bridge to a continuation of Cascade Path and the Upper Snows Mountain Trail. We turned right and took the Upper Snows Mountain Trail 0.9 miles to the top of the chair lift (about 2.5 miles from the start and elev 2087) and another great view of Waterville Valley.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/ad5f0fe9-b6f4-af4b-d3d8-82c6fa87b3b1.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>At this point we took the Greeley Ledges Trail downhill. These section was the only real rocky part, and care was taken to navigate it.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/82b148e1-c7d2-605d-5b30-35a8e1609775.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
<div>Looking back up after the trail leveled out.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/6192afdd-c516-70ad-60b7-41494a41ee39.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>After a short while it merged with and became the Snows Mountain Trail.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/f20b2cb3-fe82-166d-801d-570bc522e3b2.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>This trail exited the woods onto the ski trail under the lift at about 3.1 miles (about 0.6 miles from the top of the chair, elev 1751). From there we just walked down the ski trail under the chair back to the car.</div>
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<div>The whole trip took us about 2.5 hours (including time for pictures, etc.) and covered about 3.4 miles. There was a total of about 550 feet of elevation from the starting point to the highest point (the top of the chairlift). </div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cf148aad-6807-48cb-887f-77fcf2665386/4399516c-f0c0-6239-5401-a6c446fe1dbc.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:640; --en-naturalHeight:430;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Larry and Eileen Samberg – 29 April 2022</div>
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NH – Mt. Cardiganhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-cardigan2021-10-23T02:26:45.457000Z2021-10-23T00:51:27ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Late on a Friday morning that started off damp and cloudy, we headed down to Orange, NH to Mt. Cardigan State Park. We had hiked Mt. Cardigan many years ago -- so long we can't really remember it. And Mt. Cardigan is on the the NH 52-with-a-view list.</div>
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<div>We hadn't done a real hike for a month – and wet rock, roots, and leaves can be tricky – so we decided to take the 3-mile trek from the state park entrance on the west side, rather than the 6-mile one from the AMC Cardigan lodge on the east side. The drive was a bit over an hour taking NH118 south starting at NH112 all the way down to Canaan and turning left on Orange Road which eventually became Mt. Cardigan Road.</div>
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<div>It's interesting that the trails are color-coded --- yellow from the east, white when traveling north-south, and orange from the west, even changing colors on the same trail as the direction shifts.</div>
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<div>The 3-mile hike is a loop that we did in the following order: West Ridge Trail → summit → Clark Trail → South Ridge Trail → West Ridge Trail.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/bcb0a453-3dcf-b59a-1436-b2a21b491d50.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
<div>The hike was pretty typical, a mix of trail walking, rock scrambling, and ledge walking. These trails are heavily used, so they easy to follow and there are frequent blazes. It was mostly trail walking, steadily upward, until the last ⅓ mile or so when it opened onto steeper ledges.</div>
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<div>We took the West Ridge Trail and reached the summit at 1.5 miles in about an hour and 10 minutes. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/664e751a-9e22-694d-c25e-f8c8d3fa783a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>At the summit.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/77e1e47f-39cf-83a8-f285-d0ce54039321.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>It was extremely windy and the air contained some moisture blowing in from the trees. We rested out of the wind as best as we could, had a snack, and looked around and took pictures.</div>
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<div>Mt. Moosilauke to the west.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/75cf47c0-c08d-37c7-6a42-5bab33dac8bc.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Newfound Lake.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/e470cfef-8ce4-a1fa-ed28-6d5f3a937911.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Looking back down the way we came up.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/b10bced6-6ccd-3fea-c675-6b1c53e60d81.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>After about a half hour, we headed down the Clark Trail to meet up with the South Ridge Trail. The Clark Trail down was very steep ledge and we made our way slowly to the junction with the South Ridge Trail.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/78fc7475-3c01-3b6b-086a-7007c05fd632.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>We reached the South Peak about .4 miles from the Cardigan summit. The sun finally came out!</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/0a0eea31-ea7d-bd3c-3e2d-715c1b073d89.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Looking back at Mt. Cardigan.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/1a3ab6fc-fd98-0f34-ff0c-2bb0991742c4.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Our next stop was Rimrock, about .3 miles from South Peak.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/9f0600aa-0ccb-1b08-5e60-7bcadc7a026e.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/f8c4e375-17e2-200e-df81-91a3546f8b35.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>The next 0.2 miles or so were very tricky -- steep with wet slabs and boulders. (Some frequent hikers later told us that it is easier to do this section in the other direction.) After that, the trail smoothed out and we soon met back up with the West Ridge trail and headed back to the car. Our total moving time was 2½ hours, with about 1200 feet of elevation.</div>
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<div><u>Distance and Time Waypoints:</u></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 10px;">(Note the elevations are from the iPhone GPS so they don’t match the map exactly)</font></div><ul><li><div>West Ridge trailhead (elev 1922 ft) at 12:20 pm</div></li><li><div>West Ridge and South Ridge trail junction at .5 miles (elev 2232 ft) at 12:38 pm</div></li><li><div>West Ridge and Skyland trail junction at 1.0 miles (elev 2653 ft) at 1:05 pm</div></li><li><div>Summit of Mt. Cardigan at 1.5 miles (elev 3118 ft) at 1:30 pm</div></li><li><div>Stop on summit for pictures and food about 1/2 hour</div></li><li><div>Clark Trail to jct with South Ridge Trail at 1.65 miles at 2:04 pm</div></li><li><div>Cardigan South Peak at 1.9 miles (elev 2827 ft) at 2:21 pm</div></li><li><div>Cardigan Rimrock at 2.2 miles (elev 2787 ft) at 2:34 pm</div></li><li><div>Off steep ledges at 2.35 miles (elev 2667 ft) at 2:50 pm</div></li><li><div>Back to West Ridge trailhead: at 3.2 miles at 3:22 pm</div></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/00ec1c63-97a7-199c-84b5-cf04942450a3/95d51543-d74f-eff7-bb93-e8f274f53ec0.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:923;"/><br /></div>
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NH – Pine Mountain in Gorhamhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-pine-mountain-in-gorham2021-09-21T01:42:45.337000Z2021-09-20T01:41:07ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>On a beautiful, sunny, almost fall day in September, we hiked Pine Mountain in Gorham –– not a big mountain by any standard, but with amazing views from a southerly ledge near the summit. Pine Mountain is north of the Northern Presidentials, so it provides a view looking "down" towards Mt. Madison and Mt. Washington rather than the more common views from the east or west. Pine Mountain was added to the NH 52-with-a-view list in 2020.</div>
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<div>There are two routes to Pine Mountain, one starting from the southwest at the junction of Pinkham B Road and Pine Mountain Road, and one from the northeast from Gorham Rt 2/16. The one from Pinkham B Road is a (lollipop) loop of about 3.5 miles round trip, but with almost 2.4 miles on Pine Mountain Road. The more interesting one from Gorham is an out and back hike of about 5.4 miles round trip, starting at 820 feet and ascending about 1650 feet to the summit, at 2405 feet. </div>
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<div>Both of these hikes are longer with the inclusion of a side trip to Chapel Rock, northeast of the summit of Pine Mountain. Some of Pine Mountain, including the terminus of Pine Mountain Road and Chapel Rock itself, is the private property of the Horton Center. The Horton Center, owned and operated by the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ, operates a youth summer camp each summer, and holds retreats some weekends (check online for dates) during May, September, and October. Hikers can hike up Chapel Rock unless the sign is up across bottom of the stairs at the beginning Chapel Rock trail.</div>
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<div>To access the trail from Rt 2/16, turn south onto Church Street, take a right on Promenade Street, drive past the cemetery, and then drive a short way on a narrow, dirt road to the edge of a gravel pit, and park on the left by the trail sign.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/3009e4ac-418f-6841-2126-f1e5e022b02b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>The trail enters the woods, and at .1 miles, turns right onto a natural gas pipeline clearing (also used as a snowmobile trail), with pretty wildflowers on both sides. At another .1 miles, the trail turns left into the woods again.</div>
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<div>The trail follows an old road, bearing left at two forks, and at .5 miles, turns right off the road and begins to ascend a ridge. At 1.3 miles, the trail descends briefly to a swampy area with a number spots with logs set vertically or horizontally, and then heads up Pine Mountain itself.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/22b4b0c1-d35c-f608-5170-1b2251a41e87.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div>After the swampy area, the trail is steeper in parts than the overall gradual ascent, but much is just pretty forest with a steady but gradual ascent.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/7cccf69c-1251-cbfe-f370-9341f4b9e395.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>At about 2.3 miles (elevation ≈2230 feet), the trail reaches the sign for Chapel Rock. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/67ca605a-2f11-e0b0-d0a8-44d749af0d69.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We had checked that there was no retreat in progress -- the path was open to hikers -- and we hiked up the path to the Chapel Rock area. We could see our destination – Pine Mountain – with Madison, Washington, and Wildcat in the background.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/8bd67415-e8e9-9e63-2e25-1a10e491544b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div> We relaxed, enjoyed the view, ate some lunch, and headed back down to the main trail. The trail follows some overhead power lines briefly on some bog bridges, and then bears right into the woods.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/c4382027-a7c5-f63c-a264-2a1118dc9186.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>At 2.4 miles (elev. ≈2270 feet), there is a 4-way intersection: Pine Mountain Trail to the summit; Pine Mountain Trail Loop Trail back to the road (part of the other route), bypassing the Horton Center; and the private path to the Horton Center. We headed up the Pine Mountain Trail, the left-most path.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/1d9f2c8e-fc32-d93e-2951-64433b6a0d99.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The trail leads another .3 miles to the wooded summit of Pine Mountain, at 2405 feet, with three signed paths left to eastern outlooks along the way. The first is the Chapel view, with a good view of Chapel Rock and Gorham. This outlook also featured a wood lean-to shelter and a wood bench.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/5367365a-f57b-65f2-3264-729765a3e392.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The summit, with footings left from a fire tower, is viewless.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/eed8cef0-ed82-3e76-8a35-42c1b6ebecf6.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>At this point, the Ledge Trail continues down, and at .1 miles from the summit, open to a wide ledge with the widest and best views of the day -- Moriah, Carters, Wildcats, Washington, Madison, and even a good peek at the North Country.</div>
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<div>Edge of Moriah and the Carter range.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/5354616e-9ad2-91d3-6a7e-d0186a5f773b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The Wildcat range (including the ski area) in the center.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/82d090c1-efd2-51f4-29f9-cd552ddd5c49.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Madison in the foreground, with Washington behind to the left.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/deb59809-9094-1f46-1e12-b3c91492dbda.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Panning as far as possible, we could see part of the North Country.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/01cfb1e9-078d-ddaa-e377-c4c8f7ba5d00.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After relaxing once again, we headed back the way we came, skipping the overlooks and Chapel Rock, exactly 2.7 miles from Pine Mountain Summit. Our total trip was 6.1 miles, and with two long breaks, was 5 hours and 18 minutes, with total ascent 1699 feet.</div>
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<div>The trail is easy to follow, good signage, with scattered yellow blazes. The second half leading to the summit has more blazes, as the path is a little less obvious in places.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/efa3b6b5-37ce-84d4-e946-7d55332c61ad/789260a0-1ea1-66dd-9e91-7432ee743c66.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1442; --en-naturalHeight:1004;"/><div><br /></div>
NH – Mt. Willardhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-willard2021-08-22T01:18:38.953000Z2021-08-13T20:19:32ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>On a hot and humid day, joined by Leah and 5 year old Sam Story, we hiked Mt. Willard in Crawford Notch. We have done this many times over the years, but not since we started blogging our hikes. Mt. Willard (and Mt. Avalon behind it) are, in a sense, foothills of Mt. Willey. Mts. Tom, Willey, and Field are the 4000 footers that make up the western side of Crawford Notch.</div>
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<div>The path runs from the AMC Information Center in Crawford Depot, on the west side of 302, across from Saco Lake, to the top of Mt. Willard overlooking Crawford Notch. The trail has good footing, with gradual and some flat ascent, and has magnificent views from the top. It is on the NH 52 With A View list and we also include it in our list of family-friendly hikes linked above.</div>
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<div>The trail begins across the (active) railroad tracks coincident with the Avalon Trail (elev. ≈1890 ft). At .1 miles, the trail diverges left for Mt. Willard, with the trail sign indicating 1.6 miles from that point. It almost immediately crosses a small brook and soon turns right to start the ascent.</div>
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<div>Crawford Depot.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/ace54c03-cf10-028b-8490-f6b9484b0a4e.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Path to the trailhead.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/dc011598-a1ad-b321-f483-a5c10d0b63ad.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
<div>Trailhead for Avalon and Willard.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/4f3a086f-de6a-e059-aee6-cda6400acff8.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Left for Mount Willard. The trail has yellow blazes.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/a792877d-ad59-39ce-12d8-52d5db9c7d06.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>At .5 miles is Centennial Pool (elev. ≈2190 ft.), with a short scramble down to the refreshing pool. The trail then bears left from the brook. At .7 miles, the trail joins an old carriage road. At 1.2 miles, the trail swings left and then right and at easy grades reaches the peak at 1.6 miles.</div>
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<div>Centennial Pool.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/6ee883d8-5b41-6e8b-5ef5-c17de94d5a4f.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Clear pool below.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/d50eb87f-7ea5-5d5b-9197-002e2d8ab617.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Grades are pretty easy.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/6161f528-39dd-dee7-ac91-65048d849f26.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
<div>At the top (elev. ≈2800 ft.).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/1862cf13-9884-4987-3297-0a0bad4ba9c4.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
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<div>Webster on the left, looking southeast at Route 302.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/4477342b-009e-1fd1-6083-7b3f2d3e891e.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
<div>Mount Washington in the distance (zoomed a bit).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/1e5f41f5-b27b-f389-b3d8-3cba238766c8.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><br /></div>
<div>Mt. Willard track.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/b96ea8a6-6e15-b329-8b77-ee73cde47b67/71f35280-c62c-29dd-3093-df1af32ee75d.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:430; --en-naturalHeight:720;"/><br /></div>
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<div>All told, the elevation is about 900 feet, and is timed at about an hour and fifteen minutes. Including the .1 mile, the round trip is 3.4 miles.</div>
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<div>August 13, 2021</div>
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NH – Pine Flats/Yellow Jacket/Smarts Brook Loophttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-pine-flats-yellow-jacket-smarts-brook-loop2021-06-12T21:12:38.837000Z2021-06-12T19:35:37ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>On a beautiful Saturday morning in June, we hiked a 3.7 mile x-country ski trail loop in the Waterville area on Route 49. Eileen was halfway through healing of a broken finger, so an easy day was called for. The loop features a gorge, Smarts Brook, and pretty pines and hardwoods.</div>
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<div>The loop starts at the Smarts Brook Trailhead, a turnoff on Rt.49, 4 miles northeast of the stoplight at the Rt. 175 junction in Campton.</div>
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<div>The Pine Flats Trail is an easy 0.8 miles walk with several nice views of the gorge. Its entrance is right at the parking area (the Smarts Brook Trail actually starts a few feet southwest of the lot and after the Rt. 49 bridge). We micro-spiked this in the winter a number of years prior, counter-clockwise rather than clockwise, with gorgeous ice formations of all different colors hanging from the rocks. Here's the link to that <a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-smarts-brook-ski-trail-area" rev="en_rl_none">hike</a>.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/9c448f70-71cb-4e89-97c2-79bcf1e17919.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Smarts Brook.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/cdfafad6-ab25-75fc-6d27-7a4c3057972c.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Gorge area.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/91d4bce2-542e-9f98-f52b-39138268f7b4.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>More gorge.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/cb2d8ff1-add6-7fdf-3be8-53d45b2246cf.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>We eventually met the Yellow Jacket Trail and turned right onto it.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/486155dd-90e6-0bbc-beb9-8fe7aae6ce93.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div>The Yellow Jacket Trail, about 1.2 miles long, links the Pine Flats trail with the Smarts Brook Trail. It crosses a bridge just before meeting up with the Smarts Brook Trail.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/1828b579-4a48-2b81-de2b-24c5837d74a9.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We turned right onto the Smarts Brook Trail, which is a WMNF gravel and dirt road at that part of the trail. (Turning left onto the Smarts Brook Trail eventually leads to Jennings Peak and Sandwich Mountain.) </div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/6446342e-b844-3d1b-a76c-a17d4adfab59.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div>The Tri-Town Trail, which diverges left shortly after turning on the Smarts Brook Trail, also completes the loop, but we opted for the Smarts Brook Trail as we had read there were some nice cascades and swimming holes and wanted to check them out.</div>
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<div>Cascade.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/0acac687-b58a-1018-5280-88f6c7a3a30f.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div>Cascade ends in swimming hole, complete with rope.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/b11adc68-32bd-88e3-5e9c-916f5d62ab5c.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div>Towards the end, there is a split, where the WMNF road continues straight, but the Smarts Brook Trail diverges right to head back to the parking area.</div>
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<div>Some pretty flowers along the way, many mid-life, past flower, and not quite bright fruit. However, there were some in flower -- below is twin flower, quite beautiful, with twin flowers on each stem.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/55a28c31-fadd-d419-db8b-2718ab69420a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Total elevation gain and loss (there were gradual ascents and descents at various points) was about 400 feet. </div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39d120d3-4d1f-7ca5-8cc5-3e251c9b0206/b32cbdcf-1868-4f2a-72ca-ceed30296240.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:832; --en-naturalHeight:1280;"/><div>June 12, 2021</div>
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MA – Quabbin Reservoir – Quabbin Hill and Enfield Lookout Loophttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ma-quabbin-hill-and-enfield-lookout-loop2021-02-01T02:01:28.519000Z2021-01-31T22:29:43ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Along with a friend, we hiked a 5.9-6.0 mile loop at Quabbin Reservoir, taking in Quabbin Hill (with the lookout tower, currently closed), and the Enfield Viewpoint, coming back skirting Hanks Meadows. There is a combination of wide trails and narrow trails in the woods and along the reservoir.</div>
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<div>The starting and ending point is at the <span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Quabbin Park middle entrance, GPS coordinates: 42° 17.15’N, 72° 20.157W, turning in from Route 9 at the sign that says Winsor Dam Quabbin Reservoir. There is a small parking strip (8 cars) about .3 miles down the road.</span></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Our route:</span></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/501eef5e-675f-a154-e555-ad867fb0e40b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:443; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Quabbin Hill Tower.</span></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/83c4cfa9-05db-88bc-e95a-7c0e9f697d47.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>View of Reservoir with Monadnock in the distance from Enfield Lookout.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/61345609-642e-b78d-4e4e-8d97f2c3750b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Enfield Lookout. Dana, Greenwich, and Prescott were also flooded.</span></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/2a79d7ae-38a4-d068-3538-069ef9ba36cb.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>View from Reservoir level.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/3e686f28-f541-b408-df8d-038c6f100b72.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>Ice formation on branches.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/f7dd2d1c-de19-495d-7afd-9157b8a49e13.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:959;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>Frozen waves.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/47c0cdf5-e218-12ba-c50c-44d2a867a370.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1280; --en-naturalHeight:960;"/><div><br /></div>
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<div>Speed and Elevation.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/9d786d4e-84d6-a93c-c4f5-d5879cab33eb/a10d62ff-da4b-fc1c-056d-9f421dd26c7a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:764; --en-naturalHeight:263;"/><div><br /></div>
MA – Mt. Pisgah Loophttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ma-mt-pisgah-loop2020-10-11T23:13:37.407000Z2020-10-11T22:41:28ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Opting to skip NH on a holiday weekend, we headed to Mt. Pisgah, a property that comprises a Northborough conservation area, a Berlin conservation area, and multiple SVT Conservation Restriction tracts.</div>
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<div>Our goal was to do a loop, not starting from the popular trailhead on Smith Street, and to stop at the north and south outlooks. Our loop:</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6b6e8e35-6976-4f02-bbc2-296852db8134/753aa317-2daf-493c-9500-a46e55fdb14b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We drove to 120 Linden Street, one of two trailheads on Linden Street, the north end of the conservation land. We headed south on an unnamed trail, around a mostly dry pond, connected up with the popular Tyler Trail, and walked to the north outlook, now named the Oberg CR. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6b6e8e35-6976-4f02-bbc2-296852db8134/035a90ee-7ebe-43df-a4ae-e1009e92e754.heic" /><br /></div>
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<div>Although you can’t see it in this picture, we could make out the tops of the Prudential Center and the John Hancock building.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6b6e8e35-6976-4f02-bbc2-296852db8134/e09c0a27-e5d6-486c-8dc0-8c3d874f96f0.heic" /><br /></div>
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<div>We then followed the Tyler Trail down to the Sparrow Trail and took that to the south outlook.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6b6e8e35-6976-4f02-bbc2-296852db8134/7d292968-8353-49bc-a924-5bc14b6f55f3.heic" /></div>
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<div>We walked a little further down on the Sparrow Trail, and started the loop back up north via the Berlin Road Trail. At the point that the Berlin Road Trail veered left, we took the North Gorge Trail, which truly overlooked a gorge.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6b6e8e35-6976-4f02-bbc2-296852db8134/19154164-0d0a-418d-9e9e-1e2ab4f9cf2a.heic" /><br /></div>
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<div>Once out of the gorge we connected to a trail, parallel to the one we had started on, back to the parking lot. In total, we hiked 4.6 miles on a very pleasant day, with some uphill and downhill, but nothing very hard.</div>
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<div>Sassafras</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6b6e8e35-6976-4f02-bbc2-296852db8134/d7399372-2b7e-4a11-849a-f23268996214.heic" /><br /></div>
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<div>Black Huckleberry</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6b6e8e35-6976-4f02-bbc2-296852db8134/2a02b07e-318c-4480-a46e-46a31c83a803.heic" /><br /></div>
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NH – Mt. Starr King and Mt. Waumbekhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-starr-king-and-mt-waumbek2020-09-28T16:51:42.035000Z2020-09-26T23:15:08ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>North of Twin Mountain there are two mountain ranges that are in a disconnected part of the White Mountain National Forest, sometimes referred to as the North Country. Each of them has one 4000 footer. The Pliny Range includes Mt. Waumbek, and a bit farther north, the Pilot Range includes Mt. Cabot.</div>
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<div>On a sunny September Saturday in the 70’s, we headed up to Jefferson, NH to hike Mt. Starr King, on the 52 with a View (52WAV) — the second highest on the list – and continued on to Mt. Waumbek (at 4006 ft), one of the four thousand footers in the White Mountains. So this hike was a twofer, we hit a 4000 footer and a 52 with a View. We last did this hike in 2013 but did not blog it (we started the blog in 2014).</div>
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<div>There were a number of people hiking — but except for the viewpoints, we were pretty scattered along the trail and everyone was respectful of distance.</div>
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<div>By 9:30 am, the parking lot just off Route 2 on Starr King Road was mostly full, but we did find a spot just past the main lot and not in the road or near the driveways. The hike to Mt. Starr King is 2.6 miles with an elevation gain of 2300 feet (1600 feet at the trailhead and 3900 feet at the summit). The hike was actually pretty strenuous, with a steady 15-20% grade for the entire route (see the chart at the end). Mt. Waumbek is a mile further and at an elevation of 4006 feet, about 100 feet higher (but of course you have to go down about 120 feet before you go back up). That part of the hike was fairly easy, in comparison.</div>
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<div>The trail is well-worn, easy to follow, blazed in yellow, with no scrambles or water crossings. Because the trail is so heavily used, there were a lot of rocks and roots.</div>
<div><i><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/60bee205-2282-4e17-b1d3-474012df5547.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></i></div>
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<div>Immediately after starting, the trail passes the foundation of a springhouse. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/7ee8666b-a5dd-4a86-912c-be7971e18657.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The trail starts in hardwoods, and transitions to conifers at about 1.4 miles, and ascends the west flank of the mountain. At 2.1 miles (elev. 3400), there is a sign on the left for a spring. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/28fdbdf5-95c9-4ef9-a902-03637a460a9e.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Always up.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/683a58e5-0c98-4648-ad5e-955904ba6ec4.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>At 2.5 miles, the trail swings right and ascends to the wooded summit of Mt. Starr King at 2.6 miles. The ascent took us about one hour and 45 minutes.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/456192e1-89ea-4520-a7c0-ea3726552936.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>We continued for another 50 or 60 yards to the clearing from a former cabin for a view of the Presidential Range, which was very hazy, maybe from the California wildfires. The best photo op was of Canada Jays.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/43a4cc6e-16d4-4e42-aa03-db1589dc7276.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/fc040896-db88-4766-8431-c0120903c7ff.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/ff4c6b4c-b8ca-4c9b-98c4-d1a3d120b411.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>After a snack and a break to kibbitz with other hikers, we headed to the summit of Waumbek, a combination of descent, flat, and ascent. The summit of Waumbek is wooded, but a little past the summit on the Kilkenny Trail, there is a view of mostly the Presidential Range, similar to the view at Starr King. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/1a1cc127-a9b4-4930-848c-2c7fa4dfbb8b.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/5d2cc510-b5c5-4301-958f-b72a5423ba76.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>We had lunch, and headed back the way we came. The total hike (about 7.2 miles), including two stops at Starr King and the one at Waumbek, took us about five hours.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/277a75e5-b9cc-4d6b-8728-20d1040a8c61.png" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/66dad15d-2af0-4141-866e-d246bd766214/b2a54bac-2d04-417e-b316-97d913067baa.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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NH – Smarts Mountainhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-smarts-mountain2020-09-14T13:23:21.075000Z2020-09-11T23:42:02ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Smarts Mountain (3238 ft) is the highest of the Middle Connecticut River Mountains. The Appalachian Trail (AT) runs over the western summit knob and passes by the eastern summit knob. The western knob has a 40 ft. fire tower with a 360 degree view.</div>
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<div>We hiked up Lambert Ridge Trail (the AT), merging with the Ranger Trail, to reach the 52 With A View point at the 40 foot fire tower, back down the merged trails, taking the Ranger Trail back to our starting point. The hike is rated at 7.5 miles roundtrip and 2400 feet of elevation gain, though we did 8.1 miles (which included a .3 mile jaunt along the J Trail (AT) to and from the point that passes by the eastern knob.</div>
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<div>The trailhead for both trails is on Dorchester Road, 5.1 miles east of NH 10 in Lyme (elev 1116 ft). From Lincoln, it might be better to go via 25C and NH 10, rather than 25A. Going by 25A has a stretch of dirt/gravel on Acorn Hill Rd, nicely graded, but still dirt/gravel. </div>
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<div>The Lambert Ridge trail is a 3.9 mile trail to the Fire Tower on the western knob of Smart Mountain. It has steep sections to attain the ridge, and then a long walk along the ups and downs of the trail before its ascent to Smart. There is a combination of forest, ledge, and switchbacks along the way.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/2db10604-d334-4f44-8325-081776b6e937.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/c235031e-ac1d-4c70-be77-2efb56e6629d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The first open ledge and view, is at .8 miles, where there is a view to the southeast that includes Mt. Cardigan.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/9d08600c-143b-40a9-af89-fb73e07ec44c.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/c9363acd-e946-4f3f-b785-b8ac5e2671d0.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The trail continues with sections of steep, moderates, and flat grades, with some ledge outlooks. At 1.8 miles (elev. 2348), about an hour and 10 minutes in, there is the first view of the traverse to the shoulder and the summit of Smarts.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/4b408afe-7798-4194-b1be-736f0e448ed4.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>From the highest ledge along the traverse, the trail descends to a brook (dry in this very dry summer) at 2.3 miles, and begins to ascend along the shoulder.</div>
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<div>The ascent of Smarts has some steep and rough sections before the Ranger Trail joins in at 3.3 miles (elev. 2683), about 2 hours and 10 minutes in. The combined trails then climbs steeply by switchbacks, and includes stairs of half-logs and metal rungs on a ledge section.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/a3bc551a-c445-4dcc-a0ee-7a6fde671067.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/6f6cbb3a-70a2-4cb9-b869-6f4c19062875.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/506e2f02-a864-4d21-9ebc-bbc947096461.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/c2e8a853-ec56-4c8c-9d15-e477dfda6e88.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The grade eases near the top, and the fire tower is reached at 3.9 miles (elev. 3238) after about 2 hours and 40 minutes, just past an area for tent sites. There is also an old fire warden cabin that people can use on a first-come first-served basis.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/368d2aa7-9e77-4408-b60c-43468cbd21d9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/4e7c2675-7ef3-4a28-aab9-f9623d708276.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We walked another 0.3 up and back along the AT (the J trail) to the eastern knob, but the trail does not actually go to the summit.</div>
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<div>We ate outside by the fire warden cabin on a metal bench, then climbed the fire tower for the view. It was a little scary to climb up in the fierce wind, and we took shelter in the enclosure up top, taking in the 360 view from inside.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/42082611-c9d0-4484-870f-ec04616da554.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/b784aaef-2d18-4c30-b722-54703c68e0e2.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/e608e3a7-513b-4834-9ec0-3b4dfeb80137.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We headed back down the Ranger trail, less traveled than the AT, which we were told can be difficult when the moss-covered ledge and rocks are wet. It’s been so dry, it was not a problem. This trail, the former fire warden trail, goes below the ridge, is more gradual after the initial tricky descent on ledge and strewn rocks, and is 3.0 miles, rather than the 3.3 miles of the Lambert Ridge trail. </div>
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<div>The former fire warden’s garage at 1.9 miles from the trailhead.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/96d2f61d-f2a5-4579-9c86-8c25eba25f32.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The trail used to have a separate trailhead a little further along Dorchester Rd, but has been re-routed (at about .9 miles from the common trailhead) to move away from Grant Brook, which started running parallel to the trail about 1.1 miles from the common trailhead.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/43bc562d-0f74-4869-b20e-fcc3fa04bee9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>One flower we have not seen before, though it is not uncommon and is native to New England: Gentiana clausa, meadow bottle gentian.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/6529ee4a-f8f3-486b-b015-8f4643506fb4.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>On many maps, a former AT route is shown, after the summit and before the east knob of Smarts, crossing the J trail from N/NW to S/SE. The following map has been edited to show the existing trails. The section that runs N/NW to Quinttown is shown as the Dan Doan trail and starts past the fire warden cabin.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/4b2e1bae-0d29-44b7-a583-38f0bc075ef3.jpg" /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ed19c628-b404-4450-9830-391d4e171c63/9970dde0-4cdb-4c96-823c-d253eba6b3b4.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Statistics according to the Gaia app:</div><ul><li><div>Distance: 8.14 miles</div></li><li><div>Total time: 06:06</div></li><li><div>Moving time: 05:14</div></li><li><div>Stopped time: 00:52</div></li><li><div>Ascent: 2294 feet</div></li></ul><div><br /></div>
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MA - Burncoat Pond Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ma-burncoat-pond-wildlife-sanctuary2020-09-07T21:39:41.779000Z2020-09-07T21:16:50ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Burncoat Pond Wildlife Sanctuary is an Audubon sanctuary that abuts the Greater Worcester Land Trust and Sibley Farm Conservation Area, in Spencer, MA. The Midstate Trail runs through the GWLT and Sibley Farm and Burncoat, and can be used as part of a loop.</div>
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<div>We walked about 2.9 miles, skirting the Pond and some marsh areas, as well as through a forest filled with more mountain laurel than we have ever seen in one place, and clethra (sweet pepper-bush), buttonbush, young chestnut trees, goldenrods, asters, bee balm, pickerelweed in the water, and golden hedge-hyssop and horehound by the water’s edge, etc.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/69146826-e070-4ed3-8aad-871a41e0cf96/709bc558-9db8-40fa-b0f8-287764609958.jpg" /></div>
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<div>Goldenrod and some (hard to see) bee balm </div>
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<div>Chestnut tree</div>
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<div>Mountain Laurel</div>
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<div>Pickerelweed flower</div>
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<div>Buttonbush</div>
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<div>Golden hedge-hyssop</div>
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<div>Clethra</div>
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<div>Eileen by the "boulder" on the map.</div>
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<div>Cucumber-root</div>
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<div>Horehound</div>
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<div>Midstate Trail<br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/69146826-e070-4ed3-8aad-871a41e0cf96/25a4a565-bf31-409f-a280-b47f0b7aa588.jpg" /></div>
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NH – South Moat Mountainhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-south-moat-mountain2020-08-29T14:17:22.429000Z2020-08-28T20:36:45ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We ventured over to the Conway side of the Kanc to hike South Moat, one of the summits on 52WAV. The trailhead is reached from Passaconaway Road off the Kanc (Rt. 112). The road is roughly 6 miles east of Bear Notch Road; you turn left and cross the river on a covered bridge, and continue another 3.4 miles to the dirt parking lot at the trailhead.</div>
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<div>This yellow-blazed trail to summit is listed as 2.6 miles one way, 2200 feet elevation gain, with the summit at 2770 ft. The sign says 2.7 — we often see these small discrepancies.</div>
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<div>The trail was easy to follow and blazes were plentiful. Since this is a fairly old trail, there were periodic side trails and herd paths that needed to be avoided, but these were pretty obvious and there was almost always a blaze nearby to keep you on the correct trail.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/200528e2-a8f4-4b3a-a1a5-77a24a54ad49.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>At .3 miles, there is a two-rock-hop tiny brook (at least in a low rain late August). The first part of the trail is a needle-covered walk with a gradual grades.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/459deafd-afc9-4d50-bea4-d1e5407d7cd3.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>At 1.0 miles, we cross Dry Brook on a bridge and continue on.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/23ef4b73-6ac2-4109-9412-fd9f76eceaa6.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>At 1.3 miles, the trail turns left to an older trail, the grade steepens, and it gets rocky and it is eroded in places. With a total elevation gain of 2200 feet over 2.6 miles, the trail, on average, is fairly steep but not a killer. However at this turn at 1.3 miles (almost exactly halfway), we have only ascended about 500 feet, which means that we have to ascend another 1700 feet over the next 1.3 miles. Averages can be deceiving.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/4c4a736c-3e52-4bb2-b729-6ac5c7fd44c2.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>From the washouts, there is a lot of scree (loose rocks) requiring some care going up and down both. But overall, the footing was pretty solid.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/b4e195f3-60b8-4b95-a3af-3bfd81b9f02f.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>Continuing the ascent, as the area gets more rocky, with some cairns and some blazes on rocks.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/ee4f9900-c22d-45b5-9694-9607a8d2c80d.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>Just before and then at a ledge at 2.0 miles, the view becomes open and the trail runs through a beautiful red pine forest with lots of native shrubs like blueberry, huckleberry, sheep laurel (past bloom and mostly past fruit), etc. From this first viewpoint, there are nice views of Chocorua.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/e38e0138-a082-46c2-bd74-74c200e4ad46.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/642cf618-dc90-4383-8eb8-095c05b49bde.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/fff79596-9ae8-402f-a677-5c113ed4d02e.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/3d027d36-a009-482b-9978-8e063bab20ea.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>Chocorua – the double peak in the background in the middle of the picture.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/a31b27e4-16ba-4d82-b11c-6ce64f358dfc.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/67a65dc4-4a7f-433d-b040-62b248c697db.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>Almost there.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/cc44553f-2b06-425f-9ea5-763f3cb99788.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>From South Moat, looking north, you can see Middle Moat, North Moat. Mt. Washington is dead center on the horizon along with most of the presidential range. Wildcat and Carter Dome are a bit to the right of, and just a little closer than, Washington.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/3eeea704-103e-471b-a7e6-4bf4a1a08a92.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>The summit was wide open, with lots of ledge to hang out on and enjoy the 360 degree view.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/36678c13-7c5f-4bcf-bda8-e98244db9043.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>Looking south/southwest, Chocorua and other peaks.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/c221dc7d-640e-47f9-97c3-6712116b3eb4.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>Yep, we do hike together.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/8da79703-29f4-4a6c-9045-8c6a756844f4.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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<div>Our total hike time was 5 hours, which included stops for views and a leisurely lunch on top. It was about 2 1/2 hours up and less than 2 hours down.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a31d4809-83bc-4b0f-a9c1-b4f853a072a7/b5e34e0c-0c66-4c1f-8569-4b5674973882.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br /></div>
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NH – Mt. Martha and Owl's Headhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-martha-and-owl-s-head2020-08-15T19:41:00.894000Z2020-08-14T22:12:46ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We hiked Mt. Martha long before we started logging our hikes. As Mt. Martha is on 52 With A View, we decided to hike it once again, on a beautiful mostly sunny day with reasonable August temperatures.</div>
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<div>Cherry Mountain is a mountain ridge in Carroll, west of the northern Presidential range. The highest peak is Mt. Martha at 3,573 ft, and the peak with the best view (from a ledge near the summit) is Owl’s Head at 3,258 ft (not to be confused with the 4000 footer with the same name located in the Pemi Wilderness).</div>
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<div>There are three trail routes in – from the west, north, and east. The most popular is the one from the west – the Cherry Mountain Trail on Rt. 115 in Carroll, with the trailhead 1.9 miles north of the junction with US 3.</div>
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<div>The out-and-back route is to follow the Cherry Mountain Trail for 1.7 miles, turn off the Cherry Mountain Trail to the spur path to Mt. Martha, continue 0.2 miles to Mt. Martha, and from there 0.8 miles on Martha’s Mile to Owl’s Head. Our total mileage was about 5.1 miles roundtrip, rather than 5.4 miles, so the numbers don’t quite add up, but it’s close enough.</div>
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<div>The hike starts at 1650 ft, with the summit at 3573 ft, after 1.9 miles. This is a moderately difficult grade at about 1000 ft a mile.</div>
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<div>The signpost at the trailhead. It’s actually wrong. It’s 1.7 miles to the spur path to Mt. Martha, not to Cherry Mountain. The Cherry Mountain Trail continues another 3.5 miles, over Cherry Mountain, finishing at Cherry Mountain Road.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/41b3c200-0116-4dcb-9014-ca65c2085f0f.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Entering the White Mountain National Forest at about 0.7 miles.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/041e4171-a488-4282-9391-1e44632b6bbe.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Hiking to the junction with the Mt. Martha spur. At about 1.3 miles, the trail narrows and gets rockier. The 1.7 miles was steadily up, with no scrambles.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/75f21bd8-4c62-42e0-a405-5017f1aec4e1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This is where we leave the Cherry Mountain Trail and take a left turn to the spur trail. Note that someone wrote 1.55, rather than 1.7, which is much closer to our GPS reading.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/fde11195-f146-4db6-af6e-215e15a22cce.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Reaching Mt. Martha, there is a limited view of the Northern Presidential immediately on the left through a clearing, and a sharp right turn for Martha’s mile. But by going straight, there is a beaten path which leads to an old firetower site and a good view southwest. This panorama spreads from Bretton Woods to the east (left) to Cannon to the west (right).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/0e0323fd-d239-4117-96a4-b517ba36b980.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Returning to the summit, we turn to Martha’s Mile, which descends about 400 ft. to a col and then does a steep 80 foot ascent to Owl’s Head at 3,258 ft.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/520cdacb-ba85-44ff-8913-a5b056fac224.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The col is quite pretty, filled with ferns and more Clintonia (Blue-bead Lily) than you can imagine.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/6aecb78f-b97d-4620-acac-a0b9e417b590.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>There is a pretty good steep section just before reaching the ledge on Owl’s Head.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/2864148d-b0a1-4b60-a8e0-3f6e64237be1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/4cbebb8f-b689-44e8-9aa1-f253b4671420.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The hardest scramble.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/453da429-50af-40d3-aa9b-5080fbb5e338.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The Northern Presidential Range in the background –– notably Jefferson, Clay, and Mt. Washington. We could also make out the Lake of the Clouds Hut (not pictured here) between Mt. Washington and Mt. Monroe.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/397cf65d-f93b-46a4-b16f-a526a2270290.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/56014976-5b06-4cfc-a625-b568ab25f124.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking back at Mt. Martha.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/3559a804-1a1d-430a-a589-de14c3c4f88d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/e4f121b1-6b2b-43be-95fa-3c4529366991.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f715c77e-3a6c-4105-a769-3d31e850c5f7/dc8541d2-24f0-4395-8416-88dd54007770.png" /><br /></div>
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<div>The Trip: 5.1 miles including side paths, 3:38 moving time, 1:14 stopped time.</div>
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NH – Stinson Mountainhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-stinson-mountain2020-09-27T14:48:09.630000Z2020-07-31T21:36:46ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Ready for a nice hike to a summit on the 52 With A View list, we hiked Stinson Mountain in Rumney. The trail stats are 3.6 miles round trip, rising 1400 feet to the summit at 2900 feet.</div>
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<div>We took NH 25 west to Main Street, Stinson Lake Road, Cross Road, and then a short distance down gravel-surfaced Lower Doe Town Road to the 5-car trailhead.</div>
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<div>The trail is not blazed, but fairly easy to follow. The only tricky part is that there is a snowmobile trail that enters and leaves the trail and you need to be sure to stay on the hiking trail.</div>
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<div>The trail starts at an easy grade, crossing a (old tractor road) snowmobile trail at .4 miles. At .9 miles, it bears left, joining the snowmobile trail that comes in from the right.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/bea4f5d3-59e7-4125-9bb7-2ae7ea7786ae.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>At 1.1 miles, the trail leaves the snowmobile trail and takes a right through the woods. The trail then ascends steadily, swings left, and then climbs by switchbacks.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/5cf07ee1-305b-4c51-959d-bcf840e6a363.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Near the summit, the trail rejoins the old tractor road a little below the summit, and at a fork for two paths to the summit. </div>
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<div>The fork below the summit.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/471a11f6-c9f0-4be6-8eb8-2a9f2104ad59.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Looking back at the old tractor road.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/56f56ab8-7fb9-4694-9412-9ef660862b07.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Taking the right fork, there is a spur path on the right, just before the junction with the other path, to a 80 yards walk to a view of Stinson Lake and Moosilauke.</div>
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<div>Heading to the summit before the spur.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/84ad5d17-5612-46d4-8d01-c05bb0de42af.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The spur path on the right.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/602c9bd2-10ff-4e70-825d-2bf48576c45e.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>View of Stinson Lake and Mt. Moosilauke from the spur path.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/eeb77e0c-e9db-4d9b-b407-a748839ea124.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>We reached the summit in about 70 minutes, relaxed on the summit, and had lunch. The main view from the summit is of the town of Rumney, with Mt. Cardigan the biggest peak in the distance. The summit once had a fire tower. Just the concrete supports remain.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/92515870-9c48-4b68-ab18-ff61389e1662.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/765831f7-4c2d-421b-96a9-8919ce027833.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Lots of Bristly Sarsaparilla at the summit.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/c0ca8151-d505-42e0-9fdd-1ca601a5acab.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The hike down took about an hour.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/adf3ea71-23d3-44d8-8a40-57d954c4b15d.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/3c538de2-1c0a-4df6-a179-fae9fb0aecb6/ca72f24c-bc5f-49c2-b1cf-b3fc9104d42b.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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NH – Mount Morgan and Mount Percivalhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mount-morgan-and-mount-percival2020-07-19T04:02:32.633000Z2020-07-18T20:00:54ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Always looking for a new place to hike, we decided to hike the Mount Morgan and Mount Percival loop north of Squam lake.</div>
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<div>As it turns out, the person who maintains the NH 52 with a View list had recently retired 5 mountains from the list and added 5 new ones. Mt. Morgan and Mt. Percival are in the new five. So a win on both counts!</div>
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<div>We headed out early and got the last spot in the small parking lot off of Route 113 in Holderness at about 8:30 am on a Saturday. The parking lot held about a dozen cars.</div>
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<div>The hike was 5.2 miles, with 1500 ft elevation, 4 ½ hours, including 1 hour stop time total at 4 stops. The trails were well-blazed with yellow paint and yellow triangles. Thanks SLA (Squam Lake Association).</div>
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<div>We headed along the Mount Morgan Trail, listed as 2.1 miles to the summit. The Morse trail diverged right at .1 miles in (leading .5 miles to the Mount Percival Trail), part of our loop back.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/ea30fd3f-11cf-40f6-9b3d-3ced24949820.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>At first there was an easy to moderate grade, soft footing, until 1.4 miles, where the trail began the steeper ascent of the southeast slope.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/347512f9-f4e0-4bac-89e4-cf2dff0cf820.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>At 1.7 miles, Crawford-Ridgepole Trail entered from the left to merge with the Mount Morgan Trail.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/d9202533-ad45-4124-99ff-551097d69b36.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/11cbc849-58f2-43a2-a8b0-7b56df04a25b.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>There are two ways to the viewpoint near the summit of Mount Morgan — one is via ladders and significant rock scrambling, and one by following the trail a little further and taking another route up. We decided to challenge ourselves with the ladder route.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/ce37eaef-a9fd-4ca8-86e3-b0ce6c3cc586.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>We arrived at the ladders around 9:30 am, about 1.9 miles in. We had to wait a bit for a group ahead of us, but we all social distanced. Actually the ladders were easy compared to the scary rock scrambling that followed.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/9c838e31-5355-48f1-9659-4d8efe4750cd.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/90b86065-a5c7-4de7-980a-e7c9ec3edcb9.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/fabe5280-a9d0-4bcd-a297-1975411c385a.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>We got to the outlook at about 9:55 am. There were excellent views of Squam Lake and the northern part of Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding area. After a break, we took a short side path up and back to the somewhat uninteresting true summit.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/c619557f-ac41-4c5a-b364-82e4efa5aff5.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>Then we headed down the path that one would take up if skipping the ladder route. At the intersection with the Crawford-Ridgepole Trail, we had to take care to turn left to go to Mount Percival, as veering right would cause a double back down to the trail the way we came.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/e1c6597c-c83a-4ba0-8a50-226942e5a38b.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>It was about .8 miles to Mount Percival, with large swaths of low-bush blueberry everywhere, and with delicious berries at most sunny and rocky spots.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/fea69b6e-db51-465a-afab-c0d224a39336.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/909e1b61-d05d-4f5c-a94c-67f7e1e8c04f.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/7235b220-4719-4cdf-ba11-afe5506df3a9.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>After a lunch break on Mount Percival, we headed down one of the two paths that merged .1 miles later. We went down the path on the left as you face down the mountain. It was extremely rocky and required scrambling, but the other path on the right as you face down the mountain was through caves (not recommended in wet weather, and the rocks were quite wet except on the peaks). Had we read more carefully, we still would have chosen the path we took.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/69496c28-1abe-4e8a-a2bc-4f190c30b58e.jpg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/71bb4c0d-2c1a-4231-998f-f75176b7ef17.jpg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The Mount Percival trail was pretty challenging on the first half, lots of very careful winding down rock faces and boulders, all a little wet. </span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"><br/></span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Eventually the trail became a more standard hiking trail. About 1.1 miles from the top, we crossed a small brook easily.</span></div>
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<div>At 1.8 from the top, we took the Morse Trail for .5 miles back to the Mount Morgan Trail, crossing one brook on a footbridge and one brook by rock hops.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/e96bdd20-71b2-4352-b01b-4dee6d42608c.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>After meeting the Mount Morgan Trail, we headed back the .1 miles to the car.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/6ceb42cf-0bca-488c-9cdc-ca318aba1745/5774448e-fed4-44d4-9eb8-ee87458c5186.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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NH – The Scaur and the Waterville Flumehttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-the-scaur-and-the-waterville-flume2020-09-17T13:09:37.289000Z2020-07-05T00:19:52ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We drove down to Waterville for an out-and-back hike to The Scaur and to the Waterville Flume.</div>
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<div>The hike starts at the Livermore USFS lot on Tripoli Road across from Waterville Resort. The hike follows the flat, wide, dirt Livermore Trail for .9 miles, then Kettle’s Path for 1.1 miles, a short spur to The Scaur, then 1.3 miles on Irene’s Path to the Waterville Flume. The total trip comes in at 6.6 miles round trip based on the signposts, though Larry’s GPS app says 6.2 miles.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/a2cd9ad4-ad34-4bb4-9320-02acd0ef8cf2.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The parking lot is at 1640 feet, The Scaur is at 2230 feet, the ridge we climbed to and descended from is at about 2490, making the total elevation change about 1000 feet.</div>
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<div>We started off on a sunny morning along Livermore Trail.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/b3d6e299-388b-4e34-9540-07d3be48949f.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>At .9 miles, we turned left onto Kettle’s Path, the route to The Scaur, a rocky outcropping with excellent views.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/d973c98a-c967-4373-bb0d-301b6822f363.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Kettle’s Path is mostly a mild grade with good footing; at about 1.7 miles from the parking lot, at 1940 feet of elevation, the trail turns right and ascends more steeply. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/4cd395f1-82b1-4419-9bef-765b8e63bf2d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/3f23ddd3-b6db-49dc-a7ac-a8df50d11eb0.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The spur to The Scaur was about .25 miles further and at about 2160 feet on the right side of the trail.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/aee81960-0e35-49bf-b10a-282f21c79077.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/a203dc7a-9d65-4c87-8ee4-1c960a6ac6af.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>After a short, steep scramble, we reached The Scaur.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/404f2b47-76b8-4ffd-921c-a33c13cfae94.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>From The Scaur, on the right is Waterville Resort and Tecumseh.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/41c0bf5e-404e-48d6-af16-a2dd8e4ef968.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/fb0e8920-5afc-474d-bef3-3c3005a8964f.jpg" /></div>
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<div>Owl’s head at the furthest point in the background.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/11f5b091-9a10-4584-ae15-7deebf9344a1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Sandwich Dome, is straight ahead in the haze, with Noon Peak below Sandwich Dome, and Jenny Peak to the right of Sandwich Dome.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/5ce3734d-0f12-4c93-8e08-36e239454221.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>From the spur, the trail continues for another 1.3 miles as Irene’s Path to the Waterville Flume. After Storm Irene in 2011, the Flume Brook trail to the Waterville Flume, was obliterated. Kettle’s Path was at the time an out-and-back trail to the The Scaur only. In 2014, Irene’s Path was blazed at the terminus of Kettle’s Path as a new trail to the Flume.</div>
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<div>Irene’s Path climbs Scaur Ridge to about 2490 feet and then descends by steep switchbacks to the Waterville Flume. At one of the turns, there is a good view of the Osceolas and Mad River Notch.</div>
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<div>Descending off of Scaur Ridge.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/a20bbc8b-2c10-4245-af58-d7681af02d1a.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Osceolas and Mad River Notch.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/233b5623-6dd5-4f2d-838b-6b95bb5e56ee.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/aad5cc61-e619-4def-96b1-e3c3888916df.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Irene’s path intersects with the Old Skidder Trail just before the Flume.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/af645cf6-1b01-48ec-adfb-61babefa2efa.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Reaching the Flume.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/4cb97623-7c89-45fd-ad79-9587d4e4561b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/7ff7b1ab-d6b5-4a0c-9c8a-98133f76eb0a.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/c48456d3-e5a4-4fcd-ac1c-db87bd59f9e6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/680c258d-4dd6-4e2e-bbc1-4cdbf50b5339.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/39afcba5-689f-4895-8b24-47e43b3260e0/6bc4ea00-2c08-4678-bb1c-857284838672.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>For the return, we retraced our steps. The total time for the day was about 4 1/2 hours with stops at The Scaur and lunch at the Flume.</div>
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NH – Pondicherry Wildlife Refugehttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-pondicherry-wildlife-refuge2020-07-04T02:00:48.422000Z2020-07-03T21:57:40ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Nestled beneath the mountains north of the Presidential Range, the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge has natural communities of flowers, shrubs, and fauna among its ponds, bogs/wetlands, and spruce-fir forests. It’s a beautiful spot just to flat walk and enjoy being in nature. There are so many different shrubs and plants. We did not really see birds this time around, other than a gull and a duck in the distance, but at the right time of day and season, apparently the area is well-known for birding.</div>
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<div>Directions from Lincoln: From the junction of Rte. 3 and Rte. 115 in Twin Mountain, go 4.3 miles east on Rte. 115. Turn left (west) on Airport Rd and go about 1.5 miles to a small parking lot on the right. This map gives you an idea of where it is with respect to Lincoln.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/be201471-9352-430a-8fb8-6e7e4a1e3479.png" /><br /></div>
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<div>The walk consists of walking a railroad bed and visiting two ponds on opposite sides of the railroad bed.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/52b3defd-ff2d-497d-8103-a490ebfe5617.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>From the trailhead, we walked northeast 1.5 miles on the old Main Central railroad bed, arriving at Waumbek Junction, just a clearing, a former railroad station where three rail lines converged.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/f7dd34f6-46f9-4373-bef3-d049407d24fb.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/1be6bbd6-6349-421a-8633-0acca6e2141c.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>At the junction, we veered right to reach the Tudor Richards Viewing Platform (with built-in benches) on the south side of Cherry Pond.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/02209442-8dc7-4583-8b15-36837826d4f0.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Starr King and Waumbek peaks in the distance.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/e6749f44-a7ad-48c5-a919-13fe834135b5.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We walked back to the junction and walked northeast, crossed the Johns River on a wood bridge, walked along the (still in service) railroad tracks.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/6d39b53f-e771-474e-9fb0-d983f5953dc6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This picture of the tracks is borrowed from the web. Didn’t think to take a picture.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/1d639e32-ffc5-409d-a0a6-3f3c59b9778b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div> In a short distance, we turned right onto the Shore Path that took as to the west side of Cherry Pond. There was a nice bench to just sit and look out over the water.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/269c1b87-2b0f-4a7b-8160-85b85b9bb5b6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/c24ee04a-a54d-40a4-b434-9cee950f25be.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/8ac8256c-392f-4d53-b914-b5afc232166d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/52e2a4f8-5b51-469c-ad21-5d0f8f2096ec.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The path led back to the tracks to pick up the Little Cherry Pond Trail on the left side of the tracks. The trail diverges and then converges a little before the viewing platform on Little Cherry Pond, the suggestion is to take the left trail and come back on the other trail.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/798bff68-b3ee-4a80-a57c-ce4f9779f2e9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/86f5e5e4-3a66-4325-b92c-bbabe2f5d63a.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/ce6ad0af-7f21-4214-9821-bd76af548770.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We then went across the tracks and followed some of the Rampart Path, the prettier part turning right at the pond, rather than left.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/dbd7f6a4-af91-4d29-89bf-32971d192b76.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The northern part of the Presidentials.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/4210c4ac-3be1-4ba8-8d43-e85018eb48f5.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>After the path, we headed back down the tracks to the rail trail and back to the car.</div>
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<div>Total mileage: 3 miles for the rail trail roundtrip plus another 2 miles for the two ponds — 5.2 miles total. We took our time at the viewing platforms and stopped a lot for pictures, taking about 3:20 hours for the day.</div>
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<div>Some flora and fauna:</div>
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<div>Aphrodite Fritillary Butterfly</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/cc5be851-0c03-4778-8fff-62cc59898992.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Blue-eyed Damselfly</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/cdab40cc-b912-4c7e-9982-74f3efa67103/8ad86439-64cf-4e5d-a1b5-e86e66ac1fbb.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Sheep laurel with bee.</div>
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<div>Pickerel Weed</div>
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NH – Mt. Israelhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-israel2020-06-30T11:33:02.679000Z2020-05-28T15:28:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Mt. Israel is on the <a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/page/nh-new-hampshire-52-with-a-view">52 With a View</a> list, down in the Sandwich area. Although Mt. Israel is not a high mountain at 2630 feet, the hike is moderately difficult. It starts at about 936 feet, gaining 1700 feet of elevation in 2.1 miles. It was also hot and humid, which makes the hike seem harder.</div>
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<div>We drove in from the west on Sandwich Notch Road from Route 49 — don’t go that way unless you have a high clearance vehicle! We creeped along, scrapping occasionally with our Prius. We went home to the east on Sandwich Notch Road, which thankfully became paved, going through Center Sandwich, Holderness, driving on Route 113, Route 3, and Route 175 to I-93.</div>
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<div>A summary of waypoints.</div><ul><li><div>Start at 0 miles at 936 feet at 11:10am</div></li><li><div>Lookout to the south at 1.5 miles about 2342 feet at 12:23pm</div></li><li><div>Entered Spruce zone</div></li><li><div>Southwest summit at 1.8 miles about 2613 feet at 1:03pm with view to the north</div></li><li><div>Peak at 2.1 miles at 2628 feet at 1:18pm, with view NW to NE.</div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>There are two ways up Mt. Israel. The Wentworth Trail from the south and the longer combination of the Mead Trail and the Guinea Pond Trail from the west/northwest. We chose the former.</div>
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<div>The Wentworth Trail starts at the Mead Base Conservation Center.</div>
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<div>Mead Base Center</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/94bd5762-18db-4402-875e-203cc88bc2eb.jpg" title="Tap to Download" width="640"/><br/></div>
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<div>Mead Base</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/67787de2-603a-4e0c-b918-5c4004ee0845.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The trail, blazed in yellow here and there, enters the woods on the left of the building (elev. 940 ft). The trail was clearly well-worn and fairly easy to follow.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/eae9f886-c56d-489a-b882-1a2a9b0154a9.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>A small brook crossing 20 minutes in. At .8 miles, it turns away from the brook.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/1f5f94dd-b243-42a0-920e-f836ca705121.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The ascent was steady, with some switchbacks and turns. A few spots had stone steps.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/71e194a5-1ad5-43f7-9595-545ab0072adb.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The first real waypoint was at 1.5 miles (elev. 2342 ft.), with a ledge on the left with a southern-facing outlook. Larry is looking at Squam Lake in the distance.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/824b607e-4701-4b08-afca-0bbc8ab30185.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>This pitch, not long after the lookout, was the only real (pretty short) rock scramble.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/742eac00-ab44-4fb0-bc17-dedb2e8a23ae.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Above 2300 feet, we transitioned from mixed hardwoods and conifers to spruce. Very pretty. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/d3a19d6f-8d44-4bcd-a4f0-5b990632f101.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>At 1.8 miles, we reached the southwest summit, with views to the north, similar to the peak, a little more restricted.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/286500f5-beb8-4445-bf1f-a57398878848.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Then we traversed a pretty section to the peak.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/6ace9f00-594a-4b21-b87f-6f9a8b00a256.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>At 2.1 miles, we reached the intersection with the Mead Trail, part of a possible longer 8.2 mile loop.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/9c543f5b-8fa4-4efa-926f-dfc62cc2da3a.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The peak was only about 75 yards further on.</div>
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<div>Sandwich Dome, the closest large peak.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/56d5df17-3f65-4b92-9315-a6e5afc7f1dc.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>View of Tripyramids, Sleepers, Whiteface. Chocorua, also visible from the peak, is further to the right of the picture.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/cf2a2d4f-5fce-4304-adda-520de1fa5d17.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>#Samberging on the peak.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/2784aeb7-f245-4e2b-8b6b-2cc19ac5c968.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The hike.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/448705a1-1f4d-4b34-94a9-1622e97de6e7/f76650fb-4359-4502-996a-b6d8f189cbb8.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The hike took about 2 hours going up (including stops for pictures and at the overlook and southwest peak). It took about an hour and a quarter on the way down. About 4.1 miles round trip.</div>
NH – Loon Pondhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-loon-pond2020-05-21T15:01:23.452000Z2020-05-20T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Although we have hiked to the top of Loon mountain a couple of times over the years, we have never gone to Loon Pond. So that’s been on our list, and we decided that this would be a good day to do it.</div>
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<div>If you haven’t been on Loon during the summer, yet might not realize that there are several gravel and dirt roads that criss-cross the mountain to provide access for trucks and maintenance vehicles. These roads are not steep (since they tend to run across the mountain) and several of the green trails (Kissing Cousins and Bear Claw) follow these roads in the winter. We learned in the past that walking up a ski trail is much more difficult than skiing down 😃, so this time we decided to follow the road for much of the walk up.</div>
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<div>Starting at the Kanc Quad (elev. 981 ft), we walked up the road on Kissin' Cousin. At top of Kissin' Cousin (about .44 miles and 1237 ft elev), the road continues through the woods a bit (actually this is a trail called Slash). It then turns left (roughly east) and crosses the West Basin trails. It crosses Lower Speakeasy at .66 miles (1400 ft elev), then the top of Lower Northstar at .8 miles (1600 feet).</div>
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<div>The next trail is Blue Ox, at which point we decided to trade some distance for slope and went up Blue Ox. This was steeper and there was a pretty good snow cover about half way up, but we reached the top at 1.2 miles (1980 feet). </div>
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<div>We continued up the little stub (this is really an extension of Bear Island Bypass) up to Bear Claw, and just followed Bear Claw (back on the road) up to the Tote Road chair at 1.77 miles (2455 feet). This was the highest point of the hike, about 1475 feet above the start.</div>
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<div>We walked down under the Tote Road chair to the cut to Loon Pond and got to the Pond at 1.77 miles (about 30 feet lower than the Tote Road chair entry).</div>
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<div>The wide path to the pond.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f7810e7a-5d7e-4bff-9de5-2c5ffda3a23b/acec7cf3-ff6f-4a8d-8e76-e6ee9a84fdf6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This is the first time that we had seen the Pond. It was much larger than the we expected and it was a very pretty surrounding.</div>
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<div>At the pond.</div>
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<div>Loon Lake with Loon Peak and North Peak in the distance. You can see the white on Sunset.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f7810e7a-5d7e-4bff-9de5-2c5ffda3a23b/f5a72378-0bdf-4e3d-b370-7b4ddca7e6f5.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>There’s a dam with Loon Pond Brook running down from it. There is also a path that seems to go around the pond. Eileen followed it for quite a ways and then came back.</div>
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<div>Blackburnian warbler high up in the trees. Warblers are hard to spot and hard to get a good picture of.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f7810e7a-5d7e-4bff-9de5-2c5ffda3a23b/4eb29c3d-f030-44d5-ab4e-054cacd65ae7.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We hiked up along the path that is marked in red.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f7810e7a-5d7e-4bff-9de5-2c5ffda3a23b/539a73e6-de34-4073-87d1-3e6b13aad8d0.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Going down we were less concerned about being on the road. We started down Upper Speakeasy, but there was too much snow, so we cut back over to Bear Claw. At the top of Kanc Quad, we moved over to Rampasture and finished on Lower Northstar, about 4 miles round trip.</div>
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<div>Walking down Upper Speakeasy before we switched back to Bear Claw.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f7810e7a-5d7e-4bff-9de5-2c5ffda3a23b/1df36149-b7cd-4263-816b-e0f7da94b370.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A view of Mt. Washington as we descended.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f7810e7a-5d7e-4bff-9de5-2c5ffda3a23b/d70630c1-f4d1-4c59-9cfa-70b15141ecd8.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>— Eileen and Larry Samberg 20-May-2020</div>
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NH – Mt. Tecumsehhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-tecumseh2019-09-22T19:28:09.659000Z2019-09-20T17:10:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>This year’s 4000 footer, or almost. Mt. Tecumseh has been at the bottom of the 4000 footer list at 4003 feet forever, but a recent survey put it at 3997 feet. There has been no comment from the AMC about the list. Larry hiked Tecumseh twice before (a long time ago), but Eileen had never hiked it. Mt. Tecumseh is also the home of the </div>
<div>Waterville Valley Ski Area.</div>
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<div>The Mt. Tecumseh trailhead is at Waterville ski area, starting at a small sign straight up from the right side of parking area #1 facing the lodge, the lot just before the lodge on the access road. The trail is marked as 2.5 miles, with 2200 ft elevation, starting at 1840 ft and going to 4003 ft. We hiked this in September, so water was quite low in the brook crossings. A small brook is crossed just after the sign at the trailhead.</div>
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<div>This isn’t a long hike, but it is not an easy one – 2200 feet over 2.5 miles is fairly steep, but it only rises a gradual 300 feet in the first mile, so the elevation change is 1900 feet over the next mile and a half. We consider 900 (or more) feet per mile to be difficult, so this is difficult. Also, this trail has more stone steps (compliments of the AMC) than any trail that we’ve hiked in the Whites. This makes it easier or harder depending on your preference.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/2f32c51d-dc4f-4296-9375-bc9f610ab1c5.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>At .3 miles, the trail crosses a brook — mostly dry in late September. Note the yellow arrow on the tree.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/a2efeb2b-54af-4d46-b361-1b16b768aacc.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>At 1.1 miles, the trail drops and recrosses the brook. After this point, the trail mostly goes up at a pretty good incline. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/a444c893-8fdc-4cdb-be86-a6405cc40464.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>Soon after, there are 3 short switchbacks. with a view from a Waterville ski run at the first one.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/150a0de6-7f36-4718-a73c-7fc7022760e9.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>A good shot of the Tripyramids from the viewpoint.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/9e93196b-1fa8-4b94-a941-5f87876488e3.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>AMC trail crews built some pretty impressive stone steps throughout most of the hike.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/b9c6b3d1-1cff-4b2d-b6ca-43b03e1a2a82.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>Finally some easing out onto a ridge at about 2 miles.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/399aeed9-8490-480c-8a7b-cbd4ed1f635d.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>Intersection with Sosman Trail at 2.2 miles (elev. 3800 feet). From this intersection, the Sosman trail goes .6 miles to the top of the ski lift. We did not go. The Sosman Trail joins the Mt. Tecumseh Trail for a short distance.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/583b2286-cd61-4bb3-85d7-5f1ddf9de0f9.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>The Sosman then leaves left about a tenth of a mile later and heads up as an alternate route to the summit, coming up on west side, and blazed with blue. The Mt. Tecumseh trail continues straight ahead (continuing with yellow blazes) coming up on east side after walking around the cone. We stayed on the Mt. Tecumseh trail.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/c7d14791-a547-4268-b53e-884048fe6d65.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>There!</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/3ee6bb90-ce30-477a-8802-9d1dc65cd70b.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>Newest survey says 3997 ft, not over 4000 ft. What happens now?</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/b8f6221a-9040-405e-995e-b798263d85df.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>There are a number of ways off the peak — The Mt. Tecumseh trail back the way we came, or continuing on it to Tripoli Road, or down the Sosman trail. We went down the way we came.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/a6b0f2d0-b90b-4b59-834e-7f5aaba5d5dd.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>#samberging, with a view to Osceola (the main peak behind the trees on the left in this picture, Tripyramids far right and mostly off this picture, and many peaks in the distance.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/c1681052-a531-4e93-9f4c-2c3caa245b67.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>Panorama.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/357d4b52-265d-459e-9bbb-792d86417c78.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>A good Google Earth view including the ski trails (note that North is at about 5 o’clock).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/1178a8bc-80ab-43ca-839d-32a05ec5164d/bf6891c1-28f4-4aeb-b59b-008050342a9f.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br/></div>
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<div>The total hike was about 4.9 miles round trip. It took us about 2:05 going up and about 1:50 going down.</div>
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<div>— Eileen and Larry Samberg, 20-Sep-2019</div>
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NH – Table Mountainhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-table-mountain2020-06-28T03:03:08.095000Z2019-08-09T23:38:54ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Between US 302 and the eastern end of the Kanc behind Attitash Ski Area there are a number of smallish mountains including Big Attitash (the ski area is on Little Attitash) the Moat Range, Table Mountain, and Bear Mountain. Two of the Moats are on the <a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/page/nh-new-hampshire-52-with-a-view">NH 52 With a View</a> list, but Table Mountain is not. But it should be, so we hiked up Table Mountain (we last hiked it in 2011, before we began blogging). This is a relatively easy hike, about 2 miles each way and not very steep rising only 1350 feet.</div>
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<div>Note: 27 June 2020, Table Mountain is now on the list!</div>
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<div>The Attitash Trail starts on the east side of Bear Notch Road about 3 miles south of the intersection with US 302 in Bartlett. The parking is somewhat limited (probably can fit 4 or 5 cars).</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/9897b4a6-5e14-429d-a96a-bcb7fd8dbe30.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The first 0.6 miles are at a very mild grade running along Louisville Brook.There were a number of interesting plants on this hike including some orchids in damp areas along the trail such as this large-leaved bog orchid.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/a840b27b-34a4-4c77-91c9-1c041b3299dd.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div> The brook was running and we passed a couple small cascades. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/f3efbdf8-3037-4bbc-9d87-8e9494a1e9ac.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/a35e01e0-812d-48d7-afb0-a5d951a01abc.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>At .65 miles (elev. 1550 feet) we crossed the brook. The crossing was only about 3 or 4 feet wide and there were several rocks that made the crossing easy.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/0ec2bb57-a261-4c4a-845c-cdf80f1b15ca.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Shortly after crossing the brook, the trail left the brook turning about 45° left and started climbing a bit more.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/f65c615e-f281-4ed4-b296-51eae2cf2be2.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Blue-bead Lily (Clintonia)</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/1b99da83-3f94-4694-9ac2-8394c8251270.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>There were yellow blazes here and there (I think there were more on the way down than the way up).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/503f7ba4-1abf-4829-a782-6b606d05e596.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The summit of Table Mountain is not very interesting and there is no formal trail to the summit. The interesting views are from a couple granite ledges as you get near the top and then an overlook at the height of land on the trail. The first ledge is entered at 1.5 mile (elev. 2174 feet). The views are to the south towards Mt. Chocorua and Mt. Passaconaway. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/e04181c2-9246-499f-91d1-6ce6eb96bd2a.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Up to this point the trail surface was very easy. After the ledges it got gravelly and a just a little trickier.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/e6fca1b8-a3c3-42a5-a1b7-194a217f9cfa.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/8bb7aa48-9505-4298-943d-d3d74be6bfb1.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The second ledge was only about a tenth of a mile after the first and about 25 feet higher. But the view across the Kanc to Chocorua was better.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/f289b7c1-e3c6-4894-ab60-46ad3bb935c2.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>This chart is roughly the view in the picture above.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/9cd9b465-7bd8-4657-8bc8-9e484cca06b1.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>After one more small ledge around 1.75 miles, the height of land on the trail was reached at 1.9 miles (elev. 2610 feet). A perfect place for #samberging with Passaconaway in the background.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/47b98a32-8320-4427-ab61-80fa7174ae41.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>The Attitash trail continues past this to Big Attitash Mountain, but it is not heavily used and the condition of the trail isn’t as good. However <a href="http://mountainwandering.blogspot.com/2012/05/table-mountain-43012-hike-up-attitash.html">Steve Smith</a> recommends going another 0.15 miles to a place with two large rock steps on the right.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/370785dc-ca6a-4200-b7c3-37d2136f32ce.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>After climbing the rocks, the side trail leads to an overlook that faces east where Big Attitash, the western side of the Moat range, and even a bit of the Wildcat range and Carter Dome are visible.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/098f0462-b4fa-47bb-bf0b-98d606cc9353.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>We didn’t measure the time it took us because we stopped to take a lot of flower pictures and sat on the ledges to admire the views. The book time in the White Mountain Guide is 1:40 and we were likely in that range.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/04b955ce-1daa-4035-a616-3ff1f5ad1bc1.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/67f01b55-5c8d-4559-915c-27ea4a050328/755e8380-1a47-4848-a738-2c8cb2611733.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>— Eileen and Larry Samberg 9-Aug-2019</div>
NH – Black Mountain (Benton NH) #2http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-black-mountain-benton-nh-22019-08-11T01:50:40.636000Z2019-07-05T16:01:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>This is the second time that we have hiked to the summit of Black Mountain in Benton. The first was in August of 2014 and was our very first <a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-black-mountain-benton-nh">blog post</a>. As noted in that post, there are two trails to the summit. The Chippewa Trail approaches from the southwest and the Black Mountain Trail approaches from the north. We hiked the Chippewa Trail last time so this time, the Black Mountain Trail. The Black Mountain Trail is a bit less steep and therefore a little longer.</div>
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<div>The trailhead is off of Howe Road which comes off NH 116 in Benton. The first part of Howe Road is paved. Then it switches to gravel. At the end of the short gravel stretch is a wooden fence with a sign pointing to the trail. This is the first place that you can park (and where we parked, elev 1550 feet). There is also a house off to the left. A short walk (0.2 miles) up the trail from there (which can be driven if you have a car with reasonable clearance – in retrospect, we probably could have done it in the Prius) is the actual trailhead and more parking. (All mileage listed here is from where we parked and includes the 0.2 miles).</div>
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<div>The trailhead.</div>
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<div>The first part of the hike is flat and traverses private land. At about .5 miles (elev. 1630 feet) there is a split and the trail bears left (with a sign showing the way).</div>
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<div> At .7 miles the trail enters the National Forest. </div>
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<div>Walking a bit farther (at 1 mile, elev. 1770 feet) the trail enters an open area and bears left again with another sign showing the way. Up to this point the walk was almost flat, rising only 140 feet in the first mile from where we parked.</div>
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<div>The trail now continued gradually upward. The surface was in good condition with a few roots and rocks. Over the next half mile we gained another 460 feet (which is actually fairly steep) and reached a switchback to the right (at 1.5 miles and 2230 feet). The surface of the trail became a bit more rugged (more roots and more rocks) but still not too bad.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/268d22e2-3274-46ea-bd7d-96f2841e309a/80a3486e-65e7-41b9-a239-c43e1d51ff60.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Another 0.2 miles later (elev 2355 feet) crossed a small stream (easy to step over). The surface got a bit more rugged, with some mostly avoidable mud, and continued at about the same pitch.</div>
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<div>Some pretty bunchberry, which will have red fruit later on.</div>
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<div>Lots of Clintonia borealis, blue-bead lilly, post flower, with fruit buds that will turn bright blue later in the month.</div>
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<div>At 2.3 miles (2780 feet) we met the Chippewa Trail coming in from the right. At this point we were just another tenth of a mile from the 2830 foot summit. It took us about an hour and forty minutes to reach the summit (including about 10 minutes of stops for picture taking). The summit path leads to center of the ridge, where there was once a fire tower.<img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/268d22e2-3274-46ea-bd7d-96f2841e309a/3c78f231-5f8c-4934-86ae-e75027a5397d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>View from the western edge of the summit ridge, overlooking the Connecticut RIver Valley.</div>
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<div>On the western edge of the summit ridge, so pretty and peaceful.</div>
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<div>Larry on the western edge of the summit ridge, with Smarts Mountain and Mt. Cube in the far background.</div>
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<div>Beautiful quartzite and other markings in the rock.</div>
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<div>About 150 yards east of the old fire tower site, over ledges and faint paths through scrub, not easy to find, is the Tipping Rock, with great views of Moosilauke, and views of the Kinsman Ridge and the Franconia Ridge. (You can see all the wandering around to find it on the Google Earth photo.)</div>
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<div>Eileen at the Tipping Rock.</div>
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<div>Moosilauke.</div>
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<div>Kinsman Ridge and a little bit of the Franconia Ridge behind.</div>
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<div>With some amount of effort (and a scratched shin), Larry managed to climb the rock for a #samberging pose.</div>
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<div>After relaxing on top, having some lunch, and wandering around looking for the tipping rock, we headed back down the way we came. It took us about an hour and 10 minutes to get down.</div>
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<div>After the hike we went to Windy Ridge Orchard and split an Apple Cider Slushy (one of my —Larry— favorite things).</div>
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Ecuador – Day 7 and 8 – Quitohttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-7-and-8-quito2019-06-11T15:02:14.139000Z2019-06-03T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Leaving the wonderful Galápagos.</div>
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<div>We had a morning flight back to Quito by way of Guayaquil, "losing" an hour in the process. We got back into the room we had before, washed up, and had a wonderful farewell dinner in the restaurant located in the hotel — Maritane <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">— </span>the chef, Cristian, came out to greet us. Eileen had an eggplant appetizer, Larry stuffed vegetables. Both of us had a nice chicken, with dessert a molten cake for Eileen, fruit in a sauce for Larry.</div>
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<div>The next morning we headed to the Botanical Garden in La Carolina Park north of our hotel. Ecuador has a number of climate zones, with a portion of the many trees and flowers represented in the garden. Ecuador has over 4200 types of orchids, all beautiful, in a colder climate room and a warmer climate room, as well as scattered around the park. We walked through, with a commentary by Tomás.</div>
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<div>Red-capped Cardinal.</div>
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<div>Jim, Jordan, Lyle — funny guys.</div>
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<div>We then boarded the bus to Mercado Iñaquito. There we walked around with Tomás as he pointed out all the unique South American fruits and vegetables. We bought plantain chips and spices.</div>
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<div>At about noon, we headed south through the Mariscal neighborhood. A number of us got off at the Mercado Artesanal, a large set of stalls with goods from Ecuador, souvenir type items but also some nicer goods. After walking around and buying some coffee, Larry and Eileen walked a little south and into El Ejido Park, enjoying the nice weather.</div>
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<div>Tiring, we walked back to the hotel, relaxed, showered, and finished packing.</div>
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<div>Wendy, Jim, Elise, Curtis, and the two of us walked about a half mile back to the Mariscal neighborhood, to Plaza Foch, a hopping location with restaurants and clubs, to eat at Miskay, a small Ecuadorian restaurant. We had a fantastic meal, with a nice staff and kitchen crew. We had a trio of Ecuadorian ceviche of poached squid, octopus, and shrimp, with different acidic blends, and of course, popcorn, and plaintain chips; Andean soup with potato, pork, and basil; salad with shrimp, a fish dish, and a goat dish.</div>
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<div>Our Quito spots of interest:</div>
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<div>We walked back to the hotel, and off we went for the hour ride to the airport for our flights home. We all hugged and said goodbye to this nice group of people and Tomás. Then an overnight flight to Miami, breakfast at Corona House, and then the flight home to Boston. What a trip!</div>
Ecuador – Day 6 – Galápagos Islands #4http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-6-galapagos-islands-42019-06-12T14:16:25.936000Z2019-06-02T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>The Royal Palm Hotel has a lava tunnel right on the property, and that’s where we headed after breakfast. Lava tunnels are formed when the outside skin of a molten-lava flow solidifies. When the flow ceases, the molten lava inside the flow keeps going, hollowing out tunnels.</div>
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<div>We navigated by the dim lights and our flashlights, while Xavier walked us through, once again telling us of the relative newness in geological time the islands are, and thus the tunnel has not developed stalactites or stalagmites. The coloring we saw in the tunnel was bacteria (not harmful) and some calcite. Some areas were roomy and in some areas we had to duck. We left via one of the "skylights", a spot where the tunnel has caved in.</div>
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<div>Then it was on to nearby Manzanillo Ranch, an ecotourism site where tortoises just wander on the property. We saw them everywhere, including a mud pond with a half dozen or more of tortoises.</div>
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<div>Then we went to another part of the ranch where sugar cane, papaya, bitter orange, and coffee was growing. We saw a demonstration of an old-fashioned sugar cane press, moved onto a pavilion with a modern still, where we tasted a combo of sugar cane juice, bitter orange, and (licensed) "hooch" made from sugar cane. We also saw a modern press and fermentation equipment.</div>
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<div>Xavier, José, our host, and Tomás.</div>
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<div>Then we were back to the hotel for a special Ecuador-style ceviche, which we assembled ourselves. Seafood is always pre-poached, to which is added poach broth, lemon and orange juices, ketchup and mustard (yeah, really), chopped tomato, peppers, onions, cilantro, popcorn, and plantain chips. Lunch was an enormous whole fish shared by all.</div>
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<div>Then it was off to Puerto Ayora and the Darwin Research Center to learn about the work being done to ensure the survival of the various Galápagos tortoise species, all with different characteristics and shells. We learned about Lonesome George, the lone tortoise found on Pinta Island in 1971, who unfortunately never successfully mated with similar species and died in 2012. We also learned about Diego, taken from Española Island to the San Diego Zoo many years ago, returned in the 1970s, and has since successfully produced over 800 offspring. We also got to see baby tortoises that they were raising in the research center for eventual repatriation.</div>
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<div>Below is a Fernandina tortoise.</div>
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<div>At the end of our visit, we said goodbye to our wonderful guides, Xavier and José. We then wandered on our own in Puerto Ayora, and left for the hotel around 5:45.</div>
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<div>Galápagos Heron.</div>
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<div>Never get tired of seeing Sally Lighfoot crabs.</div>
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<div>Sea lion taking a snooze on the pier.</div>
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<div>Black-tipped shark off the pier.</div>
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<div>Dinner was a mixed grill from the outside oven, with crepe suzettes for dessert.</div>
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<div>Then packing and getting ready to leave the wonderful Galápagos Islands.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rancho-El-Manzanillo/1653311454956375">Manzanillo Ranch</a></div>
<div><a href="https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/about/cdrs">Charles Darwin Research Station</a></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-7-and-8-quito">Link to Ecuador – Day 7 and 8</a></div>
Ecuador – Day 5 – Galápagos Islands #3http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-5-galapagos-islands-32019-11-11T03:30:22.962000Z2019-06-01T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Leaving at 8:30 am, we headed again to the boat pier at the Itabaca Channel and took a zodiac to the Santa Fe. Today we cruised for about an hour and 10 minutes to South Plaza (Isla Plaza Sur), one of two islands just off the eastern tip of Santa Cruz, and the only one open to tours, taking the zodiac in two groups to a small pier.</div>
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<div>We were greeted by sea lions and land iguanas. We, again, split up in two groups, José taking one group and Xavier taking the other in opposite directions of the loop.</div>
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<div>And an invasive species.</div>
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<div>The island vegetation is mostly Galápagos Carpetweed, green when moist, orange when moisture is limited, and red when dry; and an endemic form of Prickly Pear Cactus. There are land iguanas everywhere. During the main part of the day they mostly lie in the shade. Their main diet are the prickly pears. The island is also the home to a number of sea lion colonies and a large bachelor sea lion colony. The important birds are the Swallow-tailed (nocturnal) Gull — unique in that it only eats at night, and the Red-billed Tropic Bird. José talked about the predator chain, with hawks, a relatively newcomer to this island, at the top. and sure enough, a juvenile Galápagos Hawk flew overhead. </div>
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<div>The Red-billed Tropic Bird. </div>
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<div>A Frigatebird. South Plaza is not a home for these, so although there were quite a few flying around, they most likely flew over from one of the other islands for the day.</div>
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<div>A Blue-footed Booby.</div>
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<div>A juvenile Galápagos Hawk.</div>
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<div>The gulls nest on the cliffs.</div>
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<div>A Swallow-tailed Gull.</div>
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<div>So pretty!</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ad81eadf-49ad-4018-99b2-2f0d3d518494/d02a259b-47d8-45b9-894d-b36b57bd5097.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>And, of course, a Sally Lightfoot crab.</div>
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<div>After lunch on the boat, we headed to Punta Carrión, a beautiful spot with a cove. A number of us went snorkeling, while others swam or stayed on the boat. We went upcurrent in the zodiac so it would be easy to get back to the boat. We saw many different fish and sea urchins (Pencil-spined, Crowned, White). Xavier pointed out two white-tipped sharks hiding in an underwater cave. Then he led us into the cove, where he showed us tiny shrimp and puffer and parrotfish.</div>
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<div>Here are some images (we didn’t take underwater pics, so these are from other sources) of fish we saw: Yellow-tail Damselfish, Angelfish, Guineafowl Puffer, Parrotfish, White-tipped Reef Shark.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/ad81eadf-49ad-4018-99b2-2f0d3d518494/04ba23ba-5f6a-41f4-b361-e058bc754d8c.jpg" width="960" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Once back in the boat, we headed back to the pier, and then back to the hotel, for shower and relaxation, a review of the next day, and an excellent dinner, one of the best so far, although all here have been excellent.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-6-galapagos-islands-4">Link to Ecuador – Day 6</a></div>
Ecuador – Day 4 – Galápagos Islands #2http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-4-galapagos-islands-22019-06-11T15:02:10.342000Z2019-05-31T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We actually got to sleep in. We were at breakfast at 7 for an 8:30 departure.</div>
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<div>We took the bus back to Itabaca Channel. Here we took a launch out to the yacht, the Santa Fe, that took us around to our destinations. Today it was first to North Seymour Island, north of Baltra (see map in Ecuador–Day 3).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/3c96114c-96db-4c29-bb5d-27c7d06314be.jpg" width="960" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/4efe2b08-844a-4b7c-b4b6-632ca9e55e10.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/98fbc44e-2c00-4194-97ac-c04e913a6e06.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/df0de2b1-b72f-4854-830a-216bd7111b67.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">We spent about two hours walking around the perimeter of the island looking at an amazing variety of wildlife. North Seymour is known for frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies, and we got to see chicks as it was that time of year! The frigatebirds steal food from other birds, by attacking them in various ways to make them release their catch.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">There were also large land iguanas, introduced from Baltra a number of years ago, and now with overpopulation and cacti that did not evolve to protect themselves, a number of iguanas have been moved to another island.</span></div>
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<div>Juvenile Frigatebird.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/73e87669-c271-4163-aff2-17ac23a7324d.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Juvenile Frigatebird.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/6e6559b3-9ef1-4b9d-841e-c519939971c1.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Lava Lizard.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/ef26350b-506c-4d7e-af5e-0a1c08edb0e2.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Land Iguana.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/414b401e-f146-4a2f-a20d-e595b6fbf9e7.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Land Iguana.</span></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/ab723eb3-cbbb-4488-be2a-bd9cc6a75005.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Land Iguana.</span></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/6a09dee2-4276-40e5-818e-82175c53ed94.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Endemic Prickly Pear Cactus.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/614e5ba9-60ae-475d-8842-6b0baf7334f6.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Blue-footed Booby.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/db63a2c6-6445-4e7e-93f9-77418f8d34bc.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Blue-footed Booby.</span></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/d5e8966f-99c5-4da5-8be2-0e92db86642b.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Blue-footed Booby and chick.</span></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/8a006322-953d-4e50-91a0-6f04024baa56.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Blue-footed Booby and chicks.</span></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/294f2ebf-9799-45a4-abe7-752b7f6545f5.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Blue-footed Booby and chick.</span></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/d57e3a7b-300e-4e4e-a123-4e2f2b7c069d.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Frigatebird.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/1bf77d7c-5fff-4324-b4f4-38219ca5ea0e.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Male Frigatebird inflating red gular pouch to attract a female.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/f63772bd-18cf-4909-9109-702409253a46.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Frigatebird and chick.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/f58dd685-3094-411d-9a80-1eb6ed27fae1.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Frigatebird and chick.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/edcbd59f-aed7-4c88-81c4-7e8bca419a7c.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Juvenile Frigatebird.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/5509cf45-d07c-4a76-904d-8b204c14ba9b.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Male Frigatebird inflating red gular pouch to attract a female.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/f45667af-9334-4c6b-b282-1d2fb252b0e7.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Sea Lion enjoying the water and the sun.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/e6774b9f-88ec-4304-b032-cb095cfbe5a9.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Beautiful day. We were so lucky.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/1a64cd12-eab0-4592-9aab-e00a0549bb1a.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>After this walk, we got back on the Santa Fe and ate lunch while we motored for about 45 minutes to Playa Las Bachas (again, see the map on Ecuador–Day 3). (Apparently, during WW2 this is where the US Navy kept the barges that carried materials from Santa Cruz to the airfield on Baltra. If you try pronouncing "barges" with a Spanish (Ecuadorian) accent, you end up with something that sounds like bachas 😃)</div>
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<div>At Las Bachas several people took a walk, several swam, and the rest (including Eileen and Larry) snorkeled and saw angelfish and damselfish, among other small fish.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/4429c2ca-c117-4e62-a6de-bf94475b4fc0.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d144c77e-932f-456f-9c27-652d89f4bc68/ffd3694a-fa8d-4018-a0e1-7d644560f830.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>After about an hour, we loaded back onto the Santa Fe and motored back to the port and took the bus back to the hotel.</div>
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<div>After showering and going through pictures, we got a review of the next day, and another excellent dinner.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-5-galapagos-islands-3">Link to Ecuador – Day 5</a></div>
Ecuador – Day 3 – Galápagos Islands #1http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-3-galapagos-islands-12019-06-11T15:08:45.173000Z2019-05-30T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We had an early flight so we were up at 4:30. Breakfast and onto the bus. We flew to Baltra Airport in the Galápagos from Quito with a stop to pick up and drop off passengers in Guayaquil. (Note that although Quito is the capital, Guayaquil is the business center of the country and the most populous city.)</div>
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<div>When we got to Baltra (Baltra is an uninhabited island where the US built an airstrip during WW2. It now is home to the airport in the Galápagos.), we took a short bus ride to a short ferry ride across the strait <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Itabaca Channel) </span>between Baltra and the larger island of Santa Cruz. Then we had a 20-30 minute bus ride to our hotel, the Royal Palm, in the lush highlands in the middle of the island.</div>
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<div>On road before the hotel are Los Gemelos, twin sinkholes, surrounded by scalesia forest.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/c9356b6b-cfd4-402f-8d23-4065713ea5de.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Royal Palm Hotel.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/716696bd-f99a-4d21-9676-c7b73084c49f.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/ed5fa999-b64e-4ee3-a716-2109b93d7a7c.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/fe6b8a63-1e8a-482e-a557-60248261db7e.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/3cef183c-fec5-4071-9d2c-2fd6902978f0.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>We learned that 97 percent of<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;-en-paragraph:true;"> the Galápagos is national park, with people living and farming on the remaining 3 percent. The highlands, where our hotel is, is the main agricultural area, with Santa Rosa, Bella Vista, and Puerto Ayora the main populated areas on Santa Cruz.</span></div>
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<div>There are seven generally accepted vegetation zones, defined by altitude and position on each island. Generally the higher up, the wetter the climate, and the south sides of the islands are wetter than the north. The first four are coastal, arid, transitional, scalesia, with the Royal Palm in the moist scalesia zone.</div>
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<div>After lunch and an hour to relax we headed off by bus to Playa el Garrapatero. (The following map shows the airport, our hotel, and Garrapatero).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/42f2c65c-0a9a-4017-a40d-eb2a256ec643.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>We walked around the beach for a while, some wading and some swimming, taking pictures of Sally Lightfoot crabs (both large and small), a marine iguana, lava lizard, and several birds.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/fec1f068-b773-45d2-99de-122c21313a0a.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/1f6135cc-9e96-4e0e-b292-2b248d738f6f.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Sally Lightfoot Crab.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/84d116d6-e000-4433-a418-1e88d6c33574.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Marine Iguana.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/35654ea9-d69d-4535-a728-780123522a7f.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Lava Lizard.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/92d956ba-ce0b-4e9c-9cc7-dc89376e1b07.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Yellow Warbler.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/70efb68b-08f2-4de3-b7b0-6781288ee20e.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Galapágos Flycatcher</div>
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<div>Darwin Finch, probably a Ground Finch.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/de9659ba-f44d-4dc9-ab04-ebd523eed1c3.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Galápagos Mockingbird.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/81694e4c-4b1b-4d93-92e8-ddfc726e84c6/fe83e7ef-3a01-4d8a-820d-6c74202afea4.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>We then headed back to the hotel for dinner, and then to bed.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://www.royalpalmgalapagos.com/">Royal Palm Galápagos Hotel</a></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-4-galapagos-islands-2">Link to Ecuador – Day 4</a></div>
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Ecuador – Day 1 and 2 – Quitohttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-1-and-2-quito2019-06-11T15:01:54.752000Z2019-05-28T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>This is the second half of the trip. The first half was was in Perú (7 days) including Machu Picchu. An overview of the trip is provided in the post for <a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-days-1-and-2" style="font-weight: bold;">Perú – Days 1 and 2</a>. On day 8 we left Perú and flew to Quito, Ecuador which is where pick things up here.</div>
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<div>Our trip from Cusco to Quito was a very long day. We had a very early one-hour flight to Lima, and then a four-hour (ended up five) layover. We said our goodbyes to Ernesto, and then headed to a very large and nice lounge courtesy of Priority Pass, joined by Wendy, Jim, Elise, and Curtis.</div>
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<div>After our two-hour flight to Quito, we met up with Tomás, our Odyssey tour guide, and taking back roads for part of the trip, avoided rush hour traffic and arrived at the Swissôtel in a modern section north/northeast of the historical center.</div>
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<div>Dinner was with the group at la Gloria, enjoying an octopus salad, delicious large shrimp, and finishing, for Eileen, chocolate Millefeuilles (a kind of Napoleon) with mocha ice cream, and for Larry, fruit with sherbet.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/0eed60ad-5f0b-43c5-ba35-d8875b7bb37e.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We turned in after a very long day.</div>
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<div>Nestled in a valley surrounded by Andes volcanoes, Quito sits at over 9,000 feet above sea level and is said to be one of South America's most beautiful cities. Its mixture of pre-Columbian, Baroque, Spanish, Moorish, and Flemish architecture prompted UNESCO to declare colonial Quito a World Heritage site, the first city (rather than individual site) to be accorded this distinction. Quito became the capital of the newly formed Republic of Ecuador in 1830.</div>
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<div>After a nice buffet breakfast, we drove to Parque Itchimbía, above the colonial section, for a panoramic view. The "Glass Palace", designed by Eiffel, used for events, sits at the high point of the overlook.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/e369910b-712d-4a1c-96e3-e7c1a45f40e3.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/19f7f77d-f01a-468d-b15d-b73c92ca5f1d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We drove to the colonial historical center for a walking tour, starting at the Independence Square/Plaza Grande and ending at Plaza San Francisco. Tomás pointed out the sights on the square: the collonnaded former Archbishop’s Palace, now shops and restaurants; the President’s Palace, with its beautiful, imported-from-France iron balconies; the Cathedral; the former palace of Pizarro, though only his daughter ever lived there; City Hall, on the front steps of which the City Band happened to be playing. In the center is a monument to their 1809 independence from Spain, sporting a condor (Ecuador) flying high, and a lion (Spain) with its tail between its legs at the base. We walked around, enjoying the band, and buying scarves from street vendors.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/56a1a4ce-db73-48b4-8552-fd5b21267fb4.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Presidential Palace.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/4a1f5369-4b85-40fe-af41-ad0f2d3365e9.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/6a8fb4cd-ce1f-4ffe-bcf7-7cc400e5c9c8.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/bfbcb2a6-025f-4c68-a649-61596bd08c3f.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/fa02859d-98fa-46c9-a88d-4c8c23d04ae7.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/5c4d014c-ab77-4e1a-bbbc-a3cb2b06c063.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Just off the plaza is the Centro Cultural Metropolitano, once a Jesuit University, it now contains a library, lecture rooms, etc. Tomás showed us a large scale model of the colonial center, pointing out the squares and churches.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/c25392a8-db3b-4660-bf33-5a16a0c62c0a.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/4b4d413f-26dc-4af8-9d1c-d2a98998f15d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Also off the square is La Compañía de Jesús, the ornate gold-gilded Baroque-style Jesuit Church. Again, no pictures allowed. Construction began in 1605, but took 160 years to complete, once again with local artists trained in the European style. The King of Spain kicked out the Jesuits in the 1700s, angry that they were trying to educate the locals, and assigned other orders to maintain the building. The Jesuits returned after Ecuador’s independence, taking advantage of their money-raising and management skills. Among other aspects of the church, Tomás pointed out the altar area and columns, the columns duplicated on the exterior. He also pointed out the large Hell and Eternal Judgment painting, a 1879 reproduction of the 1620 original by Hermano Hernando de la Cruz.</div>
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<div>We then walked to the Plaza San Francisco, the site of the Convent and Museum of San Francisco. We wandered for a while, some people going in the church, some hitting the museum gift shop.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/906a19eb-723c-4b47-8dc5-e05b507a7baf.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/e018e0d8-ea28-488f-9533-1a77739a18e9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>From the plaza, there was a good view of the "Virgin of El Panecillo", a Madonna made of seven thousand pieces of aluminum, inaugurated in 1976.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/51ca3bb8-be5e-4769-90d9-b9cef2cf667c.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>After getting picked up at the plaza, we drove (about 45 minutes) to just north of the equator to the El Crater restaurant, high above a crater of an extinct volcano, with farming in the interior.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/60301f3a-c204-42ca-aac8-017c1d141824.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/46c05ef7-5bf1-4128-a591-5fd0cc33b477.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div> After an excellent lunch, we drove back down a short way to the Intiñan Solar Museum (note:<i> Inti</i> is the Quechua word for Sun).</div>
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<div>The museum, all outdoors, with totems from various countries and a number of exhibits, was great fun. The original 18th century mark for the equator was only a couple of hundred feet off, with a number of activities at the equator line determined by modern GPS technology. Our guide balanced a raw egg on a nail, though we could not replicate the deed. We had a demonstration of the Coriolus effect, tried to walk the equator line with our eyes closed, and got pictures taken of us straddling to two hemispheres. It was not really real as the effects are so small, but it was fun.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/21955bc4-9243-4ea8-9158-941e57d98064.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/66d47490-ebcf-47f5-a313-1c7ccc937842.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The real GPS location.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/c5672bcc-abb1-40de-9c9b-6e097c7a576e.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Great chocolate-making demonstration. Most of us bought Pacari chocolate bars – so good!</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/5077f7dd-773a-450e-a706-9fb790bc87a6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>On return to the hotel, we walked with Jim a long way to get SIMs at a Claró store, the process of which once again much more difficult then it should have been. We grabbed a taxi, dropping us off at the close-by supermarket, Jim continuing to the hotel. We bought beer, Camembert, oranges, and a nice bread, eating back in our room, and then packing, showering, and turning in, with 4:30 am wake up call.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/8f2b1bdf-51f1-473f-b619-2c62f2cb2e62/e38353f7-015e-4472-bc24-42067f4a3d7e.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-3-galapagos-islands-1">Link to Ecuador – Day 3</a></div>
Perú – Day 7 – Cuscohttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-7-cusco2019-06-11T20:37:16.913000Z2019-05-27T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>The Inca Empire's former capital and the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city, Cusco bears the marks of its mixed Spanish-Inca heritage. Colonial and modem buildings incorporate Incan walls, arches, and doorways. Inca descendants speak Quechua, the indigenous tongue.</div>
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<div>At the center of the Incan capital was a large plaza called <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Haukatpata — The Great Inca Square — a portion of which became the Plaza de Armas in colonial times. The Spanish built churches over the Incan temples and ceremonial sites. </span></div>
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<div>We stayed at the Belmond Hotel Monasterio, a sister hotel to the one on Machu Picchu, just around the corner from the Plaza de Armas.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/83c7c8f3-c5b0-49ee-b1d4-00972f7c0b10.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Our room was off this private courtyard area.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/cb9f9c4c-b489-4750-8397-2179be3f601e.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>There were two large courtyards at two different levels. This one below our walk from our room to the courtyard with the restaurant.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/fc4a9c43-5c9b-4c53-8153-c9f630783ba0.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Later we went down to the lower courtyard.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/6600fb21-956b-4f24-a4d5-999791911eab.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The courtyard with our restaurant where the umbrellas are.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/259c9b29-a120-449e-a9ad-7b5f4c61ad79.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/05d5d3c5-4eef-4d83-a6cd-42b058375f3d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Managed to avoid these tempting sweets at breakfast.</div>
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<div>Part of the lobby.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/7fee9389-6295-45bc-bb2a-23a3435dc5aa.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Because most of Cusco’s population was still of Quechua Inca descent at the time of construction, the Spaniards used Inca labor to build the Cathedral, and artists were trained in European style. The Incans mapped their religion onto the Christian symbols, so, in essence, could secretly maintain a dual religious identity. for example, Jesus was the sun and Virgin Mary was Mother Earth.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The current arcaded plaza is a hub of significance to the people of Cusco, who proudly fly a rainbow flag (similar but different from the LGBTQ rainbow flags), adopted in 1978. The plaza is a lively area, surrounded by churches, and by colonial buildings with carved wood balconies, housing shops and restaurants.</span></div>
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<div>At 9:30, we walked over to the Plaza de Armas, for the start of a walking tour. Julian, as usual, was a wealth of information, discussing the geographical significance of the square, with the four corners pointing to the Pacific Ocean, Lake Titicaca, the Andes, and the Rainforest.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/2f4ad86e-a88e-4781-a68f-02a0ba3d1349.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Colonnades.</div>
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<div>The Statue of Pachacuti. Pachacuti was the ninth ruler of the Kingdom of Cusco and later the Emperor of the Inca Empire. Pachacuti began the expansion of the Inca dominion from the valley of Cusco to a big part of western South America. Some say that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for him.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/578449d0-730a-411e-af28-235b657f9bf7.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Children getting ready to march in the Solstice celebration coming up.</div>
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<div>We toured the Cusco Cathedral, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese; the adjacent Church of Triumph; and the Church of Santo Domingo, southeast of the plaza about a 5-minute walk. Photography was not allowed inside any of the churches.</div>
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<div>Exterior of the Cathedral.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/64289208-0450-4ba4-9bc5-3cc0c51cead5.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Although we entered the Catherdral first, it makes sense to talk about the Church of Triumph first. The Church of Triumph was the first church built, beginning in 1536, three years after the conquest. It was built over Suntar Wasi, an Inca ceremonial building. </div>
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<div>The spectacular Cathedral was built over Viracocha Inca’s palace, using blocks taken from Sacsayhuamán, started in 1559 and taking almost a century to complete. It contains works by Cusco artists, incorporating Incan iconography. For example, the Virgin Mary is often portrayed with a mountain-shaped skirt, identifying her with Pachamama (Mother Earth). One of the most famous paintings is, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Last Supper</span>, by Quechua artist Marcos Zapata, with a roasted guinea pig (cuy) — a classic Andean staple — lying on its back with its feet in the air.</div>
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<div>We finished our tour at the Santo Domingo Church. The church was built on the foundation of the Templo del Sol (Temple of the Sun) and Koricancha, (golden enclosure). A section of the church contains part of the Inca structure, with its trapezoidal door and windows, with a window that was perhaps used to predict the solstice.</div>
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<div>Exterior of Santo Domingo.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/09281a29-e7c7-4dbe-8888-56ee8bc48544.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Following the tour, we said our goodbyes to Julian, as we split into two groups, Larry and Eileen with Ernesto, and headed for two families for (the same) home-cooked meals. We started with steamed vegetables, corn, cuy, and cheese. This was followed by a potato soup and chicken stew with rice. Both the drink and the dessert were made from boiled purple corn. The drink is called chincha and the dessert was similar to chincha but sweetened and thickened to a consistency of grape jelly.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/e5766063-ac00-4874-9049-e2029704d2e6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Our hosts had a textile (mostly baby alpaca) store, Factoria la Vicuñita, on the first floor, supporting fifty families or so in the countryside that produced these goods. Of course many of us bought items. We bought ski hats for each of us.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/49ce8a35-de5a-4b50-a2c2-704baebef13a/4111c7fb-9550-4b57-9ac1-5e8732d91311.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>On return, we relaxed and then met up with Ernesto and some of the group to head to a grocery to buy maras salt, chocolate, and coffee.</div>
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<div>Thirteen of the group ate at nearby Incanto, everyone getting delicious pizza (and we had a Tacoma petit verdot/tannat blend that was very good). We walked back to the hotel for an early turn-in for a 4 am wake up call.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/ecuador-day-1-and-2-quito">Ecuador – Days 1 and 2</a></div>
Perú – Day 6 – Machu Picchu Day 2http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-6-machu-picchu-day-22019-06-11T20:35:25.791000Z2019-05-26T17:28:43ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>So, yes, five of us (Jordan, Terry, Lyle, Eileen, Larry) wanted to hike to the Sun Gate (Intipunka), the end point of the Inca Trail, high above the complex, starting at 7 am, and try to then join the group, who were starting at 8 am. We were in line by 6:50 am, entering a little after 7.</div>
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<div>A little friend while we waited in line – thick billed Euphonia, in the finch family.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/3eaf00f1-cab5-47ca-9b08-83948c82bf2b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We started once again on Circuit 1, up the switchbacks, then left Circuit 1 to begin ascending the straight-line trail cut into the side of the mountain to the Sun Gate. As we ascended, there were increasingly impressive views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains. We made the Sun Gate by 7:50 am, took pictures, and enjoyed the spectacular view for a while, then descended for about 30 minutes.</div>
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<div>No zoom.</div>
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<div>Zooming.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/26d021da-a16f-4889-914b-2c50f73d15f9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>More zoom.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/0c323ae2-dbec-45b2-acab-921989fa4c44.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Zoomed in on Huyana Picchu.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/35dbe67d-1525-412c-9a2d-5b32d465105a.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Taking a short break. Larry and Terry on the left, Jordan and Lyle on the right.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/d1c085e9-df76-4e7c-acfb-367d24d1d5c8.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Another look back.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/c6b745bb-43c7-4dda-b9c7-24b1dac3b3db.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>At the Sun Gate: Lyle, Larry, Jordan, Terry.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/23a4856c-85d1-4a65-bbb5-320b616f2b83.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>From the Sun Gate.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/eb3fdceb-12a3-4832-8856-e44eb36aa02d.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>From the Sun Gate, zoomed in.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/141efed7-46ba-4c75-90ed-9a03f1edd438.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/dec519df-661f-474e-919d-e0638a4cb116.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/abfe6a86-d8f9-4663-a2f2-b555353426a8.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Larry at the end of the Inca Trail, just past the Sun Gate.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/d0961572-8fd5-4bf0-870a-1bbf6c613ff1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/3ac7735c-721a-494a-88db-545793e1141a.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>View of some tall mountains in the distance as we headed down.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/a4a9d9c5-a27d-4da9-8a02-78d5ff280ddc.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Back at the intersection. We took the "high road", circuit 1, rather than a lower path to meet up with the group, because it had become very crowded, and our only choice was to thread through the crowd heading up to more popular circuit 1 (up to the left).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/ab222e35-5ac1-4287-8ecf-f63f28c37508.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/47483c27-8f8e-4abb-a7b7-ce79c166cffb.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>So we retraced the path from the day before, walking as quickly as we could through the hordes of people. We reached our group at about 8:40 am just as they were about to ascend the upper temple, Intihuatana. The impressive carved stone pillar in the center may have been an altar or used to predict the solstices, but no one knows for sure.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/b7efb649-6f11-4640-8472-230c7c37ef07.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking down to the Temple of the Three Windows and beyond.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/15f51cb4-cc82-4b92-93ef-c79f63d1c266.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Starting to descend.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/11c2c720-da7d-483e-9c01-486a9cf81567.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Down to the Principal Plaza ( the large expanse of lawn in the classic photos) level.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/ce883e60-dbf5-4a6e-bcc4-71258a03cd7d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We stopped at the back at the two thatched houses, seen in the picture below.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/e9862e5a-93b4-4350-885d-1a37a71e4fa7.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/09179e5a-db01-4d96-a424-f26050c3a15c.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>By the thatched houses was an "echo stone", a stone sculpture that mimics the shape of a mountain to the east when standing at the right spot.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/3f17af02-bc9f-44c8-9731-638db2247258.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking back, always a different aspect.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/c19fbd20-bdce-4c52-aa44-0a2b602561f3.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We continued, <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">walking past the gated entrance to Huyana Picchu (separate permit required), </span>through the residential and (conjectured) industrial sectors, finishing by looking down on the agricultural terraces.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/af52fb60-0f15-4ad5-a63d-393f4b6c9d11.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Huyana Picchu, zoomed in.</span></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/498cb814-1132-4bc0-a94a-a47e4124ff72.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A zoom-in shot of the Sun Gate.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/d1387838-b3aa-4e9c-bc6d-e1bd67c45e19.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/b65b2e25-4917-49ed-bfb8-c4a31ed8e714.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking down on the road up to Machu Picchu (we rode the bus up this road).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/b1fa4ded-4962-4d00-b9d1-9ad18bba97be.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/9e900a85-5147-4b3a-a508-61b1fd6eba03.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking back up at the Guard House.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/30dc83c6-b133-4127-821e-30f24e6b6161.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking down in the valley below.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/6a6eba37-fc73-4b14-9f87-4b57c80165ed.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We kept taking photos in all directions as we left.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/6ce966db-00d6-439f-ac85-df191fde97b6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A last view of the Temple of the Three Windows.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/34408ae1-c563-4e70-af53-d456777564e3.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A last view of Intihuatana, the upper temple with the stone pillar.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/f51c6dae-0432-4060-9389-fa318a514814.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Last view. So sad to be leaving.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/a36fb00b-0c6d-41e5-a049-6f8c5e12cbdd.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Exiting around 10 am, we checked out of the hotel and had lunch. Ernesto wanted to be in line for the bus down by about 11:30 because the line gets long after that. Nonetheless, we had to wait in line for about a half hour to get on the bus (but by the time we got on the bus, the line had grown to at least an hour).</div>
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<div>In line at the bus. The entrance in the center of the photo (the hotel just to the left of where we were waiting – it was that close.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/565b7d46-5cc3-4739-9bce-8d869613f9cb.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We got down to Machu Picchu Pueblo and had a two hour wait for the train (but this one left on schedule). The train back up to Ollantaytambo took an hour and three quarters. We then took the two hour bus ride to Cusco, arriving at the Belmond Hotel Monasterio, a sister hotel to Belmond Machu Picchu Sanctuary, around 7:30 pm. After dropping things off in our room, we walked to Cusco main square with Jim and Wendy, and had a very nice meal at Mistura Grill.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/370e8111-8661-42e3-9fc6-0884ed9628c9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/7f1e96e8-e599-477d-990a-b1bb8e2a1f7b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c1c9701e-6332-4e18-ad57-85a7852abec7/8f8e45e9-d9f4-416c-a6fc-06584374c33a.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Thoughts:</div>
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<div>This complex, for us, was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As it’s on everyone’s bucket list, Perú authorities are continually adding restrictions on timing and duration, and limiting access to certain areas in order to maintain this wonder.</div>
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<div>Though at the high end on the price, it was priceless to stay at a luxury hotel steps from the entrance, have an incredibly knowledgeable and articulate guide, and have someone who plans all the many details and knows the best times to make our two visits. Accolades to Ernesto and Julian, and Odyssey.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-7-cusco">Link to Perú – Day 7</a></div>
Perú – Day 5 – Machu Picchu!http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-5-machu-picchu2019-06-11T20:24:32.306000Z2019-05-25T16:57:47ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>The day arrived for the trip to Machu Picchu. We headed to the train station at Ollantaytambo for a 9:15 am train, which actually left around 10:30.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/526e5347-d0da-4db2-b790-fa3c19eb0b92.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/e580d475-c37c-4b5a-b5d7-5e5962bc07b0.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/6dcedea1-657e-4a84-80ed-381b707d84b2.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>On arrival to Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly Aguas Calientes), we walked to the Machu Picchu bus line, waited our turn, and off we went for the half hour ride up a switch-backed road to the Machu Picchu Belmond Sanctuary, the very high-end and only hotel at the top, steps from the entrance to Machu Picchu.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/be0d019f-0489-4450-936c-1ff39ed96712.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/f53ecdb0-e9f6-44a5-b0e9-191013de0d56.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>After an excellent buffet lunch in their casual dining room, we checked in and got ourselves ready for our 2:00 pm tour. Entrance time (on the hour) and number of half-day visits (2) is now regulated, and separate permits are required to hike Huayna Picchu.</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">Naming hint: When Hiram Bingham discovered the fortress in 1911, he asked the locals what it was called. They pointed to the big mountain behind (southwest) the site and said "Machu Picchu" or "old mountain/peak". So he called the fortress Machu Picchu and its real name is likely lost forever. The large pointy peak at the far end (northeast) of the complex (the one in all of the pictures) is called Huayna Picchu or "young mountain".</span></div>
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<div>This 15th century Inca complex sits at about 8,000 feet on a narrow ridge top above the Rio Urubamba. Recent theories suggest that it was the royal estate design by Pachacuti, the great Inca Emperor. The walls have stone fitted to stone, with no mortar in between. To make it habitable, mountain water was channeled through stone canals, and terraces of retaining walls were built. Archaeologists still rely heavily on speculation as to what we are looking at, and it’s unknown why or when exactly it was abandoned, maybe even before the Spanish conquest.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/9e4dc023-7e6c-4a57-9b73-5129f6d7ecb6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/705192f5-67d1-4515-9318-6c29d26feb86.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Starting on Circuit 1, we walked uphill on a zigzag of rock steps, rising above the Principal Plaza, the large expanse of lawn shown in all the classic pictures, stopping to take pictures at a number of flat terraces, including a group picture. Some of the group was moving pretty slowly, and at the high point, we went down to the plaza of the Temple of the Three Windows. Larry then went on ahead, walking down to alongside the Principal Plaza, doing a u-turn at the back, and exiting on the other side of the Plaza to the bar for a beer.</div>
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<div>It’s impossible not to include pictures at different vantage points.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/403c3057-abc3-4f68-9cbe-330f6b78c0f1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/84013d50-2d03-4fa1-aaf0-b5eed39537f1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Guard House.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/9bc82025-1f23-43e9-bb22-64b374133422.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Wow! That’s Huayna Picchu.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/f8b68f04-0762-4e48-a773-c248e4df4e40.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/55b4cfa9-696f-40d0-ab33-6d8b7f4f5261.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Our group photo.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/4a203263-4fc0-4924-a5cf-b35256812ff0.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/ff2f9486-47f0-42d1-b928-72145a3b2356.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/16998a64-d27d-44e1-9be7-2e3c22234216.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Agricultural Terraces.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/08f95d0d-206b-4d39-8b41-6af96710fb56.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/3672f578-6395-4be0-b591-522eba7b4deb.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Intihuatana top left and the Plaza with the Temple of the Three Windows bottom center. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/9f61ef7f-73c6-4700-9727-b357a95bfe5b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking up to the Sun Gate, a destination a small group of us planned to do first thing the next day.</div>
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<div>Intihuatana from the Plaza of the Temple of the Three Windows. Intihuatana, "the place when the sun gets tied", has a stone pillar in the center, believed to be a kind of clock to measure the solstices (visited on day 2). (Note that <span style="font-style: italic;">inti</span> is the Quechua word for sun.)</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/d05d7da8-e89f-45ee-987c-885a5e3d67ab.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Temple of the Three Windows.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/d1bad23c-82de-4c53-8acb-0ed864563ade.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking back up to the terraces we took pictures from.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f99a8cb1-174b-4568-9cb7-1a9a8daed787/86b791da-5786-49c2-97aa-27e5d79e8164.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking over to the other side of the Principal Plaza.</div>
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<div>Eileen finished up along with the group, exiting down pretty much directly from the Temple of the Three Windows plaza, and then headed to the bar for a glass of Malbec. Terry and Jordan joined us for a few more rounds.</div>
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<div>Dinner was in the dining room, and the food was excellent, starting with a salad, Eileen having duck, Larry having paiche (a white jungle fish), finishing up with a trio of ice cream for Eileen, and sorbet for Larry.</div>
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<div>Bucket list part 1, day 1, what an awe inspiring treasure! The plan for day 2 was exploration in the area Larry walked to, starting at 8 am, with an option to independently walk to the Sun Gate high above the site, starting at 7 am.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-6-machu-picchu-day-2">Link to Perú – Day 6</a></div>
Perú – Day 4 – Ollantaytambohttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-4-ollantaytambo2019-06-12T01:19:26.576000Z2019-05-24T16:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness</div>
<div>Early morning.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/c5d805b0-a7b9-465d-8244-00279d1e3fd9.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Later morning.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/692b62f2-ed00-451a-af47-de0be046812c.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Hotel pictures form the next day:</div>
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<div>After the buffet breakfast, we attended a native Offering To The Earth ceremony led by a local Shaman. We started with three coca leaves each, held palmated, representing the heavens, the earth, and the land below. The iconography for these are the condor, the puma, and the snake, their trinity. Then the Shaman placed offerings on a square of cloth on the table, representing everything provided by Mother Earth: grains, herbs, fruits, cotton representing the clouds, sprinkles representing the rain, etc. He made blessings in both Spanish and Quechuan, then folded and tied, for later burying.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/e8e6a23c-58ac-47f2-aeb4-bbb156d95036.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Then we took bus to Ollantaytambo, a small town with a large Inca archeological site in the hills above it. Ollantaytambo is about 45 miles northwest of the city of Cusco, and sits at about 9,000 feet. During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti. At the time of the Spanish conquest of Perú, it served as a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui, leader of the Inca resistance. It is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and is nearby one of the most common starting points for the four-day, three-night hike known as the Inca Trail. </div>
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<div>We walked around the town a bit, working our way to the beginning of this impressive site.</div>
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<div>The Condor, Puma, Snake – the trio of heavens, the world, and the world beneath.</div>
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<div>Ernesto, our Odyssey Perú tour director.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/7826a559-9779-4acb-9370-6115eab2f807.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We walked up the many steps to the top of the main section.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/7da0f373-ab7e-4c9a-847f-abe15d4dbf34.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Looking back. Note the remains of grain storage buildings on the far mountain.</div>
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<div>We went on ahead of the group, though we could hear Julian just fine.</div>
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<div>At the top of the main section.</div>
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<div>From the top section, looking out at the glacier on Veronica.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/7af14671-0fe1-4a12-a44a-0854915f65e2.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>Looking down on another section of the site, buildings with trapezoidal doors.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/fd9bdb91-95ac-47ff-9ddd-c67043bc1107.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>The rest of the group coming down the stairs.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/fdff7ca2-eebf-43c0-84f5-088341fccbc7/bddc4b74-0248-497c-8c14-2db1ef250249.jpg" width="1280" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>A closeup of the trapezoidal doors and windows, a signature design element of the Incas.</div>
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<div>Then we went to lunch at the Sol Y Luna restaurant at the Wayra Ranch, a horse ranch in the Urubamba area. The grounds were magnificent, the lunch a delicious continuous sampling of Peruvian specialities. After lunch, we were treated to a wonderful performance of 4-horse dressage and a dance by a couple.</div>
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<div>Chicón (zoomed in from the ranch).</div>
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<div>After lunch, we drove to the town of Chinchero, where we visited Centro Textil Cinchcheros Parwa (flower in Quechua), a high quality, traditional weaving coop. Nelly, the leader, in traditional dress (with her infant Jose on her back) and five other women demonstrated the entire process of creating woven garments out of the local animals (alpaca, sheep, etc.). They demonstrated cleaning of the wool, how they created all of the various natural dyes, how the thread is spun, and how the pieces are woven. One of Ernesto’s and Odyssey’s goals is to help support the traditional economy, and some of the group were happy to oblige by buying some goods, including us.</div>
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<div>Nelly showing us how to wrap and sling her son.</div>
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<div>A sample weaving.</div>
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<div>A lookout spot on the way back to the hotel.</div>
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<div>Then we drove back to our hotel, relaxed, had dinner, and packed for Machu Picchu, packing a small duffle, with our larger luggage going to the Cusco hotel where we will be staying on return from Machu Picchu.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://www.hotelsolyluna.com/gastronomy/wayra/">Sol Y Luna / Wayra Resort</a></div>
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<div><a href="https://threadsofperu.com/pages/natural-dyes-peru">https://threadsofperu.com/pages/natural-dyes-peru</a></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-5-machu-picchu">Link to Perú – Day 5</a></div>
Perú – Day 3 – Cusco and the Sacred Valleyhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-3-cusco-and-the-sacred-valley2019-06-12T01:08:16.135000Z2019-05-23T23:14:31ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We took a morning flight from Lima to Cusco, leaving about an hour late. When we got to Cusco, our luggage was sent ahead to our hotel and we boarded a bus for the day’s touring, with the day to end at our hotel in the Sacred Valley, Aranwa.</div>
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<div>At 11,100 feet Cusco is the highest location of the trip (although on a road outside the city, we reached 12,500 feet before descending down into the Sacred Valley).</div>
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<div>Our first stop was Sacsayhuaman (not very good pronunciation note: Sexy Woman), an incredible Incan ruin of a fortress near Cusco. Sacsayhuaman was built in the mid-1400s to protect Cusco, the Inca capital, as it commanded a wide view across Cusco and the valley below. </div>
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<div>Okay, had to take one of these…</div>
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<div>View of Cusco and Church of Santo Domingo.</div>
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<div>The inner city of Cusco was laid out in the shape of a puma whose head was the fortress of Sacsahuaman. His body was shaped by the rivers Tulumayo and Huatanay, and his tail was where both rivers meet in a place known as Pumaq Chupan. </div>
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<div>The ashlar (finely dressed – cut, worked– stone) ramparts are some 33 feet high and weigh 360 tons. The site's remarkable large dry stone walls are constructed with boulders carefully cut to fit together tightly without mortar. The main wall of Sacsayhuaman is built in zigzag fashion, with the walls leaning inward. Following the siege of Cusco, the Spaniards began to use Sacsayhuaman as a source of stones (those they could move) for building Spanish Cuzco.</div>
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<div>Andean Flicker, found in Peru, Chile, eastern Bolivia and northeastern Argentina, at altitude range of 6,600 to 16,400 feet.</div>
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<div>After our visit here, we enjoyed a buffet lunch together at Casona la Princesita before continuing north by coach into the Sacred Valley of the Incas (Valle Sagrado de los Incas). <img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/414a1633-deed-4a55-b43a-39effea39488/8ea131fe-bb08-4c2c-a6df-5e474f9d1877.jpg" title="Attachment"/><br /></div>
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<div>We stopped at a spot on the highway overlooking the town of Pisac. and then drove down into the town. </div>
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<div>Designed with its terraced fields in the shape of a partridge (or pisaca), Pisac was destroyed by the conquistador Pizarro in the 1530s; the current town was built about forty years later. We walked around a Quechua market of stalls, much of the goods pretty much the same.</div>
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<div>Next, we had an added trip to the small farming village of Huchoy Cusco (Little Cusco in Quechan). This village is operated as a farming coop and has about 75 families. Several of the villagers dressed in traditional Peruvian clothing (for us) were present, and a community leader described the history of the village, and had examples of their current crops: vegetables; grains; and herbs. After the talk, several of the men played music. Several of the women were spinning yarn.</div>
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<div>After leaving Huchoy Cusco, we drove to our hotel, Aranwa, in the Sacred Valley. This is a huge, modern resort at the end of an undeveloped road and surrounded by the Andes, with restaurant, a pool, shops, a spa, a chapel, a place to show movies, and a variety of animals and birds wandering around the grounds.</div>
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<div>We relaxed, had a long dinner, and went to bed.</div>
<div><br /></div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
<div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacsayhuam%C3%A1n">Sacsayhuaman</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.laprincesitaeventos.com/">Casona La Princesita</a></div>
<div><a href="https://aranwahotels.com/hoteles/aranwa-sacred-valley-hotel-wellness/">Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel</a></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-4-ollantaytambo">Link to Perú – Day 4</a></div>
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Perú – Days 1 and 2 – Limahttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-days-1-and-22019-06-11T15:02:54.133000Z2019-05-21T15:00:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We decided to take a group tour to Perú (Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu) and Ecuador (Quito, Galapagos Islands) with Jim and Wendy Damoulakis. They enjoyed their tour of Portugal and Southern Spain with Odyssey Tours and persuaded us to join them on this one. The tour had a 20 person maximum and this one is at that maximum.</div>
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<div>Trip locations:</div>
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<div>We left early on Tuesday morning (May 21), flying Boston to Miami. We had a long layover in Miami, but by the time we retrieved our luggage and relaxed a bit, met up with Jim and Wendy, and had lunch at Corona Beach House courtesy of Priority Pass, we only had another hour or so before boarding our flight from Miami to Lima. In Lima we were met by Jennifer from Odyssey, and joined with another couple (Alice and Rich) on the flight to head to the Westin Lima, arriving around 10:30 pm.</div>
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<div>After breakfast, our group of 20 met with Ernesto Riedner, our Perú Odyssey tour director, who gave an overview of our week. At 11, we headed out by bus with Ernesto and our day guide, Shayla, to see Lima.</div>
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<div>Originally founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, Lima has grown into one of the largest cities in the Americas, and is home to nearly one third of Perú's population, along with a multitude of cultural, educational, and religious sites.</div>
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<div>We first visited the Museo de Arte de Lima, a prominent art museum in Lima. The Museum covers 3,000 years of Peruvian history, with exhibits and collections showcasing the earliest Andean civilizations up through modem times, focusing on ceramics, textiles, and metalwork. We went on to Colonial era and Christian-motif paintings, finishing with some 1930s art showcasing native culture. Shayla did an amazing job guiding us through history in a short time.</div>
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<div>1200 BCE</div>
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<div>Nasca (100–650 CE)</div>
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<div>Nasca (650–1400 CE)</div>
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<div>The Quipu. Thought to be a quantification tool during the Wari and Inca periods.</div>
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<div>Metal as a symbol of prestige.</div>
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<div>Aryballos. Typical Inca vessel, a pitcher with a long spout and conical base used to serve chicha (fermented (alcoholic) or non-fermented beverage derived from grains, maize, or fruit) in the most important ceremonies. The base can be rested in the ground for pouring. It was carried on the back using a rope through the handles.</div>
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<div>Elena Izcue – 1923</div>
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<div>After a quick lunch, we headed to the historical Colonial main square, Plaza de Armas, surrounded by the Presidential Palace, the site of the palace built by Pizarro; the Municipal Offices of the Mayor; the Cathedral, rebuilt in 1758 after an earthquake destroyed the original building; and Santo Domingo Basilica and Monastery.</div>
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<div>We toured the basilica and monastery, completed around 1587, but with redesigns and rebuilds after a number of earthquakes. The present Bell Tower was built in 1766 in Rococo style. We visited the main cloister, the library, and the basilica, plus some other areas. The Mudéjar (Moorish influence) wood coffered ceiling in the guest receiving room by the main cloister dates back to 1580.</div>
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<div>Before the monastery, we stopped by the Rimac River near the square. Shayla pointed out the shanty towns up on San Cristobal, talking about what services were and were not available for the poor.</div>
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<div>We then headed back to our hotel in the San Isidro neighborhood. Ernesto, Larry, Jim, and Eileen walked down the street to a Claró cell phone store, taking much longer than any of us thought, but finally getting Perú-only prepaid SIMs for our phones. Before heading back, we wandered through a large supermarket, with Ernesto pointing out Peruvian fruits, potatoes, and corn.</div>
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<div>Dinner was at Maras, an excellent restaurant in the hotel. We had mixed seafood cerviche and sea bass, followed by a delicious trio of desserts.</div>
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<div>Thoughts on Lima: Lima is a bustling big city with many neighborhoods, with a wide spectrum of buildings, some in poor shape, some brand new and modern, with lots of construction, and lots of traffic and people. The museums, the parks, the Colonial-era buildings made the short visit very worthwhile. The major improvements have been made in the last 20 years. Shayla was clearly passionate about how far Lima has come in that time.</div><hr /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span></div>
<div><a href="https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/limwi-the-westin-lima-hotel-and-convention-center/">The Westin Lima Hotel and Convention Center</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.marasrestaurante.com.pe/">Maras Restaurant</a></div>
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<div><a href="https://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/peru-day-3-cusco-and-the-sacred-valley">Link to Perú – Day 3</a></div>
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NH – Mt. Crawfordhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-crawford2018-09-01T02:53:40.334000Z2018-08-31T22:45:48ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Mt. Crawford is on the “<a href="http://travellog.twinspruces.com/page/nh-new-hampshire-52-with-a-view">NH 52 with a view</a>" list. It is the southernmost peak along the Davis Path. The Davis Path runs roughly parallel to the Crawford Path (which provides access to the Southern Presidentials) but east of the Crawford Path. It provides access to the Montalban Range. The Davis path starts on US 302 8 or 9 miles south of the Crawford Path and runs north and meets the Crawford Path before it climbs to Mt. Washington. (The northernmost peak on the Davis Path, Mt. Isolation, is the only 4000 footer.)</div>
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<div>The Davis Path leaves US 302 on the west side of the Saco River at a paved parking lot (elev. ≈ 1000 feet) 5.6 miles south of the Willey House site in Crawford Notch State Park and 6.3 miles north of the junction with Bear Notch Rd. in Bartlett. The path is almost entirely within the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness. The distance to Mt. Crawford is listed at 2.5 miles, gaining 2000 feet of elevation, 2 hours and five minutes, though our tracker said 2.25 miles. Our hike took three hours and 40 minutes round trip, plus an hour on top of Mt. Crawford. Surprisingly, the trail wasn’t heavily overused, but it was used enough to be easy to follow. It was also blazed with light blue blazes.</div>
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<div>The path follows a gravel road (Crawford Valley Way) along the bank of the river about 200 yards upstream (north) to a cable-stayed (pretty fancy) footbridge (Bemis Bridge). Beyond the east end of the bridge, the trail passes through private land, across an overgrown field, then crosses a small brook on a log bridge. Davis Path then swings right and enters the woods and the WMNF. The trail crosses a brook bed, usually dry this time of year and it was for us, and begins to climb away from the main brook, shortly passing into the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness at 0.4 miles (elev. still around 1000 feet).</div>
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<div>The grade is rather mild initially, which means that the next section is quite steep. At 0.9 miles, the trail enters the old, well-maintained bridle path, and begins to ascend the steep ridge by switchbacks. This section is quite steep, climbing about 1900 feet over about a mile and a half, over 1200 feet/mile. We consider anything over 800-900 feet/mile to be steep.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/cf9853da-e9ff-42cd-a215-058f42602938.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This is at 0.4 miles but at the same elevation as the parking lot.</div>
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<div>The dry river bed, listed as usually dry during the summer, was certainly dry here.</div>
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<div>Here is where it starts climbing.</div>
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<div>And continues, pretty steadily up, for the next mile and a half.</div>
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<div>Instead of posting the asters and goldenrod so prominent this time of year, here are some really cool fungi. The last one may be black trumpet, considered edible and delicious, and pretty pricey. </div>
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<div>Out of the rocky terrain into some washout.</div>
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<div>Now some ledgy walking.</div>
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<div>We got to the crest at about 1.9 miles, where the Davis Path continues north, traversing bare ledges with good outlooks, particularly to Mt. Carrigain and the Tripyramids.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/4d58f661-475d-495c-9609-3cd156c53dc9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>At this point, most of the walking was on expanses of granite.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/1e9472f9-3d28-4c68-944b-67d47bc42e4f.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div> At 2.2 miles, at the foot of a large, sloping ledge (elev. 2925 ft.), there is a path to Mt. Crawford about 45 degrees to the left, and the Davis Path continues at 45 degree to the right. At this point we are walking up ledge. Initially we followed white blazes painted on the rock ledge and then these were augmented by cairns.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/852f16e9-3d3f-4650-a61e-b66ad27cd27f.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/00015101-e163-43cb-afb3-b985c0173024.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/2223fbb3-051c-42f9-adda-3224fa4564b8.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The path to Mt. Crawford climbs 0.3 miles and 200 feet (about 15 minutes) to the bare, peaked summit of Mt. Crawford, where there is pretty much a 360 degree view.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/7ee703e5-7a99-485a-bba7-8e63690a7298.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>#Samberging™ at the top.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/98d2cc1e-6000-45cc-9078-c02b2b213e8d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The entire Southern Presidential Range from Jackson to Washington.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/8d095fcb-689f-4955-8d66-4027ffd50859.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Heading back down after a glorious hour on top.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/41ac348c-ff0a-415e-819d-b24210762ea6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A Google Earth picture with the hike at the bottom and Mt. Washington at the top.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/684cb157-3a13-4485-87ca-6485c13804ee/5e2b6d6d-2dde-4c14-ac80-a60715c35773.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>— Eileen and Larry Samberg - 31-Aug-2018</div>
NH – Zeacliff Overlookhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-zeacliff-overlook2018-09-01T02:36:21.078000Z2018-08-16T01:04:31ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>This is one of the more spectacular overlooks in the Whites that is not at the top of a mountain. The Zeacliff Overlook is a outcropping over the notch between Zealand Mountain and Whitewall Mountain.</div>
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<div>The first part of the hike is to Zealand Falls Hut. We’ve been to this hut numerous times and 🔗 <a href="http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-zealand-falls-hut">we blogged it last year</a> 🔗 so we will not repeat it here. The hike to the hut is an easy 2.7 miles. The only steep part is the last 0.2 miles, rocky and finishing with rock stairs up to the hut. The hike that we did last May was harder than normal — the water was higher and the water crossings were a bit more difficult (the ones that didn’t have bridges). This time everything was pretty normal with a few short rock hops here and there.</div>
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<div>The hike follows the Zealand Trail from the parking area at the top of Zealand Road.</div>
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<div>It’s still one of the prettiest hikes around.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/4d077c94-2920-41ec-9e0d-d10494a8fbe7.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>And one of the prettiest spots for flowers. Here is a Monarch butterfly on a Joe-Pye Weed.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/8942919c-2839-4cfa-8d20-68877ca5d218.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>About a quarter mile before the hut, the Zealand Trail ends at the intersection of the Ethan Pond Trail (left turn) and the Twinway (straight/right). These two trails are part of the Appalachian Trail. The Ethan Pond Trail is the northern direction on the AT (although it is heading southeast here) and the Twinway is the southern direction.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/3b011ae3-f8ce-49c8-9419-19dfff510211.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Continuing on the Twinway from this intersection the hut is reached in about a quarter mile.</div>
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<div>Today we reached the hut in about an hour and a quarter. This is good time for 2.7 miles especially since it included several stops for flower pictures. The elevation gain is only about 600 feet, starting at about 2,000 feet and ending at about 2,600 feet.</div>
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<div>After relaxing at the hut for about 20 minutes, we continued south on the Twinway.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/f2275d36-a8b9-4cef-8f3c-ec8da9ecd2f9.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>It begins climbing almost immediately. It crosses the stream feeding Zealand Falls (a branch of Whitewall Brook) about 0.2 miles from the hut.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/76d72f8f-487f-44f5-9c0f-a62a7743a0e9.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/d1da4fea-70cd-440e-9bb2-b99fc7c4fa5c.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>At this point the trail continues climbing steady on a fairly rocky path.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/7dfa52a5-220d-4f66-9752-167ffc864667.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>At 1 mile from the hut there is a side trail (on the left) to the overlook. The trail climbs 1100 feet in this mile, so it is a steep walk (we consider anything more than about 800-900 feet per mile to be steep). Following the side trail for about 0.2 miles takes you to the overlook at about 3,700 feet.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/2a23fb88-5f99-4825-aebf-ead674798f44.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Zeacliff Overlook provides a spectacular view of the notch between Zealand Mountain (which is behind us) and Whitewall Mountain on the other side. We’ve hiked to Whitewall Mountain several times and 🔗 <a href="http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-thoreau-falls">blogged the last time</a> 🔗 (July 2015). Whitewall Mountain is reached by the Ethan Pond Trail (see above) and is, itself, a really interesting place because the entire side of the mountain is a large rock slide (hence the name). In this picture looking across to Whitewall Mountain you can actually see the Ethan Pond Trail going from left to right across the rocky face of the mountain.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/288019ac-931f-4a2f-9753-90932ee7fbd3.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>View of Mt. Carrigain to the south.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/e7888e4f-d2b4-4986-a2c7-761fde94e729.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>Carrigain again, but with Samberging™.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/e049a76c-d877-4791-bce0-073a39ab4820.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>[Fun fact (which I’ve included in other posts). Lincoln is the second largest town in New Hampshire and the boundaries extend much farther than most people realize. At 4700 feet, Mt. Carrigain is actually the highest point in the town of Lincoln — although, officially, it actually shares that title with Mt. Bond at 4698 since the margin of error on the measurements is ±2 feet, so their error bars overlap.]</div>
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<div>We relaxed at the overlook for about a half hour and then headed back. The entire trip was about 7.5 miles and we spent about 5.75 hours including breaks at the hut in both directions and at the overlook.</div>
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<div>The entire route on Google Earth (north is up, i.e., normal orientation) . The icon next to Zealand Pond is the hut.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/04c691d4-82e1-4356-875b-6ecb329d6da0.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>A Google Earth shot of the overlook and Whitewall (north is down in this one).</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/d91fb1b2-8521-495f-9ff6-397c9daa9f1e/612f80c8-929d-4acd-af63-eaa66cf48cbd.jpg" title="Tap to Download"/><br/></div>
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<div>— Eileen and Larry Samberg - 15-Aug-2018</div>
NH – Eagle Pass on the Greenleaf Trailhttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-eagle-pass-on-the-greenleaf-trail2018-07-08T21:32:44.876000Z2018-07-07T20:32:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>The Greenleaf Trail runs from the Cannon Mtn. Tramway Parking lot on the west side of the Franconia Notch Parkway to the summit of Mt. Lafayette. It goes by the Greenleaf Hut on a shoulder of Mt. Lafayette about 1.1 miles from the summit. There is a separate dirt parking lot for hikers (as opposed to tram visitors) that is to the left upon entering the parking lot. This is a great trail to the hut and Mt. Lafayette, with much less traffic than the standard Bridle Path. (The Bridle Path ends at the hut and this trail continues to the summit).</div>
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<div>Along the way to the hut, the trail goes through Eagle Pass a wild, narrow cleft between Eagle Cliff and the west buttress of Mt. Lafayette, about 1.5 miles from the parking lot. There is a large slanted slab of granite to climb up and get great views. This was our goal for today (and other days when we just want to go some place to have a snack or eat some lunch).</div>
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<div>From the parking lot, you walk along the sidewalk through the parkway (I93) underpass, turn left, and follow the northbound ramp for 25 yards, then turn right across a ditch into the woods. The sign at the parking lot says 200 yards to the trailhead (elev. 1885 feet).</div>
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<div>The trail runs (in the woods) southeast parallel to the parkway with rocky footing and minor ups and downs, and at some point, turns sharply left and climbs moderately by numerous switchbacks to Eagle Pass at 1.25 miles from the trailhead (elev. 2950 feet). Eagle Cliff itself (above the pass), a climbing destination, was closed due to Peregrine Falcon nesting.</div>
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<div>The guide book claims that the trail is blazed in blue, but we only saw a single blaze for the entire hike (of course, we might have missed some). The trail was usually pretty easy to follow—even though it is lightly used there are reasonable wear tracks—but we did lose it once or twice and had to adjust.</div>
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<div>The hike took about 1 hour and 15 minutes up and about 1 hour down, with an elevation change of about bit over 1000 feet.</div>
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<div>Trail sign at entrance into the woods.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f2dcf239-4773-4ae3-8b0a-124ed25e84b5/9503a4eb-ee10-48c8-b64f-7ab06b663409.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Typical trail, some spots more rocky.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f2dcf239-4773-4ae3-8b0a-124ed25e84b5/aebac68b-72d4-4aa5-9f5c-c552cf3c9889.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Nice trail work. Thanks for the steps.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f2dcf239-4773-4ae3-8b0a-124ed25e84b5/b0d834af-f3ea-4808-a289-6d21fc2c77c5.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A tight spot on the trail.</div>
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<div>At Eagle Pass.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f2dcf239-4773-4ae3-8b0a-124ed25e84b5/19e75519-c176-423c-8917-73d5917a736c.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A zoomed view of the Cannon Tram from Eagle Pass.</div>
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<div>A look out down the notch.</div>
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<div>Guess who.</div>
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<div>Larry enjoying the day.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f2dcf239-4773-4ae3-8b0a-124ed25e84b5/132b292a-2dcc-47f6-9d01-7588a7929c2b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We have never seen so many cars at the Bridal Path/Fallings Waters parking lot on the left and Lafayette Campground on the right. The line on the right spread down for at least a mile past this picture. There are now posted signed not to park on I-93, but….</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f2dcf239-4773-4ae3-8b0a-124ed25e84b5/5fed28c8-d7f3-414e-ace7-d8dfde3cb9f1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Another view into the notch.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f2dcf239-4773-4ae3-8b0a-124ed25e84b5/94aa2065-1e5e-4b6c-810a-fdcc664e9de7.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Heading back down after a snack.</div>
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NH – Mt. Waternomee Bomber Hikehttp://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/nh-mt-waternomee-bomber-hike2018-07-06T03:08:08.135000Z2018-07-05T19:19:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div><span style="font-size: 14px;">We did this hike once before, in 2010, shortly after we learned about it, but we weren’t blogging back then. First,</span><a href="http://www.logginginlincoln.com/Bomber_Crash.html" style="font-size: 14px;"> the back stor</a>y<span style="font-size: 14px;">:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">On the afternoon of January 14, 1942, a Douglas B18-A bomber with a crew of 7, took off from Westover Air Field, near Chicopee Falls, Mass. The crew's mission was to patrol for German U-Boats, 250 miles into the North Atlantic. They did not report any sightings, and several hours later, a little before 4:30pm, turned the plane around to head back to their base. Weather conditions were much worse than when they took off and they flew into a strong headwind. When the plane reached the coastline, the crew tried to get bearings on the radio, but were unable to because of static. They estimated it would take three hours to reach Westover, and they proceeded, flying on instruments at 4,000 feet. That altitude was chosen as it would keep the aircraft under the overcast and clear of obstacles between the coast and Westover.</span></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">The night was black and visibility poor. The wind was much stronger than the crew believed, and atmospheric conditions meant that they were unable to use any beacons. There was no celestial navigation equipment on board and no light in the drift meter. They were in total darkness. The pilot and co-pilot changed off every half hour. When they crossed the shoreline, they thought they were south of Boston, and turned north, expecting that they were heading towards Westover. But the combination of circumstances threw all their calculations off and they were actually flying north over Lake Winnipisaukee.</span></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">No mountains were visible, until at about 7:40pm, the co-pilot, Lt. Woodrow Kantner saw what he first thought were dark clouds. He turned on his landing lights and saw their error. He tried to warn the pilot, Lt. Anthony Benvenuto, to pull up. Benvenuto couldn't hear him and Kantner pulled up. But it was too late and the men could not prevent the disaster. The plane hit a downdraft, stalled, and flew in through trees and crashed in deep snow on the side of Mt. Waternomee. Both wings and engines were sheared off and the top deck was ripped off. Fuel was dripping and a fire broke out. Five of the crew were able to exit the plane. Two of the crew, in the rear of the aircraft, could not and died when the plane exploded a few moments later. The subsequent Army investigation credited Kantner's pulling up the nose with preventing the plane from crashing nose first, and probably saving the lives of himself and the four other crew members.</span></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Residents in Lincoln and Woodstock heard the crash and saw the fire. Telephone calls went out to the State Police, the Forest Service, the Army and civilian volunteers. Incredibly, the first of the rescue crews started up the mountain at 8:15, just about a half hour after the plane went down. Lincoln's Dr Handy was on the scene, as was Sherman Adams, the Parker-Young Company's "wood boss" (and later Governor of New Hampshire), along with about 50 others. It took the first crew of the rescue squad about three hours, on snowshoes, to reach the crash site. They rounded up the 5 injured survivors, administered first aid, and built fires to keep the injured warm. Lincoln Selectman Charles Doherty and Adams arrived with a team of woodsmen who had blazed a trail and brought toboggans. Dr. Handy put a splint on a broken leg and three of the injured were placed on the toboggans and started down the mountain. They arrived at the roadside about 2:00am. The toboggans went back up and at about 4:00am started back down with the other two survivors, reaching the road at about 10:00am. The survivors were taken to the Lincoln hospital and 4 were later moved to Manchester.</span></span></div>
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<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">One nice thing about the hike is that it starts only about 15 minutes outside of Lincoln on Walker Brook Road, a logging/fire road on NH 118 about 1 mile (or so) south of the intersection with NH 112. Walker Brook Road is only about 5 car lengths and is then gated. The total hike is about 3 miles each way and gains about 1300 feet of elevation. Since most of the elevation is gained in the second half of the hike, the first half is easy and the second half is quite a bit steeper. This is not an official trail so much of the walking is “guided" bushwhacking.</font></div>
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<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">Follow Walker Brook Road (tire tracks) for about 1.3 miles. The starting elevation is about 1220 feet. The first half of this is completely flat and the second half climbs gradually but steadily. At 1.3 miles it enters a large circular open field (elev. 1550 ft.). Follow the trail around to the right past a small cairn back into the woods, turn left, and you shortly arrive at Walker Brook.</font></div>
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<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/8ee66624-450d-4171-880f-019322eac953.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Arial">Here is the cairn in the large circular field. The trail continues into the woods.</font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/fef94b46-6140-4a0a-8169-a8a40a37388c.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">Rather than crossing the brook, follow the brook upstream about 750 feet. This path is marked with occasional nailed markers and surveyor tape on trees. Cross the brook at the marked spot and walk up a short hill to a flat area. Turn right and follow the flat area parallel to the brook for another 750 feet (at about 1.55 miles in) and then turn left (away from the brook). At this point the trail starts climbing and continues to climb until you reach the debris field.</font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/2da27268-c7b0-4582-8246-7db1441df28b.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/b0fcd888-696d-4161-ac75-ee3909930869.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">After turning away from the brook there is a good view of a waterfall on the right side.</font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/cfb74187-65dd-4b5a-96f6-38993297a10c.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">At this point the trail climbs steadily. It is also a bit trickier to follow. Most of the time it is clear where the trail is (it is worn enough) but sometimes not, but amazingly, every time you needed to find the trail there was a piece of orange surveyors tape hanging from a branch (so bring someone who is not color-deficient). So care is needed but there are hints. (Not all of them were as obvious as this one.)</font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/39a950e1-4a1e-47df-af32-e91c0b28cb8c.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">At about 2.7 miles and 2600 ft. elevation, you come across the first piece of debris. One of the engines.</font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/35883779-0cd5-46df-a5ac-71d7df9e7b01.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">From this point you just wander around looking at various pieces of the plane and plaques commemorating the crash. The last survivor died in 2008.</font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/8e63e55b-48cb-4fa6-8f84-d19b5ff661b8.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/9e9814fb-b029-4e1a-b805-07c2eb9c2767.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/9a584d62-6a40-4115-8436-8d50920ba873.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/4c480ede-8a52-4e6f-9ed8-7424cb43aa6e.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/911f3a42-5f79-4084-9507-1986127118a6.jpg" /><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 14px;">Landing gear.</font></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/37bf4b03-7afc-4683-b6f8-a56a78b7b9de.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/21ccc79d-90d7-4b63-ac57-53e837631584.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/a48310b0-f24c-4263-90bf-a5eaca321ed0/758d1b2a-92ad-4b32-bb5e-9efaf02f73df.png" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>— July 5, 2018</div>
Athens – Day 5http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/athens-day-52018-05-02T00:50:50.029000Z2018-04-27T19:17:30ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>We slept about 11 hours until well after 9, relaxed over breakfast.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>We then took the metro to Syntagma to walk in the National/Botanical Gardens, entering on the west side. We walked around for about an hour, working our way (a little circuitously) to an exit on the east, and walked back to the hotel for some lunch.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f13d64be-6a04-4838-aa38-80e569afa424/60e0d83f-f3e8-4e9b-ac62-627f413fefcd.jpg" /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f13d64be-6a04-4838-aa38-80e569afa424/01064912-ae53-4df4-98ef-ec87eb306a8f.jpg" /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>We headed to the Hilton to meet up with a colleague of Larry’s and his wife (Steve and Lani Haddock) to take a afternoon tour to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon (with Chat Tours), about a 90-minutes drive to the most southernmost tip of Attica. We had an excellent guide on the bus, who talked along the way, about Athens, about the coast, about the Cape. After leaving Athens proper, we headed along the west coast, passing Flisvos Marina, where we were on Tuesday evening, hearing about the coastal towns and their history as we went. After a quick stop a few minutes away to take some shots of the temple, we drove to the temple, where she talked for about 15 minutes and then left us on our own for a half hour or so. One of the most interesting stories about the temple is that the crew from ships that stopped there carved in the name of their ships. Also, the temple was graffitied in 1810 by George Lord Byron.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f13d64be-6a04-4838-aa38-80e569afa424/c3c2796f-33db-4847-b33f-b06d58968095.jpg" /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f13d64be-6a04-4838-aa38-80e569afa424/12a8bd9a-a746-4d40-a06f-3a55793dabb4.jpg" /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f13d64be-6a04-4838-aa38-80e569afa424/08f7eca4-e2ad-4729-a081-903cf9a06172.jpg" /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f13d64be-6a04-4838-aa38-80e569afa424/05f7e7df-cf31-47ea-83c7-31e3676dfcf7.jpg" /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/f13d64be-6a04-4838-aa38-80e569afa424/b28799f8-e60d-4394-a9d2-b610344be764.jpg" /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>We then headed home, and instead of getting dropped off at the Hilton, the four of us got off near Syntagma square and ate at a fantastic vegetarian restaurant called Avocado. We shared an hummus/avocado mixture (we must make that at home) — I had an zucchini/eggplant lasagna with eggplant as the noodles and Larry had a vegetable paella with grilled tofu. Fantastic!</div>
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<div>Then we walked back to our hotel to pack and get ready for the flight on Saturday.</div>
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<div>Links</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><a href="http://www.chatours.gr">Chat Tours</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.avocadoathens.com">Avocado</a></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>— Eileen Samberg</div>
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Athens – Day 4http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/athens-day-4-thursday-april-262018-05-02T00:53:49.870000Z2018-04-26T17:48:27ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>Today was a half-day for Larry, so today the Agora, the Central Market, and finally, the Acropolis! we also booked a half day tour to Sounion through Nikos at the desk. Went to Crown Plaza to get cash for it.</div>
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<div>We took metro the two stops to Syntagma Square and walked to the Agora.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/79d737d0-ca47-4e30-adf6-35073702ec75.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>First stop the reconstructed (1950) Stoa of Attalos, the ancient shopping mall.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/6876f739-e827-4222-9f81-85e0c8dadc4f.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Temple of Hephaistos</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/de021a27-1e87-44a8-9ef9-2a6db09384c8.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/9813fa42-b38c-4a68-92c5-b0c0bed25e93.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>View of the Acropolis from the temple - Erechtheion and Parthenon on the left, the Propylaea, Monument of Agrippa, and the Temple of Athena Nike on the right</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/9aba2277-e399-481d-8a6e-dac927173d3d.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Odeon (musical theater) of Agrippa (Roman General and Governor around 15 BCE)</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/6fcaad7e-0298-451f-a33b-9b10b64d0872.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>For our lunch break, we went to the Central Market and walked around a bit, buying rigani – greek oregano – and a salad herb mix. Then we had lunch in the market at Taverna Aris, tomato and cucumber salad and grilled sardines.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/6c052b0c-700b-4e63-9773-9f49bc7740ea.jpg" /><br /></div>
<div>Fish at the Central Market</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/47052cae-88da-4c3a-9d88-10966c244bad.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Following lunch we headed to the Acropolis for the walk from the main entrance and then down along the south slopes past the Odeon (music theather) of Herodes Atticus and the Theater of Dionysus.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/7057b941-ad3c-4326-96d5-9f8c3c45c2fb.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Propylaea (Entrance Gate), with the Monument of Agrippa on the close left and the Temple of Athena Nike on the close right</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/ec34bd19-d59d-4a08-920a-a7d2358b7a6e.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Parthenon</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/431e3587-32c3-494b-b9b8-b4e932df5a10.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/83cb8925-1f6f-464f-a155-52b70987ea65.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Erechtheion with Porch of the Caryatids</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/c38eaf62-b9ee-49fd-a0e0-820c67afdd25.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Porch of the Caryatids (5 of the 6 originals in the Acropolis Museum and 1 in the British Museum)</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/cad26cf3-da56-4f16-b15c-ff8fd162e8c1.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/c4bd9892-0ab5-4011-8bd3-434b5a02deac.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Looking down at the Agora</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/e0ea193c-796c-4fad-9484-67bc72fccfb9.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>View of Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/04570799-b04d-4f5e-a4fc-61c2a45aa709.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>View of the Panathenaic (Olympic) Stadium</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/c743866b-be8d-4c72-ab4b-b9d2a8049191.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>We then started to walk down along the south slopes, stopping at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/14732b5a-ace4-4385-8875-ff6f4f572048.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Walking across the entire south slope, we came to the Theater of Dionysus and then exited from that side, near the Acropolis Museum.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/eff2335a-583f-4403-ab67-9d969bf21993/3141d3b4-0bdd-403e-bf74-4268700b6f19.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Close to sundown now, we walked to Syntagma and took metro home. Exhausted, we ate some of our food in the room, and collapsed on the bed.</div>
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<div>Addresses</div>
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<div>Taverna Aris</div>
<div>Sofokleous 17-19</div>
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<div><a href="http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/athens-day-5">Link to Day 5</a></div>
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<div>— Eileen Samberg</div>
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Athens – Day 3http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/athens-day-32018-07-07T02:48:11.925000Z2018-04-25T06:49:00ZEileen and Larry Samberg<div>After breakfast and Larry off to work, Eileen headed to the National Archeological Museum on Bus #3 and spent over 3 hours there, with two breaks in the beautiful open air cafe in the center.</div>
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<div>The Cyclades are an island group in the Aegean Sea, southeast of mainland Greece. The significant Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Cycladic culture is best known for its schematic, flat idols carved out of the islands' pure white marble centuries before the great Middle Bronze Age Minoan civilization arose in Crete to the south.</div>
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<div>Cycladic statue 2800-2300 BCE.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/62b10cc4-1904-4be0-bb80-87263c4a2fd2.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/de00cce9-2cfd-489b-ad2a-ca4eebc6a003.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Harpist of Keros — Early Cycladic II 2800-2300 BCE</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/44e7dd69-2905-4a7c-963e-b5c2c7b1e77b.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The next populations were the Minoans, of which little is known, and the Mycenaeans. The Mycenaeans controlled Southern Greece 1600–1200 BCE.</div>
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<div>One of the most famous pieces in the collection is the gold Mycenaean (funeral) Mask Of Agamemnon. The only problem is that the mask has been dated to 1550 BCE and the battle of Troy (when the Greeks led by Agamemnon defeated the Trojans) was about 1300 BCE.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/0ec75409-1475-408f-bcd0-da94bc393eff.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Frescoes from the Royal Palace, done in the Minoan style. (The peaceful Minoans society collapsed at some point and Minoans survived by being the artisans for the Mycenaeans.)</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/87178786-461f-46a0-8c8e-679919cfc0c6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The Mycenaean Warrior Vase, dated to the 13th century BCE</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/c7ac9d92-828a-4309-b2db-f67fe9208ad8.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Vapheio Cup, 1600– 1550 BCE</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/3f653c48-cc47-49ec-af26-12603243f3fc.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>The Mycenaeans culture disappeared around 1100 BCE. The next 500 years are known as the Greek Dark Ages. Around 750– 700 BCE, Greek culture started to reemerge.</div>
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<div>Dipylon Vase (750 BCE), ocher and black, funeral scene. Triangular torsos indicate the Geometric Period, 9th-8th century BCE.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/e3a9fe10-c7f8-4a6c-9187-d52bf97f1042.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Some of the earliest examples of post-Mycenaean art are these statues of women (Kore) and men (Kouros). This one is from 650 BCE.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/fa88ba48-6956-4830-9bf0-78d3a1db7520.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A Kore from about 550 BCE with “Archaic smile"</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/1d9536f7-8c46-4540-9fd2-d60469c88d81.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>A Kouros from around 500 BCE with “Archaic" smile</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/618b612f-1cfa-4ed1-948d-bac7da6214fb.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Next important figure is a big leap into the Servere (non-smiling) style, around 460 BCE, with a study in Greek attention to perfection. This is either a statue of Poseidon or Zeus. Since the object he was holding is missing, you can only guess.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/ff5cdc38-c471-4de6-9df4-8dfbdec323d6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Scale model of Athena, called the Athena Varvakeion. This is the famous copy of the most famous statue of Golden Age Athens – the 40-foot status of Athena that once stood in Parthenon. The large statue dates to about 438 BC. This copy, 1/12 the size, was sculpted around 250 CE, before the original was lost to history.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/4f73a08a-ab55-40ca-ac36-09cb018e6df5.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This bronze, the Artemision Jockey, is from about 140 BCE, and uses the “lost wax" technique, with a mold rather than hammered metal. The jockey is thought to be an Ethiopian boy.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/9974cf7a-7d68-4ab0-b6cd-665f5b677ee6.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This Bronze Statue of a Youth, is thought to be Paris, the mythical prince of Troy. It is dated the Classical period around 340 BCE. </div>
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<div>Portrait Head from a Statue of a Philosopher. He is a cynic, a movement founded by Diogenes in the 4th century BCE. This is in Hellenistic (more realism rather than ideal) style after Alexander the Great conquered Greece, 240 BCE.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/886c3578-23e2-4fd5-992e-e59220d9d584.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This is the Statue of Aphrodite, Pan, and Eros, dated around 100 BCE. Aphrodite is being harassed by Pan. Aphrodite raises her sandal to hit him.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/41a3b306-d182-47c3-b472-e1e7b81e79ea.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>This is the statue of (Roman) Emperor Augustus (29 BCE – 14 CE) , which would have been atop his horse, dated 12 BCE.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/3ae447d4-277c-49af-a1ac-1305d84ed926.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>Around 5 pm, we took the metro to Syntagma square, walked to the Temple of Olympus Zeus, which was already closed though it was supposed to be open. It can be seen easily from Hadrian’s Arch so it was not a disaster. We walked to Hadrian’s Arch, looking at it as well as the temple ruins. Then we walked part of the city walk tour — Lysicrates Square and monument, then up the stairs and along the road on the northeast side of the Acropolis, walking through a bit of Anafiotika, down to the view of the Roman Forum and Tower of the Winds. Then we walked down the pedestrian Adrianou back to Lysicrates square.</div>
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<div>From there, using Google maps, made our way (up and down) to Spondi, a 2-Michelin-star restaurant where we had 8 pm reservation with 4 other people, one of which was treating (or his company was). We shared an appetizer of wild mushrooms. For our main courses, Larry had lamb, Eileen had Challens duck, and we shared a delightful fraisier-type concoction for dessert. This picture is at 8 pm, when the restaurant first opened and we were the first people there.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/c30dcdd8-2d68-41c3-b7f9-24ff1f170ffd/c4dffe6f-2123-4417-8ba0-06540133431b/4e64bb04-bcb1-49b8-900f-fc567a458d9e.jpg" /><br /></div>
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<div>After this amazing meal, we walked back the one mile or so to the hotel around midnight.</div>
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<div>Links</div>
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<div><a href="http://www.namuseum.gr/wellcome-en.html">National Archeological Museum</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.spondi.gr/spondi/">Spondi</a></div>
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<div><a href="http://travellog.twinspruces.com/post/athens-day-4-thursday-april-26">Link to Day 4</a></div>
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<div>— Eileen Samberg</div>