Another day of easy navigation, just follow Hwy 20 out of Rensselaer and thru Nassau to Lebanon Springs and into Massachusetts.  The road is still hilly, I am making slow time, and it begins to sprinkle as I get into Lebanon Springs, so I stop for lunch.  A guy says he just drove through rain that was coming down so hard he had to stoop driving.  A few minutes later, it came down that hard here.  I was glad to be inside.  I thought it would be one of those summer rains that quits soon and the sun comes out.  I waited an hour; it was still raining, so headed out in the rain. 

            I follow Hwy 20 to Pittsfield, Massachusetts and then down to Lee and across to Westfield.  I know this area because I lived in Pittsfield in 1974 when I worked for General Electric there.  I recall driving my 1973 VW Orange Beetle on Hwy 20 in the fall to see the beautiful fall colors in the valleys.  At the time I did not know I was driving the Yellowstone Trail.  Nor do I recall it being so hilly.  I‘m surprised my little VW made it up those hills, especially the hill that goes up and up and up for miles.  I’m also surprised my Trek 520 made it up, my legs are getting sore.

            It’s after 3:00 before I get to Pittsfield, the hills are slowing me down, and I’ve stopped a few times to rest, and to check out some old cemeteries, plus trying to wait out the rain.  Everything here goes way back.  I found one grave marker from a Revolutionary War veteran.  There are a lot of great places to see around here, but I am on a mission to finish, and take care of the closing on my house.  One of my favorites is the Normal Rockwell studio and museum at Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

            The Appalachian Trail crosses the Yellowstone Trail on Hwy 20 east of Lee.  When I got to Lee, I stopped and bought a bunch of Gatorade, M&M’s and hard candy.  When I got to the AT, I took the treats down the trail a bit and hung them on a tree.  It is a tradition on the AT to provide “Trail Magic” for hikers.  Just as I finished, three south bound thru hikers approached.  It is a hot and very humid day, and they enjoyed the Gatorade.  We talked a while about hiking and biking.

            It was late when I headed back on the road, and I still had not gone very far.  I’m recalling stories from when I hiked the AT, about hikers that really slow down when they approach the end because they don’t want to stop.  This is not the case with me.  It is the Berkshire Mountains slowing me down, not a desire to keep it going. 

At Becket, I stopped at Uncle Larry’s Tavern; it’s called Becket, but is actually at Bonny Rigg Corners.  I have only gone 58 miles and it is 7:30 pm already.  They tell me it is all down hill from here.  I am offered a place to camp out back, so I agree, and decide I will get up early and try to get a good day in tomorrow.  If I have a good day, I can position myself to finish my journey on Monday at Plymouth Rock.