Ike & I climbed Mount Cutler this evening.

 We weren't sure we would, but we did make it back to the cars before dark.

The views from the ledges were breathtaking, but as it turns out, you can't actually summit the mountain without trespassing. Huh. Who knew? Oh well.

I'm fundraising for the Taylor James Steeves Foundation and would really appreciate your help! The donation link is here: https://runsignup.com/crittoria Thank you so much!

Since this is the last weekend of Tay's Summit Challenge, I planned a challenging hike for myself. More than 8 miles and 3 mountain peaks! 

We started by hiking up Mount Shaw, which was so steep that at times I thought I was gonna fall over backwards. (Y'all know how graceful I am!) We experienced pretty much all the types of trails today, from carriage roads to deer paths! And the foliage was so colorful I had to keep remembering to look down or I'd trip! Ayiyi…anyway, we met a couple of kindred spirits up on top, and had a nice chat. It turns out that a Bubba's shirt is a great conversation starter! 

Then, we headed across the ridge to climb up Black Snout and check out the view in the other direction. It was just as stunning! 

The deer path that led off that summit pretty much dropped like a stone, and was hard to follow in places, especially with all the leaf litter. There were a few times when we chuckled and said we'd like to speak with management! 

After losing most of the elevation we had previously gained, we looked up to realize that there was yet another mountain between us and the car. It was so worth the climb though. The view from Big Ball Mountain was just incredible! 

Finally, we were on our way back down to the car. Along the way we found a waterfall, which just felt like the icing on the cake! It was a spectacular day!!

PS My legs are no longer speaking to me.

PSS I don't know how I'm still awake!

Hike 9 with 2,566 feet of elevation gain.

#staystrongclimbon

Last Jack-o'-lantern Standing

I get so many compliments on this pendant, and I love to share its story. It's made of blown glass that contains the ashes of my soul dog, Amber. She was with me throughout a tumultuous 8 years of my life and went through it all with me; going anywhere and almost everywhere I went. She never met a stranger, only friends we hadn't met yet. I chose a water droplet as the shape because she loved water, and we discovered some of the coolest places while exploring and searching for somewhere she could swim. I'll always miss her, but wearing this keeps her close to my heart forever. 

It was created by Terrapin Glassblowing Studio in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.

Bubba's family reunion! 7 years of history with 3 finishers and 3 assists! Standing are Brian, Danny, Lukas, and Aaron. Ed and Nate are sitting.