It turns out that getting through the Berkshires was easier than the Rensselaer Plateau. It could be because I entered the Rensselaer Plateau towards the end of the day and I hit the Berkshire Mountains first thing in the morning.

There was a bit of gravel involved, but it didn’t last long. I walked up this steep section. I don’t think my car could get through the corner at the end of this hill as it was all washed out.

Mount Greylock is the highest point in Massachusetts and I thought about going up it on the way home, but decided against this idea. Here it is from the east side. I crossed the mountains to the left of Greylock.

Massachusetts is hilly and I spent a good part of the day in granny gear. I had another flat due to the worn out rear tire. While fixing it I managed to step on and bend the shaft to my frame pump. Fortunately I was able to straighten it so it mostly works, but this is the last tour this pump will go on. I also knocked off my tail light, almost losing it in the mud. I only made 37 miles by lunchtime. Just short of the Connecticut River in South Deerfield I ran across a great BBQ place called Zack’s BBQ. I ate at a picnic table there and patched one of my leaky spare tubes, just in case.

There aren’t a lot of motels between Amherst and the 495 belt around Boston. I decided to see how far I could get before 5 and then find the closest accommodations that were generally in the right direction towards home.

So around 5 I had made it to the tiny hamlet of Wendell. I found neighboring campgrounds full, and about the only available motel was in Gardner, another 26 miles down the road. Not many options, and too far from home to make that choice, so I opted for Gardner. I arrived at 7:00, making it a twelve hour day, as I hit the road at 7AM.

Mileage was 92, leaving about 45 left to my house and another 30 to the sea. The running total is now 3509.