About 3,000 students at Colgate. Add another 3,000 living in town and you got yourself a tiny, overly intellectualized little town that would leave Sean Hannity foaming at the mouth. Within an hour of Colgate are at least a dozen similar schools that add a bit of a progressive accent to an otherwise Trump-like region. For example I was pumping gas when next to me a man yelled to himself  “$3.15 a gallon! Unf#$@ing believable!” then traded glances with me as if waiting for me to add “Thanks Biden” (a few years ago it would have been “Thanks a lot Obamacare.”)

• 

We brought masks with on our trip of course. So far though we rarely wear them and the world sure seems to be a lot safer than it was a year ago. But it was recently 116 degrees in Portland (and 104 in Lady Smith, BC). That ain’t good.

• 

• 

After Hamilton it was north to Lake Durant State Park in the Adirondacks. Some rain but dry enough for two nice campfires. No stars at all though but we did enjoy listening to the loons, frogs and owls carry about their business. Then this morning the rain finally came and we find ourselves drying out just west of Burlington.

•