I have lived in the deep south. I'm talking about swamps and gators. I've been to the rain forests of Peru and jungles in the South Pacific. And I have never encountered mosquitos as numerous or vicious as those in Massachusetts in August. One of them bit me through my shoe.

And yet for some reason I love this place. It's because I can finally see real mountains again. Here is Bear Mountain and way in the distance you can see Greylock, the highest point in MA. I'll be there tomorrow.

Before I get to Greylock I'll have to walk through the valley. Another reason I like it here is because much of it reminds me of home.

This is also where the mud starts. The AWOL Guide advises, "Walk through the mud. Do not trample vegetation beside the trail." Basically I'll run a a Tough Mudder every day for the next two weeks.

Maybe they should call it "MassaROOTSettes…!" Right? Hello? Is this thing on?