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(wilson) Hello, all, I am glad to say that we have finally crossed the border back into the United States of Hysteria! Actually, it's been several days since we crossed the border, but we've only had internet once since then. We went into Maine and stayed at Acadia National Park, and had our first Mexican food on the trip! We stayed another night in Maine, then entered New Hampshire. New Hampshire was really pretty and cool. The reason I typed so little about Acadia, which was cool, too, is that I've been saving the room for our trip to Mount Washington in New Hamphsire. We drove to Mt. Washington, in the center of the state, and decided we would take a guided tour in a van up to the summit. We got into Stage 15 (they call the vans stages) and met our tour guide, whose name was Rick. Rick drove us up Mount Washington, which is 6,288 (six thousand, two hundred, eighty-eight) feet high! And believe me, there are probably more world records and strange stuff on that mountain than there are on Mount Everest! Here are some facts we learned driving up Mt. Washington:
It is second only to Mt. Everest in the total number of deaths claimed.
The largest permanent resident above the treeline (where the trees get smaller and eventually stop growing) is a 14-inch long weasel/ferret (can't remember)!
It is home to the smallest furred animal in the world, the Pygmy Shrew.
The trees near the treeline are 5 feet tall at the largest, but get this---they are some of the oldest trees in North America (I find that hard to believe)!!!
And here is another interesting fact I learned that applies to all mountains:
Every 1,000 feet you go up a mountain is the same thing as going 230 miles north. Didn't get it? Going up a mountain 1,000 feet brings the same temperatures, climates, and landscapes as it is 230 miles north. So at the summit, we were superficially well within the Arctic Circle! No need to go to the North Pole.
Plus, one year it snowed 4 inches on the4th of July at the base of the mountain!!!. The staff celebrated the fourth skiing!
When we finally got to the summit of Mt. Washington, we gasped at the view and stood there for a moment. Then we turned around and there was a sign saying "The highest wind speed ever witnessed by man was recorded HERE. It was 232 MPH!!!!!!!!!!! Holy cow!!!!!!!!! I was blown away (haha). We explored the summit, took more pictures of Lena's horse, and took the stage back down the mountain. I LIKED Mount Washington. As that was a few days ago, I've done a lot since then. Here is exactly what:
Hiked to Ellis Falls in NH
Gone to a maple sugar factory in Vermont today
Ate at a pizza restaurant
And guess what? We went to the REAL BEN & JERRY'S ICE CREAM FACTORY TODAY!!! We took a cool tour and got to sample some apple pie flavored ice cream...mmmmmmmm.
Hmmm...what should I draw a picture of today? Uhhhh...how about a bear? We WERE in bear country when we stayed in Maine.
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There it is, if you can't see it, you should use a scanning electron microscope or something.

We are also very sad to announce (if you don't already know) that Steve Irwin, AKA the Crocodile Hunter, was killed by a stingray the other day.
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