New Yorkie in New York

N2 1: New York (State)

Leaving Vermont I crossed into New York and headed up into the Adirondack Mountains, passing Lake Placid on the way. You'll never believe this, but it looked very placid, although there wasn't as much water as I'd expected!

There was a drop more at Saratoga Springs, and I had a good bathe and swim, before a spot of brekkie. I was joined by a New York Giant there, and he introduced himself as Bill Purcell; he must have stood forty feet tall. He asked me if I wanted a chocolate bar, and I said depends what type, as I'm not really a big chockie fan. He brought out this bar that I didn't recognise, and I enquired as to its make. He said it's a Yorkie, and I said it doesn't look like the Yorkie I know and love, but he said that it was a new yorkie, that comes in chunks. I said thanks, but I think I'll stick to my fruit and veg, as I still had a lot of travelling to do that day.

After bidding farewell to Bill I headed down into the Catskill Mountains. I ran up Slide Mountain, and then slid down the other side, which was immense fun; I was glad I hadn't eaten Bill's new yorkie as it might have come up again!

Then I came across a cat who introduced itself as Molly the Moggie. It seemed to be a very precocious feline, and said it had many skills. So I shape-shifted into a cat, and we played with a ball of wool, climbed trees and lazed around. I must say that Molly was very skilled at these, but I was better at unravelling a ball of wool, although my technique was apparently unorthodox.

After bidding Molly au revoir I continued south-east, until reaching New York City; this guy called Joey wanted to play conkers in Yonkers, so I gave him a game, and beat him. His friends weren't too happy, so I bought them a coffee in a cafe called Central Perk. I had a nice chat and a good laugh with his charming friends, and after they got over Joey's conkers defeat they put me up in their flats.

Very Mount in Vermont

MNV 3: Vermont

Crossing into Vermont I headed straight up into the Green Mountains, and started singing the state song: 'These Green Mountains'. Well, I did add 'ygrey' onto the Green if I'm telling the truth, as I didn't see another soul all morning, and could imagine it was just me and the mountains.

Then I swam down the Winooski River to Lake Champlain, where I lunched by the waterside, and enjoyed a nice cooling post-meal dip in the clear water.

Then it was back up into the Green Mountains, and I started heading south towards New York. Along the trail I came across a greenybrown creature, which was hiking in the other direction. It introduced itself as Nigela the Northern Leopard Frog, and we entered into a lengthy conversation. It asked where I'd been in Vermont, and I told it, saying the Green Mountains had kept me in the mountains a lot, so it had been a very mount journey through Vermont.

After bidding farewell to Nigela, I made my edged along the outskirts of Rutland to avoid the rutting stags, and made it to New York state by nightfall. I still had 'These Greenygrey Mountains' in my head before dropping off to sleep.

New Hemp Sure in New Hampshire

MNV 2= New Hampshire

Crossing into New Hampshire from Maine I made good progress over to Lake Winnipesaukee, and had a fantastic swim in there, changing intermittently from manta to reef shark, or a bright mandarin fish; the latter takes all my chameleon powers to accomplish, as there are so many colours needed to make up a good mandarin fish.

After a bite of lunch I took my time going through Laconia and must have looked quite laconic; I don't think anybody saw me though, as I'd turned back into my default greenygrey colours, and the surroundings were nicely greenygrey.

As I passed through the countryside I saw a man in a field of crops repeatedly throwing a ball up in the air and then collecting it. I was vexed as to what he was doing, so I enquired. He said he'd used to live in New York, but he'd moved up to New Hampshire because of 'Catcher in the Rye'. I said it's a long way to move for such a sport, but he said New Hampshire has great rye fields.

I'm sure there was something cryptic in what he said, but I never worked it out. I started thinking about it on my way down to Concord, but was there before I knew it, so it went completely out of my head...until now.

Anyway, I was travelling so fast my greenygrey fur was falling into my eyes, so I thought I'd buy some rope to tie it. I asked at an old-fashioned wholesale store and the very polite shop-owner said 'New hemp sure'.

So I tied my fur back with the hemp, and it came in very handy, as I flew from Concord to the border with Vermont, where I would end my journey through MNV. I slept on the banks of the Connecticut River, and nice it was too.

Mane in Maine

MNV 1= Maine

Having accepted that I would have to take on this acronym without many memory aids I shapeshifted into a sea eagle and made my way up to the first leg of the acronynym without meaning, Maine.

However, as I flew I realised the letters followed alphabetically, so that was some help.

The scenery below was wonderful, and really whet my appetite for my land trip. Touching down in the north of Maine I was transported back in time to my travels across Canada, as the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick border Maine.

Yes, I much preferred BASMOQ and N3+PEI to MNV I must say, but I musn't grumble, as the scenery in Maine is also beautiful, with about 90% of the state still wooded, and plenty of coastline.

I was also back in the Appalachians, and enjoyed the clear natural air as I ran through the powder puff snow, and towering trees. I stopped off in Caribou, and got talking to a moose called Stephen that said it was the King of Maine. I said that was impressive and complimented it on its cuddly ears. It said thanks, and complimented me on my greenygrey mane. I said thanks, but it's not really a mane, as lions have manes, but it's close enough, and I don't want to be pedantic.

After bidding goodbye to Stephen King I made my way down to Mars Hill, which was spacey, and then over to the east coast at Calais. I went for a swim in the Bay of Fundy there, and it was fun. Then I made my way down to Bath, and washed the salt water out of my greenygrey coat with a bath, before continuing to Portland, which reminded me of my time in Oregon, near the start of my journey in the USA.

I ended the day in Norway, and enjoyed the evening there. So that was the first leg of MNV over with, and I had thoroughly enjoyed it; even the acronym was starting to grow on me!

End of my American journey planned out

Greetings from the Greenygrey. I have planned the last leg of my journey, and I'm afraid it's going to be some tough acronyming in the last eleven states, as the first and last acronyms don't offer much memorability.

However, we've come a long way together, and I'm confident that after all the tough virtual travelling we've done, we'll make it to the end now.

The route is set out below, and I hope you'll join me on it in the next few weeks.

MNV= Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont

Mr. C= Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut

N2= New York and New Jersey

PMD= Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware

Waste Virginier in West Virginia

C2+V2 4= West Virginia

I crossed from Virginia into West Virginia by travelling west funnily enough. Crossing into Greenbrier county I felt at home, and travelled upstream in the Greenbrier river for a while.

I was going to head north all the way, but something drew me out to the west, and before I knew it I was in Point Pleasant. Strange things started happening to me there, such as my fur turning orange and purple without me chameleonising it, and losing track of my blog without knowing it; I therefore have no information about my journey from Greenbrier to Point Pleasant.

Then a strange creature started appearing, kind of like a moth, but also like a man; sort of mothmanish! I don't suppose I should talk, being kind of wolfish, and kinda human. Anyway, in the end we got together and had a good chat. It's a legendary super-being as well, so we had plenty to talk about. As we were leaving I left my food wrapper behind, thinking it was biodegradable, and the Mothman asked if I always did that. I said yes, and it got quite angry, saying I should never leave waste to chance. I asked if it had ever done it and it said no. I assured it I would be more careful in the future, and it seemed pleased.

I left the next day, and headed east. I had a good time chameleonising in Auburn, ran with the elk in Elk Garden, and ended up with sore paws in Paw Paw. I'd really enjoyed travelling through West Virginia though, and once again running free through the Appalachian Mountain range.

As I rested my paws in Paw Paw I also planned the rest of the journey through the last twelve states. Although they are only small, and compacted into the north-east of the USA, I felt that they would provide the biggest test yet of my travel by acronym.

Virginier in Virginia

C2+V2 3= Virginia

Heading over the border into Virginia I started off by having an early morning swim at Virginia Beach, and then headed inland to Chesapeake and the Chesapeake Bay. I passed through Suffolk, Norfolk, Newport News and Portsmouth, and the names reminded me of somewhere.

Then I headed inland to Richmond, which seemed quite affluent, before swimming towards the mountains on the Roanoke River.

Along the way I stopped in the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. I was worried I'd walked into a trap set to capture my greenygrey fur, but could relax after a few hours, as I was so fascinated by the performing arts center that I couldn't leave, and guessed that was what the trap referred to. They asked if I'd been to the opera before, and I replied no, because I hadn't. They said everybody else had been before, so I was the only newbie in the place.

After leaving there I passed through some dogwood trees, which made me feel at home, before I finally made it back into the Blue Ridge Mountains. I had another reminder of what a small world it is a few hours a later, because I came across the two gentlemen I'd met in the Blue Ridge Mountains further south. I asked what they were doing in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and it seemed to set them off into song: telling me they were in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia on the Trail of the Lonesome Pine.

I said oh, are you still looking for the lonesome pine; I saw some dogwood earlier if that's any help. They said that was a great help, although I don't know if they were just being kind, before they left. It was the last I saw of them, so I hope they found what they were looking for.

I made it to the border with West Virgina by nightfall, with the end of my journey through C2+V2 in sight.