July 25, 2012

Start: Fife and Drum Inn - Kent, CT

What a great day!! We left the hotel at 9:30 and started the mile walk to the trail. About half way there, a car pulled over and asked us if we wanted a ride to the trail. Of course we gratefully said "YES!" When they dropped us off, they offered us grapes, cherries, cookies, and cold drinks. We each took some grapes and cherries since fresh fruit is hard to come by on the trail... TRAIL MAGIC.. Perfect start to the day! We started climbing right away. Brian was WAAAAAY ahead but No Whistle and I hiked together for the day. It was a lot of fun hiking with a friend. We stopped 3 miles in and ate some snacks. We then climbed to Caleb's Peak and ate another small snack. The trail took a steep descent to follow along the Housatonic River for a nice flat 4 mile section. We took a short break at Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter and then continued on. We hiked another 3.3 miles to Silver Hill Campsite for a short break and to pump some water. We were warned by some southbounders not to stay at Pine Swamp Brook Shelter where we had planned to spend the night. They said it was extremely buggy and not a great shelter. We took a look at the map and decided to hike another 5.6 miles and stay at the Hitching Post Motel. We left the campsite and continued to encounter numerous PUDS (pointless ups and downs as they are known as on the trail). No Whistle and I found ourselves joking about how the trail should be going down in elevation according to the profile map, yet we seemed to be endlessly climbing. Finally, the trail began it's final descent. On the way down, we saw a family of wild turkeys. We reached the road where Brian was waiting and called the motel. They came and picked us up and brought us back to the motel where we showered, did laundry, and ate pizza. The pizza place doesn't normally deliver this late, but the sympathetic waitress felt bad for hungry hikers. Thank you!! So what word do I use to sum up a day of trail magic, hiking with a friend, 16 miles, a shower, laundry, a bed, and pizza... AMAZING!!! My feet do hurt as I write this, but it makes me feel hopeful that it took 11 miles for them to hurt instead of 3 miles!!

End: West Cornwall Road- Hitching Post Motel

Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka