July 26, 2012

Start: West Cornwall Road, West Cornwall, CT

We woke up at 6:30 this morning to a bad forecast. There was already a thunderstorm going on outside and the forecast was calling for more storms with high winds, hail, and thunder and lightening. The meteorologist said there would be a clearing in between the two storms so we decided to put some miles in. We packed up and got a ride to the road we started at, pack covers and rain jackets on. We started with about a 500 foot climb during which we squeezed between two huge boulders. It was a fun climb. No Whistle and I hiked together again while Brian was way ahead. He was so fast... It must have been the Red Bull he had with breakfast. I hear that stuff gives you wings. We had a lot of slight ups and downs today but the trail was kind. It usually provided gradual inclines and even some soft pine needle covered dirt. The only hazard were the wet rocks. No Whistle fell and the rest of us had many slips. After about 6.5 miles the trail came down to the road. We had a half mile road walk and then 1.5 miles on relatively flat ground into Falls Village. We had a package waiting for us at the post office. I had ordered us some toe sock liners. Another hiker recommended them to us saying they really help with the blisters, especially between the toes. I am excited to try them out because today was still a hard day on my feet. A blister formed under another blister on my right pinkie toe, so the top of the blister is raw skin. My left pinkie toe is covered in a blood blister. Ouch!! My whole right toe is a swollen, oozing, painful mess. The new boots definitely make a difference, but the blisters just need to heal. Once we were into Falls Village we decided to eat at the Falls Village Inn. Delicious!! We checked the weather and saw that the storms were still headed our way, even with tornado warnings. It was time to call it a day and find a hotel after 9.6 miles. Our super awesome waitress offered us trail magic! She drove us to Lakeville, CT to the Inn at Iron Masters so we didn't have to pay for a taxi. Thank you trail angel! We are now safe, dry, and showered and the storms are starting. Severe thunderstorms are always better watching from a dry, safe place!

End: Falls Village, CT

Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka