Date: 2014-08-07
From: Zero Day

To: Laurel Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up around 6:15, got dressed and went upstairs for coffee about 6:30. I used to drink my coffee black but while on the trail I load it up with cream and sugar. It's all about the calories when you are hiking. Once again we had an excellent breakfast; french toast, sausage, orange juice, watermelon, and of course coffee. I loaded up my backpack after breakfast and put it on the scales, 42 pounds 6 ounces with 2 liters of water and 4 days worth of food. Hudson says that I need to drop about 5 pounds before getting into the White Mountains but I have no idea what to get rid of. I took some pictures of Hudson and Big Lu, I'm going to miss this place, absolutely one of the better stops on the AT. Hudson let No Rush and I out at Falls River at 9:30, It's going to be a nice day for hiking. We came to a waterfall on the trail and took pictures on each others cameras. I met a large group of kids from Northwest Catholic High School and the leaders name was Eagle Runner a 2013 through hiker. We talked for a little while and they wanted to know my trail name and how to follow me on the trail. I met Chiclet taking a break with a section hiker and we met later and hiked together for awhile. She was doing a northbound through hike and was wanting to meet up with someone in a few days so she moved ahead. It was pretty easy hiking this morning, the uphills weren't too steep. The trail comes into the edge of Salisbury so No Rush and I decided to stop and get something to eat in town. The skies were getting black and it was sprinkling a little so we would also be able to get in out of the rain if necessary. We were in Salisbury yesterday to resupply so we knew where everything was already. The grocery store has a nice deli department, I loaded up my plate with meatloaf and macaroni and cheese, they sell food by the pound. It was delicious and I need all the carbs that I can get. A nice lady dropped off cookies outside of the store she said that she always gives cookies to through hikers. I was enjoying my cookies and Pepsi when Hudson showed up in town. He was bringing some hikers into town from the hostel so that they could resupply just as we did yesterday. Barman (section hiker) and Shinbone SOBO were with him. It was a nice gathering of hikers outside of the store traveling north and south this year. We like to share info about the trail with each other. We left town about 1:30 it was still looking like rain but we decided to chance it. The next 17 miles north of Salisbury is going to be a little tougher to hike but some nice scenery. Hudson says it is one of the best parts of southern New England on the AT. A couple of people doing trail maintanence had cleared the sides of the trail making it easier to walk on the trail. There are sections like this that you hit on different days it just depends on when they clear it and when you are hiking it. The volunteers spend countless hours working on the trails and as a hiker I really appreciate it. I stopped at Brassie Brook Shelter it will be my last one in Connecticut. After taking some pictures I moved on excited about getting to one more state on my journey. I hiked up Bear Mountain the highest point in Connecticut. It was looking like another storm was coming and I didn't want to get caught up on the exposed rock in a storm so I tried to hurry down the other side, it was a very steep climb down. I got to Sages Ravine Campsite and looked around but decided that I had time to hike to the next campsite. I did meet Alex there a Ridge Runner that was also the caretaker of the area. He had a huge walled tent with a hammock set up inside. He stood inside the tent with the screen between us. I was sitting in a chair outside the tent as I talked to him and it felt like I was in church talking to a priest during confessions. We talked for some time but he never did come out of his tent. The hike thru the ravine was full of small waterfalls created from the stream coming down from the mountain and it made for a nice hike. I finally got to tonights destination, Laurel Ridge Campsite. I filled up with water before going up the hill to look for a place to set up my tent. No Rush and Puzzled showed up and camped nearby. We had a bear box for food and a privy close by. Tomorrow we will try and get in a longer day of hiking and get a few more miles.