Date: 2008-08-26
To: Mt. Algo Shelter/Kent, CT
Miles today: 103.2
Weather: clear sky

Stopping in Kent for a few hours to resupply...here's an updateDalton, MA - Upper Goose Pond Cabin - Day 51 - 619.6 - 640.2 - August 21stReally, quite a boring hike today. NoCar got an hour head start and Stretch & I met up with him at lunch time. Wwe got into the Cabin around 5 and chilled out for a while. The caretaker here makes pancakes in the morning...yum!!!Upper Goose Pond Cabin - Mt. Wilcox South Shelter - Day 52 - 640.2 - 656.0 - August 22ndNot feeling well tonight (Migraine). Boring hike again today with no views...nice weather, though. My right ankle and left calf acted up for a bit, but are feeling better tonight. Tomorrow is supposed to give us some good views...Mt. Wilcox South Shelter - The Hemlocks Shelter - Day 53 - 656.0 - 675.7 - August 23rdFelt a million times better this morning and we headed toward the Corn Crib on Hwy 7, 11.8 miles down the trail. We stopped in for lunch and had ice cream and peaches with lunch (and also grabbed some Green Peppers for dinner tonight). After that, it was an elementary 8 miles to the shelter. There were some views today and the mosquitos were awful as they have been throughout Mass. We trucked through the valleys earlier in the day and finished at 3:45. We ran into a group of 4 at the shelter (my age) who ended up getting us hot dogs, chips, and beer down the mountain and back up for dinner. Awesome trail magic!!! Tomorrow, we'll be headed into CT and into town at Salisbury...hoping for more awesome weather tomorrow!!!The Hemlocks Shelter - Salisbury, CT - Day 54 - 675.7 - 689.8 - August 24thAnother state completed! The first 7 miles up Everett, Race, into CT, and Bear (highest peak in CT) were actually challenging. The 7 miles after that were easy. We had some views of the valley today which made for a nice short day into Salisbury. After eating a bunch for lunch, NoCar, Stretch, & I settled in at the White Hart Inn. This place is much too nice for thru hikers! It has been an enjoyable afternoon of rest and we'll be back on the trail tomorrow. NoCar now has less than 100 miles left...NY is only 2.5 days away!!!Salisbury, CT - Pine Swamp Brook Shelter - Day 55 - 689.8 - 705.5 - August 25thWe resupplied when the store opened at 8 and waited until the storm passed at 10 to get on the trail. Last night provided great rest in a real hotel room! Today's 16 miles were fairly easy and provided some good views and a nice riverwalk on the Housatonic. We got in at a decent hour for dinner (hot dogs and a "special" Coke). The plan is to hit Kent for resupply and dinner tomorrow and hike a mile into the next shelter after that. Stretch, NoCar, & I are quite a comedic group and I am starting to wonder what other people are thinking when they run into us...ridiculous...anyway, looks like another day in paradise tomorrow!!!Quote of the Trip (NoCar): "If you haven't gotten slapped trying to pick up a girl yet, you haven't tried hard enough"Pine Swamp Brook Shelter - Kent, CT - Mt. Algo Shelter - Day 56 - 705.5 - 722.8 - August 26thGot up early today to get to Kent by 3 and enjoyed a bunch of great views, a nice riverwalk again, and a couple of nice, challenging brief climbs. The trail in Connecticut can best be described as jovial. Easy most of the time with an occasional very brief section of rock climbing. Today was another greatday. We have already resupplied and are about to head for dinner. We will be staying in Ft. Montgomery, NY on Saturday to celebrate the end of NoCar's thru hike before continuing on as a pair after that. It is exciting to be around someone when they are about to finish their thru-hike. Tomorrow we will cross into NY and then the barrage of delis begin...I'm just hoping for more glorious weather!!!