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Appalachian Trail – Kent, Connecticut

Connecticut
Kent

“I’m the one that’s got to die when it’s time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”

- Jimi Hendrix

Journal Entry 6.25.00
“8:15pm in my tent at Bear Rock Stream Campsite. I’m here alone, in this big desolate campground. There’s thunder rolling in the distance – I hope it’s not too bad when it hits. I hiked 19 miles today, 12 yesterday and 10 the day before. I had my 3-mile day to Kent on Thursday and got all my stuff done before Dad and Paul arrived. While in town I saw Wholesome and I invited him to stay over in our room. So we all hiked back to the shelter to get his stuff (less than 1 mile from the road) when Dirk showed up and so we invited him too. The thru-hikers were livin’ the high life! On Friday Dad, Paul and I set out to hike our first leg of their three-day visit. We had the most perfect weather – cool and sunny with a nice breeze. The trail was great too so it made for a great day. We decided to try to get a hotel in Cornwall but then hitched back to Kent to get Paul’s car and wound up staying in Kent again. Dad had a blast hitching a ride back to town – Paul was in the back of the pick-up and we were in the cab. The guy who picked us up was Michael J. Fox’s pool man! Oh yeah, I gave Paul the trail name of “Barkeater” because of him being a ADK 46-er and all that. I think it suits him well!”

WonderGimp and Dad in Kent, CT

“On Saturday we drove back to Cornwall and continued hiking again, this time doing 12 miles to the Housatonic thinking we would go for another hotel. Paul and I hitched back to his car and then we drove back, got Dad and looked for a place to stay but EVERYTHING was booked. So we ended up camping near Falls Bridge on this rocky island with a zillion mosquitoes. It was pretty hilarious to listen to Dad and Paul in their tent, swatting mosquitoes and yelling at each other to zip up the door. Today they slacked and I carried my full pack to Salisbury – we did 10 miles by noon. Slacking definitely made for an easier hike for them. But the mosquitoes were ferocious! We had lunch in Salisbury and then they dropped me off and headed home. I hiked another 9 miles and here I am. I wish it was another nice night but instead it’s raining and now thundering with some lightning. Oh well. At least I hit a new state today – Massachusettes!”

Barkeater and Gimpy Sr.

Journal Index

Georgia – Overview And the poop on the Trail Divorce

0 (miles from Georgia) – Springer Mountain, Georgia Whose idea was this again??
87.7 – Georgia / North Carolina Aint no all-inclusive package vacation story…
161.7 – Fontana Dam, North Carolina No Rain, No Pain, No Maine
204.6 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park I My deodorant gets the heave-ho!
268.7 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park II The Food Appreciation Trail
336.5 – North Carolina / Tennessee & Trail Names How the Gimp got her name
390.7 – North Carolina / Tennessee The famous Roan Mountain hitch
452.9 – Crossing into Damascus, Virginia 3 states down, 11 to go!
516.7 – Grayson Highlands State Park Roughin it at Partnership Shelter
573.3 – Bland, Virginia My wonderful trail angels!
665.3 – Pearisburg, Virginia The switch from boots to sandals
767.4 – Catawba / Troutville, Virginia Heat wave in Virginia
839.4 – Montebello / Rockfish Gap, Virginia ‘Hiking with Gimpy Sr.
920.0 – Shenandoah National Park Rattlesnakes, Jack Daniels, and bears – oh my!
988.3 – Front Royal, Virginia Invasion of the Boy Scouts
1001.1 – Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia The mental half-way point
1061.4 – Maryland / Pennsyltucky Y’all done drank enough beer!
1123.8 – Duncannon, Pennsylvania The Half-Gallon Challenge
1208.9 – Port Clinton, Pennsylvania $1 Yuengling drafts and the rocks of PA
1283.9 – Pennsylvania / New Jersey Friends and family visit WonderGimp
1334.2 – High Point, New Jersey Rain, rain, rain, trail magic, and more rain
1440.7 – Bear Mountain, New York Hike Naked Day!
1486.1 – Kent, Connecticut Gimpy Sr. and Barkeater hike with W.Gimp
1543.8 – Great Barrington, MassachusettsWelcome to Mosquito Hell
1618.0 – Massachusetts / VermontPhoton and strobe lights for the 4th of July
1687.3 – Killington, Vermont The Inn at the Long Trail
1738.1 – New Hampshire Live Free or Die!
1794.4 – North Woodstock, New Hampshire Gettin’ above treeline
1814.4 – AMC-land, New Hampshire Entering the White Mountains!
1854.0 – Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire Mooning the tourists on Mt. Washington
1869.2 – Gorham, New Hampshire My first Moose sighting!
1920.7 – Andover, Maine The way Life should be…
1979.3 – Rangeley, Maine Closing in on the end
2015.6 – Kennebec River, Maine Eye of the Tiger!
2095.7 – Monson, Maine 100-mile Wilderness
2152.0 – Abol Bridge, Maine Katahdin is in sight!
2167.1 – Baxter Peak, Mount Katahdin, Maine Goodbye Capilene – Hello Cotton!!

Other Pages:
Map – Yep, 14 states
Gear – What to Bring
FAQs – See for yourself
Glossary (learn the AT lingo)
Links to Additional Info
Trail Injuries Everything from blisters to swampfoot
Trail Privies Bring your own TP
Class of 2000 Katahdin Thru-Hiker Pictures