Darkness Descends
It is 5:07 on a Connecticut mid-winter evening. We have left the white blazed path of the Appalachian Trail (AT) to find a short cut to meet Barnyard road in Kent, Conn., where Rajani is picking us up at the end of the 11.5 mile hike. I feel my pupils dilating to absorb as much light as it can as the cloud of darkness envelops us. No, this crunching on leaves and twigs does not lead us to the road, so we back track to the white blazes and descend the final steep boulder strewn stretch. Tulsi, as always, leads the way, picking out the best path for us to follow, and we do it by instinct more than by sight. During the final 300 yards, Ramesh turns on the proverbial cellphone flashlight to stumble to meet Rajani and the car that awaits, flashing yellow lights. It is 6:07 PM. We just completed our first section of the AT.
A Walk Across America
Some 30 years ago, I read Peter Jenkins' book, first published in 1979. Found on the shelves of the Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage, it captured my imagination even as I was learning to hike, to be alone in the vast wilderness of South Central Alaska, and to experience of the flora, fauna, and weather. Jenkins, accompanied by his beloved 4-legged companion, Cooper, walked the Appalachian Trail. Unlike Bill Bryson's humorist approach in A Walk in the Woods, I found his predecessor, Jenkins' naturalist approach appealing.
While I sought out walking opportunities everywhere in the world, the goal has always been the AT.
53 Miles in CT
The AT runs along its namesake Appalachian mountains in Eastern United States
from Maine in the north across 14 states to Georgia in the south. It is a continuous footpath where even bicycles are not permitted. It constantly ascends and descends along the ridges of Appalachian Plateau in the mid-Atlantic section, and the Northern Appalachians in the New England section. In one of my older hiking books, it is described as being 2175 miles long, but today, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, it is 2194.3 miles long.
from Maine in the north across 14 states to Georgia in the south. It is a continuous footpath where even bicycles are not permitted. It constantly ascends and descends along the ridges of Appalachian Plateau in the mid-Atlantic section, and the Northern Appalachians in the New England section. In one of my older hiking books, it is described as being 2175 miles long, but today, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, it is 2194.3 miles long.
We have frequently attempted the northern most section in CT - Lion's Head and Bald Peak, Salisbury, CT, where it is a good 4 mile walk and climb just to get to the trail. We would satisfy ourselves by ridge-walking a mile or two on the hallowed grounds of the AT, leaving me entirely unsatiated.
This year, with my commitment to 52 hikes in 52weeks (inspired by a special friend, Alison Tait), I am approaching the AT in CT more systematically. We would begin at the beginning, and section hike our way to the Massachusetts border. This blog will document our sections on the AT and extend an invitation to you, dear reader, to return and monitor our progress.
New York State Line to Kent. 11.5 miles.
We drove ourselves after packing lots of water, a sandwich lunch, dry fruit and nut snack to western CT and found the start of the CT section in a small town called Gaylordsville.
We are blessed with the mighty Housatonic River that roars along and we view it up close and from 1400 ft, our highest ascent for the day. We have planned for a 5.30 hour hike averaging 30 minutes a mile, and know that we will need another hour for stops to enjoy the views and rest our feet.
Tulsi is joyful and excited that she is out doing two of her favorite things - being with her humans and frolicking in the woods.
I teach her that is today's hike follows WHITE blazes, not the BLUE blazes that she is used to seeing on our Mattabesett, Paugussett, and Mattatuck hikes. As you see, she is not paying attention to the lesson.
Schaghticoke (ska-dih-coke) Mountain. Elev. 1403 feet.
Today's walk on the AT takes alongside tribal lands of the Schaghticoke Nation, who were the first peoples of what we now know as Eastern New York and Western CT. The Schaghticoke are Algonquin-speaking, Eastern Woodland Indians. I can only imagine treaties that kept the plains for the first colonists while the bedrock laden lands were given to the native peoples in 1736.
The folds of the mountain and numerous false summits fooled us into thinking that we had arrived at the highest point here...
Bedrock, Hemlock Ravine, Dry Gulch, Rattlesnake Den
The descents are always more challenging for the old bones, especially after you've done about 9 miles. Hiking poles help. Show off dogs don't. Stunning rock formations, and admiration and gratitude abound. Gratitude for ATC volunteers who maintain the white blazes, divert trails to conserve paths from erosion, build lean-tos, and move rocks to create ledges and steps for hikers to make this pilgrimage.
Notes for Next Time:
- orange vest for Tulsi (shots firing in the distance were unnerving)
- head lamps for when light fades faster than we walk
Final Thoughts for Today
What is 11.5 miles of 2194.3 miles? 0.5% We have many miles to go, many paths to take. If you are up for a 10 to 12 mile hike, you are welcome to join us, as we tread lightly, go quietly, listen deeply, and leave the place a tad bit better than we found it.
Silence is always with us. But we do not choose silence, silence chooses us. If you are called to be silent on your journey, recognize the invitation as a great gift. It is a gift to be shared with others. Your relationship to silence is one thing that will define the uniqueness of your journey. ~John Francis, author of The Planet Walker: 22 Years of Walking. 17 years of Silence.
