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Aug
2 , 1983 Tuesday (727.2 mtg) From
Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal
This
morning I walked back up the blue-blazed trail .4 miles to the junction
with the AT, stashed my pack in the woods, and walked back to the
Broidrich's for breakfast. I secured a needle and thread to fix
my strap and sat down to a wonderful breakfast of four eggs, toast,
melon, tea, and two bananas. I also carried some water back with
me for the day. Very nice people.
Continuing on after repairing my strap brought me to the long steady
ascent of Schaghticoke Mountain, where I caught up with a hiker
on a training hike who had been stationed at Scott Air Force Base
near my home town. Dropping down from the mountain I entered into
the next state - Connecticut. Ten states down and four to go!
Soon
after entering Connecticut, the trail bounced back into New York
for one last fling and just as quickly dove back into Connecticut
leaving New York for good. I picked up some young girls in that
New York section who were determined to follow, or should I say
"race" me down to the water pump at Four Corners in Macedonia
State Park. The group of girls were members of a camp group led
by a couple of nice English counselors. They had all kinds of questions
about hiking and what I was attempting to accomplish.
Up the next mountain, Caleb's Peak, I met Alan Savage. I had read
his entries in the shelter registers over a thousand miles ago -
way back when. Apparently he had quit, but was starting up again
with this being one of his first days out. I checked out the view
of the river valley below from the peak, and then moved on to the
next view just a short few tenths of a mile past. The view from
St. John's Ledges was equally good. I picked my way down the steep
rocky trail to the Housatonic River Road below, and I soon outdistanced
him in an attempt to catch up to "the Three Dobermans,"
the crew of two nurses and their Doberman that I had met in Pennsylvania.
Somewhere along the four miles of trail paralleling the river, I
caught up with them and hiked with them all the way to Cornwall
Bridge. One of my favorite memories of this section was strolling
through a pine plantation of tall straight pine trees with a level,
quiet, cushiony soft, needle covered A.T. footway. A very peaceful
place.
The trail passes directly through the town of Cornwall Bridge at
the junction of US 4 and 7. The junction is sort of like a roundabout
similar to those in Great Britain in that there is a piece of land
around which the lanes travel. This central piece of land was like
a small park with trees and nice grassy areas. Outside the roundabout
were located a few business establishments including the liquor
store that carried all sorts of imported beers. It was common knowledge
by this time in the trip that any hiker passing through that had
hiked from Georgia to their store was offered a free beer of their
choice. Most people went for the quart can of Foster's Lager, the
largest beer they carried, but I had an orange juice instead. Called
my parents on the local public telephone nearby, and tried to call
Fred, a Shawnee Mountaineer climbing friend from college who was
responsible for getting me about $70.00 from the student activities
counsel to help defray the cost of my trip, but got no answer. I
camped in the grassy area next to a tree enclosed on three sides
by the highway junction. The cars kept me awake for a while, but
I got to bed around 10 pm and was soon asleep after another 25.7
mile day.
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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