Kent; So long, NY; Salty Dog

I am in Kent, Connecticut. It's a pricy little nook of a town in the western part of the state.

Last night a group of hikers including me camped out in a little yard abutting the local Episcopal church, with the church's blessing.

I'm going to try to keep pace with Trigger today, which means loads of hiking. I'll be reducing my pack weight in Salisbury, and then it's Massachusetts within the week.

New York was a lot harder to walk than I thought it would be. It had rocks, it had a roller coaster and ruggedness in the shelter/water aspects. The views were terrific and it was bizarre running into huge groups of Hasidic Jewish kids, and when I would say, "Hey," to people, I would inevitably get back "How you doin?"

On a sadder note, the trail is now missing one Salty Dog, a very laid-back but industrious hiker from Kentucky who I first met in Palmerton and saw again in Delaware Water Gap and Unionville. Read his valediction to the trail here. I'll miss him.