We woke to clear skies and temperatures in the 50’s. Mornings after storms have cleared out the haze and dropped the humidity always produce great hiking conditions. Our first order of business was finding water, and within a mile of camp just north of the first road was a little stream flowing nicely, but with no trace of mud from yesterday’s gully washer. Collecting and treating the water was time consuming, but the cold clear water was worth the effort.

We had envisioned a brisk 12-mile walk into Kent, Connecticut, and as we made our first of several entries into the state at Hoyt Road, the AT was almost flat. Even the 500 foot climb to our first vista on top of Ten Mile Hill didn’t work up a sweat. Coming back down to the bank of Ten Mile River was a little tougher. After crossing the river at its confluence with the Housatonic, we had our first serious hint that western Connecticut has both hills and rocks. We paralleled the larger river, looking down as its low flowing waters tumbled over its exposed rocks – a treat for both eyes and ears.

We walked along Schaghticoke Road before turning back into the woods for a rocky climb to a second NY/ CT sign photo opportunity. We passed four southbounders, who found us at the tail end of the northbound stream not to be the novelty they still were to us. (The tally for other hikers we saw today was four northbounders, four day hikers, one father-son overnight pair, and one very serious runner.) The Indian Rocks descent involved careful foot placement, as did the climbs before and after Thayer Brook. It was a gorgeous day to be out, just much slower going than expected.

As a matter of policy, we never turn down the offer of a hot tub, so when the mother of X’s friend Jen Levy contacted us with an invitation to stay with she and her husband Jim, we were all about it. Because Corinne has been following our trail journal with great regularity and interest, she was well-prepared as the perfect trail angel, waiting with a variety of cold sodas and fresh fruit as we ended our day on the outskirts of Kent, and had us soaking in the hot tub within the hour! Only tomorrow’s nasty weather forecast put a damper on a perfect evening.