Day 137
Start: Kent, CT
End: Cesar Brook Campsite
Miles Hiked: 13.4
Miles on AT: 1487.0
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Last night, I was so tired I didn’t even remember falling asleep. That last thing I recalled was turning on my meditation track and taking a few deep breaths; then I woke up. That’s the best kind of sleep!
This morning in Kent was gloomy and gray. The forecast predicted rain for the rest of the day, but no thunderstorms. I checked out of my room, grabbed breakfast at a local cafe, and then got back on trail.
No more road walking for me. Today, I started out with a climb. As soon as I got into the woods, the gray sky fulfilled its promise. The rain wasn’t too bad; the tree cover stopped most of the drops from falling on me. The morning turned out more misty than rainy and I didn’t even have to put my rain gear on.
The trail was quiet this morning. I passed a few days hikers, but didn’t see any other thru hikers. On top of Caleb’s Peak, I sat for a snack while the rain took a break, too. Being so far behind my previous little bubble of hikers made me feel a bit lonely. While I did enjoy the quiet of a solitary hike, I missed the camaraderie of the group and the chats and laughs during breaks. I missed seeing familiar faces every now and again.
Now, I wasn’t so sure where I stood on the current of thru hikers. Would I be alone from here on out? Was I the last hiker out here? Where was everyone? The only thing I could do was keep going.
Today, the trail made it easy for me to take things slowly. I was granted a 5-mile flat walk along the river, giving me a break from climbing. And, honestly, the climbing in CT hadn’t been too bad at all. If there was any state in which a hiker could take it easy, it was CT.
I took a break at a shelter and read the log book, seeing all of the familiar names of hikers ahead of me. Eggz and Bacon were still trucking along; Eggz had written that she was excited about an ultralight pack she’d found and how much faster she could go now. I knew how she felt!
As I continued along the river, I spotted a family of ducks enjoying a day on the water. They must’ve been known ducks because there was a sign for them not too far away.
As I did the last push to my campsite, the day cleared up a bit and the sun came out. When I arrived, I was still alone. I hadn’t seen one thru hiker all day and the campsite was absolutely empty.
Luckily, Janitor was able to keep me company via phone as I made and ate dinner. Soon, the sun went down and it was time for me to turn in. Hopefully, tomorrow won’t be as lonely.
And that’s day 137.
A version of this post originally appeared on TheTrek.co.