Latest News
Carter “Carrot Cake” Lindley set off on the AT in Georgia back in March. By mid-July he was hiking through Salisbury.
There are many locations around the Northwest Corner where it is common to spot hikers on foot, catching their breath or grabbing a bite to eat. In meeting them, one can come to learn that many have “trail names,” or nicknames given to them en route, each with a unique story behind it.
At the benches outside of LaBonne’s Market in Salisbury was Joseph “Tags” Guigliano refueling with a sandwich and pasta salad. Tags, who got his trail name simply by tagging along with another group of hikers, is from New Jersey and started southbound from Bear Mountain State Park in New York a few weeks ago. “I went in there and I restocked on a bunch of stuff. I bought like 10 packs of ramen. Calorie dense things that can be cooked in about one to two minutes is very important,” he shared.
Joseph“Tags” Guigliano said sometimes rain is welcome on the trail, especially when it’s hot.David Carley
Also at LaBonnes was Carter “Carrot Cake” Lindley from Wisconsin who started his journey in mid-March, departing from the trailhead at Springer Mountain and heading north. He had only just received this trail name, which he earned after a week-long craving of carrot cake on the trail.
Carrot Cake was hiking with a non-profit called Warrior Expeditions that sponsors the hike for veterans that have been deployed in a combat zone at some point in their career. He said, “I’ve basically applied to this company and got accepted into the program. They outfit me with all my gear, they provide a monthly stipend for both food and footwear, and basically just help me a bit along the way. That’s what got me interested, was finding this company that was willing to support me.”
The weather this summer, from heat to hail, has proven to be a challenge for hikers. Tags explained he started his journey during a heat wave, which “was pretty rough just going in cold turkey.” Oddly enough, rain can be a saving grace, he said. “It gives you a chance to get wet, wash all the sweat off, cools you down.”
Carrot Cake said the East Coast weather has taken some getting used to for a Midwesterner. “The heat and the humidity has been just absolutely brutal for me. I’m not used to this. I got snow, rain, hail, freezing, fog, a whole bunch of stuff at the beginning of the trip, and this has been really tough.”
Towns like Salisbury provide essentials for restocking a hiker’s pack, but just as necessary are the boosts in quality of life. “I love a good bougie coffee,” admitted Carrot Cake, who recommended the Mountainside Cafe in Falls Village. He said businesses like the Mountainside Cafe “know the drill” when hikers come in, noting they go “above and beyond” for them.
Also in Falls Village is the newly opened Off the Trail Cafe, which is, as the name suggests, popular with hikers.
Hiking gear is a common sight outside the entrance of Off the Trail Cafe in Falls Village.David Carley
Stopping at the cafe in mid-July was Jeff “Bluey” Lewis who said, “Towns are everything. Little cafes and places like this are just a little taste of the real world, something you can eat that’s not dehydrated or coming from a package.”
“The people in the town are always awesome too,” Bluey continued, “Sometimes you need a ride somewhere that’s not on trail and someone will give you a hitch to or from. Sometimes people let us camp in their backyard or let us wash off somewhere. People are really kind, and that’s super important.”
The people Bluey mentioned are ones like Colter Rule, also interviewed at the Off the Trail Cafe, who just came from talking with a group of hikers inside. He described himself as a “trail angel,” someone who offers rides, meals and a place to shower to hikers.
Northeast Regional Law Enforcement Education Association leads skills-based events for Troop B cadets.
“There’s a stigma that only people who want to be cops go to the cadet program — and that’s not necessarily true,” said Trooper Joshua Wedge of Troop B, who helps lead the program.
Named Post 1903, after the year the Connecticut State Police was founded, the program began as an offshoot of the Boy Scouts. Today, it is overseen by the Northeast Regional Law Enforcement Educational Association, alongside 51 similar programs across the region.
The year-long program meets once a week, usually on Thursdays, but it’s flexible based on the cadet’s schedule.
Eight cadets regularly attend, typically at the Troop B headquarters in North Canaan. For those hailing from afar, sessions are also held at Oliver Wolcott Technical High School in Torrington.
“We try to help our kids learn many different life skills and stuff that’s not just applicable to police work,” Wedge explained. “Things like public speaking, first aid, CPR, and even just how to give a firm handshake and make eye contact.”
Cadets learn the basics of police work: reviewing case law, understanding boundaries, and practicing how to respond to real-world scenarios.
Each year NERLEEA organizes three major events: Skills Day, Stations Day and a weeklong Police Academy.
On Skills Day cadets participate in classroom lessons and hands-on activities, such as Patrol Responses, Tactical Response, and Crisis Intervention.
Troop B cadets attend a police academy event with the Northeast Regional Law Enforcement Education Association.Provided
Stations Day is a judged competition, testing cadets on scenarios such as robbery response, felony stop and DUIs.
In July a select few cadets earn their way to attend a week-long “paramilitary-style” Police Academy, according to the NERLEEA website.
There, cadets wake up at 5:30 a.m. With each year a cadet returns, the program grows more demanding and intense.
The trip to the Academy costs $710, but this year local businesses stepped up to cover $310 of the cost for each cadet.
Community involvement is a major part of Post 1903. Cadets volunteer at over a dozen events annually, from toy drives to parking duty at the Goshen Fair.
The program offers a path to a career in law enforcement if the cadets want.
For example, Sergeant Richard Peck was a cadet with Troop B before becoming a Fairfield Police Officer in 2014, and he now helps run the Fairfield Cadet Program.
But if cadets don’t pursue police work, they still walk away with lifelong skills.
“We’ve had a couple of kids who were absolutely terrified and frozen when talking in front of people,” said Trooper Wedge. “And now they’ll sit there for six hours at an event and talk to every single person that comes by.”
In the end, it’s not just about shaping future officers — it’s about helping the cadets step confidently into life’s big leagues.
