Through-hikers take a break in Salisbury

This summer, as always, the area around LaBonne’s market in Salisbury seems to be a refuge for Appalachian Trail hikers. Taking a break from the grueling 2,160-mile trail, they can relax for a few minutes in the shaded surroundings of the marketplace, rest their feet, check their mail (and e-mail, on the computers at the Scoville Library), and either stock up on edibles at the grocery store or eat outdoors at the Country Bistro.

The trail, which extends from Springer Mountain in Georgia all the way to Mount Katahdin in Maine, goes through Connecticut for 52 miles. It passes through Kent, Cornwall Bridge, West Cornwall, Falls Village and Salisbury.

On Monday morning, this reporter found and talked to several unshaven travelers. Two of the hikers, whose trail names are Pacer and Flamethrower, started their journey in Georgia on March 21. Hikers adopt these "trail names" so they will have a fresh start on the trail. For many the Appalachian Trail is not only a physical challenge, but a mental one as well. Having a trail name allows hikers the freedom to travel and change without being tied to the outside world. This explanation meshes quite well with Flamethrower’s reasons for making the hike: "I come from a small town. I wanted to break out of my routine."

Pacer’s name seemed to reflect his motivation to hike the trail before he became "tied down."

Another pair of hikers, enjoying coffee at the Riga Roast, started on March 24 in Georgia.

All four hikers were experiencing the trail for the first time. They all hailed from different parts of the country (Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Ohio).

By making it to Connecticut, these hikers have completed two-thirds of their trip, about 1,400 miles. No one had complaints about the trail’s conditions, except for occasional heat waves and days with high humidity. They all seemed determined, and quite able, to reach their goal of Mount Katahdin.