After a week of sweltering temps, today saw pleasant 70s! It’s taken longer for my old body to recover from the last few AT hikes, so I decided to take it easy - I spent the morning walking on a trail I found that paralleled US-5, just across the Connecticut River from where I live. It started at the Dothan Brook School and ended at the village line for Wilder, VT. Highlights: meeting several nice people; passing historic old homes; getting the radar gun in town to register my 3 or 4 mph (!); watching soccer games; exploring the King Arthur Baking Company (est. 1790) “campus”. Logged about 3.5 miles (0945-1100). I later drove a short distance to Kilowatt Park and launched my kayak at the landing. From there, I paddled upriver (into the wind) about two miles until I reached the Ledyard Bridge (connects Norwich, VT to Hanover, NH). I returned to the landing at a much slower pace, resting and enjoying the scenery & slow current. Highlights: talking to fishermen and other boaters; watching the Dartmouth students (recently returned) seizing the day; racing a motorboat full of kids to the bridge pilings and winning (they may not have realized we were in competition); watching an AT Thru hiker taking selfies of himself at the NH/VT marker (he didn’t see me); exhausting my upper body for a change. Paddled about 4 miles (1130-1315). I’m tired now but am really glad I was able to spend the day outside - perfect New England day!
