Catching up with Appalachian Trail hikers

Businesses, locals and thru hikers have formed a sort of symbiosis, a relationship that benefits all parties.

The Appalachian Trail, starting in Springer Mountain in Georgia, spans more than 2,000 miles to Mount Katahdin in Maine. A small portion of the trail runs through Connecticut, connecting to towns like Kent, Cornwall, Salisbury and Norfolk.

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.