June 28 - 0.3 / 1,456.7

Don't let your eyes deceive you. I walked more than 0.3, but that was the most on walked on the trail for the day. The morning started off with getting up and packing up pretty quickly. I didn't have to worry about eating breakfast or performing the normal preparations on my feet. Fusion and I left the shelter together and walked the 0.3 down to the road leading to Kent, CT. We tried to get a hitch, but no one picked us up. The town was only 0.8 from the trailhead and fairly flat. We were almost to town when a truck passed with Turkey and Thrasher in the back.

We caught up to them in the outfitter's parking lot. As it was closed, we headed to a local coffee shop. We were all about to cross the street when one of the locals told us to stop walking. He ran over and gave us the low down about the town. It was pretty helpful but also something we could have figured out in about 2 minutes. We continued on to the coffee shop. This place was great and the coffee/drinks were pretty cheap. I got an XL mochacinno for $2.50. The other got large coffees for a dollar something. They were also allowed to come back at any time during the day for a free refill. We all headed to a breakfast place once we had our coffee. We started to put our packs down outside when one of the waitresses asked if we were going to eat there. We told her we were. She told us that we would have to finish our coffee first as they don't allow other drinks in their place. I guess that is understandable.

We decided to just sit outside in front of the library instead. I sat there until 9 and then walked to the doctor's office. Luckily the took walk-ins. I didn't have to wait too long to be called back. I did get weighed again and had the normal vitals checked. I have lost 20 lbs since starting and that included my shoes on. Eating a pint of ice cream a day is not doing its job. All the other vitals were great and the nurse commented on how perfect they all were. I mean, I am pretty perfect, right? The doctor came in. She asked the basic questions. Smoker?...not once. Then she asked if I had any other habits. I told her that I might be becoming an alcoholic while out on trail. She instantly looked up. I told her I was kidding and that I just get cravings of beer, cokes (not pepsi), and ice cream while hiking. She got a laugh out of it. She then checked out my foot. As my earlier post mentions, she said it was just a sprain of the tendons on the top of my foot. She prescribed some extra strengthen pain killers. I also got some medicine just in case I get bit by a deer tick. Luckily it hasn't happened and this is just precautionary. She ace wrapped my foot, and I left.

I saw Fusion's pack outside the library. I went in and spoke with him. The two of us then left and went to the outfitters. Supposedly it used to be a really good, big outfitter. I heard they are lacking business and had to downsize. They didn't have many choices of gear and appeared to be turning into a high end clothing company. Kind of sucks cause they have a great town and location from the trail of where an outfitter needs to be. I picked up a package that Michelle had sent there and also bought a bug net for my head. The gnats, black flies, and mosquitos are terrible. I asked if they had any hip belts for my pack, but they only had larges. I need something smaller than a small since I have a little gut now and no love handles.

The two of us left and went back to the coffee shop for coffee and to charge phones/ipods. T and T saw our packs and joined us. We sat there before heading down the street to a chinese joint. Fusion and I stopped at a shoe store. The UPS man happened to be outside. Fusion was able to get his package of shoes from him and now didn't have to wait for him to deliver it to the outfitter. We went over and all had lunch. Lunch was good. We even got barmbarded by all the employees little kids. They might have been running and illegal day care or something. I kept telling them to go to Fusion to have him read their books. It was pretty funny.

Afterwards, we said our goodbyes to Fusion. He was going to head out of town and try to get some miles in. He still has a flight to catch by Aug. 12th and even plans to finish before then now that he might have a friend hike the last few days with him. I doubt this will be the last time we will see each other. Hopefully we will cross paths after all this is done.

T and T and I went over to the post office. We had to wait for them to reopen after the lunch break. I mailed some maps home and some of my medicine ahead. We then resupplied at the grocery store. I went to the library next and typed up some blogs. We then walked back towards the town hall. We were told that we could tent behind it near the white picket fence. However, we didn't see a fence. We decided we would then just head back to the trail head. We ate dinner in the town. They have an outdoor mall area with bathrooms. So we were able to find a bench and water. I just had a normal rice side. I walked to get a gatorade and coke from the gas station. I had to go with powerade, ugh, bit I did find a cherry coke. I went to go pay and the guy at they counter told me it was buy two and get the third powerade free. I told him I didn't want to pay for two. He looked at me like I was crazy. We literally went back and forth for a few minutes on this. I kept trying to tell him that I was hiking the trail and didn't have room for anything extra in my pack. Plus, I didn't want to pay for another one. I went back and finished my dinner. We did go back to the gas station to get Ben and Jerrys. I got Americone Dream. It was good, but I think I will go back to Cheery Garcia next time. I can't go wrong with that one.

I got us a hitch back to the trail. We found some flatish ground and set up there. The weather called for rain and storms all day, but it hardly even dropped a single drop. Oh well, I needed to rest my foot and Kent turned out to be a good place to do just that.