My hike began five days ago but it has taken me a while to write and post anything. I could say I wasn’t really sure what to write. While there is truth to that, the real reason is that this trail has been kicking my butt and leaving me pretty tired at night.

A long distance hike usually starts before the first step is taken. This one was no exception. I didn’t have much time between idea and action but thanks to my good friend Karen Deets, who trained me to ask questions on social media, I was able to learn a lot in a very short time. And not only did I learn a lot, trail angels dropped into my lap.

I made a bunch of phone calls and was relieved to learn that I could leave my car for a week at the Oxbow Marina in Northampton, Mass. This is about one mile from where the southern end of the NET reaches the Connecticut River. Having my car there will allow me a way to cross the river after I hike the 130 miles from the southern terminus of the trail. I don’t know what will happen after that but I figure by the time I get up there something will reveal itself.

First there was Jerry Sambrook who is a very active NET volunteer, helping to maintain some of the trail in Massachusetts and running the NET facebook page. When he learned I was planning to use my bike as a shuttle he offered to drive me. This saved me a precious two days. I had only two eight day stretches to fit this approximately 237 mile hike into so every day mattered.

Jerry picked me up at the marina and told me a lot about the trail as we drove down to my next trail angels house. Christal Cori read about me online and offered her yard for camping. This is especially helpful on the NET as designated campsites are few and far between. Hikers are asked not to camp on undesignated spots as much of the land is private property. I did not have the funds to pay for hotels each night so Christal’s offer to drive me back and forth to her house many nights was a real gift. The plan was for me to hike the first 33 miles and then she would shuttle me for a few days. I was thrilled to be able to start out with only two days of food in my backpack. Coming in at close to two pounds per day, this was saving me about twelve pounds when starting out. Since I had been mostly sitting in a kayak all summer I was glad to ease back into backpacking with a lighter pack.

After devouring the lovely dinner Christal had prepared for Jerry and I, Christal and Jerry took me outside to teach me the finer points of hammock camping. Both Jerry and Christal are among the growing number of people who prefer using a hammock over tenting. I was glad for the opportunity to try it in Christal’s yard. I could certainly see some of the benefits. Even though Christal graciously offered to lend me some gear, I was not prepared to dive into it on this hike. But perhaps, with more experience, I will at times become a hammock camper. https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-hammock-camp.html

We left Christal’s early enough to make the hour drive to Guilford, CT before the sun came up. Together we watched the sun rise over Long Island Sound. I could not help reminiscing about my recent source-to-sea paddle of the CT River. When I left North Cove Yachting Club and began my drive home to Vt a few weeks ago, I would never have imagined that I would be back again so soon. Nor could I have known that this time I would be minus the kayak, wearing a full backpack.

I dipped my booted feet into the water and took my first steps north on the NET, thinking how true it is that change is the only real constant in life. In a short while I had gone from paddling south on the CT river to hiking north on the NET. I had finished phase one of planning for this hike, and now, here I was actually taking my first steps north with little idea of what to expect.

I tried to remind myself that without some very difficult changes, such as the demise of my marriage, I would not be where I am today. I was not happy about that change but I am still working on turning it into something positive in my life. As I get older I can see I am in for some big changes in my body, with death being the final change. I am trying to get better at going with the flow and adapting to those changes, recognizing that species that adapt more readily are the ones who better survive major events, such as climate change.

I still morn the loss of a partner in my life but I am doing everything in my power to move on, change and adapt. This trail is one more step in that journey. One day, as my body ages, all these adventures will be far behind in my past. But I hope that the person I become on these adventures will stay with me, enabling me to be more open, loving and forgiving in this world. Shouldn’t that be the purpose of all of what we do in our lives?

It will be interesting to see how this hike turns out. I hope you readers enjoy coming on it with me.