We cruised into Connecticut and started to feel like we’re getting close to home with our entry into New England. Northbound thruhikers tend to refer to themselves as Nobos and southbounders refer to themselves as Sobos. Since we’re from Maine, people always say we’re hiking home; the kids have taken the homeward bound aspect to heart and like to refer to us as the Hobo Family. How fitting.

But today we got to share the home of some of the Busby clan in Connecticut and we felt almost civilized. We spent the morning swimming in the Hoosatonic, and pumping water at the shelters. But we were at the Busby house in time to enjoy some soccer on television and were treated to a delicious home cooked meal.

We each took multiple showers. RobinHood was extremely disappointed as he had taken to heart Woodstock’s Four State Challenge (only suggested, never attempted, by Woodstock): to go four states without a shower. We broke the streak and cleaned the boy (sorry Woodstock). Then we enjoyed a night sleeping in real beds between real sheets.