Mount Phillip Loop Hike - Rome, Maine

There are many times I am grateful to be a Connecticut resident.  Mid-summer during the COVID-19 pandemic is definitely one of them.  While other states were opening up their bars and welcoming spring breakers in May, Connecticut kept a tight hold on its restrictions.  Indoor restaurants did not open until mid-June and social distancing and mask rules were strictly enforced.  Being a Connecticut Resident was is like having a European passport and being able to leave your borders.  A lot of New England states are allowing Connecticut residents, the land of lobsters included.  Maine's travel restrictions include a 14-day quarantine or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours to enter it's state lines.  However, there is an exception for New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.  Here in Connecticut, we have been very careful as we have been working on the house with my father who is high-risk.  Our safe habits and our license were golden tickets and we (responsibly) traveled to the state of Maine to spend a little bit of time in Portland and see our wedding venue.  Oh, and this lovely little hike which was in the middle of these two places.  

New Haven Pizza Tour

Let me start this post by saying I am not a food blogger.  

If you are expecting colorful perfectly exposed photos featuring and 24 different angles, you must have Katie Wanders confused with another blog.  What you WILL find is cell phone pictures discreetly snapped before diving into a pizza because A) I hate being that person taking photos of food and B) I can't wait long enough to take proper photos - because - pizza.  I can't promise you food blogger photography but I can promise you honest opinions, a humorous recap, and a fun read from someone who really really loves and appreciates good food. 

While KW focuses on travel, I love to share the food I eat and the beer I drink along the way.  Somewhere between the trail guide and travel posts, I started a little series where I do the tough work of taste testing a certain category of food to find you the best of the best. 

Trolley Trail - Branford, Connecticut

The Branford Trolley Trail is one of those scenic quick little hikes that you probably found on the internet.  The short distance and photo-worthy bridge make this a popular trail for family and photo lovers alike.  It's this pretty little walk through the marsh that takes you to through an iconic Coastal Connecticut landscape, up and over a trolley bridge and to a picturesque little cove on the other side.  It's pretty, its kid-friendly, dog friendly, and it's a great way to stretch your legs while taking in the views.  

Pair it with a trip to the quaint little area known as Stony Creek, add in a mandatory lobster roll by the water, spend some time in the gazebo on the dock and you have yourself the best little excursion on a Summer afternoon.  

Outdoorsy Girls Guide To: HIKING ALONE

This is one of the posts I didn't actually know I needed to write.  As someone who has spent a lot of solo time on the trails, I (naively) thought this just came naturally to a lot of people.

Sure, some people may think twice about entering a trail alone in the woods for fear of getting lost or encountering wildlife as these are more in line with my hesitations when I walk onto a trail.  What I didn't know, was how many people are afraid of other people while hiking alone. I was alarmed by the amount of people asking for tips on hiking alone for this reason. 

Outdoorsy Girls Guide to: TRAIL SIGNS

Welcome to another week in the Outdoorsy Girls Guide To: ________

(which I am now calling the OGGT)

Today, we are talking about Trail Signs

Even if you consider yourself to be a serious hiker, you can learn something new in this little post of trail sign information.  Sometimes when you are following a trail, it is a very clear path in an open area (think somewhere like the desert).  The trail you are typically following is a 4 to 6 feet wide cleared compacted surface. If it crosses a grass-covered area, you’re likely to see a bare earthen path where the trail is. Trail maintainers will sometimes leave fallen logs along the side of the trail to mark its sides and channel hikers along the intended path.  Other times, you are in a dense section of woods or on a less traveled trail and you need to rely on trail signs to stay on the path.  

So you are out on a hike on your local trails and you see a bunch of blazes on the trees.  Often, its just a single blaze marking the trail you are supposed to follow ahead (hey here's the trail, head straight).  Sometimes, you get a collection of blazes in different configurations and colors.