Kent (Connecticut) now has public bathroom and showers

[tiptoe]

http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Kent-opens-public-bathroom-and-showers-11273597.php

[rickb]

http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Kent-opens-public-bathroom-and-showers-11273597.php
Very nice!

[map man]

Thanks for the heads up, tiptoe. This is good news.

[hikermiker]

It is nice. There is a bench to hang out, separate restrooms and the shower takes quarters. I did not try the shower but it has a locking door & a separate nook for changing in addition to the shower stall.

[DownEaster]

The shower is only for 4 minutes, which isn't much to deal with through-hiker levels of filth. I'd expect to need 16 quarters at a minimum (scrubbing up between the first and second showers), and maybe 24 (lather, rinse, repeat) to really get clean. So this will be a welcome facility, just logistically annoying.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Good news, CT was always the suckiest part of the AT. A step in the right direction.

[George]

kent was not known for a friendly town

[greenmtnboy]

Malloy can't operate by consensus with a viable budget and is spending by executive order, the state is deeply in debt. They should have just found a way to keep the restrooms behind Giffords open instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this new overkill project. Meanwhile the Macedonia Brook campground remains closed with many thousands of [potential camper nights prevented and zero revenue. In my part of the state Malloy had a "greenlinks" project in town with over a half million spent on putting in sidewalks to supposedly allow walkers to have a better pathway. I don't know any hikers who really want to walk on cement with much better alternatives.

[Sarcasm the elf]

kent was not known for a friendly town
Kent's reputation is largely based on a single business owner (laundromat) that has a dislike of hikers. Aside from that one business, the town itself is a well heeled touristy/artsy town that seems neutral to it's status as a trail town. I commonly run into long distance hikers who say something along the lines of "I heard that Kent was going to be terrible, but everyone was great and the businesses were friendly...just expensive."

[Sarcasm the elf]

Good news, CT was always the suckiest part of the AT. A step in the right direction.

Really? Because the Housatonic river walk and Sages Ravine are commonly referred to as some of the most scenic trail hikes in all of Southern New England.

[Traveler]

kent was not known for a friendly town
I'm reminded of the Aesop fable (paraphrased): A traveler meeting an old man on a hillside overlooking a town below asked him how the people in the village were. The old man asked him how were the people in the village the traveler was from, whereon the traveler proceeded to explain how horrible, selfish, and mean they were. The old man nodded and said, "you will probably find them to be similar down there". A few hours later another traveler came along as stopped to speak to the old man, asking how the people were in the village below. The old man asked him how the people in the village the traveler was from, whereon the traveler proceeded to tell the old man how nice the people in his village were, they were kind, generous, and helpful. The old man replied, "you will probably find them to be similar down there".

[greenmtnboy]

Kent has a lot of motorcyclists, area camp Getaway workers, boarding school students and teachers, endless tourists and a few locals that make up the town. Hikers are some of their better visitors. I've seen Sam Waterston and famous author Edmund Morris there. The laundromat lady lost her husband who was the area trooper and got wiped out of tens of thousands of silver, etc. in the house while she was off on an EMT call one night. She has a lot to be bitter about.

[adamkrz]

I always liked Kent - pizza shop -ice cream -good coffee and a supermarket, The only part I don't like is the motorcycles without mufflers which is annoying all along Rt. 7.

[Kaptainkriz]

I know someone that was up there today. Showers are $2 for 4 minutes. There is one shower and it is private. You lock the door when you enter the room. The restroom part has 2 single toilets, one men and one women.
39822398233982439825

[The Snowman]

Kent is probility the most hiker friendly town on the trail but its never really been a backpackers town. Come up on a nice fall weekend and you won't want to hike anyplace elise.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Dirty looks, no hitches, tons of mosquitoes, and a watered down version of Massachusetts. I hated Connecticut.

[greenmtnboy]

Kent pizza has a few attractive specials, all you can eat pasta Wednesday and quality steak dinner on Thursday.

[Driver8]

Dirty looks, no hitches, tons of mosquitoes, and a watered down version of Massachusetts. I hated Connecticut.Sorry you've had a bad experience. I've given rides and have enjoyed Connecticut's beautiful section of the A.T. The river walk sections in Kent are pretty, Rand's View is gorgeous, as is Great Falls, and Bear Mountain and Lion's Head are beauties. If you approach something with a good attitude ...

[Driver8]

http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Kent-opens-public-bathroom-and-showers-11273597.php
This is great news both for thrus and for section and day hikers. Great to shower off and clean up after working up a sweat, then go get a nice dinner at the Fife N Drum or other nearby place. Thanks tiptoe for sharing!

[4shot]

I'm reminded of the Aesop fable (paraphrased): A traveler meeting an old man on a hillside overlooking a town below asked him how the people in the village were. The old man asked him how were the people in the village the traveler was from, whereon the traveler proceeded to explain how horrible, selfish, and mean they were. The old man nodded and said, "you will probably find them to be similar down there". A few hours later another traveler came along as stopped to speak to the old man, asking how the people were in the village below. The old man asked him how the people in the village the traveler was from, whereon the traveler proceeded to tell the old man how nice the people in his village were, they were kind, generous, and helpful. The old man replied, "you will probably find them to be similar down there".

I enjoyed this post. And I had a great time in Kent, CT. Very friendly people there. I don't understand why it has received such a bad rap. As your post suggests, one receives in life exactly what he/she expects.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

If you approach something with a good attitude ...

Then people won't make passive-aggressive comments towards you?

[hikermiker]

One thing to note is that the shower is open to the air on top, so if it is raining you will not be able to dry off.