Inside the home, Mrs. Martin sifts through photographs taken from a hike along a portion of the Appalachian Trail. Christopher Laux traces a line along a map of the Appalachian Trail with his finger.

His wife, Renée Laux, describes the challenging aspects of the journey, while Mr. Whan recalls unexpected moments that occurred along the way.

The journey these four retired friends and neighbors took was along the Connecticut Appalachian Trail.

The trail consists of a more than 2,175-mile-long footpath that winds through 14 eastern states, from Maine to Georgia.

The Connecticut portion of the trail is 52-miles long and extends from Kent to Salisbury. The team likely hiked close to 60 miles, said Mr. Laux.

Mr. Laux kept a journal. Mrs. Martin took photographs. Mrs. Laux and Mr. Whan came up with the idea.

"It was a true collaboration," said Mr. Laux.

Mr. Whan and Mrs. Laux were talking about walking one day, in September 2008.

"Geoff walks all the time," said Mrs. Laux. "I said I thought it would be nice to put it all together and walk to say, Florida."

Mr. Whan, who was interested in extending the length of his walks, suggested the more local portion of the Appalachian Trail. The team of hikers organized a time when all four of them could hike the trail.

The original plan was to hike the trail over five consecutive days starting on April 25, with two overnight stays in local hotels and two nights in their homes.

Instead, the team began hiking in April and finished in June, hiking approximately 60 miles in six, non-consecutive days.

"We're disappointed that it took longer than we wanted it to, but we're really proud that we did it," said Mrs. Laux.

The friends waited until spring to begin hiking, in the hopes that the weather would be comfortable for long hikes. Instead, the first day of the hike featured hot temperatures that were uncharacteristic for April 25.

The team thought they had brought enough water - two to three quarts each - but quickly learned it was not enough because of the heat.

Despite the practice hikes the team took prior to the Appalachian Trail hike, the four friends were not prepared for the ascent to Schaghticoke Mountain, an approximately 1,000-foot ascent in less than two miles.

Nine and a half hours and 11.5 miles later, it was 7 p.m. and the temperature was 86 degrees. The hikers were dehydrated and it was clear to them that they would not be hiking the next day.

The remainder of the hiking took place on April 29, May 12 and June 25, 28 and 29. Each time, the team encountered something new and spectacular - be it the views or wildlife.

"We went down St. John's Ledges - several hundred natural or man-made steps carved into rock," said Mr. Laux.

The steps are not easy hiking - they are different grades of steepness and length.

"What I had in mind was working out a jigsaw with my body," said Mr. Laux.

Mrs. Laux said she loved the foliage along the trail - the ferns and wildflowers were especially beautiful. She said she was surprised by how many little waterfalls they encountered along the way.

Roger's Ramp was a highlight of the trip. It is an immense boulder that has split in two, providing a trail that hikers can walk through.

The hikers did not meet a lot of people along the way, but each person they encountered was friendly. They met a couple from California and a young man who was hiking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail.

The four friends have a tremendous respect for those who hike the entire length. They took it easy once the hiking was done for the day, sometimes stopping for dinner afterward.

"When we got off the trail, we would get a beer and a bite to eat," said Mr. Laux. "That was a great way to end the day."

Mr. Laux said that the entire hike gave him a feeling of accomplishment. There was one particular moment from the fifth day of hiking that stands out.

"Getting to the top of Bear Mountain was extremely symbolic," he said.

The summit of Bear Mountain is at 2,316-feet high and is the tallest peak in the state. That was the moment when it really hit Mr. Laux, that he and his friends had come so far on the journey.

On top of Bear Mountain, a pile of stones marks the remnants of an old observation tower and four armchairs fashioned out of flat stones provide a resting spot. The four friends each sat in an armchair and ate lunch on top of Bear Mountain.

The view was not the only exciting part of climbing Bear Mountain. Mr. and Mrs. Laux found a letterbox at the summit.

Letterboxing is a hobby where people use navigational skills to locate boxes where people can record the date and time of discovery.

Most people who letterbox, including Mr. and Mrs. Laux, have a personal stamp that they stamp into the record book.

While the actual hiking of the trail seems like it would be the most time consuming, Mr. Whan said the planning took a great deal of time.

"We made a marathon of the planning," said Mr. Whan. "It was surprisingly complicated."

The group planned approximately how long they would be hiking per day and where to leave a car at a particular trail exit. They used maps and toy cars to visualize routes and stopping points.

"Which really gives you a tremendous respect for people who hike the whole trail and sleep on it," said Mr. Laux. "It's just amazing, that someone can do that."

The next destination for the hikers is the White Mountains in New Hampshire. They also want to hike another portion of the Appalachian Trail from another state.

It only takes one moment for an adventure to begin. One statement in 2008 grew into a 60-mile hike for four friends.

While Mr. Laux looked over a map of the Appalachian Trail, he pointed out how the entire trail encompasses 14 states.

"We could do two states a year," he said.

History just might repeat itself.