THE ROCKY HANCOCK MEMORIAL HIKE & FALL FOLIAGE
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This October, our monthly hike will be a particularly meaningful one.
Please join us for **The Rocky Hancock Memorial Hike**, as we gather at beautiful Sleeping Giant State Park to hike in memory of our dear friend Rocky and celebrate the friendship, laughter, and community he shared with so many of us.
📅 **Saturday, October 17th**
⏰ **11:00 AM**
🥾 **Hosted by Kevin Merriman**
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📍 **WHERE TO MEET**
**Sleeping Giant State Park**
**200 Mount Carmel Avenue**
**Hamden, CT 06518**
We'll meet at the **main park entrance/parking area Next to the right of the wood building with bathrooms**.
Please plan to arrive about **10–15 minutes early** so everyone has time to park, find the group, and be ready to head out together at 11:00.
🍂 Sleeping Giant is especially beautiful in the fall, and we can't think of a better setting for a hike honoring someone who meant so much to our community.
---
🥾 **THE HIKE**
Sleeping Giant offers some of the most beautiful hiking in central Connecticut, with miles of wooded trails, rocky ridges, fall foliage, and sweeping views of the surrounding area.
Kevin will lead us on our planned route at our usual **social group pace**, with time to enjoy the scenery, catch up with old friends, and make some new ones along the way.
Expect typical New England hiking conditions, including rocks, roots, hills and uneven terrain, so **hiking shoes or sturdy sneakers are recommended**.
🐾 **Leashed dogs are welcome on the trails.**
---
❤️ **IN MEMORY OF ROCKY**
This hike is more than just our October outing.
It's an opportunity to remember **Rocky Hancock**, someone we were fortunate to call our friend and a valued part of our community.
There's something fitting about remembering a friend by doing what has always brought this group together: getting outside, sharing a trail, talking, laughing, and simply enjoying one another's company. This was also one of Rocky's favorite hikes. For a long time, storms made this trail less of an attraction, but recent visits there have proven that it is a great hike with gravel trails.
Whether you knew Rocky well, met him only a few times, or never had the opportunity to know him, you're warmly invited to join us as we celebrate his memory together.
---
🍔🍺 **LUNCH AT ELI'S AFTERWARD**
After the hike, we'll head over to **Eli's on Whitney** for lunch, drinks, and more time together. This was one of Rocky's favorites!
**Eli's on Whitney**
**2392 Whitney Avenue**
**Hamden, CT 06518**
Joining us for lunch is completely optional — but we hope you'll stick around! It's often after the hiking boots come off that some of the best conversations happen.
---
🅿️ **PARKING**
Connecticut-registered vehicles park **FREE** at Sleeping Giant State Park.
⚠️ Sleeping Giant is a very popular destination, particularly during fall foliage season, so arriving a little early is strongly encouraged.
---
🏳️🌈 **THE VIBE**
Community • Friendship • Remembrance • Outdoors
As always, our hikes are welcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, longtime members and first-time hikers.
For this one especially, we'd love to see friends both old and new come together.
🍁 **Come walk with us. Come remember with us. And come help us celebrate our friend Rocky.** ❤️🥾🏳️🌈
Please join us for **The Rocky Hancock Memorial Hike**, as we gather at beautiful Sleeping Giant State Park to hike in memory of our dear friend Rocky and celebrate the friendship, laughter, and community he shared with so many of us.
📅 **Saturday, October 17th**
⏰ **11:00 AM**
🥾 **Hosted by Kevin Merriman**
---
📍 **WHERE TO MEET**
**Sleeping Giant State Park**
**200 Mount Carmel Avenue**
**Hamden, CT 06518**
We'll meet at the **main park entrance/parking area Next to the right of the wood building with bathrooms**.
Please plan to arrive about **10–15 minutes early** so everyone has time to park, find the group, and be ready to head out together at 11:00.
🍂 Sleeping Giant is especially beautiful in the fall, and we can't think of a better setting for a hike honoring someone who meant so much to our community.
---
🥾 **THE HIKE**
Sleeping Giant offers some of the most beautiful hiking in central Connecticut, with miles of wooded trails, rocky ridges, fall foliage, and sweeping views of the surrounding area.
Kevin will lead us on our planned route at our usual **social group pace**, with time to enjoy the scenery, catch up with old friends, and make some new ones along the way.
Expect typical New England hiking conditions, including rocks, roots, hills and uneven terrain, so **hiking shoes or sturdy sneakers are recommended**.
🐾 **Leashed dogs are welcome on the trails.**
---
❤️ **IN MEMORY OF ROCKY**
This hike is more than just our October outing.
It's an opportunity to remember **Rocky Hancock**, someone we were fortunate to call our friend and a valued part of our community.
There's something fitting about remembering a friend by doing what has always brought this group together: getting outside, sharing a trail, talking, laughing, and simply enjoying one another's company. This was also one of Rocky's favorite hikes. For a long time, storms made this trail less of an attraction, but recent visits there have proven that it is a great hike with gravel trails.
Whether you knew Rocky well, met him only a few times, or never had the opportunity to know him, you're warmly invited to join us as we celebrate his memory together.
---
🍔🍺 **LUNCH AT ELI'S AFTERWARD**
After the hike, we'll head over to **Eli's on Whitney** for lunch, drinks, and more time together. This was one of Rocky's favorites!
**Eli's on Whitney**
**2392 Whitney Avenue**
**Hamden, CT 06518**
Joining us for lunch is completely optional — but we hope you'll stick around! It's often after the hiking boots come off that some of the best conversations happen.
---
🅿️ **PARKING**
Connecticut-registered vehicles park **FREE** at Sleeping Giant State Park.
⚠️ Sleeping Giant is a very popular destination, particularly during fall foliage season, so arriving a little early is strongly encouraged.
---
🏳️🌈 **THE VIBE**
Community • Friendship • Remembrance • Outdoors
As always, our hikes are welcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, longtime members and first-time hikers.
For this one especially, we'd love to see friends both old and new come together.
🍁 **Come walk with us. Come remember with us. And come help us celebrate our friend Rocky.** ❤️🥾🏳️🌈
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Where is it happening?
Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden, Connecticut, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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