The train used to go through here, somewhere…
If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal.
-Paulo Coelho
Only 6 miles to go (roughly). After looking at the map, I’m expecting to have to do a lot of tramping through weeds and brambles, so I’m dressed in armor: gaiters, rain pants and jacket with heavy gloves. The temperature is cool, in the low 40s, fortunately, so I’m not sweltering. I don’t know how I would be able to protect myself without suffering heat exhaustion in temperatures of 70℉. The beginning of today’s trek takes off from a patch of tarmac called Maple Street (there are no buildings around) and wanders into the woods on a well-established path. The map says it is “in design,” whatever that means, and, as far as I can see, it promises to be an easy stroll. There is a railroad, currently in use, about 30 yards to our left and trees and brush to our right.
After about a mile and a half, we come to a street. On the other side is a steep embankment with a wall of weeds that, if not impenetrable, would be a challenge to negotiate. The railroad to our left passes over the street on a bridge. Taking the path of least resistance, we cross over the road, on the railroad bridge, then head back into the bush. Waldo is now used to dealing with daylight shining between his toes on these bridges and we have no problems. However, once on the embankment to the right of the railroad bridge, I can’t see anything that looks like old railroad bed. Just weeds, brambles, brush and small bole trees. At one place, we have no choice but to force our way through a wall of foliage – we now have to add plowing through to crawling under, climbing over and going around.
There are a couple of places, parallel to each other, where, with a little imagination, I can sorta guess where the railroad maybe used to go and Waldo and I weed-whack our way from one to the other, looking for the best way to go. You know, this could be part of a new border collie sport. We’d call it “agility bushwhacking.” I begin to understand why Waldo likes these walks so much. He loves doing agility training. Me? I’m tempted to take to the railroad tracks to our left, but I don’t give in that easily and Waldo is having a blast herding the shrubbery. So, we continue on as best we can.
Then, after about a quarter of a mile, I can see something that resembles a path. It obviously isn’t used much, but it is clear that someone, or something, has been there before. There is nothing to suggest an explanation as to why that path has been used and not where we just came from, but we’re grateful for the change. There are all kinds of paths that traverse through all New England woods and we don’t want to be misled onto a track that takes us from where we want to go, but this path seems to be going in the right direction. We follow it and the further we go, the better defined and wider it gets. Soon, we pass signs designed for snowmobilers, which explains some of who has been using the path. At times, other well-trodden paths branch off to our right, but we hold our course.
We cross another street and the trail, thereafter, is not so well developed at all. But it’s still relatively easy going. There are a few fallen trees blocking our path that we have to climb over (jump over in Waldo’s case) but little else that needs effort to travel over, under, around, or through.
After about a quarter-mile, we come to the road that is the endpoint of today’s walk. On the other side of the street is a steep embankment and no obvious clue as to where the railroad bed continues. That’s a problem to be solved on the next walk, on another day. We reverse our steps and head back the way we came.
When we get back to the next street, though, we take to the road. I do not want to repeat the worst of the bushwhacking. The road is 2-laned and the shoulder is narrow. The traffic is light, but they are going about 40 miles per hour or so. They give us a wide berth, but even so, as soon as we’ve gone around the sea of brambles, bush and weeds (ending where the railroad bridge passed over the street), we take back to the old railroad bed and walk carefree on the well-established path. Soon, we’re back to the car and another piece of our trek is done.
Only 3 more miles (approximately) to go!
Ah, yes. There it is. Waldo found it!