Blueberry Patch

 

 

Ah, this is what people are after! 

 

 

 

Milkweed

No, this isn't why people hike the Leverett Triail, at least not the principle reason. This is just -- I think -- Common Milkweed, of which there is an abundance along that part of the trail that empties out onto what remains of the Teawaddle Hill Farm. As is true of the milkweed growing at York River State Park near my home, it's a dining favorite of the Monarch butterfly, among other species.

Shhh!

Shhh! This is supposed to be a secret. Only a discerning few know the true destination of many of the folks who hike the Leverett Trail. I'll let you in on the secret only on condition that you tell no one I told you about it. :-)

Ticks!

I've read that ticks are a growing problem here in western Massachusetts as well as many other places around the United States. I didn't discover any after hiking this trail, but only days later, I did pull one off of my ankle after hiking another trail. You really can't be too careful. 

Enfield Look Out

Yeah, okay. I know it doesn't look like that much. But that's because the town of Enfield was flooded to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir. It used to occupy the land just below that hill (Mt. Ram?) in the center background. A branch of the reservoir actually stretches between those trees in the foreground and the hill beyond. This map does a great job at explaining what you're seeing.

Hairy Parchment?

I'm still not able to positively identify more than probably a handful of mushrooms, if even that many.

What I have learned to do, however, is to pay close--well, closer--attention to the details surrounding said mushrooms. In the case of the mushroom shown above, I 'm pretty sure that it's attached to the what remains of a deciduous tree. That alone, I understand, whittles down the possibilities. Now, as to whether it is actually a Hairy Parchment mushroom, who knows? It certainly share a number of its characteristics. Spotted along the Enfield Lookout Trail near Ware, Massachusetts.

DCR

No matter how long or short the trail, I find that I am almost always relieved to know that I'm still on the right path because there have been times when, unbeknownst to myself, I have somehow managed to go astray, either because there was no sign or--God forbid!--the sign's directions were not entirely clear or, in fact, in some cases, even misleading. All of which is to say, my hat's off to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and its good works!

Ferns

Enfield Lookout Trail

Ware, Massachusetts

???

Enfield Lookout Trail, Ware, Massachusetts

I'm always curious about the stuff I find lying on forest floors. In this case, I couldn't quite figure out what this was. I found it on the trail along with almost countless fallen acorns. Any guesses as to what it might be?

Enfield Lookout Trail

After hiking the length of Winsor Dam and back, I decided to hike the Enfield Lookout Trail. Enfield was one of the towns flooded to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir. 

Cross Path Road

I know that visually this probably is not the most interesting photo. I was just curious about the street's name as it--ahem--crosses the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Hadley, Massachusetts. I mean, it's pretty straightforward as street names go. Sort of like Main Street or High Street. There's a street near me called Center Street, which I suppose got it's name from the fact that it runs smack dab down the "center" of a subdivision, even though it is--if I might say so--rather tangential to everything else around it, now that I think about it. 

What about the street names near you? Got any zingers? :-)

Bridge

I've photographed this bridge many times over the past few years. The last time was last year on the Fourth of July. It's become something of a go-to destination every time I visit this region.

According to Wikipedia, the "Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge is an eight-span steel lattice truss bridge. It crosses Elwell Island in the middle of the river, providing no access to the island in an attempt to keep the island otherwise untouched. Riding over the bridge shows eight spans, with two of them over Elwell Island. It was built by the R. F. Hawkins Ironworks Company. The bridge was redesigned by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. of Watertown, rebuilt by MassHighway, and opened in 1992 to bicycle and foot traffic as part of the Norwottuck Rail Trail."

View of the Connecticut River and Elwell Island

Fly or Drive

Honestly, I debated long and hard about whether to fly or drive to Massachusetts this year. I drove last year after several years of flying. What finally convinced me to fly again this year was the convenience. I REALLY like to hike every day, up to five miles or more a day. But driving to Massachusetts almost certainly meant spending more time in the car rather than on the trail. The cost, I figured, was about the same. What's more, by flying, I was able to fly AND hike in the same day, even with the unexpected delay this time in getting out of Richmond. On this particular trip, I was able to hike again one of my very favorite sections of the Norwottuck Rail Trail (above).

Suspension Bridge

Looking back here to my hike last Friday from Richmond to Belle Isle, Virginia. This is the ramp leading to the suspension bridge that takes pedestrians across to Belle Isle.

Elves?

Greensprings Interpretive Trail

Late Afternoon Light

Virginia Capitol Trail

Capitol Trail

The Virginia Capitol Trail, as its name suggests, is a multi-use trail connecting the former capitol of Virginia, Williamsburg, with the current capitol, Richmond, a distance of some 50 miles one-way.

The Swamp

As I recall, it was DJT who promised to "drain the swamp" some eight years ago when he ran for president the first time. Now, as the Washington Post put it this past October, "he swims in it." According to the article, the Duck said, “I had no idea the swamp was that dirty, that disgusting and that deep.” 

Well, Donald, now you know. 

Calm

Greensprings Interpretive Trail

Linking again today with Skywatch Friday

Election Eve

Taskinas Creek Trail

York River State Park

Well, folks, I'll be at the polls tomorrow well before dawn in order to greet folks as they arrive to vote beginning at 6 a.m. I don't expect to be home again until . . . well, who knows when. More than 40% of the registered voters in my precinct have already voted, suggesting that we well may be heading toward a record turnout for a presidential election. 

Will we know the result before I get home? Not likely, given our multiple time zones in the States. More likely, the race will be called in the wee hours of Wednesday morning when I HOPE to be fast asleep in bed. :-)