:Leg 16, July 9 2008

Start and Finish, corner of Pequot Ave and Westmere, New London, CT . Distance of walk 4.1 miles

We parked here to continue where we left off yesterday, a loop that would include the rest of the shore of New London. We headed down Pequot Ave -I tried to get here for in time sunrise but did not make it as when we started the sun was a red disc just above Groton's industrial complex, the redness of this sun was reflected nicely across the Thames.

The walk was nice enough and we eventually walked on grass on the water side of the street. Many more Private and no trespassing sign on beaches, in planning this route I once thought of walking on the shore itself, and probably could have done so, ignoring the signs, but I didn't want Domino and myself to pay for other dogs doo doo misdoes. Especially at he hands of some of these yahoos that ,live down here. She yanked at my collar at one of the openings in the wall, the L and M beach of all places.

We cut behind Ocean beach- there is a big sign, "NO DOGS" there as well. I would have loved to walk the beach and thought of writing ahead to seek permission for this walk, but never did, maybe in the off season i could have done it.

I headed across the bridge across Alewife cove in Waterford-the town i grew up and live ina long time. Dom did not even seem to mind that bridge-she has balked at much less and this time she could have cared less about this or the next bridge.

We returned back on Ridgewood and I like that from bike rides. Quiet scenic nice to walk.

We found ourselves returning on Montauk and stooped at picnic table at the Nathan Hale School beneath one of several giant beeches that graced the lawn. Down the road we checked out the Gardner cemetery, then cut back to Mitchell college through the Mitchell woods path. WE stooped gain at a bench where we stopped the day before, D stopped to rest on the still wet grass.

Some where after this ride I noticed two things, that it is nice to sit when resting and two, that in these urban/suburban settings, opportunities for such places are few and rare. i noticed that a lot of homes had chairs, seats and benches o their lawns but well out of the reach of the foot traveler's looking to rest for few moments before being on their way.

Now, after this walk, i was curious about the other New London, that part north of the RR station? It was razed in the 60s and never put back together except for the notorious high rise projects and other housing complexes. Now a maze of neglected street and state property. I had wanted to start my walk here at Winthrop's Point, where the old ferries would land, but was afraid to leave my car unattended for long.

After walking, we drove under the bridges, by the state pier, and through Riverside Park.

The entire place is trashy with little redeeming quality not even with the stretch of an nostalgic mind trying to remember or imagine what this place was like. A lot of No Trespassing State property" signs and other no Trespassing sign from Amtrak. Looking at old maps there a bunch of street a few numbered and only one of them exists today.

We used to walk this way to New London along the RR tracks. I am glad for those walks because I have at least faint memories of what this place used to look like as well as the old waterfront and places like the old Main Street.

You can now drive under the bridges to below the bridges( to public water boat ramp access) that was cool. But what of Winthrop Point?

Driving north was more industrial wasteland and then Riverside Park. I have vague memories of going down there in the years of my youth, for the Harvard yale boat races, back when they meant something I guess. Now the place is in want of mowing, never mind half way decent landscaping. Guess it isn't too long before the state takes this land too.

going across the RR tracks was a nice old foot bridge with a metal gate, it looked interesting if not dangerous, plus our exploring energy was gone for the day. What a shame this place is this way.

New London seems to be divided in two by RR tracks, those tracks roughly dive the city into two cities. North of the tracks are compact street with the city center projects and run down sections, south of the RR tracks are nice streets, houses on the water all with well manicured lawns and roads.

One can almost imagine the well fed CEO of NL's largest business(before Pfizer anyway) living on the shore while an employee-lower on the totem pole- in his concern j lost their family house to Imminent domain thing.