Leg 23: 26 March 2009

6 Miles.

Well, today we parked at the Mile River Preserve and walked to the western edge of Old Lyme, not sure if that is technically considered the CT River or not. Our route was Mile River Rd across 156 to Town Dock Rd and back, with small detour.

It was overcast all day, with rain on the way and it started to rain when driving home. it was in the 40s but with the clouds and winds it wasn't warm but comfortable and in fact wore light gloves most of the way.

Headed west on Mile Creek Rd and descended down into the river. A pleasant enough walk but kind of nondescript. I had scouted this out by bike last year and several years before that we rode the bike up Mie Creek to Whipperwill, thus I had thought we would walk along the salt marshes more but that was not to be. We did cross a nice tidal creek lined with spartina, which I love. The traffic was light.

We passed a few horses, one of which took a liking to Domino and visa versa When I first got Domino, there used to be horse that lived in a field up the road, they used to look at each every day when we passed. Later, we came to three horses who came to the fence, perhaps expecting a treat of sugar or something. Don took a great amount interest in them but went into a growl mode which briefly startled the poor creatures.

When mapping this route out on Gmaps pedometer the other day, the route given to me included a Ben Franklin Rd which didn't even show up on most maps. Pretty sure it is a woods road and Internet research showed little info. Yesterday i passed it and on a whim tried to walk to see how far i could get before seeing a no trespassing sign: that detour lasted a few tenths mile when I came to a "Private drive" sign, whether or not that sign is legal I will never know, but i turned around.

We planned to turn around at 156 but saw an inviting road going directly across 156 and looking for a spot for lunch we took it, and came to a road with a Town sign, "Town Dock Rd" From my experience with such matters, I know that of there was any chance or truth to such a way being a private way, it would definitely be signed, especially so close to the water.

This little dirt road was well worth the trip, bordered by an aging picket fence with granite posts and a couple of those giant houses, we ended at crude boat launch and small lot. One guy was puling his kayak out of the water when we got there and then another fisherman showed up as I was having my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and hot chocolate.

The view west was of a island between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook-Great Island. I had seen it on maps and expected a island with trees and stuff, but it looked pretty flat and wet with spartina marsh and few clumps of trees. Just north were the RR bridge and the Rte 95 bridge, the presence of which was only noted by passing cars way off.

The return back was uneventful, we just missed having a Acela go over us at the bridge, which on Mile Creek Rd was a one lane underpass with stop signs to regulate traffic.

I noticed a sign on Johnnycake Hill rd with a bridge out sign, which is probably the Amtrak Bridge.This was going to be part of the next walk's route, was actually going to try to do a loop. Oh well.

Was hoping to do the loop at the preserve on the way back-it starts and stops at the parking lot. We were kind of tired by then and were running late, as this was Thursday.

The walk was 6 miles total, but as the crow flies east est distance was just over 2 miles, that is the fate of this walk, doubling distances with in and out walks.

Found this article in the NY Times, written in 1894 about the ferry trip back then. My how things have changed. titled "Tramping in Connecticut".

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9A04E3DC1231E033A2575AC0A9649D94659ED7CF

Twenty-two: 16 March 2009

Parked at Rocky Neck State Park, turn around at Mile Creek Open Space on Mile Creek Rd. Distance: 6 miles?

Taking advantage of a fine March day, we parked at the same place where we parked last time. The first eight tenths of a mile or so were on Rte 156 again, and I found a side trail that paralleled the road to a bit farther down to another trailhead on 156. so our time on it was shorter and even that wasn't too bad.

Soon we were on Mile Creek Rd, a road I scouted out last summer and it wasn't bad to walk on. A windy, hilly road with all sorts of old houses on it, a little creek crossing with old quarry nearby. Domino saw a lot of friends but only one was loose, a dog half her size that she did wanted no part of.

Traffic was light and offered little worry, save for the speeding BMW. there is school on this road and I guess it was kindergarten time because suddenly a lot of cars and SUVs were screaming by.

I piked a tick off of DOM and how often can one say that they took off a tick in Lyme- the same Lyme that the disease is is named after.

Our turn around point-chosen by time- was a place called the Mile Creek Open Space. We walked it a bit to find a quiet rock for lunch. This open space seemed to be more a buffer for complexes of large houses. Lunch was PB and J sandwich with some hot chocolate. I am experimenting with hot tea and hot chocolate in thermoses. last week the tea was real bad but today's hot chocolate was great.

We saw a turkey early in the walk and later we saw a deer crossing the road, she wanted to chase it.

On the way back we took a trail (Shipyard Trail ?) off of the second parking lot, along the tidal creek that marks the park's western border and then back to our lot. The walk went along the creek and then back up on a ridge with more evidence of quarrying.

Not exactly how far we went or how much time we spent doing it. Probably around 6 miles.