Eighth Leg, June 19th 2008

Pequot Trail from Tom Wheeler to rte 27 and back. 4.8 miles

This was going to be a connect the dots walk with an in and out along the Pequot Trail. I haven't really been on this road much as when I ride in the area, it is one of those roads that I don't seem to do much, maybe because of the climb.

Turns out it was really nice stretch of paved road, don't exactly know how this Pequot Trail connects with the Pequot Trail that now lies beneath he worlds largest casino, but it is a quiet little stretch especially the middle, which is reservoir land and thus no development. It reminded me of a place you'd find somewhere else, a place you would drive hours to get to.

I turned around at Rte 27 at Old Mystic, there is a nice climb with nice views. This too must have been a hill top farm but now the fields are full of big new houses. A guy on a bicycle was going up and down the hill.

A roofless, windowless house of stone on top of the hill has always intrigued me.

This was a before work walk and we started at about 5:00, it was clear here but foggy with that condensation on the trees causing 'rain'. On the return, facing the rising sun, it cleared dramatically and rays of sunlight were beating into the mist into the forest. The road itself is narrow and twisty thing with cable type guardrail things, but traffic wasn't bad enough for that to be a worry.

There were a lot of old cart roads and trails off this road and some were inviting.

I haven't walked in Old Mystic and a few of the houses have signs with dates, names and owners' occupations, all from the early 1800s, Enoch was merchant in a big house across from where the Mystic River just narrows and there was a cabinet maker and hatter's house. All this stuff you don't see from a bicycle no matter what the pace.

Distance 4.8 mile roundtrip (gmaps)
Distance from Start(crow) 13 miles

Next leg; Pequot Trail to Pequot Woods trail head.