24, 1 April 2009

Leg 24, 1 April 2009

Start and Finish: Saybrook Point. Distance 6.2 miles(from gmaps) weather overcast all day. 8am starting the 30s and 40s finish

Today we parked at the Saybrook Monument Park and walked to the train station; I was expecting a boring walk because it was all on roads I knew to be busy, but it turned out to be an excellent walk. The walk along the water was beautiful and with all the old houses it was like a walk through CT history. On top of that, the people I came across were very friendly.

We explored the town park a bit, reading the signs telling stories of various things, the old forts, ferries across the river, old railroads and a boardwalk over a salt marsh. John Winthrop too.

We took a long cut on North Cove Rd, which went right along a cove of the river. It was a very nice walk full of big houses, some dating back to colonial times. The views of the water were great and full of ducks. There were several places to sit and rest. Another thing was a total lack of signs along the water. The traffic was light.

We then headed north to the train station. I had been here a few times in the past on the bicycle and remember it as a busy street with many stores just before rte 1. It was a pleasant surprise to walk it, at first it was lined with houses, some with those little signs saying that they were built in 1600s. came across a millstone enclosed in an old metal fence with another sign saying that was once the site of a ca. 1600 windmill. interesting.

Further north, the street widened and became four lanes, there was a nice business section with room for cars to diagonal park, wide sidewalks often separated from he street by ribbons of green grass. The buildings were one story and with big front windows, kind of a place time forgot-frozen back in the 40s or 50s. all sort of stores, some with outdoor seating. No MacDonald's stop and shops or dunkin doughnut here- they are on the next leg's walk.

I turned around at the train station and stopped by the Chamber of Commerce where a nice lady gave me a map of Old Saybrook, I was hoping to find a a road parallel to the main drag to take me back but the hopeful roads to the east were alldead ends.

The southern part reminded me of Sturbridge Village, walking by so many old houses, churches, greens, but this village was altered a bit but then frozen maybe 50 years ago or so. How many taverns can one place have? There were several. One place had a sign saying that "Lafayette made a purchase here" This building probably an old colonial tavern, looked like it was altered to make it into an ice cream take out place a long time ago and now some other type of store we find.

We made our back on North Cove Rd and stopped at one of the several benches we saw, no 'no trespassing' or' private signs' here so we stopped for an early lunch, peanut butter and jelly and hot chocolate. this was a public boat launch and Domino had some room (and energy) to chase the ball.

Just before we got to the car we came across a dog that looked a lot like Domino(man i have to start bringing the camera) the guy walking him said that he was 15, blind but still got along. The guy was in love with the dog. The guy was 85.

We ended the walk by doing to a little part of the park just north of dock and dine the restaurant. we tried to pick out the shore of Lyme where we last stopped but couldn't pick it out.

And now for the trains: I tired to scout out a walk for next time, hard to do. The roads along the water are all dead ends and full of private road" and "private signs" and t looks like a long stretch on rte 1.