Condition of trail(s): Nice and dry with some blow down
Encounters and Observations: It felt like summer had turned into fall with a total lack of humidity and virtually no bugs; I started on the green and decided to explore the possibility of a new trail that could connect to the “Y” shaped unmarked off the yellow/green intersection; I had just gotten off the Tower Hill dirt road and took an old logging road to the left of the cliffs that soon ended and the bush whacking began; my hike was just over a mile and took me past many great options and features that could be worked in; broke out on the unmarked and rode it east to the white then to the parking lot for a look see; three vehicles, no people, no litter; took several marked trails around having to dodge numerous piles of horse biscuits (must have been a group ride last weekend); headed up the yellow when I came to the low crossing next to the shallow pond that always exhibits a large patch of mud to some degree.
There has been a good sized downed tree parallel to the trail through the mud (see photo) since early spring with a small patch of attempted armoring. I have always used it as a foot bridge to walk my bike across, but today something dawned on me- why not cut a nice length of it out, reposition it, and create a usable skinny bridge to ride across the mess? I’ve got to contact my LM; didn’t see anyone the whole ride; there were quite a few branches throughout from the recent winds that need to be removed; took an unmarked to the northern green and around back home; very nice, very nice.
Trail Ambassador Name: Don Hazuka
Email: donald.hazuka@covidien.com
Town: Clinton / Killingworth / Westbrook / Deep River
Location: Cockaponset SF / Weber Woods
Trail(s) ridden: Parts of all marked / some unmarked
How did you use the trail?: Mountain bike / bushwhack hike
What was the time of day?: Mid afternoon
Duration (hours): 1.75
Distance (miles): 7.0
1 comment:
Nice write up. As for that skinny next to the muddy trail. Why not armor the muddy section and leave the skinny where it is. Maybe you could flatten the surface of the log a little by cutting perpendicular with a saw, and inch or two down and then hacking it out with a hatchet.
Check this out:
Upper Paugussett Skinny
That is what I would do. Then, people who don't want to ride the skinny can ride the armored section and those who want to ride the skinny can do so. Everyone is happy!
Post a Comment