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So as not to repeat myself excessively, I am reducing the amount of description of trails that have already been posted. Please use the search function ( upper left) to find older posts which have more detailed trail descriptions and pictures. You can also use this to find specific hikes either by trail or mountain.



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Friday, May 31, 2013

5/30/13 Walden

Hot and humid ( 80 ) with a mix of sun and clouds. Still lots of water everywhere to make Kelley happy. We got a late start and it felt like rain but we got in an hour and a half without it.

The Loop Trail finally looks like summer


A few day's ago we saw no Lady's Slippers - today they were everywhere


Some of the other things we saw.












Wednesday, May 29, 2013

5/29/13 City Forest

It's raining again. Wanted to get in an early hike before the rain but Kelley was in slow start mode- unusual for her . I got a picture of her in the beaver pond and then it started to sprinkle and I put my camera in a plastic bag and we continued on. A friend had joined us so even though the sprinkles stopped part of the time we chatted instead of taking pictures. It's raining now and more is predicted along with high temperatures- 90 on Friday ( it's 54 now ) weird weather, indeed.


5/28/13 Marsh Island


A beautiful day. Some things to attend to in the morning so we went to the nearby Marsh Island area. We started out from Hillside Ave. so Kelley would get the pond but wanted to do the drier trail from the end of Penobscot- so after the pond we drove over to the other trail head.  Kelley was able to find water on the second trail too. A friend walked with us so I was doing more talking than picture taking. I have also gone back to my bigger camera ( now that I don't have to keep the camera under my coat) and I found I had to relearn some things and managed to get quite a few pictures out of focus. On the plus side there were insects and flowers so maybe winter is gone for this year.

I don't know this beetle


I think this is a Mourning Cloak



The river was unusually high and this usually small marshy area was quite large.


A very pleasant walk on a beautiful day.   2  1/4 hours

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

5/27/13 Little Long Pond



Mix of sun and clouds but no rain in the forecast. We parked at the Little Long Pond parking and walked down the Friends Path to the pond - a pretty little trail.




The area around the pond no longer looks like winter


We followed the West Side Trail - pretty wet and muddy in spots- to the Jordan Stream Trail. This trail closely follows the stream and the water in the stream was high, overflowing the banks in spots ( making me do a bushwhack or two) . and rushing by noisily. Though Kelley really likes water she likes it on the calm side.









The trail crosses the stream several times on bridges. Two of them Kelley won't use and usually just fords the stream instead. Today she was reluctant to get into the rushing water though she eventually crossed.

When we reached the cobblestone bridge, because of the water conditions, we decided to finished the hike on the carriage roads rather than going over and following Harbor Brook.

Still a good hike for Kelley as we met lots of people and dogs and there were many water opportunities ( besides the stream) . 3 hours

Sunday, May 26, 2013

5/26/13 City Forest

It's been mostly rain here for the past week and the past few days we have mostly walked around the neighborhood or downtown in the rain ( there is a flood watch in effect) . This morning it stopped and looked like it might clear so we went to the forest and got in two hours without rain. We even had a couple of glimpses of sun but by the time we got back to the car it was raining again. Still a good outing- water everywhere for Kelley, people to greet and dogs to meet. Too much talking by me so only a few pictures.

I don't know this one- but Grace did- Wild Rhododendron 


Bunchberry


New leaves


I liked the meandering trail but if you look lower left you will see two geese.





Friday, May 24, 2013

5/23/13 City Forest

The rain continues - it's raining as I write and is predicted to do so for two more days. Yesterday we just did short walks around the neighborhood but got a break in the rain this morning and got in two hours at the forest without rain.

Others were also out and it made Kelley happy to have people ( and two dogs) to greet. There was also lots of water around. These are some of the things we saw.




























Wednesday, May 22, 2013

5/21/13 Newport-Dover-Foxcroft Rail-Trail


A friend needed a ride to Pittsfield so we went to this nearby trail. It's 26.5 miles long so we have hiked from each end but never completed the whole thing. It's been rainy and it  continues- it rained the entire hike except for one period of ten or fifteen minutes- with temps in the lower 50's but little wind.

The trail starts in the woods


but soon borders Sebasticook Lake which Kelley promptly entered.


Most of the flowers were closed because of the rain but it was pleasant along the lake, even with the rain.








There are a few camps along the lake but none seemed occupied.


and some small ponds on the other side of the trail


A little over an hour into the hike the trail comes near the road and you can see and hear cars and there are a couple of old warehouses with junk behind them.


But you soon reenter the woods and the traffic sounds diminish





As we neared Corrina and could  see civilization again, we turned back and found  a covered picnic table in one of the unoccupied camps to have a dry lunch- not that either of us was dry at this point

An interestingly colored lichen


Almost back


A pretty good outing in spite of the rain. Kelley was happy with water everywhere and seemed content to just trot along with me.  3  1/2 hours

Sunday, May 19, 2013

5/18/13 Lagrange Rail-Trail


Warmer than yesterday ( 50's) , sunny, and little wind- so pretty nice.
This is one of the old rail beds that have been converted to multi-use trails. They don't seem to be used much by hikers and we met no one today on the main trail. There were some people on ATV's on a side trail we were checking out. We mostly use the rail-trails in winter when the snowmobiles pack the snow for good footing and seldom meet snowmobiles.  We usually start at the Medford end which has more variation- bogs, ponds, and streams . The trail is 11 miles long so we have not walked it end to end in one hike. This end is more like a walk along a country road.


There were lots of flowering trees and bushes


 I think this is some kind of apple and there were a lot of these trees


An old piece of railroad equipment that I though , somehow, looked futuristic


I could not get close to these but they were different than the others


After an hour and a quarter we had found no water for Kelley to get into and turned back.  Down a short path we found  a camp with bog behind it ( and 'no trespassing' signs ). No one was about so down the hill through the brush and Kelley was very happy.


We then continued back toward where we had parked.


I had seen several dragonflies but none I could get close to- nor this one- but it's my first of the year so.....


Not an exciting hike but a nice 2  1/2 hour walk. Kelley would have liked more water but always seems to enjoy just being outside.