8/30/13 Sunkhaze Meadows

Cold morning- 50 degrees when we got up at 6:00. I didn't feel like a long drive so we picked nearby Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge. We started with the Johnson Brook Trail which was much drier than we expected.

Some leaves turning

We took the spur to the beaver pond before doing the loop and found the water low there too. Kelley didn't care for the deep mud around the edges but eventually plodded through to get in the water.

Still some creatures around

Some of the bog bridges on the loop trail have become quite warped.

This leaf was on the bridge

There is a side trail called the 'Birch Grove Spur' . We have tried it several times but never found a birch grove. The trail starts out in good shape and even has a nice bridge

but soon becomes overgrown with lots of uncleared blow downs. We usually fight our way for a ways and then give up, which was what we did today.

Back on the loop you come to the cedar swamp which is very pretty. Because of the very contrasty , light my pic does not do it justice.

Other than the beaver pond there was little water along our hike but Kelley did find mud puddles to get into and ended up quite dirty. We drove to the Ash Landing Trail- a short trail to the Sunkhaze Stream- where Kelley could have a swim and get cleaned off.

A nice two hours in the woods- 70 degrees when we finished.

8/29/13 Bangor

Rainy day so we just went downtown and walked around for an hour- some mist but no real rain while were there. Kelley found lots to sniff and friendly people to greet. She  had definite ideas about route- the river, of course, but then we kind of went in circles with her resisting my efforts to redirect her. I gave up and let her have her way. At one point a man remarked, "she has a mind of her own, eh?" In keeping with our odd walk- some odd pictures.

Back to the sunflowers for an unopened specimen

The last time I shot this shop there were formal dresses

Don't know what these roof top machines are but it looked kind of science fictiony to me

8/28/13 City Forest

Yesterday Kelley went with Mary to the nursing home and played with a lot with 3 different puppies. Mary reported that by the afternoon she was tired and perhaps a bit gimpy and tired of puppies- so today was an easy 2 hours at the forest ( it's also supposed to rain this afternoon). We started from the end of Kittredge Rd. so she got a real swim at both the start and finish of the hike. We then did our usual loop of the West Trail and the old rail bed. Kelley seemed no worse for the activity yesterday and enjoyed greeting people and seeing two of her dog friends.

There aren't many butterflies left and those that are tend to be a bit beat up.

There are still lots of bees and wasps

and still a few wildflowers

A pleasant outing and I was pleased that Kelley seemed her usual self.

8/26/13 Downtown Bangor

Rainy day so we just went downtown and walked about for an hour. Lots of things for Kelley  to smell and people to greet. She also got a swim in the river. The overcast skies gave nice light for the flowers that are still about.

This paint reminded me of an aerial photo

8/25/13 Hidden Ponds

Another beautiful day. A friend accompanied us on this one. There is a new map but it leaves off the trails that are no longer maintained so I have modified an old one. The trail is an easy one for Kelley as it is mostly fairly level woods walking.

When we reached the new Loop Trail and this sign

we continued on toward Tilden Pond- this trail is in very good shape and easy to follow and takes you to Tilden Pond  which you would otherwise miss.

 And , of course, Kelley found places to get in the water

there are other trails and old woods roads along and away from the pond and we explored them briefly before turning back to take the Loop Trail. That took us by Salmon ,but there is not easy access from that side, and on to Little Long Pond

We took a small detour to Mud Pond and found a nice spot for lunch before completing the loop and then heading back. In all we met two men hiking- and talked trails with them- and then a couple with a friendly dog and that made Kelley happy. A very nice hike on a near perfect day. 3  1/2 hours.

8/24/13 Trail to Redmans Beach

An almost perfect day weather wise . This is a trail I learned about from locals and is not on maps, hence my home made version. I also copied it from an earlier post and we did not do the dead end on the right. The trail starts at the end of Dynamite Brook Rd. and is an easy and pleasant woods walk. The other routes I know are much longer and tougher. This appears to have been an old logging road.

The beach is on Donnell Pond and there are several camp sites. Some of them occupied which was a bit unusual because in the past it has been deserted. The campers had arrived by boat.There is a nice sand beach and clear water.

After wandering the shore and Kelley having several swims, we headed back.

A narrower part of the trail

When we got back to the car we continued across to another trail to find a nice spot for lunch. A very nice day. 3 hours.

8/22/13 City Forest

Rain forecast for this afternoon and I have garden work and errands to run so it's City Forest for a couple of hours.

The path down to the beaver pond

Kelley really likes this pond

Not many creatures around and many of the flowers are over for this year.

This was a new one to me

This guy was watching us closely

8/21/13 Little Long Pond

A pretty day- warmer than it's been but still not bad. We did the hike with a friend and her two dogs, Roxie and Gus. From the parking lot above the pond we walked down the Friends Path and then took the West Side and Jordan Stream Trails to the Cobblestone Bridge and then back down the other side on the carriage road.

I had hoped to get some good pictures of the dogs together but that did not happen. The closest I came was Gus and Kelley heading up the trail ahead of us- not much.

Gus and Kelley were usually near us but Roxie was full of energy and all over the place, often surprising us by appearing behind us.

The times Roxie and Gus were together they were too close and I could not get them both in focus at the same time. Here's Gus

In spite of my photographic failings it was a good hike- the dogs got to meet several other dogs and people and there was lots of water. We enjoyed the dogs and the scenery and the pretty day. 3 hours

Parting shot of the pond as we head for the trail up to our car..

8/20/13 Buzzy Brook at Sunkhaze

Overcast with little wind making it a good photo day. We hadn't been to the Buzzy Brook section of Sunkhaze in quite awhile- usually wet and we thought it would be really buggy. It was less wet than expected and there were a few mosquitoes but no deer flies.

It was , however, quite lush

A fungus I had not seen before and another leaf turning

There had been a few small pools along the trail but no real water and Kelley was happy when we reached the brook

On our way back we took the lower loop which is drier and more woodsy. These are some of the other things we saw.

As usual here, we had the woods to ourselves. A nice 2  1/2 hour hike.