Launching our boats right from the campsite, we took a wonderful paddle on Ricker Pond, watching loons,
Observing the Great Blue Heron
And just getting some sun and exercise in a pretty setting
Even my blog-writing site is hard to top.
More color shows each day. It’s a great time to be camping in Vermont.
I have walked, skied, and biked rail trails around the East and have to say that the West River one is the best I’ve seen. It’s scenic, very burst, and remote so I can let my anti-social (re dogs) Vizsla off-leash and not be bothered by hordes of joggers, cyclists, or dog-walkers.
We took a walk Friday afternoon and I was struck by the quiet. No road noise – nothing but the river and birds. This morning, we went out early and needed a jacket and gloves, which were in the van, but I was too lazy to turn around. I had set up the “Springer” attachment which allows Penny to jog alongside the bike. We use that in the park.
The rail trail goes right through the campground. We start at the southern section and head a few miles toward the big Ball Mountain dam.
It’s easy, when traveling along the trail, to visualize the small trains that once plied this 33-mile route. Lots of ledge cuts, stream crossings, and river crossing (which are mainly abutments.)
The bird calls were amazing. Of course the Veery and the Hermit Thrush are among my favorites but I also saw a dozen or more Ovenbirds. They are usually tough to spot in spite of their constant singing but these were on the path, in the low branches, just not worried about this guy and his dog. I am not carrying my camera since I don’t have my laptop with me so that’s why I haven’t posted bird photos.
Penny is 12 and moving pretty well but I don’t want to over-tax her so we stopped at where the railroad crossed the river. She enjoyed checking the place out and I enjoyed the view, spotting a couple of Common Mergansers downriver.
The trail continues, less bike-friendly, down toward the flood control dam. We turned around and ended up with a two hour outing with about 35 bird species. We earned the bacon and pancakes with maple syrup that I cooked outside after our return.
This campground is the last place where Mary and I camped – we had a lovely time last fall. Saturday marked the two-month anniversary of her death so the walks, bike rides, even the black flies that loved her and ignored me, are gentle reminders. One advantage of knowing most bird calls is that you can bird with tears in your eyes.
After trading some honey for future goodies from my friends at the Post Office Cafe, Penny and I launched on a short shakedown cruise. My brother had lent me a bike rack so we strapped on the old man’s bicycle and we were off.
One of the objectives is to zero in on just what I need to bring on next month’s western trip, where to stow stuff so that it doesn’t shake, rattle, and roll as we head over rough spots and negotiate curves. We never heard that when it was all back in the trailer.
Since we had plenty of time and a gorgeous Vermont day, I decided to take Route 100. It was a good diversion – just plain Vermont for much of the way. It is definitely a ski route as we first hit Sugarbush, then the Killington complex, and then Okemo in Ludlow.
As is the case every summer, there were several one lane bridge repairs and many resurfacing projects. We complain about potholes for six months and traffic delays the other six. Friday was too perfect a day to fret over some stops besides, I had no schedule and Penny certainly did not.
One of my favorite spots of this route is the chain of lakes north of Ludlow where a half century ago, I spent several great summers at Boy Scout camp. Now a state park, Camp Plymouth was special. A good friend from those times – a long-time classmate – Doug Allen said to me not too long ago, “Dick, I often wish I was back there weaving lanyards out of gimp.” I certainly agreed.
After Weston, where Dad was in the CCC’s, we came to South Londonderry, Mom’s hometown. There are no relatives left there but many memories.
Mary and I came here to Winhall Brook Campground last fall and loved its peacefulness and beauty. This time I opted for one of the no-hookup sites along the brook.
Of course, the narrow bridge is always a bit of a challenge.
So, Penny and I are on a grassy site right beside the brook. It’s quiet – bird song and gurgling water noises. We just took a good bike ride down the rail trail and after a decent supper, need to go to town for bread and a 3G signal.
When I see remnants of the West River Railroad like I did while camping this week, I think of my dad. About 80 years ago, he was a poor kid from Lynn, MA who signed up for the Civilian Conservation Corps and travelled by train to Brattleboro. There he boarded a small self-propelled train that chugged up the West River Railway to South Londonderry.
This bridge abutment marks the crossing point for the old West River Railroad
Dad was stationed at the CCC camp in Weston and excelled in athletics, particularly local road races. His group built the highway, by pick and shovel and wheelbarrow, now Route 100, up over the mountain to Ludlow. The best thing he did was to meet my mom, a South Londonderry girl, at a local dance and as they say, the rest is history.
The railroad was thirty-six miles long (There is a famous old book on it called “Thirty-six Miles of Trouble) and ran from Brattleboro to South Londonderry.
A rail trail along the old track bed now allows recreational users to enjoy the wonderful scenery.
While camping at Winhall Brook Campground, Penny and I did some exploring of the West River trail. From the north section of the park the trail goes a little less than three miles to South Londonderry. From the south section, you head south for a mile or so and run into the obstacles created by the construction of the Ball Mountain flood control dam.
The trail heading south from the campground. Firm and level, great for biking or walking.
We ran into bad weather and cut our camping stay short so I never checked out the hike up to an overlook to see the dam. However, there is a lot of information online on the trail which, with some breaks, continues down to Brattleboro.
Even the campground playgrounds have a railroad theme
My grandfather was a railroad engineer living in South Londonderry who was killed in a train accident in Connecticut when Mom was young. He rode the West River Railroad to work for years.
The West River Railway is part of our family DNA. It is great to see the local efforts made to restore the rail bed for horses, cyclists, hikers, skiers and snowmobilers. All aboard!
On our first night at Winhall Brook Campground, a crisp fall temperature taxed our puny electric heater so we cranked up the radiant heater in the early morning to take off the chill. Penny loves it; she curls up right in front of the heater, toasting herself.
After a morning walk ( Broadwing Hawk and Winter Wren best birds), I sat in the sun outside the welcome center checking emails and blogs.
This is the water/electric loop. We are at S19 which is nice. The units are closer together than many of the no-hookup sites.
There was a lot of turnover in the loop today with three big rigs showing up. Foliage season is starting to attract many visitors. The colors are improving each day.
We took a mid-day drive a few miles up to the local cemetery where my Dad and Mom, and both my Pearson grandparents are buried. It is a beautiful site with a view of Glebe Mountain and a number of maples starting to show brilliant orange and red. Mary and I weeded and cleaned up around the gravestone – it was a good visit. Many of my aunts and uncles are buried there as well.
After fueling the truck in Londonderry, we bought a Vermont Apple pie and some local ice cream for supper.
This place has been in business for 20 years and while a tourist attraction, makes a mean apple pie.
Last night, we had a delightful young couple from North Carolina over for dinner. It was simple: salad, spaghetti with meat sauce, bread, apple pie and ice cream. We never socialize but this was fun: they are tent-camping for three weeks around the Northeast and in the midst of car problems so this was a nice break for them.
I checked out the north loop this morning (Red-eyed Vireo, Gray Catbirds) which was empty. There are some excellent lean-to sites along the brook and the West River. I wasn’t impressed by any of the RV sites although some looked fine. There are no hookups on the North loop but a clean restroom, nice playground, and an attractive pavilion.
The West River looking south. Winhall Brook enters from the right. Water levels are low.
We have showers in the forecast today and serious weather system hitting later on. At first, we planned to just hunker down and read – and be glad that we are not tent-camping in the wet. Been there, done that.
Taking a closer look at the forecast once we found 4G coverage, we decided to hook up and headed home early rather than slog home tomorrow in heavy rain. We’ll definitely be back.