***On the Trail***
Last November, Bug and I came up here to Catamont Hill for a look around. We hiked up via East Catamount Rd, and so this year we thought it would be interesting to see the North side of the mountain, and the north side of the Pond in the late summer. Hey, we might take a dip!! (Boy, would we ever..) My friend Cindy lives at Destiny Acre Farm and told me it was OK to park the adventuremobile by her driveway.
Last year, November 2007, Bug was coming off surgery and wasn't feeling too great , his fur fell off and I had a jacket for him if he got cold. But this year, no worries, his coat has grown back in and he is feeling fine.
The road in was actually a path, about big enough for a snowmobile, which is the only traffic, other than a few horses, that the trail sees. The trail leads right to a 4-corner intersection just past a nice open pasture. When we arrived at the 4-corners, I forgot that the way to the north edge of the pond was to take the first left after E. Catamont Rd. We just kept going straight. I thought the left was past the 4-corners. OOPS.. Did I mention that it had been raining hard the last week, and the Summer had been generally much wetter than usual?
We passed a beaver pond to our right that I remembered from last year and forded the place in the trail where the beaver dam had created a small creek. No problem there, but soon enough, we had a decision to make. Just about the place where I thought there would be a trail off to the left, leading to the Pond, there appeared a small obstacle. The trail was under 4 feet of water. The beaver dams usually keep the trail dry, but so much rain water flooded over the beaver dykes (the Beaver ponds are actually abouve the trail here anyway) and if we were going to proceed, we would have to wade(me)/swim(Bug). I had my boat shoes with me so I left my sneakers at the edge of the water and replaced my footwear. My feet would not soon forget
Engage!
Anyone seen the Pond?
Actually the water was refreshing, and it was a nice day. Bug managed fine and I assumed we would find the trail to the Pond momentarily. But after continuing along the trail for another 1/4 mile, I realized that we were going to end up at the South end of the pond after all. OK, fine...
Another 1/2 mile or so led us to a trail off to the left that I was pretty sure would lead us to McLeod. And after some winds and turns, it did. But I could feel the blisters beginning to build on my toes. Ouch, babe. But might as well enjoy it here for awhile!
Heading Back to Destiny Acres
Well, we were ready to head back. The day had been interesting and I had to get out of these shoes pronto. Bug was ready for some chow. At this end of the pond there are literally dozens of trails, and we had to peck our way through some wrong turns before we got headed safely north. When we approached the part of the trail that was under water, I noticed a path off to the right that seemed to circle around the water. We headed in that direction and it did indeed get us around the water, but we landed well above the Beaver Dam and the spot where I left my sneakers. Hmmm... Well, i'll be back, (-: and we were smelling the barn. We passed this monument to the first US Flag flying above a public school house and I recognized most of these names. These families still live right here in this part of Franklin County. Makes you think.
We'll be back for my sneakers!!
Well, we hiked up to the edge of the water on the underwater trail and I can report that my sneakers were gone. They are probably someplace very interesting now. I think we'll come back in May. Can't come soon enough...
