New Hiking Area Found

[semiotic_pirate]

Today was great. I got so much done. I even have a very good line (almost guaranteed) on being able to take that summer course that I was (wrongly) going to try and self-study. Of course, this involves getting an alternative education loan... Gah. And the classes (you have to take at least 5 credits in order to qualify for financial aid...) one of which I NEED DESPERATELY, the other I picked is an online World Regional Geography course. I've taken something like the latter before and it is a "low" level course, should be interesting too. Culture, social, economic discourse on non-western countries. PLEASE OH PLEASE LET ME GET APPROVED (conditionally approved right now, just waiting on the interaction between the bank and the school I think).

Late this afternoon I went out with crabbyolbastard to take a look at the old drive in movie theater that he poked around in yesterday (he's got the inevitable pictures up, and yes they are awesome). I found the projection room! ::pats self on back:: The place is almost completely overgrown, carved up by ATV/MOTOCROSS trails that circle and cut through the area. After the photoshoot was done we started walking down one of the trails and I started to notice EGGS. These were what I assumed to be reptile egg nests of some kind, possibly turtle. They may have been pillaged or they may have been hatched. Hard to tell. CoB thinks that they were pillaged by a FISHER. Then he tells me (as we continue walking) that there is also this trout brook restoration area (actually located within Bolton Notch State Park). Right there off of 384W, just after getting off of Route 44 there it is. This huge agglomeration of trails, some just foot paths, others rails to trails sized bike paths. Some of them circle this AMAZING wetland (including a few overlook sites where you can sit on rocks) others go through this rocky area that has moss and dripping water - so soothing and shady cool. There were many more that we will have to explore some other day. The trail that we started on (that connects the Old Drive-In Movie site with the Bolton Notch Pond trails is something called FREJA PARK. Yes, the Norse goddess has her own park, right here at the Coventry/Manchester border. That's were we found out about the Fishers. Apparently, they've release a few into the area, there is one of those posters at the head of the trail describing the park and detailing the lifestyle and habits of Fishers. They don't fish btw. Heh.

The only thing I had a problem with were some new inlet pipes on the 384 side of the wetland that I am HOPING is just for road runoff and not anything more sinister.

Tomorrow, we'll be off (eventually) to the CT HIstorical Society's bash on the green on the west side of Hartford. There will be celtic folk and traditional/modern folk music - people bringing lawn chairs and picnic baskets... Looking to be some good times. The best thing is that Hugh Bloomenfeld is going to be there!! WHOO HOO!

Comments

[kriz1818.livejournal.com]

Hey, I know that drive-in. I've driven *past* it any number of times, anyhow. I'm glad you were both feeling up to hiking.

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

Yep, it was more like a stroll through most of it - though the trail leading from the movie area to the DEP restoration site was a bit of hilliness. Especially that last bit, almost vertical downhill scrabble using roots as footholds to keep from doing the "slide down on the butt" routine.

[surelle.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds like a great hiking place. I think my boss goes hiking there. She was telling me about a place that they go in Hebron that has a decent waterfall. I'd like to check that out sometime.

I suppose fishers have to go somewhere, and being away from residential areas is better than not. My friend the wildlife bio major tells me that fishers are nasty. Don't they occasionally go after cats?

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

If they do, it is more of a territorial issue rather than as prey... The list of preferred prey animals was up on the board within the description. They're related to both the weasel and marmot - haven't seen one yet so I don't have any opinion of them.

[jandriel.livejournal.com]

Good luck with your loan situation! Financial Aid at my school bit the big beef balls, but hopefully somewhere out there is a system that works for students!!

[semiotic-pirate.livejournal.com]

Yeah, hopefully this will work. I had a shitty bit of non-advising advisory crap back when I first started the program - when I should have been told to take this originally (it is usually only offered in the fall, I lucked out that there will be someone teaching it this summer).

You ever notice that by the time you figure out how to work the system to your advantage you are just about to graduate? Yeah, that's how this works, you don't ever know any better until it is too late.