May 26, 2018 – Massachusetts – Ashland State Park

Today we visited Ashland State Park, located in Ashland, Massachusetts. Ashland State Park is a 470 Acre Park with a 157 Acre Reservoir. The Park has a dam, a spillway, and several beaches for guests. The Park was initially created when the Reservoir was built in 1895. Ashland State Park has several fun facts, with a movie partly partially being filmed there in August 2014 (“Sea of Trees”), and even a helicopter crash in August 2016.

We spent almost four hours at this amazingly beautiful park, mostly traversing the trail around the Reservoir. We arrived bright and early, leading us to meet many, many other dog friends. I choose Ashland State Park today, as I knew it would be a hot day, and thought it was a perfect way for the dogs to cool down. Although Wilma is not a swimmer, she waded and sipped some water along the way. Shadow continually swam, and often enjoyed just sitting in the Reservoir. We enjoyed many stops for these water moments, and also spent some time at the dam, where Wilma even found a little turtle! We saw a beaver dam along the trail, crossed some unique bridges, found some good sticks for chewing, and some round rocks for climbing. This was really a great find, and as usual I took plenty of photographs along the way. Definitely a perfect location for a hot New England day (Rating: 5)

Throwback Adventure – Quechee Gorge , Vermont – October 2016

I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Throwback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing.

Shadow, Buster, and I journeyed to the Quechee Gorge in October 2016. We have been there other times, but this trip we thoroughly explored the Park. Sadly Buster has passed away since, but he definitely enjoyed his share of adventures. He was an amazing boy, and will always be missed!

The Quechee Gorge is located in the Quechee State Park in Quechee, Vermont. It is the deepest gorge in Vermont, plunging 165 feet. The Ottauquechee River flows through the bottom of the Gorge. The Gorge can be viewed from the bridge above, located directly on Route 4. This scenic view really cannot be missed as it is plastered with tourists peering over the bridge for a view, and snapping photographs. There are also trails along the Gorge, which allow for varied views of the River, and Gorge.

We choose a beautiful Fall day for this visit to the Gorge. We climbed to the bottom trail to view the Gorge, which revealed the bridge from afar. From there we hiked the opposite direction finding more trails, and even a little area for the dogs to swim. It was nice to get good some good exercise, and enjoy the colorful Fall foliage. The most beautiful spot really was the view of the Gorge directly off the bridge. The pictures I took really could not capture the beauty of this location. (Rating: 4)

Also, while in the area we stopped at the Quechee Covered Bridge, which spans the Ottauquechee River. The bridge was rebuilt after being severely damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene in 2011. (Rating: 3)

The many adventures we had in October 2016 are especially precious in my heart as it was the last month of adventures we would have before losing Buster. We are so grateful that he was able to live life to the fullest.

May 20, 2018 – Massachusetts – Minuteman National Historic Park

Today we visited Minuteman National Historic Park, which we have visited before. This Park includes the towns of Lincoln, Concord, and Lexington. Minuteman National Park commemorates the opening battle in the American Revolutionary War. The park encompasses over 900 acres of land, and includes the North Bridge, “The Battle Road Trail”, and The Wayside Inn.

We strolled along the trails, over the North Bridge, stopping at various landmarks, along, and adjacent to the trail. It was a humid spring day, a good excuse for Shadow to enjoy a swim in the Concord River. Wilma herself enjoyed a good bark at the Daniel Chester French’s statue “Minute Man” (video below.) She must know history is really not my thing, a good reason to add a history stop to our adventures. (Rating: 3)

May 19, 2018 – Massachusetts – Bancroft Castle

Today we had our second adventure to Bancroft’s Castle in Groton. (I therefore will include pictures from our first visit too, just last November). Bancroft’s Castle was built in 1906 by General William Bancroft on Gibbet Hill in Groton, Massachusetts. Much of this Castle was destroyed in July 1932 during a fire. The Castle and trails are now part of Groton’s conservation land, so it can be enjoyed by all.

A steep, but short walk up a hill brings you to this small Castle, neighboring a local pasture. The Castle itself is towering in height, but yet small in area. I took many photos as we walked throughout the ruins of the Castle. Wilma enjoyed jumping throughout the hideouts, while Shadow was eager to pose for photos, my treat driven boy. After enjoying this unique spot, we wandered the nearby trails. This area gives quite the view of the town of Groton and surrounding areas. The Castle is quite the hidden gem. (Rating: 4)

May 19, 2018

November 4, 2017

April 22 and 23, 2018 – Getaway to Connecticut

My first blog starts as we journey into Connecticut for a two day getaway. On our drive to Connecticut we broke up the trip with a visit to the Westville Dam Recreation area in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This Dam was designed and constructed by the US Army Corps of engineers, and was completed in 1962. We traversed around the Quinebaug Lake on the 1.8 trail loop. It was a beautiful morning the sun was streaming through the trees, the water sparkling, and the beginning of blooming buds in view. This trail varied from a feel of natural beauty, to a more commercial feel. This short trail was a favorable way to stretch our legs. (Rated: 2)

We then arrived at our first stop in Connecticut, the West Cornwall covered Bridge in West Cornwall, Connecticut, spanning the Housatonic River. Although this bridge was last modernized in 1973 it is estimated that it may have been in this location as early as 1762. Wilma’s agile frame jumped from rock to rock, while Shadow enjoyed wading in the cool River water. We stopped to take some photos, and enjoyed a stroll along the river. (Rated: 4)

Next we journeyed to the Kent Falls State Park in Kent, CT. Pulling into the parking lot my eyes were promptly drawn to Kent Falls, a massive waterfall, plunging 250 feet in less than a quarter of a mile. As we wandered toward the Falls we walked beneath the Kent Falls covered bridge, a lattice bridge, spanning just 37 feet across. We then followed the Housatonic River directly to the bottom of Kent Falls. The waterfall provided several opportunities to climb, with various cascades streaming down. Although a beautiful waterfall I found this site to be very touristy, which seemed to dampen my excitement in this brilliant site. There were several trails in this park, but I decided to keep moving, as we had many appealing sites planned. (Rating: 3)

Next we journeyed to Bull’s Bridge in Kent, CT, spanning the Housatonic River. The first instance of this bridge was in 1760, while the current bridge was built in 1842. This stop was a nice surprise as in my hasty research I located a bridge, neglecting to see all the other brilliant sites. Our hike in this area led us to rushing river rapids, a dam, and numerous trails with stunning views. This was one of those locations that we really could have explored for the day. (Rating: 3)

Our last stop of the day was at Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent CT. This park has trails that lead to the mountain peaks, offering views of the Catskills and Taconics. Our visit to Macedonia Brook Park was short, as dusk was upon us, and we did not traverse the mountain trails. We wandered briefly, and enjoyed the sounds of the babbling brooks, and an adorable “must-photograph” bridge. I think this photo of Shadow and Wilma became my favorite picture of the day. A peaceful and quiet place to wrap up Day One of our getaway. (Rating: 3)