Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A Two Day Spell


Following last Sunday's rainstorm we were gifted with two beautiful late November days.  On Monday my hope was that thanks to Sunday's rain there'd be enough water for gaining entry to Heard Pond from the Sudbury River.  After finding the Route 20 boat launch closed due to some bridge work, I launched at River Rd. in Wayland on a fast warming morning.  Reaching the spot on the river where a winding route to the pond begins, a small beaver dam there required a slide-over.
Finding my way to the pond resulted in considerable contact with shrubbery which was of a more intimate nature than desired.  Eventually, I found myself in Heard Pond (opening photo).
Some other photos:



Returned to the river via the same route.  Thanks to whoever provided this trail marker...
...it definitely helped.

Once back on the river I headed upstream to the ridge that separates the two bodies of water.  There whiling away the afternoon before the new moon were two white-tail deer...a doe and a buck...
...note the buck's ears peeking over the top of the ridge to the left.

The doe stayed put for awhile...

The buck seemed indifferent to my presence and went about grazing, perhaps knowing he was just about invisible...

Some trash rounded up...
...before it could reach the Merrimack River.

The next day, Tuesday, promised to be warmer still...so I headed west to the Millers River in Orange.

The view from within the culvert under the Pan Am Southern railroad...

Still some iced-over backwaters...

A small campsite near one of the Millers River Blue Trail Paddle stops...

An almost submerged Rowlandson Rock...

The railroad bridge beyond the rock...
...shows that even rust looks good in the sunlight.

Returning to Orange on an afternoon that, while I hated to see it end...
...I'll certainly be thankful for on Thursday.

Some trash gathered up...
...before it could reach the Connecticut River.

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