Wild And Remote Debar Pond - Part 1

It was already afternoon and rain was predicted soon, yet the sun was still shining and I decided to take the dogs to Debar Pond. We drove 30 miles to this overgrown sign and parking area, far off the main roads:

We walked up the dirt lane to the trail head, where I signed the register and called the pooches to begin our hike:

There were beautiful yellow mushrooms along the way:

This was a short hike, but a scenic one. Much of it was on elevated planks through a cedar swamp:

There clearly hadn't been much maintenance done and much of the wood was rotting:

We crossed over this lovely stream:

And continued on through the cedar swamp:

Joe-Pye-Weed was blooming profusely wherever it could take root near water:

The planks were springy and saggy, a little worrisome for an old codger like me with leg braces. But I was careful, in one place even getting on my hands and knees to get past a particularly rickety spot:

The little dogs weren't worried about falling, though. They even wrestled and played as they traversed the planks:

And there were occasional side trips for the small dogs:

Big Seamus, however, wasn't so agile and did take a spill off the planks into the swamp. He managed to right himself and get back up onto the boardwalk without any help from me. We were almost to Debar Pond. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Hopkinton To Fort Jackson - Part 2

I was about halfway between Hopkinton and Fort Jackson on my driving tour of County Route 49. I passed the Hopkinton Highway Garage:

And old farm houses with barns out back:

Most homes had metal roofs, protection against severe winters:

And most homes had front porches and shade trees:

This nicely mowed stretch of lawn was somebody's side yard, complete with Spruce trees and backed up by corn fields:

An old carriage house:

And an old barn, now beginning to sag and lean:

Two porches, shade trees and lots of vines - this looked to me like comfortable country living at its best:

A very old home with an old fashioned tin roof and a screened, wrap-around porch:

This old hay field had even more Goldenrod in it than mine:

This large, old home has been being renovated and is looking quite spiffy these days:

I passed by this old, abandoned church with a "For Sale" sign on the door. I recently learned that it formerly was a Unitarian church. It would seem that the north country here was at one time a hotbed of Unitarianism, with many churches and even a college. Today, all that is left is one church in Canton, albeit a large, active and lively church:

I ended my tour as I crossed the bridge over the St. Regis River: