Author Archives: uvlocalvores

Today was a beautiful warm fall day – great for exploring the western end of the MRG.  We accessed the trail from the back of the Price Chopper parking lot on the Miracle Mile where a dirt road descends from an opening in the trees. And who should we meet but Paul Coats, Director of Lebanon Recreation and Parks, and, with Frank Gould, main mover on the MRG project.

Paul had come to see if a pile of rails had been trucked away – they had.  Progress!  (Note the new rock fill on the left to prevent erosion.)

We set off westward toward the Terri Dudley Bridge, currently the west end of the trail.

The trail is wide and graded looking west.

Loop – straight leads to bridge over Mascoma River and the Terri Dudley Bridge – Right leads down to the river

We took the left fork and headed west.

A remnant from the past: this is an old railroad loading station for whatever business was above it on Mechanic St. There used to be a set of side tracks leading to the structure.

Looking Westward

Bridge over Mascoma River with Terri Dudley Bridge (RT 4) overhead

Instead of crossing the bridge, we looped to the right heading back eastward to follow along the river.

We kept spotting an elusive cormorant paddling and diving here.

Cormorant territory

Eventually, we passed our entry point and kept heading east.

Deer tracks!

Addi, Pidi, and Daisy

We met Addi walking her dogs, Pidi and Daisy.  They are all frequent walkers on the MRG. (An unfortunate encounter with an aggressive driver on a road walk has spooked Pidi into fear of walking on roads.) They have easy access to the trail from home; Addi’s husband cross-country skied the MRG to work in downtown Lebanon about a dozen times last winter!

Fill and grading has helped eliminate some of the wet areas on this part of the trail . . . but eventually, the dry areas became more narrow.  Addi and her pups continued eastward to check the condition of the blocked bridge over the Mascoma River. (The front page photo of today’s Valley News featured work being done on that bridge.)  Addi agreed to taking a photo of the bridge as we rested on a pile of ties.

Addi & pups continue eastward

We chatted with this biker who told us how much safer he feels on the trail as compared to roads.  He was pleased with how his bike was handling here.

Addi returned with this photo of the bridge over the Mascoma River (looking eastward.) Upon completion of this bridge work, the trail will be clear from the pocket park by the tunnel (behind Goss-Logan Insurance) in downtown Leb to the Terri Dudley Bridge.

Heading westward back to starting point.

This part of the trail was impassable just a few weeks ago. There’s work to be done but we’re getting there!

Old Stone Retaining Wall

These stone retaining walls had us marveling at the effort involved in creating this railroad line without the equipment available today: the cutting of the stone, the transport, the buttressing of the hillsides . . . beautifully built and made to last.

And here we are back at the dirt road leading up to the parking lot. Shoes a little muddy, but impressed by all that has been accomplished. Glad to know the blocked bridge over the Mascoma is progressing and that soon this part of the trail will be graded and hard-packed .  .  .  and the eastern section is scheduled to be paved this month!

(Thanks to Polly Gould for the walk and many of the photos.)

Kiosk at intersection of Mascoma, High, and Mechanic streets

Today was hot and humid; we welcomed the shade and dappled light at the entrance to the trail at the junction of Mascoma, Mechanic and High streets.

Walking to the overpass near APD, the trail was wide and nicely graded.

Heavy equipment to accomplish the job

A tangle of vines in the trees.

Walnuts on the ground alerted us to a black walnut tree with nuts high above .

We were attracted to the bright red berries of the Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcmara) along the trail.  The berries are toxic.

It is also called Climbing Nightshade, appropriate, given how high the plant had climbed.

Woody Nightshade /Climbing Nightshade

Mile Marker 139

Erected before the Civil War by the new Northern Railroad to mark distances from Concord to White River Jct., the mile markers along the rails were relocated when the line was absorbed by the Boston & Maine in 1887. The posts then ticked off the 143 miles from Mile 0.00 at B – North Station, Boston – to the terminus at WRJ – Mile 142.92 in VT. (Thanks to the Northern Rail Trail site for this information.)

Through the trees, we could see Jake’s on Mechanic Street, a destination for some of the walkers we encountered on the trail. Proximity to Mechanic Street made us realize that, on weekdays, walkers could walk one way on the trail and then hop an Advance Transit bus for the return trip.

To locate an Advance Transit bus stop:

1. Go to Google Transit by clicking on the link below.

2. Drag the map to display the general area you are interested in, or enter a starting and ending point in the “Directions” box.

3. Zoom in on the map until bus stop symbols appear.

4. Click on a bus stop symbol to see the name of the stop and the names of the bus routes that serve this location.

5. Click on the “Street View” picture to get a look at the stop. You may need to click and drag the picture to bring the bus stop sign into view.

GO TO GOOGLE TRANSIT NOW

And remember Advance Transit buses can carry bikes.

A number of homes on Mascoma Street have easy access to the trail.

We encountered several walkers and bikers on the trail. Near our destination, the overpass by APD, we met a woman with her dog “Willow”; they are frequent walkers here.  She used to walk the tracks all the way to West Lebanon and is very eager for the bridge over the Mascoma River to be repaired, and for the MRG to be completed.  Aren’t we all?! It is exciting to see we are well on our way.

Looking east toward our starting point, happy with the progress on this lovely trail.

Looking eastward toward the intersection of Mechanic, Mascoma, and High streets

Take a little walk with us to see the progress on the MRG from the Mechanic St./Mascoma St. overpass by Alice Peck Day Hospital (APD), across the bridge over Interstate 89 (in back of Longacre’s) and up to the first bridge that crosses the Mascoma River (east of Timken.)

This is the MRG as it crosses the overpass by APD (you can see a car on the right heading under the bridge.) Tracks and rails have been removed.  A safety rail will be installed here.

Heading west, a safety rail is partially installed by a small pond. Rails and tracks are gone and the trail has been widened and graded.

The approach to the I-89 bridge

I-89 bridge

Much of the trail is now broad and graded like this.

This is the bridge over the Mascoma River. It is currently in poor repair and blocked, and therefore, the end of our westward walk. Lots of work needed here! Progress has been made at the far end of this bridge, and we will report on that progress soon.

Looking east from the blocked Mascoma River bridge notice the post hole digger.  Such a major project!

Heading back east, we encountered these mountain bikers who have already discovered the enjoyment of the improved trail! (We also saw a number of walkers – commuting to Renihan Meadows?)

Back at our starting point off of Mascoma Street, by the overpass, some of the equipment and materials being used. This little walk has impressed us with the scale of this project and how much has been accomplished.  We will soon bring you up to date on the western end of the trail.