It was colder (high 30s) and very foggy/misty this morning - rain was forecasted and I wasn’t exactly sure how much “dry” I’d be able to get outside... Undeterred, I decided to walk some more Northern Rail Trail with whatever time was available! After Mass (0800), I got on I-89 and headed south. I thought that I could delay the onset of precipitation by heading in this direction and this decision took me back towards the village of Danbury (about 30 miles from home). I had to use my wipers all the way (I-89, NH-11, US-4) and it didn’t look like I’d made a good decision by the time I parked at the trailhead across the street from the Danbury Country Store (0945). Despite the likelihood of getting really wet, I departed my car in the direction of Boston... What a difference a month of changing temps made - there was still a little snow (and a few icy spots) on the trail but there was zero chance of meeting a snowmobile. Fortunately, it wasn’t muddy enough to be tough on footing, either. The railroad route in this area was built with a turn of almost 90 degrees (towards the south) after around 30 miles going east from WRJ - this obviously helped the trains, since they could follow smooth terrain between Danbury and Andover. I walked for more than three miles on the old railroad bed before I found a road crossing (other than overpasses) and I didn’t see any people at all. I could hear US-4, which paralleled the NRT, saw distant rooftops and smelled wood-stove smoke. Along the way, I passed several boggy areas, small ponds and a long creek (Frazier Brook) that stayed close to the trail. Being in a relatively wild environment gave me a chance for several animal encounters: a HUGE splash (otter?) in water just a few feet away; a fresh set of tracks made by a large animal (moose?) that followed the trail for a mile; a wide spread of northbound Canadian Geese overhead (following the road/railroad/creek?). At one point, I found myself standing just feet away from two big Holstein bulls - no fence between us. They didn’t move but stared at me as I continued past... Didn’t need the big golf umbrella until I turned around near the South Danbury Christian Church (near Eagle Lake and the town line). Walking back to the car was a wet slog - if I hadn’t also dressed warmly, it might have been really bad for my health. My second pass by the bulls was also uneventful (whew). Fortunately, I got back to town before the sky really opened up with rain. Fortunately, I was done (after walking more than six miles) by 1215 and didn't get too wet. As it rained on my car, I followed US-4 back towards home, arriving just after 1400. Very pleased to have gotten so much outdoor time on an otherwise “lost day”!
