It was 22 degrees when I left the house last Sunday to explore a section of rail trail that I’d never been on, but had wondered about for years. It was cold but not as cold as Saturday, so I was able to dawdle and look for those special things that are hidden in plain sight.
One of those special things is this group of plum trees that grows beside the trail. 3 or 4 years ago logging contractors hired by the electric utility came through here and cut every living thing on their right of way except these plum trees, and that’s very strange. Here you had a strip of totally bare ground that stretched for miles but these plum trees were left standing. Why? How did the electric utility know that they were special trees? Do they have a botanist who goes ahead of the loggers / brush cutters? Native plum trees are worth saving. These are the only ones I’ve ever seen.
Something else that I think is special is this old bridge; the only one I know of that is still held up by wooden timbers. Trains once passed under it and I’ve driven over it many times but it is closed to all but foot traffic now. I think I heard that it will be replaced, which I’m sure will make the people of this neighborhood very happy.
The bridge uprights in the previous photo might look a little spindly but they’re actually stout 12 X 12 inch timbers that probably look as good as they did when the bridge was built. The railroad built things to last and many of the bridges and trestles along these rail trails have been here for nearly 150 years.
Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) was trying to take the bridge down. The railroad would’ve never let this happen. If the bridge wasn’t going to be replaced I’d report this to the town because it wouldn’t be long before the bridge was covered with it.
This vine was loaded with berries and that’s a good thing, because when berries remain on the vine it means fewer are being scattered by the birds.
I’ve walked just a short way down this rail trail before but I’ve turned around at the bridge because beyond there was a huge ankle deep mud hole that never seemed to dry up. Going through it looked like it would have meant a boot full of mud so I turned around, but then the snowmobile club came along and cleaned up the original drainage ditches and replaced gravel on the trail, and now it is mud free. This photo shows how cold it was; the drainage ditches were frozen.
The snowmobile club has also put crushed stone on the embankments on either side of the trail near the bridge, trying to stabilize them and probably minimize runoff at the same time. I hope everyone will do what they can to help their local snowmobile clubs. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have many of these trails to enjoy.
I’m sure you must have noticed the high tension electric wires in several of these photos. The electric utility ran their lines very close to the railroad tracks and walking this rail trail so near to them bothered me, because it was one of these wires that fell and electrocuted a maintenance worker in Keene a few years ago. It was on the ground and he accidentally got too close to it. I made sure that it looked like all of these were hanging the way they were supposed to.
This Pigeon didn’t seem to be bothered by me or the electricity. It seemed odd to see a single bird. They usually stay in large flocks here.
I’ve probably driven past this old brick building a hundred times but I’ve always seen the other side, which is by the road. This is the first time I’ve ever seen this side. It looks like bittersweet was trying to take it over like the bridge. When walking on rail trails I sometimes forget that I can be walking through people’s back yards. I try to respect their privacy and don’t go poking around, so I have no idea what this building is or why it is here. I’d like to find out its history one day. It certainly was well built, and that tells me it must have been connected to the railroad somehow. It was just feet from the railbed.
Someone rode through on one of those bikes with wide, under inflated tires. It was about as wide as an adult foot, apparently. They seem to do fine on snow but I wonder how they are on ice. There is lots of it to be found right now, and it can be anywhere.
There are bars across most rail trails to keep people from driving on them but in winter they’re unlocked to let snowmobiles use them. They would have been just about ready to be locked up again but we had a nor’easter dump about a foot of snow on us Tuesday, so they’ll stay open for a while yet.
I thought someone had made a brush pile out of white pine (Pinus strobus) branches but it was an odd shape and relatively small size, and it was crowded between some trees. It didn’t look right for a brush pile.
As I walked around it I saw that it had a small doorway in it. I could have crawled through it on my hands and knees. Instead I bent down and stuck the camera through the doorway and snapped the shutter a few times.
It was big, open, one room hut, complete with another doorway and folding chairs. You can just see the folded chair legs on the right. There was nobody inside but I’m guessing if there were they would have boys about 10-12 years old; because that’s about the age I was when I built things like this. We called them hideouts and many magical things happened in them. I just couldn’t leave without getting on my knees and peeking inside. It was like being in a time machine; I felt like a boy again.
I think one of the best finds of the day was a pile of black cherry logs (Prunus serotina) covered with cinnabar polypores (Pycnoporus Cinnabarinus.) These bright red orange bracket fungi grow on beech, birch, oak, and black cherry.
The tough cinnabar polypore is red orange on its underside as well as its upper surface. It is considered rare and is found in North America and Europe. This is only the second time I’ve seen it and both times were in winter, but it is said to grow year ‘round. It is also said to be somewhat hairy but I didn’t notice this. They turn white as they age and older examples look nothing like this one.
A cinnabar polypore just coming into being looks like just a red lump but they are a beautiful color; quite startling against the white snow and dark tree trunk.
Something else that had me feeling like a boy again was this Baltimore oriole nest hanging from a tree branch. I couldn’t have been more than 13 or 14 last time I saw one. Many nests like this one used to hang throughout the huge 200 year old elm trees that lined my street but Dutch elm disease took the trees and the orioles disappeared. The birds are said to be found in open woodlands, forest edges, orchards, and stands of trees along rivers, in parks, and in backyards. They forage for insects and fruits in brush and shrubbery. I would think all of the wild fruits we have around in this area would attract them but I never see them. Maybe they like the plum trees.
Explore often. Only then will you know how small you are and how big the world is. ~ Pradeepa Pandiyan
Thanks for stopping in.
What a wonderful trail and that hut!
Yes, I liked that too. It made me feel 10 years old again!
I like the fort. We built such magical places as children, too.
The high tension wires are always worth checking out before walking along or under them. I watched one come down on some tree limbs across the street during a winter storm here a few years ago. A rather loud explosion and intense blue light followed by really high flames.
The one that fell here did so because of lack of maintenance on the part of the electric utility. It started a brush fire too, which is what led the unfortunate worker to get too close to it.
Love the final quote. Can you say which section of the RT this is? We live in New London NH and have explored most of our Northern Rail Trail and are ready to discover a new spot.
Thank you. Yes, this is in Swanzey NH near what used to be the Homestead Woolen Mill. The bridge that is closed now used to carry traffic over Christian Hill Road. It’s very easy to find.
Thanks. I’ve never been to Swanzey or to Keene, though we have lived in New Hampshire for eight years, and we are interested in exploring that area, partly thanks to your blog.
It’s a beautiful area. I think you’ll like it!
I thought I recognized that brick building as being on Rt-12 (down in a saddle) just north of swanzey before you go up the hill towards the powerlines, but I’d guess many towns in the Monadnock region have a similar little brick building.
Yes, there are a lot of brick buildings here. This one backs up to the rail trail.
I guess the building I’m thinking of is actually located in Troy on Rt-12, it’s kinda sandwiched between the highway & the rail trail. (google maps 42.8457759,-72.1901922)
Hey is the image of Mt Monadnock on your homepage a view from Dublin Rd between Rt-124 & Rt-101 or a zoomed image from along Rt-101 near Hurricane Hill B&B?
My Daughter took that photo years ago at Perkins Pond on Rt. 124 in Troy. Its a popular spot for photography.
The polyphores are such a lovely colour – I would love to be able to find some like these! I am pleased the plum trees were left standing. It makes such a pleasant change to hear of a conservation-minded utility company! We have electric wires crossing our garden and we walk under them every time we go outside. When a gale blows I do get rather concerned in case they come down on us or our house. The electric company do maintain the wires and poles regularly and actually pay us rent for the two poles on our land! We just have to hope for the best!
Thank you Clare. I like the color of cinnabar polypores too. I can’t think of anything else that wears that same color.
The utility leaving the plum trees standing is a real mystery that I wish I could solve.
They are to be praised for leaving the trees but their lack of maintenance of their poles is what caused the death of the worker, so regular maintenance is important. It sounds like you see plenty of that so I wouldn’t worry.
Years ago I’d observed some orange fungi that kinda glowed in the dark, now I wonder if those fungi were cinnabar polyphores.
They might have been Jack O Lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens.)
Nah I’ve seen Jack O Lanterns glowing during a new moon autumn night.
I only noticed the glowing fungi because I was dragging a deer out of the woods during autumn hunting season & had sat down in the dark to rest a few minutes. My dragging the animal had overturned the branches which the miniature orange turkey tail fungi appeared to emit a purplish glow. IIRC I’d scooped some of the sticky fungi off with a stick & held it up to better observe it. IDK perhaps the glowing purplish light occurred due to a chemical reaction between the decaying wild black cherry being consumed & the hemlock needles the fungi had likely been resting against.
The fungus was very striking. I have never thought of snowmobiles as being anything other than noisy pests but it is good to see that their owners do good things which help others.
Thank you. Yes, I agree about the machines but the owners really do a lot of good. I don’t think we’d have many rail trails without them.
What a joy to have found your wonderful blog. We recently moved to NH from Oklahoma and have enjoyed hiking and snowshoeing. While snowshoeing on the Piney Point trail at the Franklin Dam we came across a fallen tree loaded with cinnabar polypores. Thanks for identifying them for us.
I’ve shared your blog with a long time resident who has also remarked how informative your blog is and how excellent are the accompanying photos.
Thanks for sharing your love of nature.
Cheryl F.
Thanks very much Cheryl and welcome to New Hampshire! The cinnabar polypores were quite a find, but I think you’ll have many more wonderful finds ahead of you in this beautiful state. The most beautiful season of all is just around the corner.
Thank you for sharing the blog. I’m happy to know that you liked it!
Oy, again with the Oriental Bittersweet. What a menace. Very cool to spot a Baltimore Oriole nest, though! We have them in the garden, but I have never seen a nest.
Yes, I’m seeing bittersweet wherever I go and it really is a menace. Unfortunately there will be no stopping it.
I’ve heard from a reader of a place where there are supposed to be Baltimore oriole nests so you might see more of them here.
Exploring that new place must have felt really good, especially seeing things that revived old memories!
Thanks Montucky! It was great to follow a new trail and what a gift it is to be able to feel like a boy again!
It’s always nice to go out and find new places/things. A few years ago, I planted some native plums in my yard. I hope the next homeowner will enjoy them. Love the hideout, we used to call them forts.
The next owners should love those trees Laura, they’re beautiful when they bloom!
For some reason we always called snow shelters forts.
Your story about those plum trees was most interesting, if you ever find out why they were left do tell us. I liked your quote too.
Thank you Susan. I’d like to know more about those plum trees. I was really surprised to see them still standing!
Likely because the plum trees are very similar size as crabapple trees, they don’t grow tall enough to pose a risk of damaging the high tension power lines due to wind or ice storm damage. Remember all the downed tree limbs in December 2008? Plum trees aren’t much of a liability to the utility company & that’s very likely why they were left standing.
Yes, I do remember that ice storm. Still odd that the power company cut everything else; every bush and tree no matter the size was cut, except those trees.