A Nice Surprise

Lil and I went to Steep Rock last Saturday, expecting to pick our way through the remains of the road again. It has been in rough shape since the October flood. But, lo! The Road Fairy had been there and restored the tortured lane to stunning splendor. The surface is so solid and smooth that equestrians, runners and cyclists could overshoot the 10 mph speed limit without noticing. They could even hit 30....well, maybe not the runners. Still, ok for a dirt road.

The main road washed away during the 2011 spring thaw, when the Shepaug river flooded, to everyone's great dismay. The road got fixed and the gate opened for cars just in time for the Fourth of July, and the rest of the trails were fine. Cars could pass in the summer and early fall, but "Snoctober" brought crashing trees and more flooding.


The uprooted trees and broken branches made a gargantuan mess, which got cleaned up surprisingly fast, but the road had remained in a skeletal state all winter. Two major engineering projects in one year may have been a bit much.

Anyway, kudos to the land trust for its usual high standards of maintenance. They do a great job of keeping the preserve clean and safe, and the runners and riders who condition there really count on it.
And thanks to the Road Fairy! We'll spread the joy.

Lil and I will check out other trails and report back.

The River in Springtime, 14 x 18, Oil