Big E!!

Tonight's walk lead us through all six New England States, or at least the buildings that represent them. The start of fall in New England is marked by the Big E, the largest fair in the northeast. Where else can you learn about the history of New England, stand in awe of 600 lbs of sculpted butter and enjoy a bacon cheeseburger nestled between two glazed donuts? Since it was a warm and sunny afternoon, we thought we'd head up to West Springfield hoping that midweek might mean less crowds. We were wrong and wandered around the Eastern States Exposition with more than 84,000 of our neighbors, breaking records for that day's attendance (the following day saw 1/5 of that traffic). Our path was determined by our own desire to avoid the daily parade, which we walked right into. Everywhere we went, there it was; floats, marching bands and all. More than 11,000 steps later, we had covered the Avenue of the States, New England Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, while managing to out-maneuver the parade. Deterred by the path of the parade and the dense crowds, we had an interesting evening walking a path determined by what we were trying to avoid, rather than the destinations we had intended to arrive at. We were able to approach a familiar path from a new perspective, which lead to some unexpected discoveries.

Nantucket, MA

A surprise scavenger hunt lead us to the little island of Nantucket, off the coast of Massachusetts. We were greeted by cobblestone streets and old brick sidewalks. Around every corner, this sea village alluded to its foothold in early American history. Arriving after dark, we rambled through the uneven streets towards the inn where we were staying. The island was blanketed in darkness which appeared never ending as it blended into the sea. The next morning, we began our stroll in the heart of the village and made our way toward the pier. On this perfect morning walk, the sun danced endlessly across the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. The island is accessible by plane or boat and discourages visitors from bringing cars over. As a visitor you get to experience a small island comprised of a walking culture. While only an hour by high-speed ferry, it feels a million miles away from the busy rush of mainland life. The quiet streets illustrate this picturesque community; from the local farmer's market to the whaling museum. Off season, there is a sense of peace and seclusion walking through the streets. This sense is sort of similar to the one I felt in Denali; miles away from the hustle and bustle, but not necessarily alone. Much like Denali, my walk is being viewed by those "tuned in". Here, whether walking up Main Street or out to Great Point, there are live webcams broadcasting your experience in this place. This leaves me wondering what the experience of me experiencing this place is like to those watching...

Windsor Locks Canal State Park

While we were greeted by a gray sky, the air was warm on this lazy September Sunday; making it the perfect day to wander along the Windsor Locks Canal State Park. This hidden gem runs 4.5 miles along the Connecticut River between the center of Windsor Locks and Suffield, Connecticut. This was the historic towpath along the canal that shipped freight nearly 200 years ago. Today it has been repurposed into a recreational trail filled with families fishing, couples biking and the ambitious jogging. To enter the path from the Windsor Locks side, you must brave the small driveway along the front of the old abandoned factory. This quickly opens up to a spacious parking area and the gates to the path. In the spring, the path is wide-open, but by this time in the fall, the brush has flourished and begins to narrow the path. There was an interesting dichotomy to walking along this path on this afternoon. Immediately to our left was the stagnant canal, sitting quietly; while to our right rolled the waters of the flowing Connecticut River. The canal had been cut off from its powerful source to now lay dormant, no longer serving its industrial purposes. We walked about halfway up the flat trail to the aqueducts before heading back to where we entered. This path provided an opportunity to explore nature and walk along a little piece of New England's industrial history.

Beavertail State Park

On Friday, the New England Coastline braced for "Hurricane" Earl, but what we experienced was (at best) "Tropical Storm" Earl. We received some much needed rain and in return had a break in the sweltering heat. By Saturday, the weather made for a beautiful day for a drive and the remnants of that tropical storm made for a perfect day to check out the ocean. If you find yourself in the South County area of Rhode Island, follow the bridge to Jamestown and drive to the end of this tiny island where you will find Beavertail State Park. It's open year round and at the tip of its 153 acres, you can visit the 3rd oldest lighthouse in the country. Parking near the entrance will give you a stunning 1.5 mile loop along the jagged coast which runs right by the historic lighthouse (and its museum). There are secluded little nooks, rocks to scale if you are feeling adventurous and plenty of lawn to set up your grill or kite or frisbee or hammock. This is a gentle walk, during which you are surrounded by a powerful sense of nature - from the crashing waves to the gusts of wind. On this afternoon, with the sun shinning off the deep blue sea, all we could taste was salt from the spray of the waves. With thunderous roars, every inch of the rocks were slammed by wave after crashing wave. The waves rolled and crashed with such fury that their foam became net-like forms, clinging to the rocks and shooting bubbles into the air. The winds whipped through the park, along the water front, strong enough to nearly knock us down. Behind that shining sun and beautiful blue sea, nature made clear her ferocious strength.