The Caroline Walkabout is no more. Connie and Andy retired from organizing and hosting after 26 years, but Gail and Katy insisted on keeping it going in a new manner. With the expansion of the South Hill Rec Way continuing as the Coddington Valley Rail Trail, we decided to start at our house and end at the Brookton's Market in Brooktondale. I took the unenviable role of getting everyone moving.
We waited until we got up to the Rec Way for the picture. A good crowd made it, a few more joined along the way and a good time was had by all.
This is the start of the extended rail trail. It was a private driveway for decades, but now open to the public.
One missing bridge isn't too much of an obstacle for now. There are a couple others that are more complicated. It will be a few years before we'll be biking or skiing those sections, but the day is coming.
One road walk to avoid the missing bridges and a fenced orchard blocking passage.
A short walk on a seasonal use road to get to the Brookton's Market.
The traditional dish-to-pass afterwards was replaced with sandwiches from the market. Big spenders.
Between the missing bridge and the fenced orchard, there was a pile of stumps deliberately put on the rail bed to block the trail. Thanks to a neighbor who supports the trail having some work done, an excavator cleared them in a few hours. Soon a gate will be added to the fence, a trail will get around the gully for the time being, and it will be possible to walk almost 9 miles from Ithaca to the county line in Caroline off road. Come join us.
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