Entries to Win Afghan

Sign up to receive the Books Leaving Footprints Newsletter. Comes out occasionally. No spam. No list swapping. Just email me! jhyshark@gmail.com Previous gifts include a short story, a poem, and coupons. Add your name, and don't miss out!

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Historic Bridge Park to Ott

  Almost home, but I'm stopping for a few days with Chuck and Sylvia to work on my North Country Trail project. Today, I started at Historic Bridge Park in Battle Creek. This is on the Kalamazoo River. A nice place for a rest on the trail. Kalamazoo River The bridges are historic, not necessarily the park. Instead of scrapping old road bridges throughout the county, they were brought here and installed across the creek, and in one case, over the park road. This is the largest one they moved, and it used to be near the city of Charlotte. It was built in 1886 by the Buckeye Bridge works of Cleveland. Charlotte Highway bridge This overpass of the (I believe- my RR atlas is home) Norfolk Southern is still in use. The small arch at the left is over a creek. railroad overpass As part of the displays in the park this construction defining the walls of a "bridge shop" is an interesting addition. It fit perfectly with the theme and the openness of the walls didn't detract from the natural setting. artistic rendition of a bridge shop The trail mostly followed the Calhoun County Trail to the Ott Biological Preserve. Along the way there were many late summer wildflowers in bloom. Ironweed is one of my favorites. ironweed But in some places there were mixed patches. This is Black-eyed Susan with Boneset and Lobelia. mixed wildflowers It was blistering hot- got to 87 degrees I think. A lot of trail in the sun. I managed to walk 7 miles (total out and back), and required ice cream for rescusitation following that.

North Country Trail miles hiked in 2020: 218

North Country Trail, Calhoun County, MI, Historic Bridge Park, through Kimball Pines, to Ott Biological Preserve and back, 7 miles
See Softshell Turtle

2 comments:

Ann said...

I really like that bridge shop. The way they did the walls it's sort of like a ghost of a shop

Lin said...

Say hi to Chuck and Sylvia for me! How nice that you get to visit with them!