Today it's warm and sunny but not humid. I didn't want to walk in the 'hood, and I didn't want to go to the last day of Musikfest. I'm not crazy. So I decided it was a great day to check out the new trail.
I parked at the Savage Road trailhead, and turned left, crossed the street and did that small portion of the trail. There was a trailhead sign, a historic marker, and the trail was painted Xing Hwy. I looked left, and then right, and tried to figure out which way I was supposed to go to pick up the extension. I decided left was the way to go and as I turned I noticed there was a crosswalk to the athletic fields. And a trail crossing sign for drivers. I put 2+2 together and said oh there's the trail. You really don't have to walk in the street. At the end of this section there was another painted crosswalk, and a trail crossing sign for motorists. I got the hint. I followed the crosswalks. I headed on the section I explored the first time. It goes behind the rec center and runs next to the railroad tracks. There is a split rail fence but the top split is missing on the whole fence. Someone clearly miscalculated.
I followed that to Main Street where there was another crosswalk and trail sign for motorists. Just like before it just ended. If you know what to do you follow 10th Street. Walk in the street because 10th Street still has broken steps. If you follow 10th it will take you under a crumbling bridge to Canal Street, and over the Hokey Creek and ultimately to the canal path at the park.
BUT THERE WERE NO SIGNS for walkers. Just motorists. Not one. I'm dense. What if this was my first time?
A better option would have users cross, turn right on Main, and then at Laubach (which isn't quite as skanky as 10th) turn left and go down to Canal Street and the park. Sure it's a hair longer, but who cares? At least you don't have to worry that you'll fall down broken stairs and have a 100-year-old bridge fall on you.
I only know where to go because I've done it before.
Say you don't want to do the D&L, you want to go on the IRT. Easy Peazy. Make a left, then cross the bridge to the right. At the end of the bridge, turn right again and you're almost there.
I turned at the Hokey Creek and went back to Savage Road.
Miles/Steps: Just under 4
Bathrooms: There are none at the trailhead. The one at the athletic fields were locked. Wildlife: I heard lots of insects and only one bird
Weather: Low 90s, sunny or overcast. Nothing in-between
$ Found: zip
Extras: If I've said it once, I've said it 100 times, signs are powerful tools. Honestly, when you're spending that kind of money to add a terrific trail, signs don't cost that much in the grand scheme of things. Hell, you don't even need physical signs. They don't use them on the Boston Freedom Trail. They have a red line painted on the sidewalk. Freedom Trail walkers follow the damn line. THey repaint it evey so often. Hmmm. No money for a line painter? How about just adding arrow heads to the yellow line that's already there. This is a no brainer. It's called environmental graphics.
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