(June 20 2019)
“Go where you most feel alive.”
Today’s “adventure” is starting from the Sparks road parking lot. We are here early, thanks to the heat and humidity index for later. Both of us rather take the 60s. Nice shady spot in front, since only 4 cars are present. Good to be an early bird.
Some sniffs at the post and then we are off for our walk. The other day we have missed the mile 4 marker because we have turned back at the barrier at Sparks. Well, here it is.
Leaving marker 4, the path starts to turn left and right through the woods. The ground cover here is mostly ferns but at this particular area it’s full of Japanese Meadowsweet.
While we enjoy the lush vegetation and the scattered farms peeking through the leaves, we quickly arrive at Glencoe road. Even though there is a small parking area here for about 5-10 cars the distance is definitely too short to turn around and call it a day.
We’ll be on our way to the next crossing.
The next mile is uneventful and quiet. Not a lot of people around today either. Must be the weather. 96% humidity only stirs the crazy up. We reach the 5 mile post so quick I have to do a double take.
Mostly on the right side – I guess thanks to the river running on the left (heading north) – there are a lot of pretty rock formations. They definitely give more interest to our surroundings.
Gunpowder Falls is finally running close enough to the trail that we can see it through the flora.
Another 0.2 up the trail and we can actually head down to it to take a break and a splash.
Mag is in the water in about 1 sec flat. He is part fish, I swear.
After replenishing ourselves we head back towards north. Mag nicely cooled but I am still sweating up a storm. By the time we get up to the next bridge over the falls, we are hot again.
Few people are fly fishing in the river, standing on a sand island, one of my favorite farm as a backdrop.
The next mile marker – 6 – is just a spit away from here.
Walking another half a mile from the marker – just after the left bend – is our target, Corbett rd.
There is no parking here and even though Monkton is just a half a mile up the trail we are turning back because of the heat. On a cooler day I would have just keep walking….but not today. We take a last look at the great old houses here and then head back.
On the backtrack Mag takes a break yet again, ready for a picnic.
He hits the falls one more time.
We come across a lucky charm.
Say hello to the three sisters.
Enjoy some alone time, even though there were about 50 bikers passing us just five minutes ago.
We also spot a cool lantern on a tree close to a house next to the trail.
We learn cool info about a Circa 1930s train signal and….
discover yet another cool house.
Almost get hit by a buzzard just before getting back to Yoda, flying above the trail from a swampy area, which deposits a raw smell of death. I have noticed the smell when heading north but didn’t see anything dead around. This bird is proof that some sort of body is laying within the high grass.
We are back at the car. After turning on the engine to cool the cockpit, I clean off Mag and check him for ticks. Standard procedure.
We have done about 5.3 miles – AllTrails not trustworthy – and almost passed out caused by humidity and heat. Next week will be more brutal, temperatures will be in the mid 90s. Yikes.
We’ll be back for more!
The Longest Route 