Thursday, August 13, 2015

Winding Down in the Valley

With yesterday's last job of the day leaving me close to the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge boat launch, enjoying the final hours of daylight while afloat on the Nashua River seemed a capital idea.

Since having launched there last Sunday and heading downriver, yesterday was an upriver trip.

The day's earlier clouds had disappeared leaving bright blue sky above the Pan Am Railways bridge (opening photo).

Passing close to a tree branch at a narrow passage brought me eye to "eyes" with this alien looking creature...
...which I believe is a silkmoth caterpillar.

The trip upriver required dodging shallow sandbars and passing around or under fallen trees such as this one...
After 2 miles I turned about and headed downstream as the light began to fade.

Nearing the railroad bridge the rumble of a slow moving freight train could be heard...
 
 
By the time I reached the take out, a little further downriver, the train's horn could be heard in the distance sounding for grade crossings in Lancaster.
 
My trash haul (including a fire extinguisher and 2 more left footed sandals)...

 
 
...was soon packed away and I stopped along the road to say farewell to the now quiet valley in the shadow of Wachusett...


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