Almost At a Standstill On the Nashua

 

Found the Nashua River between the towns of Harvard and Lancaster, MA to be close to "still" yesterday (above photo).

I launched before 7am at...

...at the end of Still River Depot Road in Harvard, MA where a good-sized CSX freight train was found to be taking an extended nap just to the north of the railroad crossing...

The train would later awaken at 9:30 am and pass over the Nashua River...

...on its way to Selkirk, NY.

Headed upriver to where the river was blocked by several fallen trees.  Turned about there and headed downriver...

Despite the river being still this little green heron had difficulty standing still long enough for a photo...

  

Trash was typically plentiful in this stretch of river...

...and included 71 "nip" bottles and 16 plastic cigarette lighters.

While preparing to leave the area a Norfolk Southern double-stacked container train passed through on the way to its final destination at Ayer MA.  After the train's passing I drove over the crossing and noted this stack of tires someone left neatly stacked...

Looks like someone purchased a new set of tires but decided to skip paying for disposal of the old ones.  I believe having disposal costs included in the purchase price would go a long way in helping to prevent this kind of improper disposal.    

Stopped at Prospect Hill to admire the view of Mt. Wachusett 13 miles to the west...

It reminded me of Governor John Winthrop describing his January 27, 1632 first viewing of Wachusett from Mt. Feake, alongside the Charles River, in either Waltham or Weston, MA: "On the west side of Mount Feake, they went up a very high rock, from whence they might see all over Neipnett, and a very high hill due west, about forty miles off, and to the N.W. the hills by Merrimack, above sixty miles off." 394 years ago!