June 4, 2005 Trails Day Hike
The Recreation Path "Bridge to Bridge" Hike

Which way did we go?   See maps and descriptions of the Bridge to Bridge route we followed. 

Over one hundred people joined our first annual Bridge to Bridge hike this year.  A big THANKS go out to the Shelton Trails Committee (Bill Dyer, Bob Wilkins, Andy Cable, Terry Gallagher, Joe Pratt, Manny Pallent); Mayor Lauretti; the William Raveis Company for handing out bottled water;  Ryan, Jim & Eric for the half-frozen lemonade; Mary Wolf for providing shuttle service;   and several other trail volunteers who helped to build the last few miles of the Rec Path in just half a year.

Bob, get well soon!

Here's some photos  (click to enlarge). 

Bill Dyer (left), Chairman of the Shelton Trails Committee, welcomes the hikers.	Mayor Lauretti (at right in front of the kiosk) reads the annual Trails Day proclamation.
Hikers begin by crossing the bridge at Pine Lake.	The pines behind Pine Lake (formerly Shelton Reservoir).
Paved section of the Rec Path near the Middle School.	The Rec Path takes hikers past a Middle School ballfield.
After a long hike through the woods, participants follow this fire access road  off of Wesley Drive for a short ways before heading back into the woods.	The Rec Path between Wesley Drive and Lane Street.
The "Bambi Meadow" near Lane Street, part of the varied terrain along the Bridge to Bridge route.	The first hikers made it to Huntington Center in one hour and 40 minutes, while others took their time and arrived an hour later.
At several stops along the way, volunteers from the William Raveis Company handed out bottled water.  There was also a lemonade stand with soft, chewy M&M cookies - word has it that families with kids provided the bulk of the business.

Found:  One pair of prescription glass and one pair of kids sunglasses.  Call Teresa at 926-9572 if you think they might be yours.

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ARCHIVE

Be among the very first people to walk the entire length of the Rec Path from it's beginning at Pine Lake (formerly Shelton Res.) to its end in Huntington Center.  Volunteers have been creating the newest parts of the trail all through the winter and spring in preparation for this milestone event. This is the woodland route (with a few deviations) that will eventually be improved to accommodate bikes, baby carriages, wheelchairs, etc.  New pedestrian bridges mark both the beginning and end of this hike - so it's our "Bridge to Bridge Hike."  Most of the route goes through Shelton Public Open Space.

When:
June 4, 2005   10:30 am
Raindate June 5 at 1:00 pm (see note at bottom of this page)
No registration required.

Meeting Place:
Pine Lake Bridge (formerly Shelton Res.) parking area at Shelton Avenue (Rt. 108).  See photo above.  This is the new pedestrian bridge that goes across the Pine Lake dam and is visible from the road. The nearest cross street is Wheeler Street, and it's not far from the Police Station and High School. We will park some cars at the ending place so that we can car pool back to our starting point, and we may have volunteers doing shuttle service. For online driving directions type in the address "125 Shelton Avenue".  Parking is available at the meeting place.  If the parking area is full, then drive around to the back side of the reservoir via Meadow Street and Wheeler Street and park near the Police Station and Senior Center.  There is trail access from that direction (see the map above). 

Ending Place:
The new pedestrian bridge in Huntington Center across the street from St. Lawrence Church, near Huntington Hardware (see photo above).  Note that there are various dining options at our ending point!

What to Expect:
A relatively easy hike, about 4 miles long.  The first part of the hike is easy, with a well-worn path.  The last quarter or so is a brand new trail which may have uneven footing in places and/or mud spots.  There will be a "bail-out point" at the half-way point with volunteers ready to drive you back to the starting point.  Allow about 3 hours for the hike.

What to Bring:
WATER is a must.  Having said that, we do expect volunteers from the William Raveis office to be handing out water at the half-way point, and two twelve-year-old will be selling drinks and cookies at the 3/4 point.  Footwear can vary from hiking boots to sneakers, but don't wear nice clean shoes that you don't want to get mud on.   High-topped boots or sneakers can prevent a sprained ankle as you step around roots and rocks.  Consider bringing bug juice for mosquitos, a hat and/or shades for sunny locations, a snack or lunch, and printout both the northern Shelton Lakes trails map and the southern Shelton Lakes trails map in case you get separated from the group.

RAINDATE INFO WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THIS WEBPAGE IMMEDIATELY - If the weather looks marginal, check here to see if the hike is still on. If it's not pouring rain but the sky is still threatening or there are light showers, we MAY have two hikes, one for those people who show up regardless of the weather, and a second hike on the raindate for our fair-weather hikers.  (Cool, damp days can be excellent hiking weather but most people prefer it to be hot and sunny).