Back to Connecticut Chasing Eagles

Posted on March 3, 2011March 3, 2011 by Dusty Roads

: Editor in Chief

Dusty Roads, the author of this blog is on her way to Haddam, Ct this morning. She’s giving the eagles of Connecticut another chance to let her get a picture.

This time she’ s taking a river cruise with a group called River Quest.

The weather is supposed to be clear but bitterly cold so on the water she is going to freeze. She has her hat, ear muffs, super thick gloves (lot of good they will be when she’s using the camera), turtle neck shirt, fleece vest, insulated “hoodie” and winter jacket..she’s layered all right!

Map quest says it’s a 2 hour drive and but it’s RT 95 and rush hour so Dusty is allowing an extra hour to get there.

Good Luck, Dusty. Can’t wait for your report!

Oliver Mill Park, Middleboro Ma

Posted on March 2, 2011March 2, 2011 by Dusty Roads

A few posts ago I talked bout the Herring run in Middleboro but was stumped when asked what the ruins were. So I returned to the park today and learned that it’s official name is Oliver Mill Park. There is a large display board next to the parking lot before you reach the picnic area that has a sign and copies of several articles about the area and the herring run.

The sign says:

“Oliver Mill Park
“The Muttock area has a history of occupation and use that dates to the early Archaic Period, attracting Native Americans who came to fish in the Nemasket River and who probably established a small village nearby. In 1734 a dam was built across the Nemasket River here, replacing an old native fish weir.
“Between 1744 and 1776, Peter Oliver, an important provincial Tory official and judge, as well as an industrial entrepreneur, operated an ironworks that included one of the earliest rolling and splitting mills in New England. Oliver’s works dominated Middleborough’s early economy and were significant for the degree to which they exploited the power of the Nemasket River, using as many as eight water wheels to run an integrated cluster of iron works, grist, saw, and other water powered mills.
“After 1800 the site was converted into a shovel shop under the ownership of General Abel Washburn and operated into the 1840s.
“Following the abandonment of the site in the 1870s the area was largely ignored until the 1960s and 1970s when it was partially restored for recreational purposes. Oliver Mill Park survives as one of the most significant industrial archaeological sites in Middleborough and in the southeastern Massachusetts region.”

The park is located off Nemasket Street, and is very near the intersection with US 44.

After parking and reading the sign, walk along the paths to the stone mills ruins, literally a building shell with partial walls and no roof. There are several channels to look at, including one that allows herring to swim upstream. You can cross the river on a wooden bridge that allows you to look into the tea colored water. When the herring are running, you can easily see the fish as they travel back to their natal waters to spawn.

There is also an ample picnic area, if you want room to spread out.

The stone bridge that is so photogenic is the Muttock Bridge. It has quite a history, far more than I care to recite here but I will share a link with you to a great story with some historic pictures. It’s a really interesting history and a well written account. http://nemasket.blogspot.com/2010/01/muttock-bridge.html

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Scout’s Tips~ “Should you Ship your luggage”

Posted on March 1, 2011March 1, 2011 by Dusty Roads

SCOUT

We’ve been looking into this option since most of the airlines started hitting travelers with hefty checked baggage fees. But if you’re one of those travelers, like Dusty is (she travels with camera & laptop as well as clothing and other essentials), who just can’t travel light, then shipping your luggage might be an option.

These are a number of luggage clubs and door to door services but some of them can be more pricy than just paying the baggage fee. If you opt for one of these services, be sure to check with your destination to make sure they accept shipped baggage and where you can retrieve it.

Dusty has shipped shopping home using good old USPS. It was as souvenir walking stick from the Grand Canyon. It wasn’t too expensive to send it but since the walking stick was not very expensive in the first place, it doubled the price of the walking stick. Still Dusty felt it was money well spent since she didn’t have to deal with it at the airport. It was waiting for her when she got home.

If you buy large pieces or expensive pieces often the seller will ship them to you.

Shipping home from overseas is even trickier as you may have to pick anything shipped up at customs. We have no experience with this and did not research this as we travel primarily within the US.

If your idea of a souvenir is to collect brochures and books the postal service has a magazine / book rate. The service is one of their slower one but since these items are heavy and can push a bag over the weight limit, you might find this a good option for shipping.

There’s also Parcel post, FedEx and UPS. Each situation is different but speaking from experience, shipping those extra things home makes the return trip so much easier than trying to stuff things into already crammed bags.

So consider shipping on a case by case basis and do your homework. Will the cost to ship be worth the difference to pay an overweight charge or avoid a hassle at the airport? Keeping that in mind should help you with your decisions.

Happy Traveling

Scout

Introducing SCOUT!

Posted on February 28, 2011February 28, 2011 by Dusty Roads

SCOUT

Scout is our Prairie Dog Mascot. If you’re new to the site he got his name in a poll of the names suggested by our readers. Scout has a function of more than being a “pretty face”. Scout reviews travel magazines, newspaper articles, travel emails and attends travel conventions like AAA Travel Marketplace coming up this Friday in Foxboro.

He also talks to fellow travelers and compiles their recommendations for reference.

Scout asks questions

If you have travel questions you can put them in the comment sections and Scout will do his best to get an answer for you. Once he has it, you’ll see a Scout’s Tips column with what he finds out.

Scout keeps alert and when he runs across a good travel tip, he will report it right here!

Scout is Alert

So stay tuned for “Scout’s Tips”. I know he’s got some coming up.

Scout

The Herring Run Middleboro MA

Posted on February 26, 2011February 26, 2011 by Dusty Roads

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The Herring Run in Middleboro is on the Nemasket River right off RT 44. It’s location makes it a convenient spot for me to stop to grab a quick photo on my way to work. On my days off I also head down here as it has picturesque ruins and a stone bridge as well as mini waterfalls and abundant wildlife and birds.

This is the spot where I first started taking pictures after I got my DSLR last spring because this area was hit hard by the flooding we had in 2010. Until then I had driven by daily to work but never bothered to stop.

The Herring run in Middleboro is one of the largest in the state allowing herring to migrate from the ocean to the Assawompset Pond Complex. The little steps in the river that are so pretty to photograph are a fish ladder allowing the herring to “run”.

The Herring travel more than 40 miles from Mount Hope Bay, through the Taunton River to the Nemasket River and finally end up in the pond complex to spawn in their natal waters.

One of the other things that makes this an interesting spot are the ruins. I’ll have to do some research on them and write another post with what I find out about the history of the area. I’ve been told that the ruins are from an old mill. Apparently there are quite a few ruins of mills along the Nemasket.

You always see a lot of people here. Some are walking dogs, some are enjoying the picinic tables that are set around the area. Still others are fishing or just watching the herring. When the run is in full swing the fish cram the river and are easy to see. Last year when the road flooded, the herring swam right over the road as well.