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by Melinda Tuhus
The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail runs right along the western border of Six Lakes. Also known as the rail trail, having replaced railroad tracks over the course of the past 35 years, it’s the best vantage point from which to peer into the property, catching sight of swans nesting on hillocks in the water and birds flying through the air, from great blue herons to tiny warblers. It's also a perfect access route for bringing visitors to a future Six Lakes Park.
Ah, but what lies south and north of this section of the trail?
Answer: Heading south, the trail runs through the rest of southern Hamden, and then into New Haven, passing through Newhallville and Dixwell, then part of the Yale campus, before running underground through a well-lit tunnel in the Arts District and finally heading to New Haven harbor on street level. The trail is shaded much of the way and passes many beautiful murals, as well as a parklet that includes exercise equipment, a bike repair and storage facility, and lovely plantings promoted by CPEN (Community Placemaking Engagement Network) and its moving force, Doreen Abubakar.
What lies north? The rest of the 84-mile greenway, all the way to Northampton, Massachusetts.
For many years, a hardy band of cyclists led by our captain and organizer, Paul Proulx, has been riding the whole trail, once over Memorial Day weekend and once in the fall, weather permitting. I was one of those hardy cyclists on three trips before Covid and a knee injury both hit in 2020. I cheated a little, meeting those who departed from the New Haven Green four miles north in Hamden, near the high school, so for me the ride was 80 miles.
One of the highlights of multiple rides was seeing the progress along the route, adding a few more miles every year in Connecticut and/or Massachusetts. Another highlight was crossing over the beautiful Farmington River. A lowlight was having to ride about five miles through Southington and Plainville on Route 10, with fast traffic on multiple lanes and entrance and exit ramps where we had to watch out for cars.
So, imagine my delight when, for the first time in five years (due not just to injury and Covid, but also to travel and to rain cancellations), I finally got to do the ride again this spring. The weather was great—in the low 60s and mostly cloudy (but no rain), with just one brief bout of headwinds. Even more delightful, because the trail has been extended through more of Southington, there is now a lovely, much less busy route to connect to the northerly section. Advocates hope the trail through the rest of Southington and Plainville will be completed by the end of the decade.
There used to be a wonderful restaurant that crossed the trail just north of the Massachusetts state line, where we would always stop for lunch, a rest, and often a back rub circle. The restaurant is gone, but the state line remains, and that was my goal end point on this trip—a 55-mile ride—where a car and a bike trailer would be waiting for anyone who chose to stop there.
Best laid plans… A new knee injury sidelined me at 40 miles. I was grateful that my friend Laura made it to the car pick-up spot and circled back to retrieve me. We picked up another rider whose e-bike battery ran out of steam and headed to Northampton, where—whether we rode 40 miles or 84—we chowed down at our favorite Mexican restaurant. The food always tastes fabulous! Then we headed to the cars with bike racks or trailers attached that had been left in Northampton the night before for the trip back.
I’ve ridden several other rail trails around the Northeast, and, mile for mile, I think the Farmington Canal Greenway, some segments of which are also part of the Maine to Florida East Coast Greenway, is the prettiest one of all.
I plan to spend the summer training for the fall ride, and I hope to make it all the way to the end. To join us, contact Paul at pauljproulx@comcast.net. |
