The Slow Road

Last weekend we took a road trip.

We drove up to the house late Friday and then early Saturday morning we hopped in the car and headed for Lake Winnepesauke in New Hampshire.  Originally when we looked at the map, we both groaned a little.  Take I-90. Take I-91. Take I-89. Take I-93. Or conversely, take I-95!  Where’s the fun in spending 10 hours in a car when all you’re doing is speeding along at 70 miles per hour.

White Bridge Road

The map of Columbia County is littered with little roads that are public, and yet, ostensibly private, like Spangler Road.  And they’re perfect for walking.

We found another one last weekend, White Bridge Road, about three-quarters of a mile down Route 13 from the ridiculously picturesque hamlet of Old Chatham.

To get there you pass a spooky old graveyard and a mysterious little building set into the hill, filled with water that I think was maybe at one time a spring house (does anyone know?).

Spangler Road

Isaac and I took a walk down Spangler Road on Saturday.

We had seen on a map that it cut a handy transverse between two main roads with flimsy shoulders and had a “Bridge Out” warning.  Roads with bridges incapable of carrying cars generally make for good walking.

Little did we know that Spangler Road is the prettiest road in the whole world.  It passes a very well-manicured horse farm populated with lots of curious horses and a few silly dogs.  And then you go around a curve and you come to this: