Back to Wilton - a nice little village, very pleasant CG, only a few blocks off the Sparta to Elroy bike trail, the first rails-to-trails in the entire nation.
My first stop was to the Post Office to pick up my mail package. When I asked for my General Delivery package, the lady said,"It's a good thing you came in - we were getting ready to ship it back." Asked why, she replied that it was because they didn't know me; worse, they had never heard of General Delivery and didn't know what it was. This, despite their being listed by USPS as accepting General Delivery. I got my package, came back to the trailer, did some research on the USPS web pages, and filed a complaint with the USPS Inspector General. We'll see whether that does any good.
After setting up, I was going to rest the remainder of the day, but it was so nice I jumped on my bike and was off on the trail, heading east 16 miles one-way to Elroy. Through beautiful countryside, both wooded and pastoral, with the temperature in the middle 70's and no bugs, I had a very pleasant tour, arriving after several miles at Tunnel #1. Upon entering the tunnel, the temperature immediately dropped at least 20 degrees, and my every breath condensed into a little cloud of fog.
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One of the signs outside the tunnel explained the big doors, and the freezing they were designed to thwart. A better explanation than what I had offered before.
And just imagine digging that tunnel for only $58.00 per foot!
At the other end was a sign explaining some of the life of a brakeman, and how they were warned to get down from atop the cars as the train approached the tunnel.
The Telltale.
The Telltale, closeup.
Arrival at Elroy, and some of the history of the trail. Now,... only 16 miles to get back home!
I was pretty beat when I got back home, and was determined to spend the next day recuperating, but by 9 AM, I felt so good that once again, I jumped onto the bike and headed out of town, this time going west toward Sparta - but no way was I going to travel the full 20 miles, one-way!
Westward to the first tunnel, Tunnel #2.
Here I found a sign with some information about those man-sized arches in the wall.
Later, while returning through this tunnel, I found that these were constructed about every 200 feet throughout the length of the tunnel, but on only one side. This would offer ready protection to any worker who was well inside the tunnel when a train approached, but he'd darned well better know which side is right, and which is wrong!
The place where the worker would take shelter.
Here, you can see the outline of a man-shelter just inside the big door.
Approaching tunnel #3, I passed an area where trilliums (trillia?), both pink and white, were in exuberant bloom.
And some May Apples, too.
The entrance to Tunnel #3. But it has an excess of leaks and drips, and it was 13 miles back to my camp, so I didn't proceed any farther. Besides, this tunnel is fully 3,810 feet long.
More information about the excavation of this tunnel.
Hoping you're having a glorious day, too!
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