I had to go to Willimantic today to pick up my repaired Doumbek so I thought "why not ride a bit of the rail trail?"Ages ago, I did the Airline Trail East Chatham to Willimantic LINK > and last summer I rode the Hop River trail south from Bolton Notch ALMOST to Willimantic LINK > but there were a few gaps I wanted to ride.
The weather was nasty: cold and overcast so I only rode to and from the Mackey's Store but at least I nearly closed one of the "gaps".
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6oTHkl2elBVYEwWd3NYyhJdOHUtAduxYhz31ZG99G2mRKRaKFSsMVyx15IApPsHvm3nHW5vLnq1Wo1f1a6C_8gmbpvt-hL4tybR2UM6XmLD0rFyIdNm1BhF3QJnqXnulq0oGjfYsaO9qTXT5InM5GlEPv98iLBiPWj5gUhfWuRbYeuAwSJ6oUIFuOA/s320/w1.jpeg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrjc0qfJqoJIPHQloITRs1IVFPY5XXI4oU0Nu_9UzCFmO33FLdinInk0l6kIK-GW71b8NtoiyDEI4Jd8ZLjTGe2fFoNjxOrLFXnVH_pBgivmJaZs7bbiWsesr0Gv519h6eed-1ENIFLHN21VucPowJDkuvX-M9j_fD4VlJIEGn3JQm0EMC-llp3LRUg/s320/IMG_1228.jpg) |
I started here |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJssTWmQh54Mx9CObw5-Ddb6dcFnAK3MjsrfdBVUD7xe4xH_YiKfFk09xHUW8obCIPBMy_F8_SA2ocryyY5XBR6dYg2Lnn4U4xMGPNx92al_AzDS0giQk6NYm7YB-2pxzbVs4Iuz6QrQj9K6nPqmu8LSExcx52QF4oKZVgIIQgnAJ6Ma-TD3BIMe30lA/s320/IMG_1229.jpg) |
Perhaps someone very overweight sat here? :-) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvvr7cyBjiVxY1lnmfD49yQBu3kUV8JWqLNEIx581EQg2U88zKM3zRudmjWb4zmmY8WWfsBNuW-VVgoMArRZKQJtHYWNiyHrJLYXyWRwlcJpo8xS7sTuy6oToZRpjs9NiAwWXjYscFnbSwXKcwiNVkZr8xu9MJQSoZVYgEdyXvmYABUQSAQ1kzyJkLg/s320/IMG_1231.jpg) |
I am sure this is beautiful in the fall |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWnJJbxNQdRpdnue6GHb7lVoMqXWFRZz8sfO9NqgCZEiob0Ab9GMzpoSC6M7p1sQWz0IKfy-mO2xql00EKMB9vfNvAGzf-fM9MIbvmBE9Nrukz78IipRxF3MEPP5DJdHR4O0qrQ1GJQDcmkccf0BufSDgwUlowUpjVJ8-4Psx2y7c_5poN_Of4bIAsA/s320/IMG_1232.jpg) |
Ah - how cool: a RR tie bench! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEem8xZugREi4M1d7PrMzGG921l0qLfVFSBMFwwP2P25WMfFMWVyXiZIkXsH84XaIsQ3aY8JpDCuFo4jv19VM0XtESdijxPqIi4eNJBrV7rhqxrqP3DtJBTU6tqS059rV_xwMpQ3MOhnNAiabIHG_4pEYpW0FM-F-ldB-q_SKE6Iiv7cwibRHn0sW9A/s320/IMG_1233.jpg) |
Lots of RR equipment here - will visit this summer! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmeCPV9-acNO3tO3CejK3-uh2WRrNqUczx6e4V2tsNaNOu-pV8PH31MYl1Wc-iOqWDFUNHjwwoOB26yPFSk75pmzT3PbO4dei5CgM1SiXy_njS2Vlblqlf6bWTwpZ9ViYjErzacfMh3HT7E2Eh3D-BD5ErUfWDUJ2NlhcXxiulobiHQfFy7akM5lkCg/s320/IMG_1234.jpg) |
At the junction - I was here back in 2016 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdf3baC9z4ExWZ5cesv3vH7CA77p0e9XxJuSxetQeVUyijs6teRoJZ21qhvLdwcG0jGUNPFzRy0O-c3Tj5eHYTq2QlmZbbswAZjmF3uku4DDd4nVUL0A-3nOCxmHLB9X6_Oxzgz9Jywm4DeLmdl9nWfBqvb0U3ZAz0wW21Slu3CPip-97a_7TvvgTWw/s320/IMG_1235.jpg) |
Neat - see Further Info link below |
I am sure there was a mill here long ago
Remnants of the Train Station Platform...
I then drove further east and saw this massive former mill- WOW! (See Further Details Below)
Heres the famous Textile Museum right across from the mill - I will definitely will visit it this summer
Lastly the famous Frog Bridge ;-)