David Reik, Photo Blog

 On 2022-3-23 and 2022-3-25, I visited Williams-Gurski Open Space area in Brookfield, CT.  I made an interactive map with location numbers.  Here's a link to the interactive map:  https://arcg.is/0KDyWH  . Here's a static screenshot of the interactive map. On 2022-3-23, I parked in the lot at 1.   21.  I made my way over to a Chestnut Tree of some species that had produced many burs.  My guess was that the tree was a Chinese Chestnut, Castanea mollissima. 21. 21. 21. 17.  One of the many bog bridges in the Williams-Gurski Open Space area. 15.  Merwin Brook. 14.  Another bog bridge. 12.  A large Black Birch. 12. 11.  Was this some kind of fungus growing on an American Beech tree? 11. 10.  A simple suspension bridge. 10.  This trail runner told me that the bridge had been on the course for an eight-hour trail race in the fall of 2021. 10.  It looked like hooks that screwed into the tree held the chain. 16...

 On 2022-3-26, I visited the Lantern Ridge area in Beacon Falls, CT.  I made an interactive map showing my route in pink, and the route of a group who hiked the area the previous week in blue.  I'll put in location numbers based on my notes and my GPS Waypoints. Here's a link to the interactive map:  https://arcg.is/PTKWb  . Here's a static screenshot of the interactive map. 1.  I parked in a nice, gravel parking lot that might fit eight cars. 2.  An interesting informational kiosk. 2.  I actually went outside of the official Lantern Ridge Open Space boundaries.  I saw no "No Trespassing" signs. 2.  The kiosk displayed original art. 2. 2. 3.  I kept going northeasterly past the sign. 4.  The area features lots of dramatic rocks. 5.  There was lots of evidence that someone was cutting blow-downs and that there was ATV traffic. 6 .  I understand that we can see, in this view, "the lovely Beacon Heights landfill, a genui...