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.  There were American Holly trees in several places in the Williams-Gurski

 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 genuine EPA Superfund site." 7.  A trail d