Winter Storm Prep Central Bread and Milk Road & Street, Coventry & Vernon We all love dumb street names. As I've slowly introduced my son to the wonderful world of CTMQ - despite his being an unwitting part of it his entire life - he really seems to enjoy the dumb street names I highlight on occasion. When we … [Read more...]
Nathan Hale NAP
A Sleeper Nathan Hale NAP in Nathan Hale State Forest Andover & Coventry The only reason I'm writing a few words about this place is because finding most of the state's Natural Area Preserves is a lifelong treasure hunt. Except there's almost never any sort of reward for finding one. They are often "hidden" in the … [Read more...]
Nathan Hale State Forest
For Next Time Someone Tells You to Get Lost Nathan Hale State Forest Trails, Andover & Coventry September 2021 I only regret that I have but one hike to give for this forest. Okay, I could probably go back and do more, but then my hackneyed rephrasing of state hero Nathan Hale's famous last words would make … [Read more...]
Nathan Hale State Forest Intro
Nathan Hale State Forest Andover & Coventry As with many state forests, there's no clear trail guide to help us navigate the place. There are a bunch of mountain bike trails, old woods roads, horse trails, and deer trails. A few trail maps exist, but they are a bit sketchy. Which, let's be honest, makes any … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail: Section 3
Another Notch in Our Belts Bolton Notch State Park to Parker Bridge Road, 8.5 Miles Bolton, Coventry, & Andover, May 2020 As Calvin and I rode the first mile or so of this section of the Hop River State Park Trail, I pondered aloud, "This may be one of the coolest stretches of Rails-to-Trails in all of … [Read more...]
CTMQ’s Guide to Coventry
Everything Coventry I’ve been exploring and writing about Connecticut since 2006. After a decade, I began compiling CTMQ guides for each town in the state. I plan on “completing” Coventry CTMQ-style... as well as the other 168 towns, cities, and boroughs in Connecticut. That is the ultimate goal of CTMQ. If … [Read more...]
Coventry’s Town Trails
Coventry's Town Trails Since no one ever reads these town trail intro pages, I’ll make a confession here that I’ve never told anyone in my life: I once went skinny dipping in Lake Coventry one summer I stayed up at UConn, a short drive away. I did it with my friend Kara and we did it, I think, just to do it. … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail: Section 4
Hoppin’ Cold Parker Bridge Road to Willimantic River, 4.1 Miles Andover, Coventry & Columbia, November 2019 I used to race. Bicycles. Road race. For years. I raced for UConn back in the early 1990’s which meant I used to train in cold weather. I used to race in cold weather. I can’t count how many times I … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail Intro
A Hop, Skip, and... a Bike Pump 20 Miles, Andover, Bolton, Columbia, Coventry, Manchester and Vernon For years this page existed to tell readers that I wouldn’t be completing the Hop River State Park Trail. Then my son got a bike and liked to ride it. Then I got a bike and I liked to ride it. Then I got a bike … [Read more...]
Willimantic River Alliance Intro (Hikes)
Willimantic River Alliance Tolland, Windham, Stafford, Mansfield, Coventry, Tolland Man, this is a confusing one for me. This outfit oversees a water trail from Stafford Springs to Willimantic and some hiking trails in those towns plus the ones in between. I never meant to include Connecticut’s river trails … [Read more...]