BCT - "You boys going to get somewhere, or just going?"

Saturday December 7, 2013

From where the power lines cross River Road in Andover to downtown Lowell

Started hiking around 12:30 PM finished around 3PM.

Miles hiked today 6 total,  .2 on the side trail and 5.8 on the BCT

After todays hike total BCT miles completed: 25.1 out of a total of maybe 180.

Weather sunny and 30's

Hikers Ted and Larry

Map of todays hike from the "P" on the right to the "P" on the left

We dropped the downstream car in a parking garage in Lowell and drove the other car to where the power lines crossed River Road in Andover. There was supposed to be a side trail leading .2 miles down to the BCT but we never found it. According to the map the BCT ran along the river so we just bushwhacked our way downhill under the power lines till we found the BCT.

Trail along the river

Trail Bridge

Trail crossing land owned by the Andover Village Improvement Society

After a couple of miles hiking through the woods we came to a golf course which runs from River street all the way down to the Merrimack.  It would seem the trail could cross the golf course alongside the river but I guess it can't.  The trails climbs up and back to River road. The trail then followed the road. Once clear of the golfers the trail then cut through a cemetery and back to the river.

RT 38 bridge where the trail leaves the river

Much of the rest of the todays hike runs along the river on top of a underground sewer route. The ground is paved with large not quite flat stones making for tricky walking.   The guide makes this note about this section: 

"This stretch has not 

been uniformly maintained and some abutters 

have encroached on the right of way with 

gardens, patios, and building debris. It is, 

however, passable and public" - Bay Circuit Trail Guide

Rough walking surface and sign of Beaver activity

When we got to Lowell we followed the road to the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

Lowell Memorial Auditorium

In Lowell we crossed this bridge noting that today was 7 December 2013

Following the canal walk along the Pawtucket Canal back to the parking garage where the car was parked. 

One end of a restored set of locks

Old Machinery Picture of the Day:  We were almost done and had not spotted anything. I took a picture of this discarded V8 engine just in case we didn't find anything better. I'm not really sure it qualifies as old.

V8

But right at the end of our hike we were saved by this piece of field artillery outside the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. This picture is our "Old Machinery Picture of the Day". 

Old Machinery Picture of the Day

Lowell was the home of Jack Kerouac. This quote from "On The Road" seems to fit.
“You boys going to get somewhere, or just going?”― Jack Kerouac, On the Road, Chapter 3