January 22, 2021 - East Bridgewater

Welcome to Susan's Bay Circuit Diary! This blog follows my adventures with my dog Sulu hiking the Bay Circuit Trail.  To get new posts in your inbox, please subscribe (see the little "subscribe" oval above). The rest of the past posts can be found using the little menu on the left.  If you are curious how this all started, go here.

From A to the purple asterisk

Today we finished our tour of the Bridgewaters with a tour of East Bridgewater. We picked up the trail after the hiatus, parking at an electric substation. I’m not sure why the architects of the BCT chose this particular spot to restart the trail, to launch us on some not-scenic road walking, but here we are.  

This scenic and convenient parking area

As well as an extended test of the new phone battery, this is the maiden voyage of an exciting new amenity: my travel potty! In areas with a lot of road walking, or popular trails, there are not a lot of opportunities to crouch behind a shrubbery (and the shrubbery probably has naked branches in January!). Plus, with Covid, normally reliable pit stops have closed their public facilities. Thus the travel potty. I purchased a seat/lid combination that snaps onto a standard five gallon bucket (which we already had). I lined it with two plastic garbage bags, and poured some clumping kitty litter into it.  I also purchased a cheap but opaque plastic poncho to obscure my form. I have been so looking forward to trying it, and I am extremely gratified to report that it was completely satisfactory. 

Here it is, securely stowed in the back of the Bolt

So, onward with the road walking. I can tell you that people in East Bridgewater throw crap as freely from the car as they do in West Bridgewater. I was  grateful to be granted a sidewalk as we proceeded to the junction with Route 18.

The new phone battery allowed me to continue listening to my audiobook while I walked, which made the miles go faster. The library took back The Amber Spyglass with five hours to go, but I am enjoying A Promised Land, read by the author. 

Classic New England common

I believe this I-beam is a part of the World Trade Center from 9/11

East Bridgewater has a classic New England town common, and continued the water powered early industry theme I’d seen in other Bridgewaters. We turned off the main road into the Satucket River Conservation area.  

Satucket River

I scanned the rules very carefully and saw no mention of dogs, so off the leash went Sulu.  The trail directions have some confusing verbiage about an “express route”, but I just followed the blazes along the river.  

Free!

Satucket River from the trail

The trail was well equipped with what our friends call “smoochy benches” - I did not smooch Sulu. A lot of brush had grown up between the trail and the water, making photographs problematic.  I noticed ferns that were still green in the shelter of a hill - greenery really stands out this time of year.

A standing pose - a new skill!

The trail emerged in a suburban cul-de-sac on Susan’s Place, of all things.  

We passed this property maintained in memory of their daughter. 
A woman was working there clearing brush.

Lawn jockey never goes out of style. Buy online!

We passed this iconic barn

I continued road walking for some time until I realized I had gone far enough - I have to walk all the way back, after all. 

On the way back I took a minute to look at the former cotton gin factory in the historic center. I include the memorial stone because a cotton gin employee lived within living memory.

Most of today's hike overlaps maps 12 and 13. So I declare map 12 DONE!

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