Nice Outing With My Boy

Gorgeous afternoon yesterday for a couple of miles on the Nipmuck Trail, and then off the side trail to Pixi Falls. My wife was out of town at a fundraiser for my niece's high school senior graduation party for this year (my niece is only a sophomore). I grabbed my trusty walking stick, packed a small backpack with water, snacks, extra dog treats, and emergency supplies and took my 23 month old male Rhodesian Ridgeback. I also strapped on my Ruger GP-161 loaded with Hornady Critical Defense .357 Magnums with two speed loaders. It was all carried on what I call my "Wyoming Deputy Sheriff Rig*."

My dog is smart enough to stay on and follow the blaze marked trail. Once we got a couple of hundred yards from the parking area, he came off leash. He will run on ahead and then come back when I call him for a treat. Later in the hike, not so much. On the way out we ran into an older couple with their two dogs. Because my dog has a growth on his left lower lip that is unknown (and will be surgically removed by the vet in the next week or so) my dog went on leash as soon as I saw them coming. I did not let the dogs come together, and their dogs gave my dog some growling, snarling, and barking. We chatted for a moment and then I continued into the forest, they headed out. Once they were far enough away, my doggo came back off leash for the rest of the hike in and out.

The falls were running nicely. At the top of the falls was an easily accessible pool where the dog got a nice long drink of ice cold water. When conditions are dry, you can hear the water under the rocks but that's it, nothing to see. I have also been there after a rain storm during spring snow melt, and if you get too close it will reach out and grab you. The ride down the falls would be like a frog in a blender.

 

I'm not sure why the video appears this way on the post, but click in the middle and it will play.

 

Here is a map of the area of the trail we were on. The yellow circle is our hike, about a mile in and back out on the main trail. Look at the contour lines, it is very hilly. This area of Kommiecticut is absolutely covered by glacial rubble (rocks from the size of a potato up to a compact car) and the terrain is torn up in places down to ledge from the retreat of the North American Ice Sheet about 12,000 years ago. This is not like walking down a dirt road, it is very rugged and uneven. My feet and ankles are still sore. Clicken the map to embiggen. The entire map can be viewed at https://ctxguide.com/nipmuck.htm and is broken into sections by URL on the main map. The one I have embedded is "RT. 74 To Hillside Road."

I have hiked most of it over the years from the MA border down to Mansfield. There are a few sections in Ashford and south of RT. 44 I have never done. Some day I will get to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is lots of wildlife out in these forests. The bears are awake and looking for food and to deliver any cubs. Moose are around but infrequent residents. Coyotes are prevalent as well as bobcats, and the rare mountain lion. The state wildlife officials tell us the Eastern Mountain Lion is extinct so there are NO MOUNTAIN LIONS! But the dirty little secret is once in a great while, a male Western Mountain Lion will migrate east in search of food or mates, and end up in NY or New England. One was hit and killed by a car on the Merritt Parkway several years ago. My pistol is a last resort tool of defense. Clapping and shouting and otherwise making aggressive moves is first. My walking stick is second. When all else fails, I will do whatever I have to to save myself or my dog.

 

 

 

 

Wyoming Deputy Sheriff Rig*: The gun belt setup for my Ruger GP-161 is a Bianchi thumb-break holster, a Bianchi dual speed loader carrier, two HKS #586 speedloaders, a snap carabiner for my keys, and everything carried on a 1.75" Wilderness Tactical belt. I wear it over the belt to hold up my jeans, unlike my EDC holsters and mag carriers.