Stone Arch Bridge Area Trails (Westford Conservation Trust)
Hike Type: -o-o-o
Distance: 2.22 miles
Elevation: 181 feet
My Time: 47 minutes
Book Time: 1 hour, 12 minutes
Parking: Limited parking at trailhead on Cold Spring Road.
Hiking Challenges: N/A
Hiking Challenges: N/A
The Hike
When it rains, it pours, baby! It's been six days since my last hike and there are two main reasons for that. First, the weird butt pain I had after the Fells turned out to be some REALLY intense sciatica. I didn't realize it was that until a few days ago when it got REALLY bad. I've been trying to take it easy the past few days while still staying gently ambulatory - it's been... okay.
The other situation is that Christien and I broke up two days ago, and going through a breakup for the first time in your life in your 30s is an absolutely WILD experience. On one hand, it's nice to have a mostly fully-functioning and fully-cooked brain to navigate the absolutely dumpster of emotions flooding through my body, but on the other hand, how the hell do I do this? Not well, evidently! I've been in rough shape, but doing the best that I can.
Anyway, I decided to hit the Stone Arch Bridge area trails again in an attempt to move my body, get outside, and just process the past few days. I slowly walked up and over Mt. Trashmore, which was expectedly wet after the Nor'Easter we got over the weekend. The interior leaves of the railbed were a luscious green, but the meadow was beginning to turn autumnal. My sciatica was feeling decent as long as I took intentional steps.
I decided for the 1,000th time that I will start bringing my camera on these pre-band hikes, becuase it was so pretty and my phone only does so much. I hit the Loop Trail again, which was full of spider webs and downed sticks after the storm. I managed to get a piney something in my shoe, which then covered my hand in sap when I tried to fish it out... At least it smelled decent!
I made my way over to band and had... a tough time. My brain was absolute mush and I ran rehearsal the best I could, which I would say was a 6/10. This sucks! Thankfully I have a good army of friends that helped me through it the past few days and for many days in the future.
Step-by-Step
- Start hike on Tom Paul Trail.
- At jct., turn right to hike over Mt. Tashmore.
- At terminus, turn right onto Tom Paul Trail.
- At jct., turn left onto Russell Bird Sanctuary.
- At terminus, turn left onto Tom Paul Trail.
- At jct., turn right onto Loop Trail.
- At terminus, turn left onto Tom Paul Trail.
- Follow Tom Paul Trail to car.
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