Rails To Trails: No Sunshine But Still Plenty Of Color.

After hiking through all those boulders yesterday, without an injury or incident, I fell and twisted my ankle on a rock near my home this morning. Such is life, always expect the unexpected.  Well the ankle was sore and decided to walk on an even, rockless trail and we are fortunate in our area to have the perfect place for that , our local Rails To Trails. 

This trail was created by a local group  of civic minded folks.   They are  part of the national Rails to Trails program which have  converted many miles of abandoned railroad right of ways into excellent hiking trail throughout the country.

It was an overcast with some light drizzle  when I got to the trail and I was surprised at how much leaves remained on the trees. making for a very pleasant hike even on a sunless day. 

Although most of the maples and birch have lost their leaves there is an abundance of oak trees along the trail and they are still in their peak colors of bright red and orange. 

A lot of blueberry bushes also line the trail and their leaves have also turned a bright red color. 

I was hoping to see or hear some ducks or geese on the reservoir that adjoins the trail but found nothing. I walked past a few joggers, walkers and bikers enjoying the fall beauty of the trail but saw very few birds or other wildlife. 

The trail passes the reservoir and continues  along a rare heath barren, 

It continues to a bridge that was built over an active railroad track. The trail will eventually link up the the D &L trail along the Lehigh River Gorge. 

I rested my sore ankle at the bridge and headed back  passing  a few more hikers and bikers enjoying the beauty of nature on this great local trail. here is a link to some more photographs from my hike this morning. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-5/nggallery/blog-photos/rails-to-trails-hike-october-25-2015

“The stripped and shapely
Maple grieves
The ghosts of her
Departed leaves.

The ground is hard,
As hard as stone.
The year is old,
The birds are flown.”
–   John Updike