A Monday meander on a Thursday: Casselman Bridge

There is an abundance of goldenrod this year.

Maybe we will be better human beings when we begin to see all the other things a place is besides all the things we think it is or wanted it to be.

~ Brian Doyle

But you cannot control everything…All you can do is face the world with quiet grace and hope you make a sliver of difference…You must trust that you being the best possible you matters somehow…That being an attentive and generous friend and citizen will prevent a thread or two of the social fabric from unraveling.

~ Brian Doyle, One Long River of Song

On the road to Casselman Bridge.

One of our stops on the way out to Ohio (was that almost two weeks ago??) was Grantsville, Maryland so that we could visit Casselman Bridge and do some hiking in New Germany State Park.  It’s a pleasure to be able to break up the 9-10 hour drive with a little sightseeing and walking with an overnight stay to give us time to stretch our legs and rest up.

A different focus.

Casselman Bridge is 354 feet (108 m) long and was constructed in 1813-1814 to assist in the move westward through the wilderness of western Maryland.  The National Road (Route 40) runs through that area and at one time it crossed the Casselman River via the Casselman Bridge.  There is another, more modern, bridge that does that now, but the stone bridge was strengthened in 1911 to allow motorized traffic and was in service until 1933.

Yet another view (there are plenty).

The park in which the bridge is situated is small (about a quarter of an acre, I think).  There are picnic tables and fishing is allowed in the river (you probably need a license).  Crossing the bridge takes you over to the (restored) log cabin shops of the Spruce Forest Artisan Village.  We arrived late in the day and pretty much everything in the village was already closed.  It would be fun to go back some day and tour the shops and watch the blacksmithing that goes on there.

Going up (and eventually over) the bridge.

As you might be able to guess from the post title, this was supposed to be a Monday meander post.  I’ve been sick (still Covid negative, in case that matters) and couldn’t gather enough energy to finish.  I am still not feeling all that well, but it’s not as bad as it was a day or two ago.  I finally caved in to it all yesterday and spent a good portion of the day sleeping.  Somehow I managed to sleep through the night, too.  It is highly likely that I will be taking a nap or two today, just for good measure.  I figure if it’s the rest and sleep somehow making me feel a bit better, it won’t hurt to get more of it.  I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow (scheduled a year ago) and if there is anything else I need to do, I’m sure she’ll let me know.  I don’t think I’ll be getting my flu shot or the new booster, but will wait and see what the doc says about it.

A look over the side of the bridge. I had to hold the camera up and out because the walls are tall and wide.  As you can see, there wasn’t a lot of fall foliage color going on.  Just hints of it here and there.

Since my last post, the remnants of Ian came through and the ghost of Ian became a nor’easter.  Lots of rain and wind.  No real damage or flooding here on the ranch.  I hear the beaches have been roughed up quite a bit.  Photos of the boardwalk in Ocean City showed flooding when the waves were high (10-12 feet) and sand covering the boardwalk when the water receded.

Over the bridge and walking towards the artisan village.

Walktober reminder:  This year the dates will be October 8 through October 24.  That should give us all plenty of time to get our walks in.  The plan, at the moment, is to do the wrap-up of the walks on or near October 31.  If you need more time, let me know.  The rules are quite loose.  You can walk, run, drive, swim, bike, do whatever you need to do.  You don’t have to go anywhere.  A tour of your yard works just fine.  The idea is to get outside but if you need to be indoors, that’s fine, too.

I fell in love with the dahlias (I think they’re dahlias?) in front of the soap shop in the artisan village.

Time for me to end this and go take up my position on the couch.  Thank you so much for stopping by today and joining me on a short meander.  I have so many more photos to show you.  Hopefully I will get to that over the next few weeks.

Please be safe, be well, and take a little time to just Be.

Another beauty.

A few of the 10,000 reasons to be happy:  2,096)  It’s not Covid.  2,097)  Blue sky!  Sunshine!!  After what feels like weeks (but was really just a matter of days) of cloudiness, the sun has returned.  2,098)  All the hot and steamy drinks and soups.  2,099)  Dahlias.  3,000)  Friends who check up on me and make me laugh (even if that results in coughing fits — probably the best way to get all that gunk out of my system, right?).

Choices.

Advertisement