nichepoetryandprose

Last week, we decided to take a drive along Mountain Road.  This is a trail extending from Mazerolle Settlement outside Fredericton, New Brunswick to Newmarket, near Harvey Station.  We used to take it regularly when my husband and I first knew one another, over 30 years ago.  In those days, it was a narrow road built along the side of Porcupine Mountain.  It was overhung with hardwoods and crossed the upper part of the Woolastook Game Refuge.  We decided it would make a good drive on an October afternoon.

The drive started with a sighting of White-tailed Deer near the road entrance.

Then we stopped briefly at an inlet of the St. John River, to watch a Blue Heron take off and circle the cove.

Although there are a few houses along the first part of the road, the area is generally uninhabited and the woods on either side of the road were still natural.  The trees were beautiful – oak, maple and beech were all in various autumn hues.

It has rained recently, and as we went further along the road, its deteriorated condition became evident.  Culverts were heaved at several points and we had to take our time as the waterholes in the road became deeper and deeper.

Although the road bed was generally solid, we could feel the tires slipping sideways in a couple of the puddles.

At last, unable to see through the muddy water, and wondering if there were any big rocks lurking there, ready to hang us up, my husband decided to turn back.  It was foolish to proceed with summer tires and no winch to help us if we did get stuck.  In the old days, we would have pressed on, willing to walk to the nearest main road, but arthritis interferes with foolish bravado!

Later, we’ll try the road from the other end.  Perhaps we were through the worst, and pavement was just beyond the next big puddle.

Copyright Jane Tims  2012

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