Spring is here. With my impending hike of Mount Washington, I have felt the urge to get out on the trails and warm up a bit. Yesterday I had an hour to spare, so I took a brief trek to the fire tower at Pawtuckaway State Park.
Best laid plans. . .
I took a wrong turn and explored a few extra miles of fire roads and Jeep trails with Mrs. Mack505’s truck. Her 7000lb, 2500 series, 4-door GMC Denali Diesel truck. I made it to the trailhead without a scratch somehow.
The trail is a short jaunt measuring 0.4 miles from parking lot to tower. It’s a popular and highly recommended hike to a good lunch spot. I found the tower manned with a ranger straight out of a 1960’s Disney film. He had gray hair, wire rimmed glasses, a red and black checked flannel shirt, and a pleasant demeanor.
The day was dry and windy, a Class 4 in ranger-speak. The radio crackled with conversation among the fire towers.
Before I could say hello the radio reported heavy black smoke in our vicinity. We both looked out and saw nothing; then I moved slightly to one side and this popped out of the blind spot of the tower:
That would be a barn fire just down the road from our farm. Fire units were delayed because many of them had to respond from another neighboring fire. The radio traffic was interesting.
I would have gone to ‘buff’ it. Alas I did not have time to spare. I bid the ranger ‘good day’ and hiked onward to my next appointment.
Notes from Mosquito Hill 