Monday, April 6, 2020
Tonight's run started with a pleasant surprise - the Zim Smith Trail parking area in Round Lake has been paved, possibly enlarged, and generally improved over the dirt lot that used to be there.
Less pleasant was all the damage done to the trail by heavy equipment. At first I thought it was due to what looks like sewer line work, but when I reached the eastern end of the trail I had another pleasant surprise - the trail extension I've been hearing about for a number of years has finally been built, though there's still work to be done. There's a paved parking area, a restroom building, and a paved path heading toward Mechanicville. At that point I'd already run 3.5 miles, so I didn't really dare venture along the new trail (which is still signed as being closed.)
The extension leads me to think that the work on the section I ran tonight may also be in preparation of paving that section. While I will be sorry for the loss of yet another dirt rail trail, if it's paved it will certainly be easier to ride.
On the way back I decided to check out the trail down into Ushers Road State Forest. The connection to the Zim Smith is only about a quarter of a mile long, but it ends at a loop that's close to a mile and a half. Of course being a stubborn SOB I did the whole loop, which meant I'd done over 7.5 miles by the time I got back to the Zim Smith... and the last mile and a half back to Round Lake really wasn't fun, especially since my legs haven't had enough time to recover after Saturday's 10 miler in the Pine Bush.
I have to say, though, I'm really looking forward to all the trail work being done and getting to ride that new section. I know some trail work has continued despite the general shutdown of construction projects; hopefully this is one of the projects currently being worked on.
JMH
