Friday, June 7, 2013

Pocomoke Nature Trail / Stevenson's Pond

POCOMOKE NATURE TRAIL


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Kick those bedroom slippers off your feet and grab your sneakers, hiking boots- even flip flops whatever YOU think you may need for a hike!  The last loop of the Pocomoke Nature Trail is completed thanks to the steady, hard and rigorous laboring of some of Pocomoke's finest!

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My husband and I met with Councilman Don Malloy the following day of the trails completion of the trails 600 feet of the "Missing Link". ( Since this has always been Councilman Malloy's  venture I let him lead the way)  I can still recall the beginning of the Nature Trail whose entrance is located at the back of Cypress Park. 20 years ago?  That means, of course, that we were all a little younger, moved a little faster and stayed up a whole lot later.  But it was fascinating that long ago to hear about the advancement of  the boards.  I've walked it many times- even bought the t-shirt back then to which I saved and still have today.

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Stevenson's Pond and Nature Trail here we come! 
My last visit to Stevenson's Pond was the day the "flying bridge" was flown in.  This, at that time, was "excitement for the day".  My now husband and I took our lunch hours from work to watch! A cool dreary- and of course it had rained.  Terrible place to be but I was so busy paying attention to the helicopter nothing mattered.  The landing was a success and nothing any of us poking around had ever seen.  Remarkable!!  I'll never forget that day....We were both late returning to work from lunch and I lost a pair of $85 shoes to the mud at Stevenson's Pond!  Needless to say, I had never been back so Sunday was quite a delight.


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. You can tell by walking on the trail that getting the final link of the trail wasn't no easier than any of it had ever been.  And one thing about it you will see Nature at its most spectacular array of beauty.  There is no way to detour it... or the creatures that live there.  It is their space.


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There are cypress trees on the Nature Trail that are larger than I ever remember seeing!

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Cypress Tree top
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And of course you can't have a Cypress tree and not expect cypress knees.  In my family Cypress knees are affectionately known as Pocomoke Trolls.

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We are al aware of the fact that the Pocomoke Nature Trail was designed and built by the wonderful volunteers of Pocomoke City and considerate volunteers from the U.S. Navy who are currently stationed at NASA /Wallops Flight Facility.

BUT
What about the bridge?
Here is what I know now but never thought about then.
During the early 1990's the city of Pocomoke had received grants to dismantle the dilapidated buildings in the area of Vine Street in downtown Pocomoke City.  Beauchamp Construction won the bid  for demolition.  According to the Beauchamp Construction website business began with the hometown company in 1992. 

The "flying bridge"  is actually 2 roof trusses that were removed from one of the buildings torn down in the Vine Street area. (I am told it possibly from a cleaning business).

It has been told that (talk about seeing into the future) maybe they should be saved "just in case" they are needed in the future.  And there they are!  Your "flying bridge".  And, if I have been told properly,  the bridge was set that day without a glitch all due to the careful planning from Beauchamp Construction- and probably a few others. 






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Please note that you can also fish from the Nature Trail walkway in most areas.  Here's how I know....

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There is a bobber branch

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And a bobber bush
I do not fish but I know the sign of a bobber that is out of place.  And I bet it is safe to say that there have been a few tears shed  here from little boys, bad words from the big boys.

 And it all blends in nicely with the truths and the folk lore  of the over 20 year story of the Pocomoke Nature Trail  and its  many volunteer friends....

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Please take time to visit.


 But Remember:The Nature Trail setting belongs to Nature....everything else that is there is maintained by those that care. Please take your trash and if needed  someone else's too.
 

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