By Suzanne “Cricket” Binelli
Wandering around just about anywhere in New England you will eventually find a stone wall. It’s inevitable. So, if you already love rocks (who doesn’t) then walls made of lots of rocks is spectacular. And they can go on for miles. Sometimes they turn into foundations for homes or barns, even more rocks.
Just like trees and fields of ferns or wildflowers, each stone wall is beautiful in its own way. And every time I see one, I think about how at some point this was a marker or boundary, built up to 400 years ago, for a family or perhaps several families. I think about the people who labored to build them so well that they have stood firm to this day. I think about communities that would come together to create the walls and homes, making sure the cornerstones and foundations were solid to withstand the test of time.
The line on the map that is the APT is just the beginning, the foundation. That line has brought so many of us together and this is where the trail will get its strength; from the online community who spread the word about the trail, the Members, those who have provided money or time or both to help Rue and that line make their way around the country. It’s a solid foundation for what will be the longest conservation corridor in the country. There are exciting times ahead as we build the trail up state by state. There is also a lot that will need to be done and many hands make for light work. If you love the outdoors and animals and trees and ROCKS, you are qualified!
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks”
John Muir
