Western Massachusetts Tacomas

Look for Cleveland Brook Reservoir. About 3/4 of a mile east of it you'll see an electric substation with high tension wires going through it. There is a road called "Hinsdale Rd." that starts near the station and heads north. Somewhere along that road is a cemetery. There is also a brook that crosses the road at some point and I believe the bridge is completely gone.

 

The highlighted road is the one you're looking for.

 

interesting. If you go east on the road instead of up hinsdale, the brook clearly runs straight through the road. It looks like a small brook. Maybe it could just be driven through it if its shallow enough. If you really want to find the location, may be worth just catching one of the neighbors outside further up the road and ask.

 

Here you go...

 

Did you pick out some dates on those?

 

Oldest I saw was 1811. Most were mid 1800s. I think they were all pre-Civil War. I spent very little time there because of the mosquitoes.

 

Very cool.
Yeah, the rains and humidity are really bringing them out for snack time.

 

So here's where I stopped. Directly in front of the truck is where the bridge was. This is the detour they made around it. If it weren't for the bad mud near the truck, I could have probably gotten through it and back up the other side, but I don't think I'd ever try it anyway:



The bridge has literally fallen into the brook. These are the remnants:


Looking across from the opposite side:


The oldest stone I saw:


The other side of the road warning about the bridge out. No sign on the side I came down.

 

Nicely done.

 

can you update the map and mark the location?

 

Nice photos. More explorin' to be done.

 

yes, the mystery vehicle in the woods at camp lenore

 

Probably about there. Rough guess. You can't miss it if you go by it, though.

I went over that bridge once as a kid. I mountain biked that road and remember that at the time there were concrete barricades on it that I went around. Makes me wonder how safe it was then since it completely fell in now.

Cemetery is about a 5 minute walk past the brook.

I had decent cell service all the way through there, for whatever it's worth. Not as good as Camp Lenore, though. The 400 ft microwave tower makes that whole area perfect.

 

nice work. Is the whole road open? Did you scrape your truck on anything?

 

It's in good shape on both sides of the bridge. I mean, I wouldn't take a Prius down there but I didn't have to worry about anything. I only used 4WD very briefly to turn around--just so I could back further into the mud to do it in one shot rather than two or three..

 

@skiergd011013 @js312 Went exploring a bit while the kids were passed out in the back (great adventurers they are, huh?) arounf the Oct Mtn s.f. area. Lots of work being done on New Lenox Rd. Went in as far as a yellow gate (that was open) and saw another truck in there that looked like a work truck. Turned around there so I would have to answer questions.
Going to try to get back there maybe Saturday to try a couple other access roads. Do either of you have info about the roads in there (Oct Mtn s.f.)?
Thanks

 

Ashley Trail is/was pretty rough. I went through once, but not sure I would again. It gets progressively worse if you come in from Washington Mountain Rd. From Whitney Place Rd. it's as bad as it gets right away. It would be a piece of cake for something with a shorter wheelbase, but a DCLB is a little big to get through there. Just barely hit the tube steps a lot when I did it and had to really judge a lot, but with the slight lift I might not now.

West Branch Rd. is in great shape. Closed signs, but it's just as good as any maintained dirt road would be.

Whitney Place Rd. is in great shape up to Farnham Reservoir (sounds like this is what you did) and up to Schermerhorn Rd. from the other side. Unmaintained between those points, but I think it's a piece of cake all the way through for a stock Tacoma. I haven't gone all the way because it's a lot longer than it looks on a map. Have gone from both sides, though, so I've probably seen almost all of it at this point.

Haven't driven any of the others. Looking at the DCR map, I suspect Ashley Trail/the area around Ashley Lake and Sandwich Reservoir is the worst of anything. Washington Mountain Rd. from Lee could be equally bad because it's labeled the same way.

 

Hey fellas, just bought 2011 dclb. I've been reading this forum for a week now and trying to learn. Anyways, I'm in Wilbraham. So instead of posting a dumb new member thread that Noone will look at I'll reach out to you local guys for when my dumas needs some help. Thanks. All I've done to the truck is changed the dome lights to LEDS and plasti dipped my chrome emblems. Lift, wheels, and tires will be done. My goal is to not go crazy, this t Ryu ck takes me to the dog park and a 4x4 beach on the cape. So that's about it. Rah

 

Nice to have you here, Danny. Glad you are in. My parents did a lot of beach travel on MV with their Tacoma. Lots of them there.
Please don't hesitate to ask questions, someone is sure to have an answer for you.
There is also a New England BS thread that gets lots of action each day too. Stop in there to say hi also.