1148. Italian Thanksgiving 2020 : Red Gravy on the Yellow Gravy Trail - 1-2 miles
Voluntown, CT


Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Thanksgiving 2020 may have been quite a bit different for some folks. This was also the case for us, since quite a few Thanksgivings of the past we remember spending off in different places, from Poland to Costa Rica! However, not being able to travel much of anywhere in 2020, we were delighted that our neighbors from across the street, who have sort of adopted us as “family” during the pandemic, invited us over for a wonderful Italian-style Thanksgiving dinner! And, since the Italian-Americans of our area use the word “gravy” to designate the red tomato sauce that gets put over the pasta, meatballs, sausage and braciole that form part of their traditional feast, we decided that we just had to put a letterbox out on the “Gravy Trail” in Voluntown, CT to commemorate this special shared Thanksgiving, too!

Earlier in the fall, when we had first heard of new trails in the Green Falls Pond area of Pachaug State Forest from friends in the Westerly Band, we had put some old potatoes and a new masher out on the red “Mashed Potato Trail”, and had dropped hints hoping that others might add some gravy to the southern end of the nearby “Gravy Trail” as well. We were so happy that a couple of our letterboxing neighbors took up the challenge and their carving tools to add a nice gravy boat and a ladle that could be fit together to have the brown gravy dripping right down into it! Now, our carving skills have never been anywhere near that adept and are only getting worse with time, so don’t expect anything much in the way of stamps from us, especially in as far as trying to make anything that looks even vaguely like “gravy”! However, for anyone interested in exploring the northern end of the “Gravy Trail”, this hike might be right up your alley!

To reach the starting point, just go to the usually gated dirt road into Pachaug State Forest that is about 1/2 mile west of the CT/RI border on route 138, and find parking for 2-3 cars there on the left. The trailhead sign is just past the gate on the left, and although it doesn’t say there that it is the “Gravy Trail”, you can find out from recent online maps that that is indeed its name! Take that trail through the piney woods and along a ridge, passing a 20’ “whale rock” with a 10’ foot snag in front of it on the left. Soon pass through a portal of 2 large boulders and curve gently down through some hairpin turns, finally leaving the sounds of route 138 behind. Eventually cross a slightly angled 2-plank bridge, then hop across a small wet area, pass a yellow-blazed 2-trunk tree mid trail and reach the top of a small piney knoll. From the tree trailside left with a yellow blaze on each side of it and a small 1-2’ stump trailside right, go about 6 steps at 270 degrees to look inside the back crack of a 2x3’ licheny rock for a lock n’ lock box. For the “plate” stamp, please remember to use only a tiny bit of pale-colored ink (like sky blue) only around the outside rim of the plate so as not to interfere with the “food” you are about to put on it! (although we did leave a dark red ink pad that can be temporarily borrowed for those who do not have red “food-colored” ink of their own to complete this Italian meal picture!;-)

Now go back to that same trailside tree and head 10 steps at 140 degrees to find “pasta” (looks more like brains;-) tucked in a pill bottle behind the 2-trunk tree. Next, from that same tree go about 15 steps at 330 degrees to look on the west side of a large “meatball rock” to find a little “meatball” in another pill bottle. Finally, from the same tree, take about 20 steps back along the trail, then 8 steps off trail at 70 degrees to look behind the left side of a somewhat pointy 2’ rock which currently has a rotting branch angled over another rock very close behind. Here you will find the “gravy” namesake for this trail in yet another pill bottle. Don’t forget to return the red inkpad, if borrowed, to the lock n’lock box in case someone else might need it for their “gravy”! And thanks again to our neighbors for sharing such a delightful Italian Thanksgiving with us, even though our pathetic lack of carving skills couldn’t possibly do it justice!

Copyright (c) Wanda and Pete. All Rights Reserved.

BEFORE YOU SET OUT, PLEASE READ THE WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER.