Winter in Keene is pretty, what with the snow and all, and nobody denies that Springtime
is great around here, but Fall is far and away the hands-down winner when it comes to
beauty. Between the changing of the leaves, a chill in the air, the smell of woodsmoke and
that particular variety of golden sunlight that you only see at this time of year, a person
would have the aesthetic sense of a flatulent vulture to not appreciate the beauty around
them this season. The only way that Keene could look any more beautiful than it is right
now, is through the golden glow that comes with the euphoria of an oxygen-deprived
runner.
Here is a medium-length walking/running route that will take you through some areas of
town that you probably haven't seen and will provide you with some great views. The loop
is 5.2 miles long and doesn't involve any hills, so it will probably take you 40-45 minutes to
run or an hour and a half to walk.
This loop starts at Central Square in Keene for several reasons: 1) It is easy to find, 2) It is
centrally located, 3) There is parking, But the most compelling reason is 4) as you leave
the downtown area, you will probably be looking pretty good - you will be fresh; your
wind will be good. As you get a little further on, when you start to pant, to sweat, to
question the wisdom of this whole endeavor, you will be moving from a high population
density to a much less crowded area, so as you look and feel worse, you will be less and
less likely to run into anybody you know.
Leave the Square at a leasurely pace, heading north on Court Street. This has the dual
advantage of taking you through along one of the City's most attractive residential streets,
as well as (should you not be in as good of shape as you'd hoped) taking you to the
general vicinity of the Hospital. The houses in this neighborhood are very attractive. Go
straight for 1 mile.
Just before the traffic bridge, turn off to the left onto Keene's Bicycle Path. The newly
expanded bike path winds its way all over town and this section is the nicest part. It winds
downhill - just when you NEED a bit of downhill - through a grove of trees and a small
meadow to the river. Turn left, just before the footbridge and follow the path into the
woods.
In the spring and summer, the river is stunning, winding gently through the trees and
covered with water lilies; it looks like a Monet painting. In October, it looks even better.
The orange and gold leaves are reflected in the water and swirl around your feet as you run
along the path, which will follow the river for a mile and a half or so. If you feel so
inclined, there is a series of "Fitness Stations" set up at half mile intervals along to path
where fitness nuts or masochists can do additional exercises to pump their heart rates up
even further. By the time you see the chimneys of the Colony Mill in the distance, you will
be more than halfway done with your run and entitled to feel pretty good about yourself.
As you come out of the woods and into Ashuelot River Park, you will see a suspension
bridge over the river. Cross it. As you do, your footfalls will set up a series of vibrations
that will cause the bridge to bob up and down in time to your steps. This is fun! Some
people even turn around and run across it again. Take the footpath immediately on your
right as soon as you leave the bridge. This is where you will start to feel like a real runner.
The trees crowd into the path here and you get the sense of running through some sort of
primeval forest. You will probably find yourself running faster now. If you had the good
sense to walk instead of run, you will feel a bit like Daniel Boone. You will probably even
flush a rabbit or two.
The path will follow the river for a few hundred meters, then loop behind the Hanneford's
shopping center. Cut through the trees to the rear parking lot and around to the front of
the shopping center. This is the tricky part of your run. The key thing to remember at this
point is not to get run over. Run to the stoplight at the entrance of the plaza and cross the
street. Go fifty yards to your right and turn onto the bike path again. This is the newest
section of the Path and it is terrific. It loops behind the K-mart complex and runs parallel
to West street for a half mile, along a tree shaded lane and over another footbridge.
At this point, you may be struck by an observation regarding the K-mart building itself:
Successful Art (and presumably architecture as well) is supposed to take you out of
yourself, to capture a mood, to focus attention on the subject and away from the artist.
Given that definition, the K-mart building fails as Art, but is intriguing in it's own way.
Someone has gone to the trouble of designing an intricate pattern of bricks and granite
ledging on the side of this otherwise very utilitarian building. You have to wonder about
the state of mind of the architect who designed it. Did his supervisor say, "This is going to
New Hampshire, the Granite State! To heck with the expense, let's decorate it in granite!"?
Or is this the last gasp of a disillusioned artist's soul, trying to instill just a little beauty into
an otherwise drab structure? In any case, he or she is to be commended for the effort.
The Bike Path will end, leaving you at the Colony Mill. Cut through the parking lot, turn
right and duck behind the Center At Keene complex. Hold your head high as you run past
the people working out at Gold's Gym - you may be gasping and sweaty, but so are they.
Go down Emerald Street to Main Street, and you are almost Home Free. This is where
you get to look your best. Lengthen your stride as you run down the sidewalk toward the
Square. Feel free to grunt a little as you impress the people on the sidewalk, lazily drinking
their cappuccinos and smoking their cigarettes. This is where you are supposed to look like
you've accomplished something. And you have! As you stride up to Central Square,
you've run 5.2 miles, which is pretty darn impressive. If you have been wise enough to
walk this loop, you can saunter jauntily up Main Street pointing out sights to your
companion with your walking stick or umbrella before joining the cigarette-smoking
cappuccino-drinkers.
