Outdoors in RI: Breakheart Pond hike, DEM survey, EEE lockdown, 2A scrappers or doers – Jeff Gross

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer, outdoors and 2A

Breakheart Pond is ever changin’ – let’s keep it going strong

Finishing the Breakheart Pond hike I discovered that the pond area is intersections of various hiking trails. (See photo below)  One can spend hours losing themselves in the canopy that overhangs the various trails. The road pictured below is the old Austin Farm Road that was used by us teenagers to gain quick access to Breakheart.  Because of the deteriorating bridge the road is now just a mountain bike trail. Austin Farm Road was known for swallowing trucks back in the day.  This writer was given a free day off from high school, however, that benefit was short lived as his father’s non 4WD truck swamped in a washed out culvert due to the rain the night before. Well the trout lived to see another day in Breakheart Pond as a result that day.

It was recently stated that the Breakheart Dam is under consideration to be permanently removed by the actions of some native trout fishermen.  Currently being fact checked. One would hate to see the pond eliminated for the sake of a handful of anglers. My Dad and Grandfather both enjoyed Breakheart dating back to the 1950’s.  Again, a new dam could be easily fabricated by the Army National Guard with the 2 week summer duty stints. I am thrilled to see that Frosty Hollow Pond maintained a stable water level and at this moment there are trout swimming about in the pond.  Yes, trout in mid-August at Frosty Hollow!  The repairs to Frosty Hollow pond succeeded.   See header photo.

During my hike with Abby various mushrooms were noted.  Though I would not attempt to forage for them, they were interesting to look at.  The fluorescent orange fungi tell me that they are highly toxic as bright colors are quite often a danger sign in mother nature. Apparently, all the rain has kept Frosty Hollow Pond filled, and also kind to mushroom growth as some very large 6-8 inch toadstools were seen on the hike.

EEE lockdown time?

Fortunately, no mosquitoes were encountered as I am sure there are those looking to confine us to our homes just like Oxford, Massachusetts did Thursday due to a handful of bugs that tested positive for triple E. The Board of Health met Wednesday evening to recommend ending outdoor activities before dusk to avoid peak mosquito hours – despite residents’ protests. The protests mainly involved back-to-school fall sports for children and team start-ups, and all the ramifications of that. This writer has seen the triple E positives dating back to when he was a teenager. Only since the Covid lockdowns does the government feel we can be ordered to stay in our homes for any reason at all.  See video, said to show National Guard activity during COVID.

RI DEM wants to know – online or in person (TODAY)

As it is apparent that more and more folks are enjoying the outdoors, please take a moment and fill out the online survey sponsored by the RI DEM or show up in person at the locations TODAY – August 23rd.

Do you spend time outdoors? Share your feedback on outdoor recreation in Rhode Island! Your participation will help inform priorities for outdoor recreation in the Ocean State for the next five years. Complete the short survey for a chance to win a 2025 RI State Beach Parking Pass! The survey only takes a few minutes, find it online – here: https://riparks.ri.gov/scorp. 

Prefer to share your thoughts in person? Stop by an upcoming tabling event: 

Find more information on the SCORP Survey Contest at https://riparks.ri.gov/scorp-incentive. 

Scrappy 2A community, locally – lots of progress, nationally

While the Rhode Island gun community cannot get along with themselves, due to some with very controlling behaviors and anger management problems, the rest of the USA is making gains in leaps and bounds. This week, alone, the Second Amendment Foundation filed a request for a Writ of certiorari at SCOTUS for the Bianchi v Frosh 2.0 case which involves the Maryland AR-15 ban.  I suggested to SAF to include magazine bans as well, but apparently that won’t fly.  Justice Scalia in the Heller decision ruled that trigger locks, requiring locking up of firearms or disabling of guns in any manner was unconstitutional.  What is interesting about the Heller decision is initially the Heller case was only about the DC handgun ban.  To the best of my knowledge the forced safe storage (just like the recent “Communist” law in Rhode Island) was added afterward. Maybe it is time for SCOTUS and the other courts to start coming down on states such as Rhode Island like a ton of bricks. I am confident the AR-15 bans nationwide will be a thing of the past no later than June 30th 2025.

Many an anti-gun politico will lose sleep this weekend as the Federal Appeals Court for Kansas ruled that machine guns are protected arms under the Second Amendment.  I can see it now, gun owners saying the hell with AR-15s, we will start carrying .50 cal Browning machine guns around Providence. So, Democrats who have been active on this issue – do you see the writing on the wall, yet?  To those without Jurist Doctorates I can explain it to you in simple 3 letter words.

The Huge Ruling That Says Machine Gun Bans Are Unconstitutional

Have a nice week – Jeff

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Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.

Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”.  Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.

His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, Commentary, and Whimsical. He can be reached at: [email protected].