Stone Chambers of Littleton Massachusetts

We love our house, but like most people Tina and I can sometimes get caught up with all the things it doesn't have rather than those it does. Being a household of four, having a second bathroom is something we've wished for many a hectic school morning. A metal roof to melt the snow would sure be nicer than climbing up there with a shovel after each storm. And for anyone who has to dig their car out after each nor'easter, you can imagine how much we'd like to have a garage.

But all those ideas got bumped back to second place after I visited a residence in Littleton Massachusetts, and realized the most important thing our house is missing - its own stone chamber.

Although the chamber existed long before the house was built, it sits within their property line and makes these lucky people the private owners of their very own man-made cave. Like those we've talked about in the New Hampshire towns of Danville and Newton, these curious structures are strewn throughout New England and New York, and regardless of whether they're 200 years old like conservative historians believe, or 2,000 years old like the imaginative ones argue, they are always a cool little find.

I don't imagine I'm the first person to ever sneak a peek inside this chamber, and after ducking in for a quick look around I was on my way without a single stone disturbed or even touched.

Descriptions of Littleton speak of a town rich with history, and even a quick ride up and down this street seems to verify this. In many places, abandoned foundations and impressive stone walls stand just inside the treeline, often visible without even a need for me to have gotten off my bike.

If you do choose to enter the woods, and if you know of a particular hiding spot less than a mile from where the chamber stands, a second and lesser-known one is waiting to be discovered. With its tiny opening some have speculated it was once sealed off to keep out destructive kids, but fortunately I am no such thing and down to my hands and knees I went.

Once through the entrance I realized just how deceiving the outside was, as this chamber opened up quite comfortably and allowed for my second photo shoot of the day.

Some adventures are all day affairs spent trudging through miles of woods and bush, others are quick little visits like these that can be worked into another activity, such as an afternoon mountain bike ride through a town you've never visited. In fact, almost anything can end up an adventure if you're on the lookout for it, the trick is to just put yourself in the right position for it to happen. And that position is being out there exploring our towns and all the wonderful things they have to offer.