On The Loose To Climb A Mountain

Delayed Post from 2015: 3 Day Hut to Hut Hike in the Whites (No. 27 and No. 28)

2020-08-15T18:24:00.001-04:00

It's been 5 years since I've blogged about my hiking experiences. In that time, I've added another little hiking buddy to our pack. The big kids are big enough to start asking about starting on "mountains" and I've been taking the time to get them out on the smaller hills in our area.

I had big plans to get back to hiking the 4ks but Covid-19 has made me nervous and I've heard too much about issues with crowds and out of state hikers in the Whites to head up to the "real" mountains. At the same time, while taking my kiddos hiking on the smaller hills and mountains local to home, I've realized I am not in prime hiking condition. So I've started working towards that goal.

I've also been witnessing people doing some solo hikes, which I've been shy to do. I think I might get braver and start spending some time in the woods without my crew. The Big Dude has been struggling with carrying our littlest one but has done it with no complaint. He has said there's no way he could manage a proper mountain carrying TB on his back.

Since it's been 5 years.... Here's photos from the last draft I started of my last big hike in the Whites. I went with my Girl Scout Troop and co-leader. It was a rainy start but a fun hike. I had ditched my husband with Little Dude and a baby who we now call Adventure Girl. I hope to start blogging about my adventures with our trio of kiddos soon. Enjoy the photos.

Memorial Day Weekend: Coolidge State Park

2015-07-05T16:48:00.001-04:00

This Memorial Day was the first camping trip for our youngest at 8 months old. Having experienced camping with a baby once, we knew we could do it again. We had tired of camping in Massachusetts and wanted to get back up into the northern states. I knew the White Mountains would be too cold so we opted for Coolidge State Park since it was just a little over two hours away in Plymouth, VT. We also booked a lean-to site for the first time, which proved pretty useful with several toddlers running around. They loved the "stage" and it was convenient to store some of our extraneous gear in that we found necessary with little ones.

Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, we did quite a bit of standing around saying, "Do you want to do something?" Someone came up with the brilliant idea to go on a hike. Eight months post baby and one major hike behind me I was game. Coolidge SP is part of the Coolidge Range and has tons of hiking trails in the surrounding area. We didn't go crazy but picked a short nature walk to get the blood flowing and enjoy the park. We followed the Slack Hill Trail which started near our tent sites and cut back into the sites by the CCC Trail.

Heading to the trail head

Lil Dude following Zazu up hill

We started out just fine. It was warm and there was a slight breeze. The first night we camped it was below freezing so the warmer temps were greatly appreciated. I would guess that we had barely hiked a quarter mile and Lil Dude decided to bail because he was "tired" and wanted "to nap." Big Dude was okay with this because he thought he would get to try out his new hammock. So back down the trail they went and the rest of us traveled on. I was carrying Little in my Ergo and she was dozing.

Signage to head to the "Contact" Station a.k.a Ranger Station

We strolled through a lovely deciduous forest with slight hills and pretty mild grades. We did meet up with several other hikers and families. One family warned us of a blow down ahead. It seemed to be a long time coming but honestly was only about a half mile away. It blocked the entire trail and was one of those that you could not go under or over but had to go around.

Nate sizing up the situation

Once we hiked around the tree we continued along the established path. The leaves were starting to fill in the trees and there were some neat items along the trail.

Huge quartz

Trillium

After approximately a mile and a half we descended to a vista. It was the only vista on the trail and had been manually cleared to provide the view. There was a group there ahead of us so we stayed to the side and snacked some. It was clear and Mount Ascutney could easily be seen. Ben and I had hiked that one in 2007 and assisted some hang gliders with take off. It was pretty cool!

View of Mount Ascutney from the Vista point

After some time, we moved on down the trail. It rose and fell nicely through the woods. There was little wildlife to be found, most likely because there were so many people on the trail.

Ferns

Wood Nymph Melanie

Pretty wildflowers that I really should learn the name of

We reached the picnic area of the state park and crossed the parking lot. We could have hiked back down the road but opted to continue to explore. We found a terrific shelter in a large field. There were two huge stone fireplaces on each end inside. The view was awesome! You could see Killington Ski area across the field. There were still traces of snow on it and someone said there was still some skiing taking place.

View from the Bradley Hill Picnic Shelter

We hiked down behind the tent sites by the CCC Trail for approximately a half mile. Then we turned at the sign post directing us to the tent area. We weren't entirely certain where it would come out but we weren't too worried.

CCC Sign Post

The short trail had a few little stream crossings. Everything was so dry that they hardly moistened our shoes.

Sad little stream

Bridge over mud

We re-entered the tent area and easily hiked up the road to our sites. Being Sunday afternoon on Memorial Day weekend, many campers had already packed up and ventured home. We stayed on another night and went home early enough that traffic wasn't too crazy.

The hike itself was a nice little stroll. Little slept through most of it. I definitely appreciated the vista on Slack Hill and then the bonus of the view from Bradley Hill. Looking at the website, I see that there are letterboxing opportunities at the campground as well. If I had had some time to plan I think I would have tried to do some of that.

Coolidge State Park was a good one for those who want to camp quietly. There were very few generators and RV's. It was mainly tents and the like. It's convenient to some historic sites (Cal Coolidge's Birthplace) and tourist attractions (a.k.a. breweries for Big Dude). Before we left the campground we drove through the Lean-To site area, some of the views were fantastic. Scary sites for those of us with children due to the drop off but awesome views of the Green Mountains and Black River Valley.

Where: Slack Hill Trail and CCC Trail, Coolidge State Park, Plymouth, Vermont

On the Web: http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/coolidge.htm

Directions: From Jct. Hwy 100 and Hwy. 100A: Go 2 mi. N on Hwy. 100A.

Summer is coming! Mount Monadnock Hike

2015-05-26T21:55:00.000-04:00

Summer is bouncing into New England. After a hard snowy winter, we're so glad to see high temps. I admit I am a bit nervous about the lack of rain. It is quite dry in this area and I'm thinking we'll be in drought conditions in no time. Since we've had some nicer weather, I've managed to get my boots on and complete a few hikes. I've done a few small ones that I've covered in the past and last month I hiked Mount Monadnock with my Girl Scout troop.

I'm very excited, my high school aged troop decided that they want to go backpacking this summer. I, of course, jumped on it and will be hiking with them in June. I am a bit nervous as I am still breastfeeding my baby but I'm hopeful that it will work out okay. I know other moms make it work so maybe Little and I can make it work too.

BUT back to the real point of this, Mount Monadnock. We decided to do a "local" day hike to make sure that the girls can endure a mountain. Little did we know, it was going to be a beautiful day with tons of people at the state park.

I planned to take Little (the baby) with me and then I enlisted Big Dude to join in with Lil Dude and our friend, Dan. I figured if I could hike with Little and a day pack, hiking in June shouldn't be too much of a stretch.

We arrived at the gate around 10:30 and waited in the line to park. The rangers were directing everyone to take the most popular routes up and down, White Dot and White Cross. I've hiked these before and have actually enjoyed other routes more but we opted to follow the recommendation.

Visitor Center

After we parked we found Dan and then the GS Troop arrived. I planned to hike with the girls and Big Dude and Dan could go at a slower pace with Lil Dude who was likely to want to hike. We started out at a decent pace and the girls chatted easily while hiking White Dot. The trail initially is a gentle incline but it quickly becomes more challenging as there is little reprieve from the incline and it becomes more steep.

Lil Dude hiking with Big Dude and Dan

At one point I worried one of our girls would not make it. She looked rather ill. We of course were prepared for this possibility but she continued on. We had a few breaks and around 12:30 I stopped to feed Little. She was a trooper just hanging out in the baby carrier while I climbed over rocks and tree roots. This is when I ended up breaking away from the troop and could not possibly catch up. Fortunately, my Dudes and Dan caught up to me and I continued on with them.

View up to the summit from the trail

Many people complimented me for being "brave" or their "hero". I definitely appreciated that as I felt like I was dying! It was tough and very warm (for her and me!). At times, I was kicking myself for this plan especially since I had only completed some small trail hikes and neighborhood walking prior to this trip.

Just being funny

Just before White Dot and White Cross connect, I could see one of the other troop volunteers on White Cross. She called to me and let me know where the other girls were. I let her know that I most likely would not catch up but would follow behind and keep an eye out for them. Most of them hiked up to the Summit but she and the girl who wasn't feeling well were heading down.

White Cross/Dot Junction

We continued to hike up the mountain and I was surprised by my three year old. Lil Dude LOVED climbing the rocks. We had brought our carrier for him but he was determined to climb and climb and climb. Once we reached around 2900' he started to tire but wanted to keep going. He would get in the backpack and then would want to climb again.

Lil Dude Climbing some steeps

When we were close to the summit, I decided to stop and wait for the boys to go up. It was too treacherous for me to ascend the rock so awkwardly balanced. I was tired and concerned that I would lose my footing. I waited and watched the other hikers. I saw one guy climbing up on crutches and two others who were hiking barefoot.

Big Dude with Little resting below the summit

The boys rejoined me a short while later. Big Dude said Lil had changed his mind and wanted to come back down. We rested a bit and then started our descent on White Cross. At this point, Lil was definitely tired. You could tell by the whining and repeated changing of his mind. Truth is it was also nap time for him at this point so Big Dude decided to carry him down.

The foursome just below the summit

The trip down was steep but not a steep as White Dot would have been to come down on. We were all tired and realized it was starting to get very late when a ranger passed us going up the trail. Not too long after that Big Dude started to feel very dizzy and we paused to figure out what needed to be done. Both of us hated to do it but we asked Dan if he would mind carrying Lil Dude for a while. He definitely was our hero!

Mini Snow Man

After that point, the trail seemed so much longer than it should have been. We rejoiced when we rejoined the White Dot Trail. We hiked out and found the once full parking lot fairly deserted. A few people we had seen on the trail (some struggling and some not) congratulated us on finishing the hike. I was pleased that I was still standing and felt very little discomfort. I definitely am proud of Lil Dude for hiking so much of the mountain and keeping a good attitude while tired.

Lower White Cross/Dot Junction

We stopped for pizza in Jaffrey and I got an email from the other troop volunteer, making sure I was okay with them leaving (which of course I was, I knew they had commitments back home to make). I let her know we made it down safe but much later than "book time." Book time is about 4 hours, I had estimated we could do it in 5. Truth is it was closer to 7 hours for us!

The Full Moon on our drive home

Mount Monadnock is one of the most frequently climbed mountains in the world and on the day we climbed, it felt as if half the world was on the trail with us. In a sense it was nice because people were encouraging each other. Generally, I hike to get away from people though. While the White Dot and White Cross are the most direct trails, I definitely would recommend some of the other trails if you want some reprieve from humans. Unfortunately, it is a no dogs allowed state park so our pup stayed home. I've recommended this mountain to others in the past. Its local for us (within 2 hours) and challenges many people. The state park is a fee use areas and there is a campground attached to the state park as well.

Lovely view

Where: Mount or Grand Monadnock, Monadnock State Park, 116 Poole Road, Jaffery, New Hampshire 03452

On the Web: http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/monadnock-state-park.aspx

Directions: From Route 3 (Northbound): Take Route 3 north to exit 7 in New Hampshire. Follow Rte. 101A west to Rte. 101 west to Peterborough, turn left for 202 west to Jaffrey. Turn right onto 124 west and follow signs to Monadnock State Park. From I-93 (Northbound): Take 101 west to Peterborough, turn left for 202 west to Jaffrey. Turn right onto 124 west and follow signs to Monadnock State Park. From I-93 (Southbound): Take 101 west to Peterborough, turn left for 202 west to Jaffrey. Turn right onto 124 west and follow signs to Monadnock State Park. From I-95: Follow Rte. 101 west to Peterborough, turn left for 202 west to Jaffrey. Turn right onto 124 west and follow signs to Monadnock State Park. From I-91: Take Exit 28A, follow MA Rte. 10 to NH Rte. 119 east. Take Rte. 202 east to Jaffrey. Turn left onto 124 west and follow signs to Monadnock State Park.

A Walk in the Woods: Lowell Dracut Tyngsboro State Forest

2014-09-24T20:33:00.001-04:00

This year it seems we only hiked during holiday weekends. Originally we had thought we would go camping over Independence Day but we decided there was much to be done around the house. Big Dude was easily convinced to go for a short walk in the woods nearby. There are several conservation areas local to us but we had not been to this one in about two years.

Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest is spread out over three towns in Massachusetts. I learned about it when I worked in a residential treatment facility for boys that had an outdoor based component. It contains about 1,140 acres of woods and wetlands. I've often come across paintball tournaments, mountain bikers, and cross country skiers while hiking the woods. It may have been a Native American village prior to the arrival of the colonists and there are often rumors and ghost stories told about certain areas of the woods.

Ghosts or not we went to the trail head on Trotting Park Road in Lowell. There are several entrances to the forest but I've always found this one the easiest to access.

Trail head on Trotting Park Road

We parked and unloaded the dog and Lil' Dude. He took great pride in being able to walk under the gate without ducking his head. After a few steps he decided he wanted the Big Dude to carry him in the backpack. So up he went and on we walked.

Beyond the Gate

L2 on the Healthy Heart Trail

We had decided to try to follow the Healthy Heart Trail. On the trail map it is indicated by the hearts. Interestingly enough, the family trail appears to be the same path. Throughout the entire forest are blue hiker blazes.

Blazes

We hiked for a short while before we arrived at our first turn in the loop. L5 took us over a small footbridge and deeper into the forest towards Tyngsboro.

L5 Marker

Footbridge

We caught glimpses of wetlands through the trees. The trail had several footbridges on them. None of them had water or even mud under them. It had been a rather dry beginning to the summer so far. We came upon a funny plank bridge that forked into a "Y" shape. As we walked over it, we couldn't determine why it was a "Y" since the trail joined back up around the trees.

"Y" bridge

We walked on with the sunlight shining through the trees. The weather was warm but not hot. It definitely was comfortable for this pregnant lady to be hiking. At the side of the trail, we came upon a teeter totter. Of course, Big and Lil' had to go over it.

Teeter Totter

Soon after, Lil' Dude declared he wanted to hike too. This was good because it meant I could hand off the dog to Big Dude. Apparently, Ansel was very excited to be in the woods. He was pulling and trying to be at the front of his "pack" for most of the hike. We stopped to look at a pretty wetland area.

Wetlands

Fortunately as Lil' Dude wanted to walk, I was able to hand off our rambunctious pup to the Big Dude. Lil' was much easier to keep in check.

We crossed back over Trotting Park Road at L10 and continued down the Heart Healthy Trail. This section of the trail gave us lovely views of Spruce Swamp. There was a gentle breeze and it kept the bugs away. Lil' Dude ran ahead a bit and explored along the trail. We could easily see him, so we were not concerned about loosing him, especially since he stopped every few seconds to touch something.

Giant Tree

Spruce Swamp

There were a few off shoots from the trail so we decided to continue hugging the shoreline. This meant that we missed the turn to follow the Healthy Heart Trail. However, it did bring us to this lovely spot.

Party Zone

Creative Use of Bottle Caps

Clearly, kids are still partying in the woods. They made a fire ring at a point in the trail that juts into the swamp. I will admit, if I was to pick a place to have a fire and hang out, I'd choose there. Unfortunately, it did look well used. Hopefully, no harm comes from it.

We hung out there for a while, making certain that Ansel and Lil' did not get cut up on the glass. We enjoyed our snacks and some water. The breeze certainly was picking up, so once snack was gone and I took a few photos we moved on.

Relaxing pooch

We followed the trail up to D1. There were some huge rocks along the trail. I definitely could not get a picture to show the enormity of them. Lil' Dude did some climbing and then we wandered along.

Giant rock

While wandering up to D1, Big Dude and I noticed that many of the trees had what appeared to be scorch marks on their trunks. We speculated about fires but thought we might have heard if there was a forest fire near us. Granted, it has been a few years since my last visit to this part of the woods. I hope the fire didn't start because of a forest party.

Fired damage or something else?

By the time we reached D1, Lil' Dude was tired and definitely wanted to be carried/not carried/carried/not carried. There was quite a bit of crying and grumping. Big Dude popped him in the carrier and we set back down Carney Road towards the junction with the Healthy Heart Trail.

Carney Road

Spruce Swamp from Carney Road

We found the junction and followed the Healthy Heart Trail through the woods back towards the parking lot. It was confusing because there were many turn offs that just weren't labeled well. Somehow we actually managed to choose the right paths.

Along the way we found a cluster of boulders that were larger than any of the ones we found earlier. I love finding glacial erratics in the woods. They looked like lots of fun to play on but the tired Lil' Dude needed to get back to the car.

Ginormous Rocks

We made it back to the parking lot and got Ansel and Lil' Dude into the car. There were a few more cars in the lot than when we showed up. We had parked in front of a stone that was spray painted with the word Love on it. So I climbed up and took a baby bump shot. It's not often there is a picture of me on the blog as I'm behind the camera most of the time.

Love

I know I have displayed a lot of graffiti and trashing of the woods, but this is indeed a nice little forest with many walking trails. I've traveled through it several times over the years. The fact that it is so close to home is terrific for me.

Where: Lowell Dracut Tyngsboro State Forest, Trotting Park Road, Lowell, MA

On the web: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/lowell-dracut-tyngsboro-state-forest.html

Directions:

Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest is located in north-east Massachusetts.

From the South: Take Rt. 495 to Rt. 3 north. Follow Rt. 3 North to exit 32. Go right at the end of ramp, onto Drum Hill Rd. go 5 sets of lights you will cross over the Rourk Bridge. Go left at the lights on the other side of the bridge. Go 500 yards then take a right at lights onto Old Ferry Rd. Take a left onto Varnum Ave. After ½ mile, go right onto Trotting Park Rd. Parking lot is at the gate.

Memorial Day Weekend Part 2: Natural Bridge State Park

2014-08-01T21:54:00.005-04:00

On Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend (yes, this post is grossly over due) we went to the Natural Bridge State Park in North Adams, MA. It's a 48-acre park that apparently Nathaniel Hawthorne spent some time in during the 1830's. It was a quarry for many years and a privately owned tourist attraction that only became a state park in 1985 The entrance is only a short distance from Clarksburg where we camped and very close to the hairpin turn on Rt. 2.

We arrived on a lovely sunny morning. On the drive in we passed a meadow in front of the marble cliffs.

We quickly found the parking lot and the visitor center after a short twisty road. We paid our two dollar parking fee and unloaded dog and child. The trail was easy to find and well traveled.

Visitor Center

We walked down the path towards the outcropping of rocks. There were metal bridges and railings that contained the people from falling down. After crossing the dome, I could look down into the cliffs from a new angle.

The ledge that we were standing on had lots of carved "graffiti" in the stone. Some of it was worn away but some was still legible. Big Dude and I switched off the dog leash so that I could go down the stairway to see the bridge.

I'm always in awe of how water carves and smooths stone. The colors under the bridge were greens and blues and browns. It was cool, as expected, due to the stream running through the rocks. I wandered dog free to explore the staging that was set up. There were still remains from the quarrying suspended over the water.

Then I snagged the dog leash and wandered over the un-natural bridge to find some of our friends.

We watched a dog chasing a decoy for quite a while. "Annie" was a well trained dog who truly seemed to enjoy this game of fetch. She dashed into the stream over and over again, eager to find the decoy. While watching, Mel recognized a gentleman from a show that she, Big Dude and I had attended in the spring. He was a musician that played during the taping of "Says You" at Regis College. Have to say, she has a pretty good memory for faces. After watching Annie's antics for a bit, we crossed back over to the other side of the stream and a few of us had snacks at picnic tables near the banks of the stream. The kids ran around some and then we went back towards our cars.

On the way, I spotted this marker near the visitor center. It's not that big only about a foot wide but it clearly gave the coordinates for where we were.

We enjoyed our quick trip to the Natural Bridge. I've been to a few others (some that have collapsed even). While this one is not as impressive as the large ones that people can cross spanning oceans, the power of the water on stone is still amazing. I definitely would recommend it as a stop if you are out in the North Adams region.

Where: Natural Bridge State Park, McCauley Road, off Rte. 8, North Adams, MA 01247

On the web: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-west/natural-bridge-state-park-generic.html

Directions:

From East or West/Rte. 2: Take MA Rte. 2 to North Adams and intersection with MA Rte. 8 north. Turn onto Rte. 8 north and continue for 0.5 miles to McCauley Road and park entrance on the left. Follow the dirt road; it soon becomes paved.

From North: From VT Rte. 8/100 at the Massachusetts-Vermont line, follow MA Rte. 8 south for 3 miles. Turn right on McCauley Road and park entrance. Follow the dirt road; it soon becomes paved.

From South/MassPike (I-90): Take Exit 2 in Lee and follow US Rte. 20 west to US Rte. 7 north to Williamstown for 31.7 miles. Take MA Rte. 2 east for 6.2 miles, through downtown North Adams to MA Rte. 8. Turn left onto Rte. 8 north and follow for 0.5 miles. Turn left onto McCauley Road and park entrance. Follow the dirt road; it soon becomes paved.

Memorial Day Weekend Part 1: Clarksburg State Park

2014-06-15T20:14:00.000-04:00

This past Memorial Day Weekend we camped with a group of friends at Clarksburg State Park. Having lived most of my life in the northeastern portion of Massachusetts, I've been enjoying our trips to the western part of the state. We followed the Mohawk Trail (Rt. 2) out to North Adams and prayed that it wouldn't rain. The camping trips in 2013 were terrible with rain. Memorial Day Weekend last year we were cold and wet most of the weekend except for when we were heading home. Labor Day weekend it was lovely until it rained and flooded most of the campground! We did hit some downpours on the road but once at the campground we managed to miss most of the precipitation.

Saturday morning we decided to stop in at the ranger station to pick up a trail map. We wanted to take our breakfast trash to the dumpster anyways. So Big and Lil' Dude, myself and Zazu wandered down the camp road. The ranger let us know that the weather was looking good for the weekend and gave us a map. We continued to the dumpster and followed the road to the bath house at Mauserts Pond.

We passed the trail head for Timberline and Shoreline Trails on the way. We decided that we would hike Shoreline back up towards the campsite after we checked out the beach.

The pond looked full and the hills in the distance were lovely. I'm fairly certain that those hills are actually across the state line in southern Vermont.

The bath house looked like a new facility. It had a clean and tidy look to it. I'm often surprised when I find a MA state park that appears to have had some money put into it. Many of them have fallen prey to budget cuts.

We knew before we left home that swimming was out of the question. They had just treated the water for aquatic vegetation. :-(

The beach itself appeared sandy and looked like a great place to picnic and spend the day. The fence and benches looked like they had seen better days. They were at strange heights. Lil Dude found one that he could climb up onto by himself. The other benches he needed assistance to climb on.

We spent some time examining the beach. Then we decided to head back towards the trail head. We crossed through the grove of picnic tables and charcoal grills.

Then we hit the trail. The map we had was the basic one that state provides. There is a second one on their website that gives a better description of the Pond Loop and the legend of Mauserts Pond. The second map is much more entertaining, I advise printing it out before heading to the park. A park with a history of "sin" is an added bonus to the beauty of the woods.

The trail starts out as a track for four-wheeled vehicles. Eventually it downgrades to a single track. There is very little elevation gain and it was a short while before we came to the junction of the Headquarters Trail. We continued on the Shoreline Trail and came across this curiosity.

We spent some time examining it and attempting to figure out what is could have been used for. Clearly it had been there for some time but we still don't know it's purpose.

A bit further down the trail we came to a lovely clearing looking north to Vermont. Soon after that we noticed a beaver lodge on the other side of the pond. Unfortunately, I did not have my DSLR on me so my point and shoot had to do.

About this time, we noticed lovely blue blazes marking the trail. We had not seen them early on but later I learned that they were to designate the Pond Loop.

Lil' Dude remembered from our last hike that he should keep an eye out for blazes. So every time he saw one he let us know.

And then the trail got muddy. There were bridges and boards laid out to aid against erosion and trail destruction. However, many of the boards were rotten and sinking into the muck.

We came across this lovely marbled rock on the path. After finding it we noticed there were several along side the trail and through the campground.

And then it got very muddy.

Like stinky mud.

As we moved up to higher ground and closer to the campground we spotted this boulder surrounded by tree roots. I loved it! Nature will work to overcome and adapt to it's neighbors.

Did I mention that we brought Ansel with us? Yup, muddy paws emerged once more. Don't worry he had a good grooming when we got home.

We sat at Lookout Point for some time. The skies were starting to clear up. The park had a picnic table there and it was the path for small craft boats to hike down from the campground.

Not too far away we could see a line of windmills in the distance. They weren't moving very fast but I'm sure they catch some decent breezes on the ridge.

While we were sitting, a father and pre-teen daughter came down with their kayaks. They launched and had the pond all to themselves. They were headed out to the beaver lodge when we left the pond. We walked up the short path to the campground road. From there we found our campsite and relaxed.

The campground itself is relatively small. Reservations opened this year later than all the others in the area. So we managed to get in without issue. Our group had 4 sites. We tend to be relatively quiet campers (even with small kids). There was one large group that started it's parties up after quiet hours. There did not appear to be a campsite manager through the night. It probably would have helped with the noise control. There is a newer bath house in the campground as well. If we were to camp there again, I would try to get a campsite close to the pond. Our friends' were farther away from the road and experience less traffic noise. Given our history of bouncing from campground to campground, we probably won't be heading back to this one in the near future.

Where: Clarksburg State Park, 1199 Middle Road, Clarksburg, MA 01247

On the web: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-west/clarksburg-state-park.html

Directions From the East/I-91: From I-91 take Exit 26 in Greenfield and follow MA Rte. 2 west for 34 miles to North Adams, to intersection with MA Rte. 8 north. Turn right and follow Rte. 8 north for 3 miles to Middle Road. Turn left onto Middle Rd. and continue for 0.1 mile to park entrance on right.

Mother's Day Hike at Beaver Brook in Hollis, NH

2014-06-13T18:44:00.002-04:00

Today was Mother's Day. A day I typically leave open on the calendar for my husband to work some magic into for me. After a huge meal at Parker's Maple Barn, we drove over to Beaver Brook in Hollis, NH. Big Dude and I had been there many times but I don't believe we have been there since the Lil' Dude was born. It's one of my favorite local hikes and I have yet to explore the entire property. The Beaver Brook Association runs school programs and seasonal programming as well as maintaining the 30 miles of trails.

Sign post at the trailhead

We parked at the main office where you can purchase a map for $2. We opted not to (when will we ever learn!) and followed the trails based on our memories. We should have known better as there had been changes to the main lot, including the lovely yurt you can see in the picture of the sign post.

Giant Paper Wasp Nest (about the size of a basketball) near the yurt

Before we even hit the trail, we spotted this gigantic wasp nest. It was definitely inactive but I couldn't get over how big it was. It reminded me of something out of Winnie the Pooh.

Mooooooo!

We set off down Cow Lane. It's a wide, flat, hard pack path. We both remembered that it would head us down to the wetlands. The sun was shining and very warm. Lil' Dude opted to be carried in his backpack. He actually had fallen asleep in the car on the way from brunch and was still waking up.

Cow Lane

Along the lane there was a patch of what I believe are wild violets. It had been such a long winter, I was pleased to see some of the wildflowers are starting to bl

Wild Violets

I must have been inspired by the violets. The next sign post was for the Wildflower Trail, which we of course followed. Big and Lil' Dude took off pretty quickly as I took pictures. They even missed the pretty yellow flowers I found. I really need to brush up on my flora knowledge. When I get a chance I want to match up all my flower pictures with actual names.

Wildflower Trail

We did not see too many flowers on the Wildflower Trail, so when we found the junction of Big Tree Trail, we followed it.

Awesome Tree Id Posts

The Big Dude had to stop at EVERY Tree Id Post and read them aloud. He does this in museums too. I doubt he remembers half of what is on them and still can't idea a Black Birch from a Paper Birch. The Id Posts were very well constructed and had interesting information along with how to identify the trees.

Little White Flowers

Big Tree Trail

Now that I'm looking at the map, I think we walked all of the Big Tree Trail. The field was hot and sunny. Lil Dude was looking for birds the whole time but didn't find any.

At this point Lil Dude decided he wanted to hike. Of course he did! The trail was a steep drop down and he was terrifying his poor mother the entire time. We reached a lovely marshy junction at Maple Leaf Trail. I was amazed that the bugs weren't worse.

We hiked along in the cool of the trees and spotted some unusual plants. I really liked these plants that decided to grow on top of this huge rock.

Eventually we wandered towards some running water (really we should have brought a map). It was lovely to hear the brook.

Lil' Dude popped in and out of wanting to be in the backpack and hiking. He did really well on the flatter areas.

The Cow Path was lush and green. There were wildflowers on the side of the trail if you kept your eyes open.

We arrived at this junction and opted to follow a path that we saw some other hikers coming down. It of course was a wrong turn. I realized this as I could hear the traffic on Rt. 130 getting louder and louder. So we turned back.

Compared to the rest of Beaver Brook this trail was the least scenic, though I did get some great photos. The trail was clearly being worked on with trucks and logging operations. Here's a few pretty sights that I spotted.

Random cairn in the water

Mossy area

We hiked up and Lil Dude managed to climb this pretty big hill. I was a bit out of shape (and 4 months pregnant) and found it to be slightly challenging.

Up a big big hill

He heard airplanes flying overhead so of course we stopped to look for them. I also found more wildflowers.

We stopped for a snack and water break. I heard some rustling in the leaves and spotted this lovely little garter snake. He politely posed for photos.

On the other side of the hill, our littlest hiker was getting tired and cranky. After he tripped some he decided that the backpack was for him. So he was back in the carrier. We found the bridge that crosses the top of Spatterdock Pond to Cow Lane. Lil Dude decided he wanted to cross. Bravely, Big Dude and I let him go. I pointed out the frogs and fish.

For his first hike of the year, Lil' Dude did real well. He navigated tough terrain for a 2 year old and let us know when it was too much.

Big Dude and I made the parental decision that he would carry the Lil' Dude back to the parking lot. There was lots of protesting but we all were rather tired at that point. Back in the carrier he went and he actually rested his head a few times on the short hike back up to the car.

I love Beaver Brook. It's one of those areas that I often wish was a bit closer. The miles and miles of trails to explore, not to mention the programming they offer, make it a terrific place to enjoy nature. I know we'll be back there again. Hopefully sooner than later.

Where: Beaver Brook, 117 Ridge Road, Hollis, NH 03049

On the web: http://www.beaverbrook.org/

Directions: From South on NH Route 3

Head north on NH Route 3. Take Exit 6, then turn left onto Broad Street/Route 130. Drive approximately 6 miles. Bear right at the fork and travel to the set of lights in Hollis. Turn left at the lights onto Route 122 South. Drive approximately 1 mile and turn right onto Ridge Road. The Brown Lane Barn entrance is approximately .7 miles on the right. Continue .25 miles on Ridge Road to reach the Maple Hill Farm (117 Ridge Road).

Leaf Peeping at Vermont's Little Grand Canyon

2014-01-26T17:09:00.002-05:00

I've been having some issues with Picasa lately and this post is long over due. Hopefully, Google will fix the problem and I can post a bit more this year. Last fall, the Dudes and I went up to Vermont for a weekend away. We stayed at a lovely resort and day tripped out to local sites. It was rainy most of the weekend but there was one cloudy/misty/drizzly day so we went over to Quechee Gorge (so fun to say!).

One of those new QR codes

Quechee Gorge is a lovely gorge carved by the Ottauquechee River after the ice age. It is 165 feet deep and over a mile in length. It is a major attraction in Quechee, VT and is part of the Vermont State Park system. We pulled up and noticed that there was a new visitors' center.

Visitors' Center

There were quite a few people about as it was prime leaf peeping time. We gathered up the Lil' Dude from the back of the car and loaded up to cross to the Visitors' Center. Inside we used the restrooms, chatted with the center volunteers, and gathered maps and brochures for local things to do. Then we went out the back door to the trails.

Most people start the hike down the gorge over by the bridge and in the past that is where I have hiked. However, the new center brought new trails. After a quick stop to adjust the kid carrier we entered the woods.

View from the trail

The woods were damp and smelled lovely. I like that earthy post-rain smell. Occasionally, there would be the cotton candy smell of decaying foliage. The trail had some step portions but for the most part it was an easy grade to the main trail.

Warning Warning!

The main trail pretty much is a straight path down hill. We found all the people there. Some in flip flops and high heels. Some in crazy club appropriate get ups. Others with sensible shoes and warm cloths. It was pretty good people watching.

Side Trail?

We passed a trail that went to the state park campground and then a new "trail" that wandered into the woods. I'm not sure if it really was a trail as it's not on the maps and not blazed. Perhaps it was for some wood clearing.

Quickly we found the bottom of the gorge and carefully went out on the rocks. The view was lovely but the overcast weather downplayed the brightness of the foliage. At the edge of the rocks we could see the bridge for Route 4.

Looking up stream to Rt. 4

We watched a family with teenage children get soaking wet. I'm fairly certain I heard the mother tell the kids not to go in the water with their shoes on. But the older son did. The girl took off her shoes. Wonder if he had blisters. I would not want to be in the water. It was definitely cold!

Water in the rocks

View up to the bridge

We chatted with another photographer and his girlfriend. Like us, he had not been there in a few years. We remarked on the changes in the area.

View downstream

We spent enough time taking photos and decided to venture uphill. On our way up we noticed a mother and son looking up at a tree. I dropped back and quickly spotted what they saw.

Woodpecker

A small woodpecker was making quite a bit of noise. I managed to get a quick picture of it before it wandered up the tree. He was moving pretty quickly. A bunch of city tourists (totally stereotyping here) paused to see what we were looking at. They were unimpressed.

Fence along the trail

Big Dude grumbled some at the wiggly load on his back. After we got far enough up the trail we let the Lil' Dude out to hike. He was so proud of himself as he went up the big hill.

Big and Lil' (my favorite picture)

He only wanted to go to Big... this picture is a lie

Romping in the leaves

Lil' Dude quickly tired and we needed to carry him. He greatly protested being back in the carrier. We made it to the top where the bridge crossed the gorge.

trail map

Bridge Plaque

We crossed the bridge to take some photos.

View upstream from the bridge

View downstream

While on the bridge we met a man who was looking down forlornly. He lost his mono-pod over the edge of the bridge into the water below. On the bright side he said he didn't need to worry about bringing it on his flight home.
When we were done looking around we spent time at the Quechee Gorge Village. It's an interesting mix of shops. We sampled wine, cheese, vodka and had lunch at a dinner. We went to a toy museum and checked out the antiques for sale in the yard. Of course we had to ride the small train that ran around the property.

One day I think I would like to camp there when Lil' Dude is bigger. There are quite a few trails and fun things to do in the area. Quechee Gorge is definitely a nice (but touristy) place to visit. I'm sure we'll be back.

Where:

Quechee Gorge is located along the Ottauquechee River in the western part of the town of Hartford. U.S. Route 4 passes through, just south of the village center, connecting with Woodstock and Rutland to the west and with White River Junction to the east.

Website:

Quechee State Park

Driving Directions:

From Jct. I-89 and U.S. 4 (Exit 1): Go 3 mi. W on U.S. 4.

Cross Country Skiing at Great Brook Ski Touring Center

2014-01-07T13:24:00.002-05:00

The last few weeks we've seen a fair amount of snow in Massachusetts. With the cold weather temperatures the snow has actually stuck around for more than a few days before melting and becoming somewhat icy. So my good friend Jenny and I struck out for some early Sunday morning cross country skiing at Great Brook Ski Touring Center. I know this isn't a hiking post but it seems that I only get the chance to do some cross country skiing about once a winter. Its actually kind of sad because I really do enjoy it. I only have a few friends that also cross country ski and the winters have been rather spotty lately with snow.

You've seen previous posts from me regarding hiking at Great Brook (and getting ice cream). In the winter there is a lodge/barn close to the road where the ski operations run out of. In the past, I've shown up mid afternoon or for their mid week lantern skiing. This time we arrived as they just opened up their doors. Unfortunately, one of my boots broke on a previous trip and I needed to rent ski equipment. Rentals fortunately were not all that expensive and being one of the first in line it was a quick job to do. We geared up and hit the trails immediately deciding to cross the road and get as far from the lodge as possible.

The trails are all machine groomed and with the fresh snow they were looking lovely. We followed the Maple Ridge trail down to Pine Point Loop. We quickly realized that they had added new trails since the last time we skied Great Brook. In fact, the map we got at the lodge didn't include all of the new trails. The new map is on their website though with the added trails.

We followed the Pine Point Loop counterclockwise and followed a few short detours. The trail is fairly flat and easy to warm up on. We went out on the Beaver trail and found that the picnic table had been removed. Typically this is where we would have a snack and watch for wild life. We stood and had snacks quietly and observed the light coming through the trees.

Our old picnic spot is missing its table

Beaver trail snack stop

From there we continued around the Pine Point Loop and crossed the bridge that goes over the outlet for Meadow Pond. We had decided not to cross the street and pursue the more challenging trails. Our last trip on the difficult trails involved an injury and a hospital adventure. Since neither of us had been skiing in a while, we were wise and recognized that we weren't up for the challenge.

Outlet for Meadow Pond

Meadow Pond from the bridge

Continuing up Pine Point Loop

We completed the loop and decided to head over to the corn fields behind the ice cream stand. As we crossed the road we could see a lovely horse grazing near the fence. He was quite content to pose for pictures.

Pretty Horse

We followed the Litchfield Loop and discovered a new trail off the side which included a huge hill. We watched several people tumble down it and decided to turn back towards some more basic trails. We continued on the Litchfield Loop and found the High Meadow Trail. On that trail we could hear a woodpecker tapping away. Jenny spotted him quickly and was able to point him out. He was a little guy just enjoying the sun and an old dead tree.

Litchfield Loop

The High Meadow trail looped back onto the Lantern Loop and we set off back towards the ski center. As we approached we could tell that more and more people were showing up. The trails were becoming quite crowded. When we arrived at the beginning of our morning the lines were minimal. As I went in to return my rentals, the line was at the door and heading out. It was a lovely day for a ski but I'm glad we made the choice to go early and I plan to do so from now on.

Ski Center Lodge

Where:

Great Brook Ski Touring Center, 1018 Lowell Street, Carlisle, MA1018 Lowell Street, Carlisle, MA 01741

Directions:

From Rte. 128 (I-95) take Exit 31B. Follow Rte. 225 west for 7 miles to the Carlisle center rotary, then turn right on Lowell St. (following the sign to Chelmsford). The ski touring center is 2 miles ahead on the right.

From Rte. 2 exit at signs for Concord center and continue to the downtown rotary. At the Colonial Inn, take Lowell Rd. north for 5 miles to Carlisle center. (Lowell Rd. in Concord becomes Concord St. in Carlisle.) At the Carlisle center rotary, turn left on Lowell St. (following the sign to Chelmsford). The ski touring center is 2 miles ahead on the right.

From I-495 southbound take Exit 34. Follow Rte. 110 west for 0.6 miles to Chelmsford center, continue on Rte. 4 south for 1 mile, then fork right on Concord Rd. The ski touring center is 2 miles ahead on the left.

From I-495 northbound take Exit 33. Follow Rte. 4 south for 1.5 miles (passing through Chelmsford center), then fork right on Concord Rd. The ski touring center is 2 miles ahead on the left.

Great Brook Farm State Park

2013-11-10T11:41:00.003-05:00

The last weekend in September we went over to Carlisle to Great Brook Farm State Park. I went for a run with Ansel and then met up with Big and Lil' Dude at the ice cream stand. Big and Lil' checked out all the animals while waiting for us to get there. They checked out the bunnies, cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and ducks. Farms and petting zoos are just not for me. They trigger my allergies way too much.

Dairy Cows

Moooooooo

After some ice cream from the stand, we went for a "small" hike. I had already run 3+ miles with the dog. I knew that the trails were definitely muddy and some were washed out. So we avoided those areas. We hiked the south eastern section of the park near and around the Meadow Pond.

Before we started out, we encountered was a huge group of big fluffy dogs in the parking lot. Some were husky-like and they all looked eager to be out. A gentleman told me that they were going to mush. I thought he was joking! We ran into them on the trail, attached to harnesses that were attached to mountain bikes. They were moving very quickly. Those dogs must have been well trained. I know that Ansel would more than likely just head off trail if I attached him to my bike.

Ansel on a rock on the Keyes Loop Trail

Unfortunately, we made some poor choices and we ended up hiking much longer than we wanted. Is that really a bad thing? This is a park I know really, really well. I've hiked, biked, skied, and jogged through it. So there was no worry about getting lost. The soggy areas really were a bit of a downer though.

Meadow Pond from the Pine Point Loop

Pine Point Loop

Cut corn fields

Pine Point Loop before a wash out

As we rounded the corner back to the grassy fields, we saw several people stop and pause. The trail was swamped pretty good. I already had damp feet and so did the dog so I attempted to find the shallowest path. Big Dude ended up removing his shoes and going through barefoot with Lil' Dude on his back. I guess the water was quite cold. From there we slogged back to the parking area.

During our wandering we had seen signs posted on trees for "something". The acronym was not one we recognized. As we walked back to the parking area we were passed by some runners who were wearing race bibs. We could hear cheering at the finish. We asked the crossing guard at the road what was going on. The run was for CORD USA, an agency that helps improve the economy and quality of life in less fortunate in America, India and Sri Lanka. There were people all ages running to raise money. It was a small run but I later learned that they raised about $10,000.

View from the parking lot to the barn

Where: Pine Point Loop with other off shoots, Great Brook Farm State Park, Carlisle, Massachusetts

On the Web: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/great-brook-farm-state.html

Directions: From Rt. 128: Take exit 31B. Follow Route 225 West for 8 miles to the Carlisle center rotary, then turn right on Lowell St. (following the sign to Chelmsford.) Fern's Market is on the corner. The Park entrance is 2 miles ahead on the right. The Park Office (984 Lowell St) is just beyond the entrance also on the right. Make right hand turn onto North Road. Parking area is 1/2 mile down on left.

From the West (Route 2): Follow to Rt. 495 North. Use directions below.

From the North: Take 495 South to Exit 34. Follow Route 110 West for .6 miles to Chelmsford Center, continue through light onto Route 4 South for 1 mile, then take right fork onto Concord Road towards Carlisle. The Park office is 2 miles ahead on the left. The Park is just beyond the office , go left on North Rd, parking lot is 1/2 mile down on the left.

From the South: Take Rt. 495 North to exit 32 (Westford & To Route 225). At the bottom of the ramp go right. At the lights go straight through. At the T intersection go left (onto Rt. 225). Follow Rt. 225 till you reach the center of Carlisle (small rotary with monument in the middle). Go 3/4 of the way around the the rotary onto Lowell Street towards Chelmsford. The Entrance to the park is two miles down the road on the right. The Park Office (984 Lowell St) is just beyond the entrance also on the right.

Labor Day Hike: Bear Brook State Park Beaver Pond Trail

2013-10-15T21:35:00.005-04:00

Waaay back in September, we went on our annual Labor Day weekend camping trip. I came home and edited some photos and then life got really busy. So now that I've gone on several more hikes and have a few more posts to do, I figured I should finish this one!

We camped at Bear Brook State Park in New Hampshire. It's just outside of Manchester in Allenstown. It is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire and I definitely can see why it's a favorite for many. There were trails for biking and hiking. Water for swimming, small craft boating, and fishing. There's a museum and archery range too. And of course camping! If you look at the map of the park, we were camping down by Beaver Pond.

We chose our sites at the end of a road and clustered together. With small kids we like to be away from the main camp so we're not disturbing others and so that the kiddos can have a full night sleep. One family had to cancel last minute due to family illness so it actually ended up being only us with Lil' Dude and about 4 friends.

We really tried to relax this trip. I find it a bit more challenging as a mother to relax while camping or hiking. It seems that I worry more and stress about much of the trip. I think I'm getting better at it as each trip get's easier.

Fungi Covered Log- so peaceful!

Now for the important stuff... hiking!

Since we were down by the Beaver Pond, we decided to strike out for a small loop hike. It was a warm sunny day with big fluffy clouds in the sky. My friend offered to take Ansel so that I could take photos while Big Dude carried Lil' Dude in his pack.

Thanks Mel!

The trail was mostly flat terrain that snaked in between Spruce Pond and Beaver Pond. The water on Spruce Pond was so reflective. We all spent some time there taking photos and enjoying the views.

Spruce Pond

Photo Taking

The trail gave us plenty of opportunities to look out for water fowl and signs of beaver.

A little push might be fun.... maybe not with their cameras

Beaver Pond

Since we were close to wet land areas, it almost goes without saying that we would have board walks. They were in a bit of disrepair though so you needed to watch your step. It was neat to walk among the cattails that were taller than me. Tons of dragonflies zipped this way and that.

Board walk

Cat Tails

Board Walk

View from Board Walk towards Beaver Pond

Some of the board walks were worse than others....

Something's missing here

The trail was fairly well traveled so there were only a few times when we worried about getting lost. The trail had several unofficial off shoots and at one point we actually did go off trail and get turned around. Fortunately, we had the map and followed the water back to the trail.

Trail Sign at the Junction of Beaver Pond Trail and Lynx Trail

At that time, the caterpillar life was very active. I was fascinated by these cocoons where the leaves were rolled up around the caterpillar. I have yet to figure out what type of caterpillar they are.

Cocoons

A Cocoon

Soon after the trail sign we saw this lovely heron just resting in the water. I always get excited when I see them. I know that they aren't that uncommon but they make me think about when I was in the Everglades attempting to learn about different water fowl. I still am terrible at identifying birds.

Heron

We made it safely back to the swimming beach at the campground. Just before we got there I had to take this picture of Mel's boots. These were boots that she got off of me. They were my first true pair of hiking boots from L.L. Bean. I got them when I was around 12 years old for Girl Scout camp. Teal and purple have always been a favorite color combo for me. Well needless to say, they have seen many miles and it looks as if Mel might need to invest in a new pair.

Good bye my friends!

The trail was easy to hike though definitely bring a map and pay attention to blazes. I definitely don't recommend it for strollers or toddlers that are free roaming (easy to fall into the water) but parents with carriers and of course the unencumbered adult will find this a breeze.

Where: Beaver Brook Trail, Bear Brook State Park, Allenstown, New Hampshire

On the Web: http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/bear-brook-state-park.aspx

Directions: From I-93:New Hampshire Exit 9N onto Route 3/28 North and follow signs to Bear Brook State Park. From I-95: Route 4 West to Route 28 South and follow signs to Bear Brook State Park.

Mount Agamenticus - Little Dude's First Mountain

2013-07-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

So on the same day that we went to the Rachel Carson Nature Preserve we decided to climb Mount Agamenticus. It was a pleasant day compared to the heat wave that was going on the days prior. We were getting ready to head for home and didn't want to shop or go to the beach so we decided to hike.

I've climbed Agamenticus several times now. It's a rather easy hike to do. You can even drive to the summit if you want to. . We loaded up the car with dog, baby carrier, Little Dude and my camera.We didn't exactly have directions but we knew there were signs for it off of Route 1 and it was a nice day for a drive. We found the auto road easily and turned up it. We parked at the first lot we noticed and grabbed a trail guide from the kiosk.

Kiosk at parking lot

The trail heads and trails were well labeled and very straightforward. We checked out the map and decided to follow the Ring Trail to Witch Hazel Trail to the Summit. We entered the woods and immediately wondered if we should have grabbed the mosquito spray. I'm sensing a pattern here. I've been a hiker for most of my life, you would think that I would be prepared. I'm not sure if you noticed but this is the THIRD hike in a row where we forgot bug spray. Fortunately, the bugs were not as bad as the morning hike.

Ring Trail

The ring trail was a nice easy walk through the woods. Easy of course for me because I was carrying a camera and a dog lead. Big Dude had a heavier load. It was his first hike with any elevation gain carrying a baby. I had carried him the previous year in my soft carrier. And the last time Big Dude had carried a pack heavier than a day pack was when we climbed Owl's Head in 2005. He managed just fine though.

Ring Trail

Little Dude was looking around at everything he could see. It's so neat to see him experiencing the world like this. Hopefully, we can teach him an appreciation for nature and being outdoors.

The trails were superbly maintained. We came to one spot where the rains had caused some erosion. Even then, it was easily navigated and tidy.

Erosion on the Ring Trail

We came to the summit by way of Witch Hazel. I do love emerging from a dark woods to the sun and lots of views.

Nearing the summit on Witch Hazel

The trail had changed since my last hike there. They actually had cleared lots of the trees and were rerouting the trail. I had noticed regrowth areas on the ring trail as well. I'm sure this mountain is well traveled and trails need to have a rest once in a while. It was a bit confusing though. The signs were not so obvious and I didn't feel that the trails match up with the map.

Hiking to the summit on new trail

We made it to the summit and let Little Dude run free. We circled the Learning Lodge as they don't allow dogs and went up onto one of the platforms. From there we could look back towards Short and Long Sand Beaches and could even see Nubble Light House.

We went from the high platform down to an observation tower. Little Dude loved running across the field.

First summit

From the double platform you could see to the west and all the way to Mount Washington.

Map of view

While we were on the platform we noticed that storm clouds were racing in. The change in the sky was pretty obvious to us. And we decided to move along. We could see rain over NH and it was only a matter of time before it reached us.

Change of skies within a minute

We debated about which route to take back. I'm not a huge fan of hiking the same trail back down as I came if there is a possibility to do a loop. We decided to head towards the parking lot at the summit and see what we could see. Along the way we stopped just below the fire tower to admire a memorial for David Hilton who was a fire warden, skier and historian. I forgot to mention that this used to be a ski hill. Granted, I don't usually think Southern Maine when I think skiing, especially on the coast!

David Hilton Memorial

We spotted the Blueberry Bluff trail across the parking lot and went straight for it. Big Dude seemed to be getting nervous about a storm. So we hoofed it to the trail.

Summit Parking Lot

Trail to Blueberry Bluff

Trail Sign

Views near Blueberry Bluff

We wandered down Blueberry Bluff and immediately I saw the blueberry bushes. Big Dude was in such a hurry he missed them. I snagged a few and let the Little Dude taste his first wild Maine blueberry. He didn't seem to be a big fan.

Blueberries!

We re-entered the forest and moved rather quickly down the mountain. The trail was rocky but not steep. The clouds had definitely come in and the air was changing. I decided that we need to get a longer lead for Ansel. He can't be off leash but sometimes directions that are easier for him to climb are not so easy for me.

Blueberry Bluff

Big and Little coming down carefully

As we got closer to the Ring Trail we found more trail re-routing. But again, the trails were well marked.

You can't get there from here

We got back on the ring trail and followed east. Along the way we came across book pages that were laminated and stapled to boards. We had seen them on the Witch Hazel trail as well. The animal art seems fun and I would love to learn what book this is.

Books and hiking (two of my favorite hobbies)

We crossed the auto road and then hiked a short distance back up the mountain to our car. Just before we got back to our car we found this guy....

At this point, the mosquitoes made their reappearance. We got Little Dude in his car seat and gave the pup some water. I drove us up to the top of the auto road just so I could say we did it and then we went off to dinner.

It was an easy hike and looking at the map, I can see several ways to make it more challenging. It would be lovely for a picnic lunch to just look out over the Atlantic or New England.

Where: Mount Agamenticus, Cape Neddick, Maine

Web Info: http://agamenticus.org/

Directions: Please note GPS is unreliable at this point in time

Take I-95 North into Maine. Take Exit 7, York (the last exit before the tollbooth for the Maine Turnpike).
Follow signs to Route 1 North (keeping right after the exit ramp). Turn left onto Route 1 North.
Approximately 3.5 miles after turning onto Route 1, turn left on Mountain Road. (Across from Flo’s Hotdog Stand)
Follow Mountain Road for approximately 4 miles to a stop sign after crossing the interstate.
Turn right and continue on Mountain Road for approximately two and a half miles from the interstate overpass.
There is a gravel parking lot on the right and a paved road leading to the summit of Mount Agamenticus. Green fence posts at the entrance say “Mount A Summit”. If the road turns to gravel, you’ve gone a hundred meters too far.
Turn right and drive up to the summit or park in the gravel lot to hike up. Trail maps are available at the trailheads.

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge

2013-07-16T22:19:00.000-04:00

On our last day of vacation was not beach weather in Maine, so we decided to venture up to Wells where the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is (and Congdon Donuts!). We picked up some donuts and easily found the refuge. I vaguely remembered visiting this place as a kid but I wasn't sure. I know my parents took us on many walks when we visited Maine and I was pretty sure we had stopped here.

We pulled into the parking lot and there were a few other vehicles there. As we unloaded we noticed there were a few mosquitoes buzzing us. We grabbed the camera bag, dog and baby carrier and found a map with trail guide at the trail head.

The one-mile loop has eleven checkpoints and the guide gave us information on the ecosystem and the vistas that we would see. The path was a hard packed gravel trail. We did wander by some young people who were clearly doing clean up of the trails given that they had hedge trimmers, clippers and volunteer shirts on. The path was beautiful and well maintained.

Our first stop was to view the edge of the marsh. The woods was cool and moist from the rain overnight. Quickly we realized that those few mosquitoes in the parking lot had brothers and sisters. Big Dude and I were getting eaten alive! For experienced hikers we had made the error of not bringing bug spray with us. The Little Dude was okay. Apparently the bugs liked aged humans better.

We wandered down the path through hemlocks and pines. The ground was covered in gorgeous ferns. We could catch glimpses of the marsh through the trees.

After walking briskly through the trees we emerged to see a tidal creek meandering through the marsh. It was fantastic to see how the banks had been cut up by the water. These creeks mix with fresh and salt water.

Further out were the salt pannes which we discovered were low areas in the marsh that hold the water as the tide falls. These ponds were terrific for bird watching.

When we found our 6th stop on the guide we paused to let Little Dude out to wander a bit and so we could scratch our bug bites. There was a nice sitting area in the sun where we snapped some family photos. The view was lovely

Through the walk, Big Dude had been narrating from the trail guide for us as we moved down the path. We realized he bugs were not going to get better so we decided the second half of the hike would be done very quickly. Essentially we would speedwalk, see the check point in the distance, he would read while walking, we would briefly stop so I could snap a photo, and move on.

The trail really was lovely. I wish that we had been prepared with bug spray. Usually we keep some in our car but we had just removed it from the week before. On the ride out Big Dude counted 30+ bites on my legs that he could see while I was driving. I was terribly itching. Little Dude had only one or two. Thank goodness.

Where: Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge

Web Info: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/rachel_carson/

Directions: 321 Port Road, Wells, Maine 04090
The refuge entrance is located on Port Road (Route 9) in Wells and just minutes from exit 19 on I-95.

From exit 19, turn left onto Route 9/Route109.
At stop light, turn left onto Post Road (Route 1 North).
Just past the Maine Diner, turn right onto Port Road (Route 9) and follow for approximately ¾ mile
Turn right into the refuge entrance.

Wiggly Bridge and Steedman Woods, York Harbor, Maine

2013-07-05T11:49:00.002-04:00

The heat wave of Independence Day will continue through the weekend. At least that's what the weather predictions are. Since we were up on Long Sands Beach this week we knew that getting a hike in early in the morning would be best. Our poor dog loves to walk, but despises heat and will often flop down in the middle of hikes refusing to move. We went over to Steedman Woods and the Wiggly Bridge near York Harbor for an early morning stroll.

It had been a few years since I had walked the trails and I'm not sure I had ever gone there without my parents. We took off in the car and after a few missed turns pulled into some of the parallel parking spaces across the street from the trail head. Some of the spots are for permit holders only but the rest are for anyone.

Map of Steedman Woods Nature Reserve

Big Dude decided to use the baby backpack. I grabbed my camera and got the dog out of the car. Poor beast was already panting as it was in the high 80's by 9 AM. We went across the dam to the bridge. The tide was clearly in and water was rushing under the bridge. We noticed that there was restorative work being done along the shoreline.

The dam to the bridge

Plantings of Eel Grass

It appears that due to heavy use the shoreline is receding. People used to swim and kayak right off the shores but now there are many signs asking for people to avoid walking on the mudflats.

We entered the woods and took the left path along the York River. It was cool in the shade. The trails were wide and well maintained. There were several runners and hikers looping around. We came to a spot where some one had built several shelters in a grove. There were three completed shelters and one that had just been started. The Big Dude and Little Dude did explore them.

Out in the river, I noticed that cairns had been laid out on the mudflats. It seemed like an odd thing to me. I'm used to cairns only being used for hiking but perhaps they were used for other reasons.

Cairns on York River

We followed the loop and took the side trail which lead to a private road. The dirt road followed back to another entrance for the reserve.

We followed the other path of the loop and it traveled up a small hill over looking the pond. The entire trail smelled floral and sweet. There were wild roses throughout scenting the air. We even found a white lilac bush still in blossom.

The trail was not a long one and our hike was over quickly. We waited for a family to cross the Wiggly Bridge so we could snap some photos. The bridge was made in the 1930's and recently. It is a neat little suspension bridge that bounces when you cross.

We finished our hike just in time as the poor dog was getting hot. We made it back to the car and as usual he didn't even want water. He just laid out in the cool dirt.

Hot Doggie

If it wasn't so hot we would have continued on to a second set of trails. Next to the parking lot is another trail called Fisherman's Walk which leads down to York Harbor. With a hot dog, tired baby, and sleepy parents we decided to head back to rest.

Where: Wiggly Bridge and Steedman Woods, Rt. 103, near Rt. 1A York Harbor, Maine

Directions: Take Rt. 1 south to third light, Rt. 1A (York St.) Left onto York St. Continue through the center of town to Rt. 103. Turn right onto Rt. 103. Parking for Wiggly Bridge is on the left; the Wiggly Bridge is on the right. Walk across the dam and over the bridge to Steedman Woods.

Shady Glade Conservation Area

2013-06-30T09:34:00.002-04:00

On my birthday, Big Dude and Little Dude took me for a small local hike. On the Tyngsborough Town Yahoo group, a community member asked if anyone knew how to find the Shady Glade Trails. I had seen the trails on the town website but the links were faulty. I'm pretty certain that the website is run by volunteers so I can't fault them too much for the oversight. It has had a recent update in the last few weeks and now there is new information and the links are corrected.

However, at the time we made this journey we only had information that the trail head was on Primrose Lane. The street is on the west side of Tyngsborough a short drive from Route 3. We found the kiosk with it's large white sign on the right side of the street. The sign was tucked behind some tree branches so it was hard to see. We drove past it at first. There are about 3 parking spaces on the opposite side of the road.

We unloaded and put sunscreen and bug spray on. Big Dude settled Little Dude in his backpack and we went across the street to explore. At this point, Big Dude realized he only had his flip flops. We did not have a trail map but the sign indicated that we would find one main trial with two looping trails off of it blazed with trail markers. We struggled at first to make our way down the hill but we found some stone steps that had been over grown.

The path appeared to have once been wide and later I found out that it was an old cart path. It was very obvious that the trails were not well used. There was much overgrowth of ferns, grass and other forest plants. Due to all the rain we had received in June, the trail was flooded in several areas.

The mosquitoes were quite fierce. During the hike, Big Dude was getting huge mosquito bites. After a few of them had got him, he realized he had forgotten to put any bug spray on himself. I had a few bites through the bug spray. Surprisingly, the baby seemed to be okay.

We came upon a second trail junction with multiple signs. We had seen the conservation area blazes on another side trail. As the bugs were biting terribly, we debated about turning around or continuing on. We briefly explored some of the side trails but found them to be in worse condition than the main trail; overgrown and flooded. So after a bit we turned back.

It was a hot, muddy, and buggy hike with hidden trails. Now that I've seen the trail map, I know that we hiked nearly all of the main trail. I plan to go back and explore the two loops prepared with some DEET and the map. These trails would be great for a Girl Scout or Boy Scout community service project. They could use a bit of TLC. Of course, now that the trail is up on the town website, perhaps it will receive more foot traffic.

Where: Shady Glade Conservation Area, Tyngsborough, MA

Web Info: Sherburne Nature Center and Tyngsborough Trails

Directions: To Primerose Lane

From the Tyngsborough Bridge (center of town) head south on Rt. 3A
Turn Right onto Westford Road
Turn Right at the second set of lights (still Westford Road)
At the fork bear Right onto Chestnut Street
A half mile on the right is Primrose Lane

Memorial Day Weekend at the D. A. R. State Forest

2013-06-08T15:55:00.002-04:00

If you were in New England over Memorial Day Weekend you know it was horribly rainy. Like cats and dogs. So what do we do? Go camping of course! There's nothing like camping in the rain with a 15 month old who is precariously close to walking and a big white fluffy dog.

We went with a group of friends out to the D. A. R. State Forest in Goshen, MA for the three day weekend. There was a brief stop in at my younger brother's house to see my newest nephew and to let Lil Dude play with my older nephew. During the this visit our lovely dog found their muddy puddle that once was a koi fish pond. The silly beast had mud all the way up his legs and under his belly. We had to hose him off before he could even get back into the car.

My favorite dog friend.

We managed to get there in between storms on Friday. We quickly ditched the Lil Dude with our friends who were out there earlier (benefit of camping with others!) and while he was wailing, we went off and set up our tent and screen house.

Last year we bought a new tent because our family expanded to beyond our two person backpacking tents and the 6-person tent that we inherited from my brother-in-law was in very rough shape. It was really non-repairable. We would have needed tons of patches and new zippers. So we bought the REI Kingdom 6 and all of it's accessories. Seriously if you're going to buy a huge tent, do it all the way. We've been out in it twice and so far it's been great. Of course, when you're trying to beat the rain it pays to remember how to put it together. We put it together incorrectly the first time and managed to bend a pole a bit too much.

Last year we also bought a screen house to go over picnic tables. I had found a Coleman on sale at Target. It's pretty easy to put up. However, we managed to break one of the joints on this trip. Seriously we were starting to have some really bad luck!

We rescued our son from the terrors of being dumped in the woods with strangers and made supper while waiting for some of our friends to arrive. Team Ruffy (our friends) already had a vegetarian chili going. I was trying out some gourmet grilled cheeses and mozzarella appetizers. We finished up as the thunderstorms rolled in.

Saturday, it poured all day! We had already decided that hanging out at camp was a bad idea for the babies and for the adults. As our remaining friends rolled in, we helped them set up their camps and then made plans for what to do. Some went up to the Element Brewery. Some went to a indoor playspace in Holyoke. We went to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. It was great for the toddler set (and we enjoyed it too!).

From there we went to meet up with our friends at Yankee Candle Village. This flagship store can be just plain overwhelming. The boys are generally not to keen on it but most of us ladies purchased one or two scents (I may have come home with 6 or so candles). We wandered of to our designated dinner out for the trip at The Brewmaster's Tavern. We had called ahead so that they would be cool with 10 adults and 4 children. In fact, they gave us a private room!

The weather was starting to clear up some but we weren't quite there. We knew there would be one more day of of dampness. Sunday, we had cold and windy weather. We ate breakfast and while the weather was clear Big Dude, Lil Dude and I went for a hike around the D. A. R. with our pup.

The D. A. R. has 51 campsites, so it's not a jam packed campground. The site were actually quite roomy and seemed to be mainly populated with tenters. There are quite a few trails leading from the campground. We walked down the road to the Wildlife Observatory which is a blind with cut outs so you can watch the animals (didn't see any) with out being noticed.

From there we wandered down the Highland Lake Trail along the edge of Upper Highland Lake. It is a wooded trail that leads back to the check in. It is handicapped accessible and would have been fine for our stroller but we were testing out our new baby carrier. By we, I mean the Big and Lil Dudes were testing it out.

Upper Highland Lake

Friendly postings at the head of the trail

Easy grade of the trail

Sit and watch the water

View of the campground beach from the Highland Lake Trail

Big and Lil Dudes checking out the dock

The wind was starting to pick up and the waves were choppy on the water. We hiked along until we got to the end of the trail. There we found the boat launch and the day use beach. Then it started to sprinkle a bit. We hurried along and walked back by way of the road into the campground.

Boat Launch

The D.A.R. gave the state 1020 acres in 1929. The park now has over 1700 acres of land with 15 miles of hiking trails. Given my genealogy, I know that I could be a member of the DAR. I thought camping here was fitting since Memorial Day is a time dedicated to honor those who have died serving in the armed forces.

After our hike, we went back to the campsite to see what everyone was up to. We were all quite chilly and made various plans. Big, Lil and I drove around to find various roadside Americana. Just down the road from us was this....

Arch made of Bikes

The Tin Man

While Lil Dude napped in the car we saw Dinosaurs, larger than life baseball bats, and giant milk jugs. We wound our way back to meet up with friends in Northampton and stopped to picnic in a park. It would have been lovely if it was sunny! There were flowers and pools. We wandered around some and took a few photos and then the rain came back. We packed on up and drove back to the campground. That evening the weather truly did clear and we had a lovely campfire with s'mores and songs.

Monday, Memorial Day, was clear, sunny skies. Before we packed up we wandered back down to the Wildlife Observatory. It was early so we were hoping to see something but we only caught a glimpse of a pair of wood ducks.

What a difference a day makes! We packed up in the sunshine and went for breakfast in Northampton. With the sun on our faces, I think most of us forgot how cold and raw the weekend had been. I'm proud of my friends and my husband for sticking it out in the nasty weather. I didn't sleep much because I was worried about the Lil Dude getting too cold. He was fine and I think he enjoyed himself. He was bundled up and slept fine in his tent until mornings when he decided to sleep on my head. This was a much better experience than last fall when he cried each time he heard a zipper!

We stopped in to see my sister-in-law and her boyfriend on the way home who live out in the foothills of the Berkshires. After a nice chat, we hit the road back to home. The following week was a 90 degree heatwave with humidity and nasty storms. I don't know if that would have been worse or better to camp in!

Ghiloni Park and Marlboro State Forest

2013-05-15T21:21:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back, we had a play date with our friends Jo and Sir O. They live down in Central MA so we tried to come up with a middle ground. I'm not too sure that Marlboro is the middle but it worked for our purposes. It's a bit of a challenge to arrange play dates for Lil' Dude and Sir O sometimes due to nap schedules and drive times. Of course, Mom and Dads work schedules don't help either! But we agreed to meet up at Ghiloni Park to frolic (as non-walking babies do) at the playground.

Lil' Dude and I hopped in the car and went off in search of the park. We had a call from Jo saying that she was going to be late due to a nap. It was okay though because it gave us time to explore. I've been to Marlboro many times but I had never seen this park before. I was surprised to find that it was a large parcel of land tucked near a BBQ restaurant that Big Dude likes.

After we drove through a golf course we passed right by the entrance to the park. My GPS told me that I should go further down the road, so I did and decided to try to circle the park. From what I could tell, it is neatly buffered from the road by housing complexes. Once we got back to the entrance, we unloaded and set out for a stroll.

Sign post for walking trails

The park has many soccer fields, a baseball field or two, toddler and older kid playground, skateboard park, beach volleyball court, a walking track, and oodles of picnic tables. There were several buildings surrounding the parking area for maintenance and public restrooms. The trails have an interpretive guide available but we didn't snag one. Lil Dude relaxed in his stroller while I ambled along.

View of soccer fields in middle of walking track

I followed the walking/jogging track to get a feel of the area. It is a clay packed oval that creates a bowl where soccer fields and two vernal pools were cradled. Along the outside of the track you could veer off toward the larger fields near the parking area or into the woods. After one loop I went off into the woods for a bit.

Paved wooded path

The woods had a few surprises. Along the walking path there had been picnic tabels, I did not expect to find more off in wooded alcoves. There also were "natural" gardens that were maintained by the local garden clubs and lovely sitting areas. I strolled in the woods for a while and then felt we should turn back in case our friends arrived.

Part of the interpretive nature trail

Bird boxes were around the walking track

Memorial that overlooked the larger ball fields

We wandered back on the path I had gone down earlier and did another loop on the walking track. Jo called as got back to the parking area to say they were arriving. We spent another few hours playing on the baby swings, picnicking watching skateboarders and digging in the sand.

While Ghiloni Park is out of our way, it is a terrific park with toddler appropriate play space and lots of land to explore. It had the feel of a big city park in a suburban surrounding, with lots to do and no reason to not be outdoors.

Should you want to visit Ghiloni Park and the Marlboro State Forest directions can be found on the city's website and a pdf of the park can be found as well.

Horse Hill Nature Preserve

2013-04-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

It was a lovely warm day today for once. I received a Facebook note from one of my closest friends to stop on by with the baby. I had originally planned to go for a jog on the Nashua Rail Trail but I opted to have a playdate instead. Once her youngest woke up we decided to head to Horse Hill Nature Preserve for a small hike. It is right around the corner from her home and we'd been there a few times together and separately.

Horse Hill is the largest preserved open space property in Merrimack, NH. It was purchased as conservation land in 2002. The 550+ acre property consists of gently rolling to fairly steep terrain and two hills approximately 400' elevation. The preserve is named after Horse Hill, one of two hills located within the property. The preserve includes a series of streams, ponds, swamps, and numerous wetlands totaling approximately 60 acres.

The parking area is easy to find at 184 Amherst Rd with parking enough for 15 - 20 cars. There is a posted map and trail map box at the trail head. We followed the Loop Trail up to Lawstoka Pond. The trail was wide and mainly clear of snow and mud but we did encounter a patch or two of winter remains.


At the Loop Trail split we reached the pond. There is one of the most impressive beaver dam I've encountered. It's neatly laid and hold back the swelling pond very well. The lodge close to the dam looked quiet. There was a bench near by where you could take a break and quietly wait for the wildlife to emerge. But with two babies and a preschooler we decided the animals would not be appearing.


We continued up the Loop Trail until we reached the Loop Trail Bypass. On the way we saw one of the largest beaver lodges that I've ever seen. From a distance it looked as if it was 5 feet above the water. I wondered if the beavers left the first lodge and moved to the larger lodge as more and more people used the trails. It looked more secluded on that end of the pond.

We followed the white blazes and encountered a few other hikers enjoying the warm weather. The trails had been rerouted in several areas but were well marked and freshly blazed. We stopped at the top of a hill at one point to listen to strange sounds coming from a wetland just out of view. It sounded like geese or perhaps frogs.


We didn't snag one of the maps at the parking lot but through a bit of guess work we managed to loop ourselves back to the pond by way of the Long Pond Bypass. At this point the 3 year old was starting to get tired. I was quite impressed with how well she managed to keep up with us and carry her sticks, pinecones, and twigs. She was a true hiker.


We made it back to the Loop Trail and kept her going with promises of the wishing well and occasionally being carried by her mom. At the wishing well we all made wishes and pushed on towards the cars.

The hike was an enjoyable one. It was also the first time I carried Lil' Dude on my back instead of in a front carry. He did alright and seemed to enjoy himself. Whenever I stopped he would push his hands into my shoulder blades to let me know that I should keep moving. At one point, he liked the up and down momentum so much that when I stopped he kept bouncing as if he was riding a horse. The fresh air was good for both of us. He fell asleep on the drive home and I know I'm going to have a good night sleep.

Should you want to visit Horse Hill Nature Preserve more information can be found on the Town of Merrimack website, including a trail map. They allow hiking, biking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hunting, and snowmobile and horseback riding.

Spring is coming! Finally!

2013-03-30T21:47:00.001-04:00

My little guy is one now. Can't believe how quickly that year went. This winter I've managed to get some jogging in and even ran a local race. I learned how much more I enjoy running in the winter than in the summer.

We've had a long tough winter here in New England and the snow is finally disappearing. This past week the Lil' Dude and I went to storytime in Chelmsford and then decided to pop over to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and see how the conditions were.

We made it about a mile and then the trail was completely covered with about 2 inches of snow. There were signs of spring about though....

We were passed by a group of bikers. They decided to push on through the snow. I watched as they slipped and slid off their bikes. I'm sure they found more pavement further on down the trail but it must have been hard work to get there.

The Lil' Dude and I turned back towards the center of town. We met up with a mom and young daughter that we had passed earlier and got to chatting. The four of us wandered through the center of town towards the ball fields. The mom was on roller skates and her daughter was on a trike.

It was terrific talking with them and strolling in the sunshine. We even exchanged contact information with the hopes of getting outside with our kids again soon. So in the end, no the trail isn't quite clear yet but we had a great time outside and making new friends.

Sherburne Trail

2012-12-25T20:22:00.000-05:00

In October we went for a quick walk in the woods near our home to get outside and to take some "spooky" Halloween photos of our baby.

Sherburne Nature Center is on Coburn Road in Tyngsborough, MA. the Sherburne Estate and habitat is an 80-acre parcel consists of a combination of woodlands, marshes, a beaver pond, and a meadow maintained to support birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. It was donated to the town in 1999.

Sherburne Nature Center activities are open to all who are interested. Unless otherwise noted, all activities take place at Sherburne Estate and will go rain or shine. In extreme weather conditions, activities will be canceled. No reservations or fees required. You simply show up.

We've hiked here many times. We've also done some geocaching on the property as well. It's one of our favorites for a quick time in nature. The parking lot has a welcome sign with postings of animal or bird sightings. The fall colors were starting to fade and we could see that storm clouds were going to be heading our way so we put the Little Dude in the Ergo and set out on the paths.

We immediately came across this little guy hiding in the middle of the trail. He had many friends nearby as well.

This bench is one of many Gold Award and Eagle Award projects that have been completed by Girl and Boy Scouts on the property.

Ansel had fun sniffing about in the leaves near one of the vernal pools.

We found a great spot at a fork in the trail to take photos of the Little Dude. Then the skies grew very dark and we started to get dripped on by the oncoming storm. We walked back quickly towards the parking lot but I couldn't resist getting some pictures of the wetlands in the gloom.

The rain slowed and we wandered down towards the wetlands to investigate some new construction. There was a gentleman installing a boardwalk and new benches to over look the beaver dam and wetlands. We chatted with him for a bit and then after he told us it was safe we went out on to the new construction. It was a lovely addition to the trails. We were able to walk out a bit and be surrounded by cattails. We liked it so much we went back there in November to take our Christmas photos.

We wandered back towards our car as those dark clouds grew darker. Next to the parking lot is the house. It serves as the hub for all nature exhibits in town and is a learning center to the public. We've never been in it but the gentleman constructing the boardwalk was staying there while he was working.

As I mentioned this is one of our favorite spots to walk. If you are in the area, I definitely recommend checking it out. I always find something new to see and explore. Maps are occasionally at the kiosk in the parking lot. The Town of Tyngsborough usually has them on their website but the link I found appears to be broken at the moment.

Lake Massabesic

2012-12-25T19:55:00.000-05:00

In Mid-September we had a very warm day with nothing to scheduled. So we ventured into the woods. Trying again to use the trail app on my phone we set out for Lake Massabesic. Massabesic Lake is a lake in southern New Hampshire, United States, covering about 2,561 acres within the city of Manchester and the town of Auburn.We struggled to find the trail head that was marked on the app in Auburn but parked near an entrance off a main road.

We pulled out our stroller and followed the path with our picnic lunch from a local sub shop. The path was easy enough for use to push the baby along in his stroller with some inclines and a few ruts here and there to be cautious of. I dislike not having a trail map and hiking poorly blazed trails but we could hear people and catch glimpses of the lake through the trees.

We hiked along and came across a wooden map near the Massabesic Audubon Center. It gave us some bearings to where we were. We followed the trail towards the water. The woods were cool and shady.

We found a nice point to sit and watch the boats. Later I learned that this spot is named Battery Point. While eating our subs were heard the sounds of loons in the distance. We caught a glimpse of the pair swimming and diving.

Loons in the distance

Native American legends claim that the famous New Hampshire chief Passaconaway died on Lake Massabesic. A settler reported that the elder chief was headed towards Loon Island on the east side of the lake, which was "a place of fond memories of the aged chief's young past". When he was in the north part of the lake, a thunderstorm was being formed, which "was a sign of the presence of the Great Spirit". Then, a lightning bolt hit the canoe in which Passaconaway was riding in, and he and the canoe were disintegrated instantly.

After we ate we backtracked through the paths. It was quite warm and we had only a limited amount of water with us. There were miles of trails to be explored though and I would definitely go back again for a walk in the woods.

Maps of the Lake Massabesic Area can be found on the Manchester waterworks website and on the Massabesic Audubon page.

Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

2012-10-24T20:15:00.000-04:00

One rainy day at the end of July, I decided to take the Little Dude for a stroll after baby story hour in my hometown library. We went over to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and parked at the entrance in the center of Chelmsford.

Murals along the rail trail behind my favorite coffee spot, The Java Room.

The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is the start of a larger rail trail project. When I was a kid, th rail road that ran through the center of town was silent. It was proposed in the mid-80s to create a rail trail from Chelmsford to Sudbury. Today the project potentially encompasss Lowell, Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, Sudbury, and Framingham in Massachusetts.

Phase I was completed a few years ago and it is well used by bikers, roller bladers, walkers, ect. Currently, the trail runs from Lowell (at Crosspoint Towers) to just barely across the town line of Westford. Milelage is marked out on the pavement and streets are labeled on pillars so you always know where you are.

The day we walked it the weather was grey and misty. Very few people were out and about which made for good picture taking. I pushed Little Dude in his stroller as he was asleep. It was a nice, peaceful walk.

We covered about 4 miles during out stroll. Little Dude dozed and only woke up towards the end when he was hungry. Currently the trail is 6.8 miles end-to-end. I hope we don't have to wait another 20 years for the next section to be built.

Independence Day

2012-09-16T10:26:00.002-04:00

On July 4th we decided to go for a hike. I'm not sure it was the best idea as it was very hot and muggy. In fact there will be no photos of me in this post as I was apparently super grumpy throughout our journey. You'll see a few pics of my favorite hiking buddy....

We decided to go to Ward Reservation in North Andover, MA. It's part of the Trustees of the Reservations holdings. We've walked these trails before but didn't remember where the trail head was. The AllTrails app on our phone was pretty much useless as it put us in someone's yard. After driving around a bit we did stumble upon it. This did not set us up for a happy hike.

We snagged a trail map from the parking lot and set off on the lower trails. It was extremely buggy and muggy down by the wetlands. As much as I wanted to follow the path through the bog to Pine Hole Pond, I elected to head up towards the top of the hill.

The Path to the Bog

The steps from the Bog up to the hill

The hill was bright and sunny. There were fewer bugs bug unfortunately no breeze and few trees along the path to dim the sun. The trail wasn't well marked but we weren't too concerned about being lost. I attempted to take photos of butterflies and the baby snoozed as I carried him. Ansel pulled Big Dude along the path as he struggled to figure out where the trail led.

We neared the top of Holt Hill and saw the fire tower. As we walked through the high grasses the sun was terrible. We did meet up with a few other hikers near here.

The summit is very neat. The Solstice Stones are at the highest point of Essex County at 422 feet. Yup, I bagged another peak for my list!

You can see Boston and the Atlantic on a clear day. Our day was a bit hazy but you can barely make out the outline of the city.

Another cool thing about Ward Reservation is that it is part of the Bay Circuit Trail. If you've not heard of this, it is a chain of trails and greenways that are just outside Boston running through 34 towns. These green spaces link the North Shore and South Shore and provide terrific areas to play outside without driving too far.

There are tons of side trails and paths that could be followed in Ward Reservation. We cut this short as it was too hot and quite frankly I was cranky. It is not a stroller friendly place but it is a great one for small children and parents who don't mind baby carriers. There a usually quite a few dogs as well. I know we'll be back to visit on a less muggy and buggy day.

Burlingame State Park: First Car Camping Trip with Baby

2012-06-26T22:17:00.002-04:00

Last weekend we went on our first camping trip with Little Dude. We stayed at Burlingame State Park in Charlestown, RI. It's the largest campground in New England with over 700 campsites. We booked our site and let a few friends know what we were up to so that they could come along if they wanted. We went down on Friday afternoon and Little Dude almost made it through the car ride down but about a half hour from the campground he woke up and was very unhappy to be in the car. So of course we solved his troubles and then moved on.

First thing we did was hook Ansel up to a lead on a tree, which he immediately escaped from. Big Dude (Ben) set off to capture our dog and I set up our screen house so Little Dude wouldn't be eaten alive by the bugs and there were plenty of them! Ben returned with Ansel and I went off to see if our friends had arrived. They had booked a campsite just around the corner from us (far enough so they couldn't hear the baby). As the skies started to get grey, I went back with the baby to help Ben. We set up our giant tent that we had inherited from my brother in law when he moved to Michigan with it's duct tape patches and repaired zipper. I was a bit concerned that it might leak as we could see the sky through the rain fly and there were storms predicted. The rain held off until late at night and I never even heard the storms.

Little Dude was a bit confused by all of this newness. He stared around the tent and was taking it all in. He wasn't very excited by his Peapod Tent Thing and I wished I had taken my friend's advice and practiced a few naps in there while we were home. He fussed quite a bit that evening but once he fell asleep he was out for the night. We had place his mini tent in our tent. It proved to be a great shelter from the dog and from the bugs and sun.

We had a campfire with our friends and shared food and conversation. When it was the adults' bedtime there was more troubles. Ansel was out of sorts. He could hear the people and their dogs at a campsite nearby. They were up until 3AM and so was he. He would check on the baby, then me, then Ben, the door, and start all over again. It took him a looong time to settle down. So night one: Little Dude slept well, Ansel and the adults not so much.

Saturday was another warm day. Fortunately not as hot as the day before. Little Dude went for a walk in his stroller around the campground. It was not the most impressive campground in amenities but definitely was large. After lunch, we decided to head to Westerly for a microbrewery that the boys wanted to check out. Grey Sail Brewing Company was in a small brick building right on the border of CT. The boys had sample of beer and a "tour" of the brewery. We drove through town and near the ocean. There was plenty to do and check out but we didn't feel very motivated to explore. We returned to the campsite and started a campfire for dinner.

Little Dude had a good day playing and checking things out. That evening he did NOT want to go to sleep and had since decided that he likes to play in the Peapod. It definitely was very light out and we worked hard to convince him it was bedtime. Eventually he did fall asleep. He really enjoys playing with his fingers now. Waving them and grabbing at things. It's awfully fun to watch.

On Sunday, we ate breakfast and started to pack up. Little Dude played in his Peapod and on the activity mat we brought. He dozed off and I carried him as we finished packing up the car. With a baby and a dog we needed to get a roof carrier for our gear. His stroller does take up quite a bit of room so the carrier definitely helps out. There was much more elbow room in the back.

We made it home in one piece that afternoon. We had time to unpack and get cleaned up. Little Dude managed to get a few bug bites which have now disappeared. He had a fun time in the bath getting cleaned up from his camping adventure Sunday night. He will definitely be exposed to camping more as he grows. In fact, we're hoping for another trip this summer.

Lowell Heritage State Park

2012-06-17T20:31:00.000-04:00

One bright Saturday morning we went over to the local AAA office to talk insurance. We had some time to kill before we went off to a barbecue so we decided to stroll the banks of the Merrimack River along Pawtucket Boulevard in Lowell. We parked down by the UMASS Lowell boathouse. There you can rent kayaks for an hour or for a day to go for a paddle. Then we strolled with the Little Dude down towards the swimming beach.

For a sunny, summer-like day the paths were not too crowded. There were plenty of walkers with dogs and babies.

The Little Dude got hungry. So I settled on a park bench and sent the Big Dude off to get me a snack at the Dunkin' Donuts across the way. We had an impromptu picnic watching the people biking, walking, and roller blading. There were some people out on the water as well. During the school year, there are crew races held out of the boat house. Those days the park is packed with college students.

Sampas Pavilion is the site of many events including concerts and classic car shows. In August you'll find the river here being used for the Southeast Asian Water Festival. That day there were several children playing and running around. Across the street from the pavilion is Heritage Ice Cream. Big Dude was disappointed that we didn't swing on over but lots of food was in our future. Heritage is hosting a free concert series every Monday night this summer.

Across the river you can see part of the canal system. Tours are lead by the National Park Service. There is also the Riverwalk, another walking path through Lowell.

The Vandenberg Esplanade is actually only a mile long and is probably the most frequently used path in Lowell. Along with the sights in these photos you can find a swimming beach which is generally packed in the hot weather.

This is a nice little urban park to take a stroll. More information and directions can be found at the Lowell Heritage State Park website.