Monday, February 28, 2022

Winter Hike from Burchard Park - February 23, 2022

 HIKE REPORT


Wednesday, 23 February 2022, Winter Hike from Burchard Park

Hike Leaders:  Tony & Margie Lee

4.3 miles (~2.5 hours), 10:00 am start from Weston, MA


Hikers (17):  Tony, Margie, Ann Northup, Betsy Harper, Bob Anderson, Butch Pemstein, Carol Anderson, Everett Briggs, Janet Miller, Joan Fenster, Marie Keutmann, Marlene Heroux, Patrick Ward, Robin Frain, Susan Broome, and first timers Matt Frain and Tom Rawson.


Seventeen of us met at the Burchard Park parking lot on a mild, late winter day and hiked in Ogilvie Town Forest.  The woods were lovely and the terrain was fairly level, but we did encounter wet and icy spots, as well as challenging creek crossings.  We hiked as far as the boardwalk that was constructed to avoid quicksand.


One hiker – I won’t name names – wore shorts, but I think that we all enjoyed the hint of spring.


With thanks to Everett Briggs, you can check out our awesome adventure on Relive!


     https://www.relive.cc/view/vmqXNDEPWLO


Report by Margie Lee.








Monday, February 21, 2022

Winter hike from Great Brook Farm Ski Touring Center - February 16, 2022

 HIKE REPORT


Wednesday, 16 February 2022, A winter hike from Great Brook Farm Ski Touring Center

Hike Leader:  Janet Miller

~5 miles, 10:00 am start from Carlisle, MA

Hikers (12): Janet, Ann Northup, Betsy Harper, Clyde Kessel, Don Mannes, Gerry Sheetoo, Hugh Folsom, Kaz Zelny, Patrick Ward, Rochelle Holman, Susan Sabin, and first-timer Leslie Talmadge.


XC Skiers (2):  Bill Widnall and Julie Dodd.


The morning started out sunny, but cold, as fourteen WWs gathered for a morning adventure.  Julie and Bill decided that they would rather ski, even though the snow cover was thin.  The rest of us set off to hike the Great Brook Farm trails on the other side of Lowell Road, following the Acorn trails to Curve Street.


Clyde, who lives on Curve Street, helped guide us on the next phase of the hike, as we crossed over Curve Street to Mill Pond Lane.  We walked down the lane for a short distance to find the Otter Slide Trail which follows a pretty brook to the Cranberry Fields.  Once we got there, everyone was eager for more miles and we hiked all the way around the cranberry bog before retracing our steps back along the brook.  After crossing Curve Street again, we took a different trail back to our starting place.

By the end of the hike, the snow was balling up under our microspikes, thanks to the warming temperatures.  Back in the parking lot, we compared distances recorded on our phones and estimated that we had walked somewhere between 4.5 and 5 miles.  We also saw Julie in the parking lot - she reported that she and Bill had enjoyed their skiing and that they had been on almost all of the xc ski trails. 


Report by Janet Miller.





Monday, February 14, 2022

Hike the Wilds of Wellesley III - February 9, 2022

 HIKE REPORT


Wednesday, 9 February 2022, Hike the Wilds of Wellesley III

Hike Leader:  Susan Sabin

5+ miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA

Hikers (7):  Susan, Carol Anderson, David Wean, Margie Lee, Marie Keutmann, Tom Allen, and Tony Lee.


A day that promised and delivered ice melt was also very icy underfoot.  Luckily, we all donned our microspikes before we set out.  The “high road” proved too steep, even for those super-duper microspikes, so we crossed the woods that led to the aqueduct on the “low road" which was tricky enough.  We all agreed, however, that ice was preferable to mud.


Then onto the aqueduct which was a slalom course of puddles, ice, and exposed grass.  When we got to the Wellesley Country Club we took off our microspikes for the walk across their parking lot.  Much of the Babson walk was on shoveled paths, but when we headed onto some backwoods trails leading to the Olin campus, the microspikes went on again.  Off again as we crossed some athletic fields on the way back from Olin to Babson.  On again (for several of us) approaching the country club, then off through the parking lot, and on for the aqueduct and trails beyond.  

It turns out that putting-on and taking-off microspikes provides significant exercise.  After five-plus miles and four on/off microspike changes, no one opted for the extra one-mile loop around Longfellow Pond.  

A great group, a great time, great weather.  Thanks to Margie and David for the photos.  
 


Report by Susan Sabin.


Photos courtesy of Margie Lee and David Wean.






Monday, February 7, 2022

Hiking the Wilds of Wellesley II - February 2, 2022

 HIKE REPORT


Wednesday, 2 February 2022, Hiking the Wilds of Wellesley II

Hike Leader:  Susan Sabin

~3 miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA

Hikers (8):  Susan, Elsa Lawrence, John Kitchen, Margie Lee, Rochelle Holman, Tod Cochran, Tony Lee, and first-timer Steve Caplow..


This was a hike to an unknown corner of Wellesley, enough off the beaten path that one member of our group suggested we make a pact to keep what happened on the trail on the trail.


So, sorry all.  End of story!  See ya next year!


Report by Susan Sabin.


Photo courtesy of Margie Lee.