Lincoln - Hike from Twin Pond to Pigeon Hill Folly Ruin and Back - January 25, 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 25 January 2022, Lincoln - Hike from Twin Pond to Pigeon Hill Folly Ruin and Back

Hike Leaders:  Zach Woods & Judy Perrin

5.5 miles, 10:00 am start from Lincoln, MA

Hikers (16):  Judy, Zach, Annemarie Altman, Barbara Martin, George Stromberg, Jack Mroczkowski, Janet Miller, Jeff Wallen, Lynell Stromberg, Marie Keutmann, Melissa Norton, Molly Schaeffer, Romaine Randall, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, and William Fiering.

It was a beautiful day for a winter hike - no wind and thirty-four degrees.  The group enjoyed seeing several historical sites (Garfield cellar hole, Pigeon Hill Folly ruin, and a former site of a colonial-era rope walk, where hemp fibers were worked into lengths of rope.  We hiked up a hogback ridge that was formed by a glacier and observed a beaver lodge.  We also learned about several of the Modernist houses viewable from the trail.

Six hikers enjoyed lunch at Revolution Craft Food Hall in Lexington.

The group photos were taken at the Pigeon Hill Folly ruin.

Report by Judy Perrin.

Winter Hike from Nobscot Scout Reservation - January 18 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 18 January 2022, Winter Hike from Nobscot Scout Reservation

Hike Leaders:  Tony & Margie Lee

5.9 miles (~3 hours), 10:00 am start from Sudbury, MA

Hikers (13): Margie, Tony, Annemarie Altman, Betty Salzberg, George Stromberg, Jeff Wallen, Joanne Samuels, Marie Keutmann, Mel Prenovitz, Molly Schaeffer, Rick Carlson, Susan Broome, and first-timer Lynell Stromberg.

Present at lunch:  Rachel Carlson.

The day dawned with some rain in the forecast, but the leaders decided to go ahead with the hike. Thirteen hikers met at Nobscot under somewhat cloudy skies.  We followed Thirty Rod Trail to Tipling Rock Trail, then scrambled up Tipling Rock, taking in views of Boston, the Blue Hills, and the Needham towers.

I counted about ten raindrops on our way to Ford’s Folly, but then the skies brightened and the sun eventually appeared.  We enjoyed stretching our legs and some outdoors socializing.  Five hikers were joined by Rachel Carlson for a delicious fireside lunch at the Wayside Inn.

Report by Margie Lee.

Hike October Farm and Brewster Woods - January 11, 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 11 January 2022, Hike October Farm and Brewster Woods

Hike Leaders: Mike Hanauer (& Jack Mroczkowski)

4.2 miles, 10:00 am start from Concord, MA

Hikers (28): Mike, Barbara Jacobs, Barbara Martin, Betty Salzberg, David Kaiser, Don Mannes, Ed Hill, Everett Briggs, Francie Sparks, Janet Miller, Judy Perrin, Margie Lee, Marie Keutmann, Marlene Heroux, Mel Prenovitz, Melissa Norton, Merle Adelman, Patrick Ward, Richard Vignoni, Romaine Randall, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Ted Nyder, Tony Lee, William Feiring, first-timers Bill Cohen, Maureen Febiger, and Phyllis Evan.

Present at hike start:  Jack Mroczkowski.

I was supposed to co-lead this hike, but, since Jack had come down with a bad cold, I became the leader.

It was quite a large group (perhaps the largest since the start of Covid), but we managed, with Jack’s help, to accommodate all of the cars in the limited available space.  The air was crisp at about 25 degrees, with a light breeze, even in the woods.  The skies were totally blue - about the same color as Janet's ski parka.

Virtually all trails had water-views, either of the Concord River or of the wet areas around it which are often hard to distinguish from the river.  We first took in Brewster's Woods, now owned by Mass Audubon, a beautiful sight with an amazing estate which could be a primo party house some day.  There were fields, woods, barns, outhouses, and inspirational sculptures, as well.

Then, we continued to October Farm, owned by the Town of Concord, with still more water views, some from on low and some from on high (meaning hills).  We skipped the climb up Ball’s Hill and saw Brewster’s cabins (stone foundation remains) and an amazing canoe storage cave.  We then climbed Dakins Hill, followed by the two knolls of Holden Hill.  While a few fields had a bit of snow and ice, all areas in the woods were bare ground, often covered with leaves.  I heard of no slipping or mishaps (and no reports of slipped chains or flat tires).

At this point the leader became disoriented (as you can see from the route we took), but the lights went back on with help from Richard, Everett, and Barbara.  We did get to see, twice, one of the biggest and ugliest homes in Concord (IMHO), as we came down from Holden Hill.

Thanks to Janet for sweeping.

It was good to see Everett with apparently all faculties intact after a serious cycling accident a bit ago.

Eight lucky people had a good, post-hike lunch at "Nosh" (formerly Trails End Cafe).

Jack - get well soon and thanks for organizing/creating this winter hike and, additionally, for acting as “parking attendant.”

My RideWithGps route:  https://ridewithgps.com/trips/110889305 .  Note the added mileage, due to ride leader confusion, at around mile 3.

Both properties we hiked were owned by William Brewster (July 5, 1851 – July 11, 1919) who was an American ornithologist. He co-founded the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) and was an early naturalist and conservationist.  Brewster served as the first president of Mass Audubon from 1896–1913.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Brewster_(ornithologist) 

More on Brewster's Woods at https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/brewster-s-woods/about 

More on October Farm at https://www.concordma.gov/

Wayland - Hike the Eskers - January 4, 2022

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 4 January 2022, Wayland - Hike the Eskers

Hike Leaders: Betty Salzberg & Marie Keutmann

~4.5 miles, 10:00 am start from Wayland, MA

Hikers (18 + 1 canine): Betty, Marie, Zoe, Barbara Jacobs, Don Mannes, Frank Aronson, Gene Ho, Jim Whinfield, Judy Perrin, Lynne O'Riorden, Margie Lee, Molly Schaeffer, Sharon Ellis, Steven Venizelos, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Ted Nyder, Tony Lee, and Zach Woods.

Eighteen hikers and Marie’s dog, Zoe, visited two beautiful and under-used Wayland Conservation areas.  The hike started on an unpaved access road that led us past a large hosta farm bordering the Sudbury River (Weir Meadow Nursery).  We then continued to Oxbow Road where Trout Brook crosses the road to reach the river, and then onto paths near the impressive, large marsh in the Trout Brook conservation area.  We continued to the Trout Brook esker, past several deep kettleholes, then over to the Castle Hill conservation area esker which overlooks Schoolhouse Pond, where Hazel Brook runs through the pond and under a large beaver dam to make its own way to the river.

About a dozen hikers went to lunch at Verrill Farm after the hike (and after getting a very recalcitrant Zoe into Marie’s car).

Report by Betty Salzberg.

Photo courtesy of Margie Lee.

Lincoln - Off the Beaten Track - December 28, 2022

HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 28 December 2022, Lincoln - Off the Beaten Track

Hike Leaders:  Marie Keutmann & Barbara Jacobs

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

Hikers (22 + 1 canine):  Marie, Barbara, Zoe, Annemarie Altman, Betty Salzberg, Bob Anderson, Carol Anderson, David Wean, George Stromberg, Gerry Sheetoo, Janet Miller, Judy Perrin, Lynne O'Riorden, Mike Hanauer, Richard Vignoni, Romaine Randall, Steven Venizelos, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Ted Nyder, William Feiring, William Furman, and Zach Woods.

Twenty-two Wednesday Wheelers plus Marie's dog, Zoe, enjoyed a very scenic hike through open fields, backyards, and woods, on trails that many were not familiar with.  Highlights included horses, an American Chestnut tree farm, the Flint fields and homestead (occupied by twelve generations of Flints since the 17th century), and the Decordova Museum.

Approximately ten hikers went to lunch, after the hike, in the toasty and airy greenhouse at Verrill Farm.

Report by Marie Keutmann.