What we’re about
This is a hiking group for people who, like me, take life at a slow and steady pace. I love the outdoors, travel and hiking. Like the tortoise, I keep a steady pace and always get there in the end. Hikes will be mostly medium-length ( 2 - 6 miles) with elevation gains of under 1500 feet and a pace of book time +50%. Older people who have slowed down, younger folks who are just starting out, people who are overweight and want to get moving, people who are recovering from an injury, people who occasionally like to stop and take pictures or smell the roses...anyone who wants to take things at a slower pace. Hikes and other events take place all year round and in various locations!
Upcoming events (3)
See all- Morning Walk on the Cochituate Rail Trail - Sat May 17 - 10 AMCochituate Rail Trail, Framingham, MA
Join us on Saturday morning for a walk on the Cochituate Rail trail. Weather forecast says cloudy in the AM with showers possible later in the day.
The trail follows the former Saxonville Branch rail line southeast from Saxonville. Operated from 1846, the Saxonville Branch was used to construct the dam for Lake Cochituate, which supplied water to the City of Boston from 1848 to 1951. Passenger service on the line operated for 90 years, until 1936.
The trail is fairly new (2021) and starts in the Village of Saxonville in Framingham and goes to Natick Center. The total distance is 3.6 miles each way. We will walk for about 2 miles (to lake Cochituate) and then head back. Depending on which direction we choose, we will be walking past streams and wetlands, through some woods, and over Route 9. The trail is paved and relatively flat (there are a couple of inclines) with some benches in case you need to retie your shoes.
We will meet at 1 School Street in Framingham at 10 AM. You will see a small old firehouse at that location. Park in the rear of that building or at the Walgreens next to the lot.
Remember the rules:
Feel free to bring a friend, but make sure they first join the group and sign up for the event.
Please be on time so that everyone is ready to leave from the parking lot at 10 AM.
If you sign up for an event but will not be attending, change your response ASAP so that others can attend and we are not waiting for you. Check Meetup for cancellations and changes in meeting times and locations before each event.
You are all adults and are expected to make decisions about your own safety and physical abilities.
Wear appropriate footwear and bring plenty of water. Move to the side for oncoming walkers on narrow trails.
If you decide to return to your car early or leave the group for any other reason, tell someone.
If you are struggling or need assistance, tell someone.
Be friendly. Be social. Have fun.
Extreme weather will cancel this event.Safety Disclaimer
In registering for this event, you assume all risks when participating, certify that you are physically fit to participate, and have not been advised otherwise by a qualified medical person. All participants must use care and good judgment, and must obey all instructions, rules, and regulations of the venue and local authorities.Liability Waiver:
As a condition of your voluntary participation in this activity you acknowledge and agree to the following: this activity involves inherent risks that can cause property damage, injury, illness, disability, and/or death to participants and/or others; you assume all risk associated with this activity; you are responsible for having the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, clothing, and equipment to safely participate in this activity; you know and will follow the Hiker Responsibility Code described at www.hikesafe.com(http://www.hikesafe.com/); the leader(s) of this activity are volunteers; and you for yourself, your heirs, executors, and administrators release, hold harmless, and indemnify the leader(s) and all members of this group from any and all claims for property damage, injury, illness, disability, and/or death - including those caused by negligence and/or other reasons. - Kinney Woods & Holbrook Forest HikeCook's Woods Trailhead, Worcester, MA
Come for a hike in Worcester! Right now, Monday looks like the most promising day this week, weather-wise. Mid-60s, partly sunny with a breeze. We will start at the Cooks Woods Trailhead located at the end of Dawson Street. There is parking available on the road.
Please wear sturdy shoes, dress in layers and bring water and a snack. I always use hiking poles. There are a couple of low stream crossings, if I remember correctly. There are several loops we can take.
PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME. If you are delayed, please TEXT me on 720-273-3594
Leashed, well-behaved dogs allowed.
Kids welcome; please do not add them as guests, but mention in the comments.Trail Map and more info HERE
Kinney Woods is a beautiful hardwood forest with streams, stone walls and power lines. The understory of mountain laurel and paper birch along the Crystal Pond Loop offers a stunning contrast against the pond. A notable feature found in Holbrook Forest is a glacial erratic named Cousin’s Rock. It is of a material called Pegmatite; chemically the main constituents are aluminum silicate and silica, the same as granite, but formed in a late stage of crystallization in which a gas enriched very fluid magma allows ions to move freely and form unusually large crystals.
***
Tortoises roam free (and always will!) but MeetUp still charges a fee, alas. If you’d like to help out here’s where you can send a donation! Thanks!
PayPal: julie.chilton@yahoo.com
Venmo: @Julie-Chilton-3
CashApp: $JulieChilton23 - Announcement - Weekend in the BerkshiresTanglewood, Lenox, MA
NEW! Ticket sales for Jacob’s Pillow are open. I am in Level 4 - Orc Rear Seat Location: Row V Seat 5. This is considered an “accessible seat” which I can use because I use a walking stick for balance. Another member has purchased the “companion seat.” From experience, the seats in the mezzanine have better sight-lines than the orchestra. (They’re cheaper, too.) Link is below!
Once you are committed to going (you’ve reserved accommodation, bought a ticket, etc) let me know and I will move you off the waiting list.
There has been a lot of interest in this weekend! The AirBnB where I am staying (25 Houstonic St in Lee) appears to be full, but if you click HERE you will see that there are still many places on AirBnB available nearby. This is high season in the Berkshires, so rooms go quickly and are at a premium.
There are also several hotels/motels in the area. And October Mountain State Forest is only a 10 minute drive from Tanglewood. Click HERE to reserve a campsite or yurt. (Heads up - the yurts are NOT in great shape!)
If you would like to arrange car-pooling or share a room or campsite, I suggest you comment here with your contact information and what you are looking for, and then communicate with each other off of MeetUp.
Once we are closer to the time and people have firm plans, I will get everyone's contact info and make a shared doc for phone numbers, where everyone is staying and updated itinerary.
This is an announcement for people who like to plan ahead!
Every summer, I spend a weekend in the Berkshires to soak up music and dance and do some hiking, kayaking or museum-visiting. This year, I will be there from Friday, August 8 - Sunday August 10. I am staying at an AirBnB in Lee. There are many places to stay - some simple, some luxurious. There is also camping at October Mountain State Forest, which has flush toilets and showers. Accommodations tend to fill up during the summer (even the campground) so I wanted to put this out now.
My tentative itinerary!
8/8: Friday Eve - Concert at Tanglewood.
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin
LALO Symphonie espagnole
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, From the New World8/9: Saturday afternoon
Either a hike, or kayaking, depending on the heat.
Rainy day plans: Maybe the Edna St Vincent Millay or Norman Rockwell Museum
Saturday evening:
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company Dance Company at Jacob's Pillow.8/10: Sunday afternoon
Brunch and afternoon concert at Tanglewood
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Samy Rachid, conductor
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
Camille PÉPIN Un Monde nouveau (American premiere)
SAINT-SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3, ScottishFor Tanglewood, I always sit on the lawn and buy tickets at the gate. I arrive a couple of hours early and bring my picnic (with wine!) and a lawn chair and blanket. If the weather is really awful, I get a seat in the shed.
Tickets for Jacob's Pillow will go on sale to the general public April 10. They are not cheap, but this is truly world-class dance and I have never been disappointed.
No need to RSVP right now - as I said, this is just an announcement, in case you want to plan ahead. Feel free to drop me a note with any questions.
CROSS-POSTED WITH CULTURE VULTURES.
