Ashuelot River Park
Jonathan Douglas Trail

A bike/hike trail

We went there to hang out while our house was being shown.

Expecting just to take a short hike along the river but found a garden show going on.

A welcome distraction.

After  walking through the show we headed down the Jonathan Douglas Trail.

Trail made for biking and hiking so it was nice smooth packed gravel.

With plenty of spots to stop, sit, and enjoy the river.

We always hear the bullfrogs but never see them.

The trail eventually leads to civilization and Wheelock Park.

We turned around before it did.

And of course what better way to end a hike!

Crotched Mountain Accessible Trails

Checking out the handicapped accessible trails at Crotched Mountain.
They have two; The Dutton Brook Trail and The Gregg Trail.
I did the Gregg Trail.

 A nice day for a hike I thought.  It started out hot and humid.
When I got to the trail head it was about 82 degrees and pretty humid.
It started to sprinkle a little which was great.
It lessened the humidity and it was barely enough rain to get me wet.
When I started the hike there was a blaze on a tree that turned out to be the only one on the trail.

Of course this is a handicapped accessible trail so here really isn't a chance of veering off it.
Even accidentally.

This is a great trail for those of us who are "mobily challenged" Usually on a regular trail I have to concentrate so much on where my next step is going to be that I miss a lot of what's around me.
This trail is nice and smooth so I could check out the scenery as I walked along.

That's Joe English in the middle. You can just start to see South Uncanook on the left but I didn't get it in the picture. I was pleasantly surprised at the views offered from Crotched Mt.

 

At the top there's a nice deck to sit and take in the view.

A bit misty when I got there so the view wasn't so great but it felt great to be up there.

A sign at the top identifying the mountains you could see. My camera didn't capture them but even in the mist I could make out their outlines.

Headed down and it seemed to be a little clearer in the descent side.

I was a little puzzled by this sign.

It's message was clear enough but its placement struck me as odd.

It was about halfway down the trail being read from the descent. I would think by the time you saw it, it was already too late to do anything about how you got there. Perhaps one of these at the beginning of the trail?

Back down.  Pretty short hike. About 1/2 hour up and 1/2 hour down. But a very enjoyable hour of hiking.

I started late (around 3:00) or I would have done the Drummond Brook Trail also. 

That will be next time.

Too hot to hike...BUT

...not too hot to cut the grass.
Actually it is too hot but the grass won't cooperate
and keeps growing no matter how much I hope it won't.

My hiking partner for Sunday

Much too loud, always had to be in the lead, ran out of gas halfway through the hike.
Not a hiking partner I would pick but
I'll probably have to repeat this experience a few times this summer.

I bought a house in the woods so I wouldn't have to have a manicured lawn.

Though I still have to cut it a few times in the summer.
I wouldn't cut it at all but society dictates otherwise.

This year's wood chips or next winter's bonfire.

Walking around with a lawn mower is a great way to get exercise
for those with maladies like mine.
It's like having a walker that accomplishes something while it's helping you balance.

Hopefully the weather will break and I can get back on the trails.

I know this wasn't a hike by any stretch of the imagination but I had to post something.
(It was a long walk almost through the woods)

Crotched Mountain next!

Andres Institute of Art, Brookline NH

Set on Big Bear Mountain in Brookline NH is Andres Institute of Art.

Started in 1996 by Paul Andres (thus the name)
This is a great hike through the woods with sculptures all around
The Trail map at the beginning grades each trail's difficulty.

Unfortunately from the trail head there are only two ways to go. Both of them graded difficult.
We started at the Parkway Road Trail. This is a paved road that leads to the studio. I guess it's graded difficult because it's steep in a few spots.
We were greeted by some metal sculpted 'sentries'

The road up to the studio is handicapped access only. Otherwise you park down at the bottom and walk up.  There are some pretty cool sculptures on the way up to the studio
                                                                'Community Diversity'

 

'Debate'

'Souls of Peace'

and Barbara's favorite

'Enjoying The Stars'

 

We made it to the studio (end of the paved road)

 All kinds of potential art strewn about the place.

From the studio we hit the Headwall Trail. Graded moderate.
One steep section in it but that was all.
About 10 sculptures along this trail.

rock paper scissors - actually 'Scissors Paper Stone'

 'Snarm (Scar)'

'Indispensable' I don't know why but it looked like a piece of the Millennium Falcon to me.

Back on Parkway Road Trail for a short bit and then we hit the Halfway Trail. Graded easy.
Just a short loop with 3 sculptures on it.

'Water and Rock'

 This sculpture is supposed to have blue glass in all the slots in the rock.(vandals?)

'(e)motions'

From the Halfway Trail we went to the Quarrie Trail. Graded difficult. It is. Very rocky and very steep.

If you have any balance issues like me or any difficulty walking, avoid this part. I didn't. A little work but I made it through. Half dozen or so sculptures along this trail. I don't know if weather did some damage but this section of trail looked like it had been at the very least ignored for a while.

'Memories' (looked like stone wasps nests to me)

o

'Homeage'

 'Gate Of My Faith'

Back at the beginning. Loop complete.

The loop we did is indicated by the blue arrows. 

As you can see there is at least another half to see.
This can be done in one day but I'll do it in two.

Beautiful day at Andres Institute of Art.  

I love nothing more than hitting the trails and seeing God's creation, but this was nice too.

gary

Marginal Way, Ogunquit ME

This was more of a walk than a hike, but what a great walk it is.
The views of the shoreline in Ogunquit are amazing

It was a gorgeous day - 65-70 degrees - sunny - very mild ocean breeze.
During the summer this walk is wall to wall people, but in April it was not crowded at all.
We didn't have the place to ourselves but we didn't feel pressured to keep moving.
There are benches all along the path to sit and rest or just enjoy the scenery.

Beautiful day - beautiful walk

Getting house ready to sell instead of doing anything else.

So I went snow shoeing this winter.
Only once because:
1. We hardly got any snow this winter.
2. I've been doing nothing but getting the house ready to sell.

We live in a cape.
Full dormered.
Finished, walk out basement.
I bought it unfinished and have spent the last 15 years piddling around finishing it.
The kids are grown and gone and now it is HUGE for just Barbara and me.
So we're spending all our free time getting it ready to sell.
When it does, I'll get back to hitting the trails.