Somehow, Maria discovered this little gem for a hike and a spectacular swim! She and Moira were able to visit in order to check it out for us….thank you!!
We all met on Main Street of Hinsdale, NH. Our group was Louise, (participant manager), Maria (location leader), Mina, Karen C, Betsy, Cheryl, Jeannette, and Roxy. The dirt road to the trailhead was abominable, so you need either 4-wheel drive, or a very careful driver to avoid all the ruts. When we parked, the mosquitos discovered us immediately, and yelled to all their friends that “fresh meat” had arrived. We doused in concoction of repellent, and started walking the trail. It led us to a clearing for a drop-dead gorgeous reservoir that was created in the middle of the Pisgah State Forest. Huge boulders, tall pines, cold clear water and NO mosquitos here for some strange reason. We had arrived!
The water was invigorating and delicious! There was swimming, there was lunch on the rocks, and there was a precious whole afternoon to catch up on everyone’s lives out there.
Maria shared the books that she has been following after being hit with breast cancer. She sent me the titles so I could share them with AWOL gals:
Anti-cancer, A New Way of Life, by David Servan-Schreiber, MD (a moving memoir of life changes after a cancer relapse)
The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, by Rebecca Katz (GREAT recipes for healthy living!)
Beat Breast Cancer Like a Boss – 30 Powerful Stories, interviews compiled, edited, and written by Ali Rogan of PBS Newshour
Jeannette shared her new living situation… rented her beautiful new house and moved in with her new love down the road!
Roxy also has a new love in her life, and is still unpacking into her new Hadley home, which makes her life so disorganized that she even forgot to pack a lunch for this event!! Thank you, Louise, who shared her lunch!
Betsy and Maria took off swimming to find the end of the reservoir. They were gone for so long that we thought we might try to call them on the phone… wondering if either of them had an Apple watch on!
Before packing up to go, we each shared a goal for the coming year.
Betsy wants to make pottery and will be looking for a course; Maria will be learning about the foods that fight cancer, and will be doubling her exercise routine; Mina and Louise will be learning Spanish!; Cheryl wants to knit with Barbara B.; Louise wants to play more piccolo (she currently plays with the Amherst Community Band); Roxy wants to learn to swim properly – maybe sign up at Hampshire Athletic Club for lessons and also get a trainer to keep the body limber; Karen and Jeannette wants to swim more, Karen also wants to work on art projects and do volunteer work; Jeannette also wants to do email more regularly!
Birthday cake time!
We left the beautiful reservoir, hiked back into mosquito-land (why were they NOT at the reservoir??) and got back into the center of Hinsdale where we found a spot to celebrate Maria’s birthday properly with a homemade flourless chocolate cake that Louise brought! What a delicious way to end a perfect day.
We had a great group of 12 at our AWOL outing on Saturday at the Sweet Alice Conservation Area in Amherst. It wasn’t certain until Friday afternoon that the air would be safe for a hike, and we had another plan in the wings (ping pong at the “Zing” ping pong center in Easthampton), but we were able to set this aside for another time. We lucked out and all ended so well. The air was deemed clear enough for outdoor activities and the weather was perfect! We had a beautiful day.
We met in the Sweet Alice Conservation Area parking lot on Bay Road in Amherst at 10:30, and our group included Jane, Robin H, Cheryl, Karen C., Louise, Betsy, Margi, Moira, Peggy, Roxy, Meredith and Laura. We were all so happy to see each other! Hugs and warm greetings all around.
Once we’d all arrived, we walked over to check out the Kestrel Land Trust Headquarters and their gazebo on the pond.
We then began our hike around the Sweet Alice Pond, a lovely, peaceful spot.
The wide, fairly flat Trolley Bed Trail continued past the pond. We had discussed in the parking lot what we all knew of the history of trolleys, e.g. how they were used for commuting to work in factories for about 40 years before cars were invented. We will be keeping our eyes open for a study done on the history of The Trolley Bed Trail, by Smith students, which is to be published soon by the Kestrel Trust.
Along the way, we came across some interesting creatures and plants.
Roxy pointed out Sasssafras leaves, which can be identified by 3 different leaf patterns. Tasting the stem was interesting too.
Can you see the Robin’s egg hat on a stick? Our creative AWOLers at work!
The Mountain Laurel was in full bloom and profuse
Many big millipedes, this one getting comfortable on Robin’s hand
After about 25 minutes we turned onto the M & M trail, which is also wide, but eventually gets pretty steep and rocky. Many of us had hiking sticks, which came in handy! After close to another hour we got to our goal of the first major lookout point, with a broad view over the valley and tree-covered mountains to the left—an awe-inspiring sight! We hung out there for awhile, munched on well-deserved and yummy chocolates (of course!), enjoying the stunning scenery and each other’s company. We took some group photos there:
Our return trip down was easier, of course. Eventually we got back down to the large pond, which has a lovely little island in the middle, which we’d passed on the way up.
Returning to the Kestrel building, we discovered a spacious porch on the back, with a view of the pond, and enough chairs for us all to hang out in. It was the perfect spot to relax and chat while we ate our picnic lunches.
This AWOL outing was entitled “All’s Well that Ends Well”, because of the clearing of the weather and the air quality to give us a perfect day to hike, and also because of what happened to Louise. Just as we started out, she got an emergency call about keys that she needed to bring back home to Leverett, and then she wanted to come back to join us as we descended. Jane and Robin communicated with her to meet up, but that was a challenge for all of us, with crazy bad signs that messed us up. All ended well when we finally did connect with Louise on our way back on the Trolley Bed trail. Louise had a great idea for a new AWOL tradition: that we could designate one member per outing to make an unscheduled trip somewhere and then have the rest of the group direct that person to the current location to meet up. “But it would only be fun if the labels on the member’s map fail to correspond to the trail names posted on the signs.” Wouldn’t that be a hoot?!
If you weren’t able to join us on Saturday you may want to explore on your own various parts of the Sweet Alice Conservation area which connect up to the Holyoke Range trails. (Maps available for the Holyoke Range on the All Trails site or at the Mass.Gov website, and for the Sweet Alice Conservation Area at the Kestrel Land Trust Website, kestreltrust.org). You could do the route we did and make it longer and more vigorous by continuing on the M and M trail to the top of Mt. Norwottuck and maybe even to the Horse Caves. We had all the exercise and wonderful AWOL companionship we were looking for, however, on this beautiful adventure!
Submitted with love and thanks for another great AWOLian adventure, from the co-coordinators, Jane, Laura, and Robin H
On a beautiful late Spring Wednesday morning (so fun to have an AWOL meeting in the middle of the week!) Caryl, Margi, Betsy, Judith and Robin, along with guests Jennifer Taub and Susan Zarchin, met at the Sunderland library for a cycling adventure to Turners Falls. Up route 47 and over to beautiful Falls Rd we rode and before we knew it we were at the Montague Book Mill where Moira, Roxy and Geri joined the group. Our 10 riders, dressed in colorful gear, then continued up to Turners stopping briefly at a most unusual Renaissance inspired house, complete with Rapunzel in the tower (see photo) and up to the CT River Canalside Rail Trail, a gorgeous 3.8 mile stretch, built partially over old railroad beds. And who should we run into along the Canal?? Our very own Liz Brinkerhoff who was serenely sketching the beautiful scenery!! Of course we offered her chocolate! Upon arriving at Unity Park we also enjoyed some chocolate and conversation under a big shady tree before departing for the return trip back to the Book Mill. When we arrived a few of us with other afternoon appointments continued on to our starting point in Sunderland while the others enjoyed lunch at the Book Mill. Round trip mileage was roughly 14 for the Book Mill crew and 27 for the Sunderland folks. Easy-peasy when you have great traveling companions. When we arrived back at the Montague Bookmill, we found a great table in the shade, ordered lunch inside, and then Mina appeared to join us for lunch! It was the perfect ending to a wonderful morning with friends.
Isn’t that Liz, sitting there sketching??Herb garden at Unity ParkLettuce field
As you may know, we had a bit of a struggle to decide which path to take in our February outing. Karen (Stevie), Liz and Pat exchanged multiple emails considering our options. Would we have snow enough to ski at Notchview, sun enough to hike in Amherst or curiosity enough to attend a live broadcast of Straight Line Crazy at the Amherst Theater? In the end, we were able to do 2 of these activities.
I don’t know what happened with the hikers, however, some of us didn’t trust the weather goddesses to be with us and bought tickets to this amazing play about Robert Moses, architect of the web of highways, parkways and expressways, crisscrossing New York City and the state of New York. He was, by training, an urban planner, a title he disliked. As he said in the play “I don’t want to plan, I want to build!!” So, on Sunday afternoon, with a gorgeous, sunny, brisk day in front of us, five intrepid AWOLers, Liz, Pat, Betsy, Barbara, Jeannette and Peggy,stepped into the bowels of the darkened theater and thoroughly enjoyed a remarkable journey into the life of a brilliant, intense and power-hungry man, brilliantly played by Ralph Fiennes.
Liz and Pat supplied chocolate for the AWOL women who joined us, which we thoroughly enjoyed before, during and some a bit after the play. Liz, Barbara and myself were able to grab a snack and cocktail at Johnny’s Tavern afterwards (does anyone remember the names of our cocktails? Not I.). Intending to discuss the play, we ended up noshing and talking about everything else but!
For myself, it was a lovely day to be with women I’ve grown to enjoy immensely and never see, since attendance at AWOL events has been spotty at best since the onset of the dreaded C19. Living in the ‘south’ (Springfield) I also don’t have a chance to connect with folks informally, so this was a real treat that I hope I can repeat again soon.
Post script: I perused the Trustees of Reservations website tonight and discovered this exciting event coming up. I’ve bought myself a ticket and decided that I will risk being a bit sleepy at work the next day. It will be worth the yawning.
Geri, Judith, Peggy, Roxy, Moira and myself (Cheryl) enjoyed beautiful skies and views on this lovely hike up the northwestern side of the Mt. Tom Reservation. Geri cleverly scouted out this local hike for this busy December weekend. (a happy beginning of Hanukkah!) We started at the Mt. Tom North trailhead and hiked up a snowy trail to the top of Mt. Nonotuck.
The Oxbow: Happy women Geri’s Garmin map!
Our destination was Mt Nonotuck and the Eyrie House Ruins. It turns out that the Holyoke Range and Mt. Tom area were popular resort destinations in the late 1800s. The Eyrie House was built in 1861 and operated for 40 years as a family-focused fresh air hotel with croquet, fine dining, boardwalks, swings for the kids… (who knew??) Sadly, in 1901 the owner was cremating horses and the whole resort went up in flames. Without insurance to re-build, it became what we now see as ruins:
We also walked over to what’s called the Dry Knoll for a view to the south:
Great conversation, views, some fresh air and big skies. Thanks to Geri for finding us a new hike that we could sneak into a busy holiday weekend!
Wearing the warmest gear we could find, Amy, Eileen, Karen C, Meredith, RobinH, Jane, Mina, Moira, and Cheryl, braved the icy morning wind for a walk along the old Moody Bridge Road through the south part of the wildlife area and the nature refuge boardwalk. October and November had been so mild that we were shocked to suddenly confront winter.
Since the early stages of the pandemic, the Moody Bridge Road access from South Maple Street has been closed to traffic because of a giant sinkhole. The sand road goes through beautiful undulating fields with views of the Holyoke range to the south. During the spring and summer, the fields are full of nesting birds, and in winter, it’s a great place to cross-country ski when the snow conditions are just right.
Anyway, our well-bundled cheery bunch walked boldly into the freezing western wind, chatting and admiring the views. We pretended to heat our hands over an imaginary fire, and Jane even covered her face to keep warm!
Fortunately, when we got to the circular trail, it was less exposed to the wind, and we could begin to relax as we strolled on the boardwalk. We stopped at many of the view sites and were delighted by the winter beauty of the refuge. Towards the end of the circular trail, we settled on a relatively protected sunny site with beautiful views of the mountains and fields for lunch and chocolate. Of course there weren’t many people out walking on that cold morning, but we did manage to snag a passing family to take photos of our group.
The walk back to the cars was lovely with the wind to our backs. After hugs and goodbyes, we headed off to prepare for Thanksgiving. Thanks to KarenC and Amy for co-organizing with me. As Eileen said, the warmth of AWOL friendship ruled the day!
We couldn’t have wished for better weather to get some exercise and enjoy the lake in Westhampton. Our awol group was Jane, Laura, Judith, Liz, Margi, Geri, and of course, Roxy.
Some had never been out here before, so taking boats out was the first activity. A few in kayaks, a canoe, and a paddle board got us exploring the lake, with Margi swimming circles around the lake and island. After that it was time to jump into the water and swim, or better yet, get on the “big, blue cloud” which is a new toy out here… an enormous air mattress, which can accommodate at least four or five of us. It feels like a waterbed, though it’s filled with cushy pillows of air and not water.
After Jane & Laura had to take off, our group got a bit smaller, so lunch was on the deck, and we enjoyed being lazy and shared lots of fruits and veggie snacks. We suddenly realized there had been no pictures taken, so we quickly snapped this one…. (unfortunately, Jane and Laura had already left.)
Geri came a little late, which worked out great because she is not yet able to swim or boat after her back surgery. But she is moving well, and joined us for lunch, and then stayed on after everyone else left, so we were able to hang out together, and take a good walk around all of the lake roads. We ended up meeting some friends that she knew, so that was a fun surprise. (not really, since Geri knows so many people in this area!)
A hike I always wanted to take with AWOL was organized by Jeannette, up in her nearby neck of the woods… or over the river and through the woods to Madame Sherry’s forest. There, we discovered the remains of the “party house” that was built in the 1930’s by a theatrical woman from NYC. Spiral stone stairs lead up to a grand house in the middle of nowhere! I’m sure there were ghosts living there still!
There were three of us from Amherst (Roxy, Liz and Moira) who drove up to meet Jeannette and her sister, Ann, at the trailhead in Chesterfield, NH. We were greeted by the signboard that shows its history:
There were three of us from Amherst (Roxy, Liz and Moira) who drove up to meet Jeannette and her sister, Ann, at the trailhead in Chesterfield, NH. We were greeted by the signboard that shows its history:
From there, we hiked the trails that lead beyond the swimming pond and up to find the views, and the gorgeous hillsides filled with pink and white flowering mountain laurel hiding in the woods!
From there we went back over the river and through the woods to Jeannette’s beautiful house in Vermont! Maria arrived, ready to move into the incredible apartment that is below the porch!
Jeannette has done an amazing job creating a beautiful home with views, gardens, and lovely spaces indoors to enjoy all of it! We admired the view from her beautiful stone patio next to her amazing “waterfall” feature, we swung on her “bed swing” on her screened porch, took a tour of the downstairs apartment, and admired the garden. And then we enjoyed our lunch inside with a comforting pot of tea! A perfect ending to a perfect Awol hike.
Caryl, Moira, Judith and Robin met at the S. Amherst Common at 8:30 am. It was overcast but mild. We cruised down Station Rd to the bike path where we met up with Liz and Maria, enjoying the budding green trees and bird calls of Spring surrounding us.
Taking a leisurely pace we rode to N. Maple St and headed north, turning left on Knightly, a quintessential “country road” with newly planted fields and scenic barns.
When we reached 47 we paused for an early morning Snickers snack before Liz and Maria headed to N. Amherst while the rest of us rode back South to the bike path and home in time to shower and get ready for the next activity block of the day: the Women’s Rallies in Noho and Amherst! With pleasant conversation, in typical AWOL fashion, the time flew by and our 20+ mile ride was in the books!
It was a fine day for hiking — cool, cloudy, and not windy. True, it could have been 10 degrees warmer and quite a lot sunnier; the apps had emphatically predicted rain, so were grateful for what we got!
Nine hardy AWOL hikers — Judith, Robin D, Mina, Jeanette, Anne, Margi, Cheryl, Moira and Amy — met at the Upper Visitor Center the Mt. Tom Reservation at 10 on Sunday morning. After much hugging and greeting, we followed the Metacomet-Monadnock trail south and up towards to the high exposed cliffs overlooking Easthampton.
The steep trail is in good shape, and there are some natural rocky steps. As we ascended, we were treated to sweeping views of rocky cliffs and the valley below. There are spectacular views out towards the mountainous horizons of the Berkshires and southern Vermont. Judith showed us an app called PeakFinder which shows the names of all the mountains on the horizon on a panorama display. Here is a photo of us looking as if we had just ascended Mt. Everest!
We found a large rocky area with a view, where everyone could sit comfortably. There, we enjoyed an early lunch/brunch with great conversations. A chocolate and roasted hazelnut fest followed.
After lunch we walked along the cliff tops on the M & M trail exploring dramatic rock formations and vistas. Occasional hawks and turkey vultures sailed by. Jeanette tried her best to alter the rock formations, but (fortunately) she just wasn’t strong enough!
We descended via the gentler, less steep Quarry trail, where there were a few signs of spring, as well as beautiful fungi. Walking and talking with friends is a special AWOL highlight… it was so wonderful to catch up with everyone’s news.
We all arrived back safely at our cars around 1:00. Thank you to Amy for co-leading the hike, and to Margi for her help.
Because we were in such good time, and because the rain hadn’t started, the carpool of Moira, Amy and Mina decided to drive a couple of miles south on Rt 5 to see the Dinosaur tracks at the Trustees of Reservations site next to the Connecticut River. It was amazing to see the tracks of those long-ago creatures, and to explore the flat rocks next to the river.
Some of you may remember the AWOL hike on Mt. Tom in November 2014. The State Park is definitely worth revisiting and exploring. One of the most stunning 360 degree valley views can be found from the tower on the Goats Peak Trail which can also be accessed from the Upper Parking lot. Here is a link with more information and maps: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-west/mount-tom-state-reservation.html
AWOL Sunday, February 6, 2022 Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center, Grafton, VT
Trip led by Margi and Peggy and blog posted by Peggy
Fear Less! Not Fearless but Fear Less!
Don’t grip the poles. Hands on knees! Crouch down, (like a yoga chair pose, only on skis) and take your snow plow where you want to go, not where you are afraid of going!
Margi and Peggy and Jeanette and Liz and Karen S and Betsy met up at the Grafton Trails Lodge and hit the slopes at 11 am.
There was definitely more snow than in MA and although the thermometer read 9 degrees when we arrived, there was no wind and lots of sun. The descriptions on the white board in the lodge said, “A wee bit icy and fast.” We did warm up! We slip-slided on the first uphill and there were a couple of mishaps on the first downhill, but by the end of the day we all felt good about how we handled ourselves on skis.
We had lunch around the fire pit and Margi treated us to her amazing brownies. We skied for another hour or so and headed home with a glow. No crowds and we got a discount for being a senior group. A magical day!
AWOL Outing January 2022 Quabbin Reservoir Gate 15
~ We Welcomed the New Year With High Hopes and A Winter
Wonderland Woods Walk in True AWOL Fashion ~
A gorgeous sunny day dawned on January 8, 2022, and the group of 12 or so intrepid AWOLers gathered at Gate 15 of the Quabbin Reservoir. We knew we were in the right place because there was a Silver Prius there. This MUST be the place! Oops. Wrong parking lot.
Never mind. We DID gather at Gate 15 and some used their spikes while others just walked along the not-so-deep snow on the trail. Meeting at noon was a great idea because the bitter cold of the early morning had moved up to the 20s or so. Gathered that day were Stevie, Mina, Liz (co-leaders), Louise, Karen, Barbara, Eileen, Robin, Geri, Amy, Moira and Margi.
There was a gentle downhill slope all the way to the Quabbin waters and along the way were snow frosted woods with hemlocks, pines, mountain laurel and a long, long stretch of woodland brook that kept us company with its water music. We also saw the remains of a water-powered mill of some sort and we were reminded that there were many of these sprinkled throughout the New England woodlands and used by folks to grind grains and cut lumber among other things.
Our hike was interrupted by what some of us thought was a “first”, though maybe not, but there was a HUGE pine fallen across our path and on the way down it looked as if the only thing to do was crawl under. Which we did.
Mina discovers the fallen tree. Kind of hard to miss…..
i
Helping each other….We do make a colorful group!
Our reward…. Absolutely gorgeous….
Then there was CHOCOLATE…. At a little spot near the water, in the sun….. We look pretty happy. We were.
And so we headed back, up the gradual slope, through the woods and back to our cars…. And to the world we’d escaped for a few hours. On our way we discovered there’s more than one way to get across a downed tree…..
Geri needed a rest.
Louise can be seen saying “Open wide!”
Somehow, we didn’t catch any photos of some of us who made our way around the tree by going down by the stream and had an easier time probably than our Geri did.
Sunday, December 5th was a fun but complicated outing, even for awol. Sixteen people signed up, some for the Hot Chocolate event, some for brunch, and some for the afternoon hike. These ongoing shifts in the cast of characters were exacerbated by some people needing to drop out and some able to join in at the last minute. Flexibility and cell phones ruled the day!
Ten enthusiastic AWOL women gathered on Margi’s welcoming porch to ready for the Hot Chocolate walk/run. We all chose the 3k stroll, as this provided us the most time for laughing and chatting…
HATS!!
Before starting off we donned “race” bibs and Jeannette’s colorful whimsical hats, warmed up with pungent teas Margi so thoughtfully provided, and then wended our way into Northampton to join the crowds, with masks on☺
Safe Passage, based in Northampton, is the wonderful organization the Hot Chocolate event has supported and fundraised for these past 18 (!) years. Its mission is to educate the public, promote a safe community and serve all who are survivors of domestic violence. See this link for more information and to donate: https://safepass.org/ This year approximately 4,500 folks participated and a record breaking $800,000 was raised…wow!!
During our walk we were serenaded by community members, musicians and cheerleaders, then handed this year’s mugs & hot chocolate packets. A visit to the many stalls giving away “swag” (scarves, gloves, lubricants, condoms, water bottles, fanny packs, etc..) completed our walk. We filled our mugs and pockets with fun stuff before returning to Margi’s for brunch…another great HC event☺
With the morning walk/run finished, the second group formed on Margi’s porch for our brown bag lunch. Luckily it was chilly but not cold, and a small heater provided relief for our fingers. Margi had made a splendid vegan chick pea turmeric soup and provided tea and seltzer (NYTimes soup/stew recipe https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019772-spiced-chickpea-stew-with-coconut-and-turmeric ), Robin brought gluten free brownies, and Karen brought a favorite pear cake which Phil also got to enjoy. Chocolate chips placed on top when the cake is still hot make a sweet addition as they melt.
Marcella Hazan, More Classic Italian Cooking (I make two, freeze one!) Perhaps the pears did not enjoy the cake as much
After lots of good talk some of the walkers departed (slowly, slowly) from the porch, and the hikers regrouped, trying to track down the missing so as to leave no one behind.
We all liked the very neatly kept old home near the trailhead, and that blue car!
Eileen, Margi, Robin, KarenC, and Cheryl carpooled to the Water Street entrance of the Robert’s Hill Conservation Area in Leeds. We met Amy there and set off on a lovely 2.5 mile hike around the well-marked green, blue, pink, red, orange, and yellow trails. All of which were, in reality (IRL), leaf colored and often lined with mountain laurel. We had great maps. We did not get lost.
We followed the map! It led us to good sitting rocks by the view!Reminding each other not to step back Studying something about this log, like maybe how to get over it?
Imagine sunset here, though not in December!
There’s a high point with a great western view of the Berkshires. Great rocks to sit on; some ashes from a campfire. We agreed that we should come back for spring wildflowers, the mountain laurel bloom, and perhaps a summer sunset when we could make our way back in a long twilight or early moonrise.
All in all a great day, as various groupings of AWOLers found an activity to be part of. Something(s) for everyone.
Hot Chocolateers Present for our stroll, on a beautiful blue sky day, were the following AWOL women: Barbara, Betsy, Geri, Jeannette, Joyce, Judith, Laura, Margi, Peggy and Robin. Deborah had joined others for the walk but joined us for lunch. Lunchers who enjoyed the feast Peggy, Joyce, Betsy, Jeannette, Geri, Laura, Barbara, Eileen, Margi, RobinH, Karen C, Judith, Deborah Intrepid Hikers Amy, Eileen, Cheryl, Margi, RobinH, KarenC.
Stay safe everyone! Happy (and whatever else you celebrate) New Year! KarenC and RobinH
With perfect weather on tap, a record number of 18 AWOL members (!) gathered in Williamsburg at the Historic Dam trailhead on Ashfield Road near Judd Lane.
Betty Sharpe
We were thrilled and lucky to have Elizabeth (Betty) Sharpe, local historian, author and co-director of Historic Northampton, as our guide for the day. Her book, In the Shadow of the Dam, explores the entire story behind the creation of the historic Mill River reservoir dam and the horrific flood that occurred in May of 1874, when the dam burst, sending an avalanche of water that flooded the valley below, obliterating many homes and factories in its path, and leaving 139 people dead and 740 people homeless. It was marked as the worst reservoir dam collapse in U.S. history at the time.
The hike was steep, but gorgeous! And Betty led the way, stopping along the trail to explain details of the dam and the reservoir’s creation and to point out locations of some of the structure’s remains.
We stopped for lunch, chocolate and a birthday celebration (Moira is now a Senior Citizen!) on what today remains of the top of the dam. Betty shared more details and Ann read a passage from Betty’s book detailing the beginning moments of the flood.
In all it was a glorious day but a sobering hike, filled with details of the historic past and of that fateful event. Special thanks to Betty Sharpe for leading us!
Before we even arrived to start this hike, challenges faced us, such as having no street address to put into the GPSes, and a forecast that kept changing. We got to expand our “Amherst Women Out Lost” moniker to include also getting lost before we even got there! And in terms of the changing weather, Jane responded to Meredith’s frantic text of “It’s raining here! Please advise” with the reassuring words “Wear a raincoat!”
In spite of all this, 11 of us AWOL troopers met up eventually at the parking area on North Valley Road. Our group included the coordinators, Jane and Joyce, and Meredith, Moira, Liz, Louise, Karen C., Roxy, Ann, Amy, and our newest member on her first AWOL, Laura.
We became experts at a lot of things today, including going back to get our rain jackets, turning around to find the right road to turn onto, and once we got there, taking our rain jackets off and on frequently with rain coming and going. The mushroom aficionados flexed their photo and app muscles throughout the hike, stopping (very) frequently to check out the great variety of mushrooms along the way. And, as always, we remained experts at chatting and laughing along the way and eating a lot of chocolate! Once we were all assembled, we first stopped to wander through an interesting old graveyard, noticing the dates, many of which were from the 1800s.
We then walked down the path and could hear the waterfalls as we approached them. Lots of oohs and aahs and photos in this special spot of multi-tiered cascades.
We admired nature’s autumnal artistry, and tried some of our own as well!
We finally dragged ourselves away from the waterfall area to continue on our hike, through the woods, and then down to follow the stream. And did we mention stopping to look at mushrooms?? Oh yes, we took our time with those too, lead by our talented and knowledgeable AWOL mycologists and their apps.
Had fun with these puff balls and the mysterious cloud they emitted when squeezed
Many varieties of mushrooms were noticed, studied, and photographed.
The autumnal colors were just beginning at that time, and we got to see this evidence of it
An interesting observation along the way: a tree giving birth to a stone!
….as we made our way beside a lovely winding stream
One silver lining to this year and a half of Covid precautions was that many of us discovered beautiful hidden spots in nature right where we have the good fortune to live, in glorious Western MA. It was fun to share this one with our wonderful AWOL group!
“Surin dip it us Silver Linings” is what we called this trip, with Jeannette, Maria, Peggy, Moira, Amy and Roxy.
Looking back at how this trip was postponed a week ago by all the rainfall that wouldn’t end, it now made perfect sense that when we arrived at Lake Tully yesterday we discovered that the parking areas, the campgrounds, and even the access roads completely closed due to flooding! Of course, we hadn’t checked ahead… but being AWOL gals, we had a long talk with a kind and very intelligent park ranger who explained to us that the lake gained 25 feet of water, and by slowly releasing water from the dam, it was now at 20 feet beyond its normal levels. Hard to imagine! But we were not about to turn around … and the ranger opened the gate for us to enjoy the lake with hardly any other people around! And as you will see in the photos, we had a lot more lake than we expected. We started from a parking lot that was completely flooded,
The Parking Lot!!
And floated over bushes and trees, and sunken islands! We explored Tully, and made our way to the river channel, and followed a blue heron on the channel which leads to Long Pond. But first we would have to pass under the bridge which is normally much easier than it was yesterday! Here are some pictures:
We also lucked into having a campground site all to ourselves for lunch because nobody was allowed to reserve them! Another silver lining!
Our private campgroundHappy campers!
Another highlight of the trip was the swim we took in Long Pond… some of us stopping on the left bank, and others across the pond on the right bank… but we swam to meet in the middle, enjoying the cold water on our sun-soaked bodies. Utterly refreshing!
Thank you, Jeannette, for organizing this wonderful day, and for the use of your kayaks, too! (Didn’t know you could even cram a kayak INSIDE your car!) And thank you, Maria, for showing us all the proper way to tie a kayak down on the top of a car! We learn so much from each other. And also for the fabulous chocolate treats, which we learned goes with anything!
We met at what turned out to be Gate 12 of the Quabbin, off 202, just north of the Amherst Pelham Road, and just south of the big overlook on the east side of 202. Eileen drove Karen C, Amy, Meredith, and Robin H (So great! Together by car unmasked!) from South Amherst and met up with Karen S, Moira, Cheryl, and Ruth, who had come all the way from Winchester!
It was a beautiful day and we started off downhill on the lovely shady woods road towards the water.
The Quabbin is such an interesting place. You can’t help thinking about the many lives that were turned totally upside down when the towns were moved and then flooded, yet on a hike like ours that history is not in sight. We did pass a little gatehouse structure with some very fragrant swamp azaleas (also called swamp pinks) behind it, but it didn’t appear especially old.
Part of our group got ahead of the rest of us (or was it behind?) and took a different turn at the one major landmark, a remarkably clean porta potty. My group arrived at the water and had it to ourselves except for one couple up on the rocks. We spread out on a wonderfully long rock formation and began removing shoes and socks so we could get our sweaty feet into that pristine Boston drinking water.
Someone made contact with the rest of the group and they soon arrived. The rocks provided enough great picnic and chocolate space for all.
Refreshed feet did not prove adequate for the ever intrepid Moira. After considering her limited options, she chose an underwear style of swimwear and slid unobtrusively into the (cold!!) water. Also braving the bracing chill was Ruth, who took off her pants and just walked right in! Right then we saw a small boat heading our way and feared for any ranger who would have to confront a bunch of old broads and lecture them on what ‘no swimming’ means. But it turned out to just be some folks fishing who didn’t pay us any mind.
It was such a lovely little beach on such a perfect day that no one was rushing to start back. Eventually we tried to leave the beach by a different route but the water was too high so we retraced our way instead.
On Quabbin hikes the adage ‘it’s always shorter going back’ does not really hold. It’s uphill all the way, it was warming up, and it would’ve been great if there were another reservoir at the top. Everyone would have jumped in for sure! But we made it, slowly and surely, stopping to enjoy wildflowers, little creeks, and rock formations along the way. I believe there was a bit more chocolate disbursement when we reached the parking lot.
Fringed polygala, wild geranium
This felt like a particularly special outing, all vaccinated and feeling safe unmasked in our post covid or covid respite or whatever this time is that we’re negotiating. Thanks to Margi for getting me and Amy back on track as hike leaders, to Ruth for making us sure about where the hike was to start, and especially to Amy for coming up with such a wonderful hike! Karen C
On an overcast, slightly chilly day a record 16 AWOLers gathered in lovely Williamsburg, MA to experience the ‘Big View.’ First-time trip leader extraordinaire Geri had scouted out 2 locations and visited the ‘Big View’ twice before the outing ’cause she’s just that good! Adding to her overall magnificence was her brilliant scheme to have us all rendezvous at a convenient nearby parking lot (of course she called the local gendarmes ahead of time to verify that this was OK) then she and I (Jeannette) ferried nearly everyone to the trailhead with windows open in configurations calculated to maximize air flow (I think that all of us had read the same NYT article about this)
Here’s nearly all of us gathered at the start: Ann, Amy, Caryl, Geri, Jane L, Jeannette, Karen S, Liz, Margi, Maria, Meredith, Mina, Moira, Peggy, Robin H, Roxy.
The first delight discovered was the site mysteriously designated as “Whale Pond” on the map:
Roxy whale surfs!
Just a short distance from the grey whale we came upon the prosaically named piece de resistance of our outing, ‘The Big View’
The name says it all!
The viewing area was comprised of a tiered cliff face with lots of lovely seating options to soak in the scenery, nosh, and strike our most beguiling poses!
The area has so many varied experiences-grand views, still and moving water, incredible flora, whales. Discovering it in the company of friends makes it even more magical.
Carpe diem!
After lunch some hikers had promises to keep and opted to return home. The rest of the group was enticed to explore trails that continued past ‘The Big View.’ After a bit of bushwhacking we discovered a beaver pond-desolate at this time of year but serene. Not done yet, we decided to backtrack to make our way over to the reservoir. The trails were helpfully marked to instruct wildlife as to which routes to follow.
Ever compliant, a few AWOLers demonstrated their best ‘bear crawls’ at the designated areas!“The petite reservoir was charming and a lovely backdrop for our smiling faces.”“Not content to be confined to one shore, some of us braved the stream crossing to explore the perimeter of the reservoir.”“Amy contemplated the rope swing, its fibers holding remembrances and promises of soaring through languid summer air.”
The area has so many varied experiences-grand views, still and moving water, incredible flora, whales. Discovering it in the company of friends makes it even more magical. Thanks Geri and Thank you AWOL!
Thanks, Robin D. and Caryl, for putting together this terrific “get-back-on-your-bikes” ride through the back roads of South Amherst and Belchertown. It was a perfect warm-up ride, taking only 1 1/2 hours, and I hope to do it again! Directions follow. (Roxy)
From Caryl: Robin and I are so happy to have led such a group of strong, enthusiastic, and motivated women on our bike trip through some back roads of Amherst and Belchertown. Eight of us, Ann, Margi, Geri, Joyce, Cheryl, Roxy, Robin & Caryl wended our way from the South Amherst Common down Station Road to the bike path. We road the bike path east to WarrenwrightRoad. From there we turned left onto Orchard Street. This was a beautiful street filled with stone walls, farms and beautiful landscapes; it also was one of our more lengthy and challenging hills. From there we turned right onto Federal Street where we had a lovely view of Lake Metacomet. We then took a right onto Metacomet Street and road down a cul de sac before continuing on to Metacomet Street again. From there we turned right onto Bay Road and climbed our steepest hill. At the top of the hill, we turned right onto Old Bay Road and had a lovely downhill descent. We again were briefly on Bay Road and then took a right onto Warrenwright Road. We came to the intersection of Warrenright and Orchard and took a left onto Orchard Street. Orchard Street becomes Hulst Road in Amherst. We again turned right onto Bay Road and a final right onto Southeast Street and back to the South Amherst Common. The bike ride was about 12 miles. Thank you, Robin, for creating such a lovely route that was just perfect for our early season rid.
Our route in case you want to copy this.
When we arrived back at the common, we had a lovely repast of fruit, chocolate, brownies, cheese, and crackers. Most importantly, we spent the next hour just talking and visiting with one another. It is always so wonderful to connect with AWOL women!
These are links to my two contributions: the galette aka “Dinner pie” and the air fryer
I use this galette recipe as the basis for endless variations. I make several dough recipes and freeze them so I have them ready for those nights when I’m not in the mood for innovation. I put almost anything in the galette: squash, beans, mushrooms, potatoes, (chicken, shrimp, meat, if carnas and pescas are among those you feed). Just make sure that your filling isn’t too wet!
I sing the praises of my air fryer. I didn’t think I wanted yet another appliance but this one really has made my life better. I cook many vegetables in it, and tofu and dumplings, really anything at all. I know there are many brands and variations out there. This is the one I have and it works well. I use Google as a source of for timing and tips. Happy Cooking!
From Karen: One Pan Farro with Tomatoes
https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/07/one-pan-farro-with-tomatoes/ lots more info about farro on site. Serves: 4 as a side, 2 as a hearty main 2 cups water 1 cup (updated) semi-pearled farro (see Note on website for farro types) 1/2 large onion (I usually use a white one, for mildness) 2 cloves garlic 9 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt Up to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste) 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling Few basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Place water and farro in a medium saucepan to presoak (I find just 5 to 10 minutes sufficient) while you prepare the other ingredients. Adding each ingredient to the pot as you finish preparing it, cut onion in half again, and very thinly slice it into quarter-moons. Thinly slice garlic cloves as well. Halve or quarter tomatoes. Add salt, pepper flakes (to taste) and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and set a timer for 30 minutes. Bring uncovered pan (no lid necessary) up to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. When the timer rings, the farro should be perfectly cooked (tender but with a meaty chew), seasoned and the cooking water should be almost completely absorbed. If needed, though I’ve never found it necessary, cook it for 5 additional minutes, until farro is more tender.
Transfer to a wide serving bowl. If there’s enough leftover cooking liquid to be bothersome, simply use a slotted spoon to leave the amount you wish to behind. Drizzle farro lightly with additional olive oil, scatter with basil and parmesan. Eat immediately. Repeat tomorrow. We usually throw in a big handful of spinach or some such, especially if basil isn’t available.
DOLLY’S CHEESE CAKE from the chef at a long gone 1970s restaurant, Bank Row in Greenfield, called something like Home Comfort Crust 1 pkt graham crackers, broken up 1/4 cup sugar 5 1/3 TBSP softened butter Put everything in food processor and process until crumbly. Press into 9” pie plate.
Filling Add one ingredient at a time: 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 2 TBSP lemon juice When well blended and smooth pour into pie shell. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes, let cool for 15-30 minutes
Topping 8 oz. sour cream or 8 oz. mixture of 1/2 & 1/2 or cream and thick yogurt 2 TBSP sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla Mix together and spoon mixture onto cool or coolish cheesecake. Put back in the oven for 10 minutes. You may need to protect the crust. Refrigerate for an hour. Lovely decorated with blueberries, strawberry slices, raspberries.
It is on sale through 3/13 at King Aurthur Flour (at a good price) and there is a quarter sheet pan on sale as well. Otherwise you can go to Bed Bath and Beyond and get something similar for a comparable price. I use the half sheet a lot of a variety of purposes, and just recently purchased a quarter sized sheet for smaller cooking needs. The sheet parchment paper from King Arthur is a great time saver as far as clean-up and food sticking goes!
I have found many sheet pan recipes that I’ve tried and liked on the New York Times app. Here are a few:
ITALIAN SAUSAGES W/ WHITE BEANS (from “50’s Casseroles Updated” in Redbook October 1989) Ingredients: 12 oz. Italian sausage (hot or sweet) [Obviously, you can use chicken or veggie sausage; use something with a bit of smoky flavor to it, and with Italian seasonings] 2 – 3 T vegetable oil [I use olive oil] 2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped 3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, and then sliced crosswise 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely [I like garlic; I put in 3 or 4] 1 35-oz. can of tomatoes, with juice 3 T red wine vinegar 3 T chopped fresh sage [using fresh sage really makes a difference, but dried is better than nothing] 2 T Worchestershire sauce 2 16-oz. cans of small white beans [e.g. navy, cannellini, Great Northern] drained and rinsed. Salt and pepper to taste Procedure: [This can be stewed in the oven, or on the stove top. If you plan to stew this in the oven, preheat over to 375 degrees.] 1. Prick sausages with fork; with small amount of oil, brown over medium-to-high heat in heavy casserole dish. 2. When browned on all sides, remove sausages from dish. 3. Add some oil; add onions and carrots. Turn down heat to medium, and sauté until vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized; add garlic and sauté until garlic is fragrant. 4. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, sage, and Worchestershire sauce. 5. Cut sausages into slices. Add to casserole, along with beans. 6. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 30 minutes. Or: simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings
From Svetlana: Roasted Eggplant Medley
1 large eggplant (peel the skin if you don’t like it). I do with the skin 😊 3 large tomatoes ½ onion (Optional) Add minced garlic, salt, spices and herbs to your taste when the medley is ready 😊
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. I use roast option in my oven. Cut the eggplant into big pieces (approx. ½ inch sick), spray with oil (olive, avocado etc), and put in one layer on the baking sheet leaving space for tomatoes and onion. Cut the tomatoes into slightly smaller pieces and then onion – into small pieces. Put tomatoes and onion on the same sheet (they don’t need to be placed in one layer). 1 layer is important for eggplant pieces. Then I roast all the pieces together at 425 for 18 minutes. I am using a convection option in my oven so am not sure about the timing for the regular one. When the eggplant is ready, mix it with tomato and onion pieces crushing eggplant and tomatoes additionally into smaller parts. Add garlic, salt, spices and herbs to your taste and voila! Can be served warm or cold, on top of rice or pasta as a side dish or an appetizer!
From Jane L: Quick and Easy recipes
Pan-seared skinless salmon fillets with lemon butter sauce (takes about 15 minutes total to cook this dish) Ingredients: Salmon fillets, with the skin removed 1 or 2 lemons, with zest of one lemon 3-4 Tbsp. butter -Grate the lemon zest from one lemon and add juice that you squeeze from that lemon. If you want more lemon juice, add the juice of a second lemon. -Heat large pan over medium heat and add 3-4 Tbsp. of butter. Swirl and stir until it starts to turn brown. (about 4 minutes) -Add skinless salmon to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes without touching it. Flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Then add the zest and lemon juice to the top of the salmon. It will bubble up; spoon it over the top of the salmon for another 2 minutes. I also turn it again and spoon it over the other side as well for 1-2 minutes. -Transfer to plates; drizzle with sauce from pan and sprinkle parsley on it. And here’s a bonus recipe for carnivores that takes even less time and effort:
Quick and Easy Marinated Lamb Mix one bottle of Crosse and Blackwell mint sauce with one bottle of chili sauce the night before you are grilling or broiling lamb chops. Marinate the lamb chops in the sauce overnight, and grill the next day. If grilling, about 4 minutes on a side, over direct heat (depending on how thick the chops are and what kind of grill you have).
Happy women
Geri’s Garmin map! 
AWOL 