Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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When we planned our trip to the Gaspé peninsula we had no real idea what we might find. Online photos can offer some clues, and descriptions (like this!) may help potential visitors decide if they want to make the effort to spend time in any particular place. We have found that “on the ground” experience is so much more helpful than other ways of learning about an area can convey.
Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
LISTEN HERE:
The Medway (MA) Trails Club and Open Space Committee have been hard at work since I last updated the 2nd edition of Easy Walks in Massachusetts in 2016. I recently visited Medway a couple of times to see for myself the changes that have taken place. Here’s a link to maps of all the open space in Medway.
As I work to update the book, my first outing to Choate Park this year with my friend Nancy was simply to capture some of the stunning foliage around Choate Pond, just off Rt. 109 in Medway. The trees did not disappoint. Watery reflections doubled the display of fall color.
Turtles resting on a log in Choate Pond
In the afternoon sunlight a row of turtles perched themselves on a tree trunk that had conveniently fallen into the pond.
Stone walls follow parts of the path from Choate Park onto Medway High School and beyond
The trail to Medway High School is accessed directly from the Choate Park recreation area. Keep an eye out in the afternoon when school is dismissed. Students use this trail when leaving for the day. The Cross Country (CC) team also uses this area as their CC race course. Plan to enjoy the quiet, stone walls, a small stream, and access to additional trails which will take ambitious walkers on several more miles of trail.
I learned that a new parking area, with access to a handicapped accessible path through the Adams Street meadow, is now useable.
Packed stone dust path encircles the Adams St. meadow
The grand opening for the trail is not yet scheduled, but the trail and parking area are finished and ready for visitors.
My tour guide Andrea
A member of the Open Space committee, Andrea, joined me for my visit to the meadow. Thanks to the hard work of local committees and additional funding through an RTP grant from Massachusetts Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the meadow trail provides a paved handicapped accessible parking area. The crushed stone path takes visitors around the circumference of the meadow.
One of several benches in place along the Meadow trail
Multiple benches and picnic tables provide places to rest, or simply spend some time enjoying the view.
Viewing platform, overlooking the meadow
Species such as bluebirds and bobolinks need open space such as the Adams St. meadow to thrive. A handicapped accessible viewing platform hosts a bench for those looking to spend some time relaxing there. Additional connecting trails take visitors behind Medway High School back toward Choate Park.
Boardwalk over Chicken Brook
Yet another trail system on the other side of Adams St. hosts two boardwalks that cross Chicken Brook (a tributary of the Charles River). This portion of the trail has a small parking area on Adams St. next to the high tension wires that cross the area. The path from the high tension wires goes through woodland and wetland (thus the boardwalks) on its way to a small parking area on Lovering Street. Both Adams and Lovering Street and their parking areas are accessed from Summer Street (Rt. 126) in Medway.
Parking area at high tension lines on Adams St.Parking area sign at Lovering St.
I was excited to see all the progress that has occurred since I released the second edition of Easy Walks in Massachusetts. Our local rail trails have seen the most progress in connecting portions of trail from one town to the next. The town-owned open space of Choate Park is impressive, not only for efforts within the town to provide better access to their trail network, but for the countless volunteer hours that have contributed to making well marked trails available for residents and visitors alike.
Choate Park and its network of trails in Medway, MA are a worthwhile destination for sure. Happy trails!
Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
LISTEN HERE:
Grand Falls in autumn. The St. John River created this massive gorge and cascade
Choosing to travel to Canada when living in New England is not that big a challenge. On a recent trip we left from Massachusetts and headed for the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, and stopped at Grand Falls, New Brunswick (NB) on our way farther north. After studying our planned route, we decided to include Grand Falls as an incidental stop along the way to the Gaspé Peninsula. Sometimes the unplanned stops along the way can be the most rewarding. Grand Falls was the perfect start of our travels north, beyond the border of Maine and the U.S.
Rustic diving board alongside the Trestle Trail, Coventry, RI
I’ve most often been the one who waits for others to jump into any activity before I take the plunge; much more comfortable being a spectator than willing to take the risk of looking silly. But there came a time in high school when I grew bored with this reflexive behavior. This story began as a guest post for Sarah White, published in her blog, True Stories Well-told. Here’s the original article link: http://truestorieswelltold.com/2015/06/16/to-watch-or-to-participate/
Out on the Trestle Trail, Coventry RI with our adaptive tandem
I was reminded of this story when I spotted a diving board alongside the Trestle Trail in Coventry, RI as I was pedaling on the back of our adaptive tandem bicycle.
Spectator or ParticipantFirst published in “True Stories Well Told,” website. June 15, 2015
In my last year of high school I felt restless. When my friends told me the swim team needed an additional springboard diver to constitute a team for competition, with their encouragement, I “dove” in.
Yeah, no….. Clinging to the fence overlooking the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. No joke, it made me cry…
I have an aversion to heights—something happens in my gut when I peer over the edge of a seeming abyss.
After saying “yes” to trying spring board diving, here I was standing on the edge of a diving board, being asked to increase my distance from the water. When I first stood at the end of the 1-meter diving board and was urged, “Jump up,” all I wanted to do was to get down as fast as possible.
Many of my early school years were spent as a spectator. I was always the one to wait, and to let others go first. Now I wanted to see what might happen when I tiptoed into this new experience.
That’s where Mr. Crane came in. The parent of one of my fellow divers, he arrived after work each afternoon in his coat and tie, ready to watch and advise us in our diving efforts. As soon as he stood at the edge of the pool we began taking our turns on the board in earnest.
Among us were two state diving champions, another who came in close to top in the state, a few experienced divers, and me. It didn’t matter—we each got his undivided attention, precise suggestions, and his encouragement to try again.
For an entire year, I headed to the pool each day after school, wriggled into my bathing suit, and hit the water. Learning each new dive felt terrifying, and six different “dives” were required to compete. Mr. Crane metaphorically held my hand as I struggled to learn each of the main dives: back dive, front dive, inward, reverse, half twist, and forward 1½. By the end of the year, I had made it. I could complete these six dives, more or less, with some degree of skill.
One day another coach approached me, asking if I would like to add a few more dives to my list so I could help the team participate in a larger event. “Uh, no, I don’t think so,” was my answer. I’d reached the limit of my short-lived springboard diving career.
When I left for college, people wondered if I would continue to dive. Not a chance. College diving starts with the 3-meter board and moves on up to the 10-meter platform—thirty feet up. This was not my cup of tea at all. But I had learned that I could step out of the crowd, stop being a spectator, and participate.
I later learned that Mr. Crane had never been on a diving board in his life. I had no idea whether he could even swim. It didn’t matter. He paid attention, understood how bodies moved, and was able to teach us. Whether he could dive or not was immaterial. He stood at the pool’s edge in his coat, tie, and business trousers, and described what we each needed to do to be more skillful, and better able to cut a clean line into the water as we dove. And it worked.
I have often looked back on this time, and felt such deep gratitude, not only for those friends who encouraged me to try, but for Mr. Crane, who offered me his attention, regardless of what I might do with it. He was my model for what teaching is about—showing up, being there, offering encouragement, and not worrying about the end result. I have carried these experiences with me throughout many different life circumstances.
Another lesson learned? That, like Mr. Crane, I didn’t always have to go out on a limb or a diving board to be able to help others. With my feet planted firmly on the ground I can let my eyes, my voice, and my heart travel wherever others need me.
Many thanks to Robert (Bobbie) Stones, Jeff Barnett, Kirk Seitz, Annie Kepler, Donnie Crane, and Mr. Crane, who believed in me way back when.
Our family has rich resources in the form of letters from our great-great grandmother, E.J. Phillips. She travelled extensively in her work as a theater actress, and we know something about her feelings concerning boats, and travel by ship. We have numerous (over 1000) letters she wrote to her son and daughter that were passed down to us. We have some basis for feeling confident that boat travel was not at the top of her list of favorite ways to get from one destination to another.
Years ago my husband and I visited often the Acton Arboretum, just off Rt. 2 on Taylor Road. On our previous visit the parking area was rough with potholes, but a few of the paths were handicapped accessible. Some benches were available here and there.
Returning ten years later, we were amazed at the positive changes that have made this open space into a destination I would highly recommend.
This happened many years ago, but it still makes me smile.
My daughter came home from her last track meet of the year. As we ate dinner together she told me about the track meet, and then…
“Oh, that speech in English class today? Guess what? Somebody else also brought in chocolate chip cookies to demonstrate.”
“Oh?” I prompted, attempting to conceal my anxiety that this was going to turn into a catastrophe. (I have a habit of imagining disaster at every turn, but have never been very good at predicting catastrophes that have actually occurred.) There have been some doozies, just not ones I ever imagined.
This is a work in progress. One of the many self-published books MarjorieTurner.com has been working on with clients to bring to life as a published book.
Marjorie Turner Hollman is an publisher, author, creator, and observer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
LISTEN HERE:
…the water rushes on as madly magnificent now as it did then, & still retains the youthful vivacity which made me rather envious of the Falls. EJP
Publicity photo, E.J. Phillips
When we made the decision to stop at Niagara Falls on our trip west, I was unaware that, as on some other trips we have taken, I was walking in the steps of our great-great grandmother, E.J. Phillips (EJP). She wrote to her son (my great-grandfather) from Niagara Falls, where she was engaged to perform at the theater there.
Our fully loaded adaptive tandem bicycle. We look like we are headed out for a week, but this is what it takes to keep me safe on the trail.
In this post we’re off to Westfield, MA and heading south into Connecticut. Late spring, cooler summer days, and early fall are the times when we take out our adaptive tandem bicycle. Our visit to Westfield was early summer, overcast and comfortable.
On the trail with our adaptive tandem bicycle
My walking distance is limited, but when we climb onto our tandem bicycle we can travel substantially farther (often between 10 and 35 miles round trip) and enjoy varied terrain along the way. On these tandem outings we often cross multiple rivers, streams, and ponds.
We started on the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail in Westfield, continuing into Southwick, MA. Our plan was to head south from Westfield to the Farmington Rail trail. It is designated as the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and Farmington River Trail, the boundaries of which reach from the Massachusetts/Connecticut line south to New Haven, Connecticut.
In the area where we pedaled, we spotted a few small sections of what was once the Farmington Canal, which was begun in the 1820s (from the Massachusetts state line south to New Haven, Connecticut) and operated through the 1840s. As a transportation option, the canal was never a financial success. For the most part, few signs of the canal structures are still intact. We spotted a stretch of water with exceedingly straight banks, most probably a small portion of the erstwhile canal. Water flowed through a small stream underneath a bridge along the trail, and then continued on to the man-made waterway.
In Simsbury, the next town south of Granby, the trail took a detour around the Monrovia Nursery Company and Imperial Nurseries. There is a dedicated path for trail users but it requires crossing at a busy light. The paved section at the back side of the nursery is quite narrow. Take care. An overzealous rider coming from the opposite direction chose to speed up to squeeze between us and another bike that was approaching us. With inches to spare we all got past each other. This is a down side of sharing a path with others.
Lake Basile in Simsbury, Connecticut was where we turned around. Before heading back north we found a bench overlooking the lake and pulled out our lunch.
Tasty wild strawberriesVandalized turtle nest on the shores of Lake Basile
Ripe wild strawberries added to our meal (but be careful of the poison ivy!) The sandy shoreline next to the water was pock-marked with remnants of turtle nests that had been dug up. The curled up remains of turtle eggs surrounded each excavated hole. A raccoon or skunk must have had a feast.
Much of the area we passed through is cultivated farmland. We saw corn crops, the young plants just poking up out of the ground. Other fields were planted with vegetables. Road crossings in these rural areas were, for the most part, easily gotten past. A few heavily trafficked streets had crosswalk lights that helped us to safely get to the other side of the trail.
Fun sculptures at a road crossing in Simsbury
As with many rail trails, the path itself is relatively level, yet seemied to slope down in each direction we traveled. We were reminded of the stories of past generations when children walked uphill both ways in the snow on their way to school. In our case, however, it felt as though we mostly rolled downhill both ways. Happy trails!
Marjorie Turner Hollman 