Final Winter Snowshoe Happening
Leominster State Park
Saturday, March 6
Lisa has offered to lead this snowshoe hike following the trails that begin off of Elm Street in Leominster and through a section of Leominster State Park.
There is also lots of history about this land located between Leominster, Princeton, Fitchburg and Westminster that was settled some 150 years ago and why those that settled here finally abandoned their homes and left.
I’d like to share a little about its history while we enjoy some more outdoor fun this winter on snowshoes. Hope you can be there!
COST: Free
MEET: Diane Reed’s house in Fitchburg at 9:30 a.m. (There will be no meeting at WPD since Nan is going only one way). I’ll be happy to provide directions to Diane’s.
BRING: Warm clothing, snowshoes & poles. Need to borrow snowshoes, please contact me at nanp44@aol.com before this date.
BEAR’S DEN EARLY SPRING HIKE
New Salem, MA
Saturday, March 27 “Spring Has Sprung”
Rated : Easy
I have known about this little spot for a number of years, but after Cindy said how she checked it out one day, I decided to do the same one day in October.
It’s a dandy little hike along a gorge, passing the remains of an old grist mill, a dramatic waterfall, and lastly following the Middle Branch of the Swift River. This river is one of the many that flows into the nearby Quabbin Reservoir, Boston’s water supply.
The group this day will be following the banks of the river for about ½ mile, with two stops to locate 2 letterboxes. Afterwards, we’ll find a nice spot right on the river to enjoy out lunches. (If you need information on letterboxing, let me know.)
Cost: $5.00
Departure: 9:30 a.m. with return approx. 1:30 p.m.
Meet: Staples’ parking lot, Gardner.
Bring: Hikers & poles. Lunch & drinks, something to sit on, dress according to weather predictions for this day. A change of footwear for ride home is advisable as woods might be wet.
Extra Driver: If you can drive, there is no cost to you.
Rain Date: The following day, Sunday March 28th. Meet at Staples at 1:30 p.m. No lunch, just bring drink & snack.
(Oh, I know….You’re wondering why they call it “Bear’s Den, right?? Well, the story is that a settler once killed a black bear here. King Phillip also met other chiefs here in 1675 during their wars with European settlers in the Conn. Valley. Interesting if you’re a local history buff !)
4TH Annual ‘Lead On’ Ladies Retreat
“CELEBRATING LIFE”
Catching the thieves that steal our joy!
April 9-April 11, 2010
Plymouth, MA, The Beach House
Our fourth annual ladies retreat will focus on our Celebration of Life and learning how to identify those thieves waiting in the wings to steal our joy!
Think about this for a moment: “To experience happiness and joy we must train ourselves to live in this moment, to savor it for what it is, not running ahead in anticipation of some date nor lagging behind in the paralysis of the past. The most profound principle in the art of savoring life…..PLEASURE LIES IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE HAPPENSTANCE”. (Luci Swindoll from her book, “You Bring the Confetti”).
Life is FULL OF JOY if we train ourselves to recognize the joy itself. Learning to be grateful no matter what comes our way takes time and effort. It is truly a process.
Celebrate your family and friends, Celebrate your past and your present. Celebrate God’s blessings and goodness in your life. Celebrate your talents and your uniqueness. CELEBRATE EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN!!
Together let us learn how to begin to make a conscious effort to dwell on the positive instead of the negative. Consider areas that block you from positive thinking and living. You might begin to discover why you may not be celebrating as much as you’d like to be! Once we begin to recognize the enemies of contentment, like ungratefulness, discontentment, worry, and regret, and replace them with godly choices, faith, and obedience, you will see the many reasons to Celebrate Life!!
So, get your plan of attack ready. You’re about to catch a bunch of thieves!!
Celebrating the Past – “Catching Regret”
Celebrating the Present – “Catching Discontentment”
Celebrating God’s Blessings – “ Catching Ingratitude”
Celebrating God’s Sovereignty and Our Future – “Catching Anxiety & Worry”
When we come together as friends in the Lord, I believe that we all take at least one important lesson home with us. Your sharing, wisdom, and prayers helps each lady to grow in the Lord. Come again to learn, to share, and to grow! If you have never been on one of our retreats, I hope you will consider “2010” and Celebrate Life!!
Cost: $163.50 includes 2 nights lodging, 2 breakfasts, Friday dinner, and transportation. Your deposit of $54.50 will hold your spot. Event is limited to nine ladies.
All On Board For Virginia
May 2–May 8, 2010
Thirteen ladies head out for a week of hiking, rafting, and touring in the hills of Western Virginia! Hope you will consider joining us in 2010 for our next big adventure outside New England!
Cook’s Canyon Hike, Barre, MA
Saturday, May 22nd
Rated: Easy
Consider joining the group for some real outdoor fun as we explore this lovely little canyon and woods owned by Mass. Audubon.
After we take up this 1.2 mile hike it’s off to Barre Falls Dam to have some fun learning a
“brand new activity” -- Frisbee Golf! No experience needed, just a willingness to try a new activity while enjoying the lovely grounds here.
We will have some quick instructions before breaking into teams and try the sport for about an hour. We will finish up the morning with a packed lunch along the shores of the water. (If you don’t care to try Frisbee golf, you are welcome to simply walk the course with us.) Come out and have some fun with friends!
Cost: $6.00 ($4.00 if you are a member of Mass Audubon.)
Departure: 9:00 a.m. from Westminster Public Safety Building with return at approx. 1:45 p.m.
Bring: Hikers or good sturdy sneakers, lunch, drinks, sunglasses, bug spray. (We will need a few extra Frisbees. Please let me know if you have one or two to share with us this day.)
If you can drive a few ladies, let me know. No cost to you if you can drive.
Rain Date: If we have to cancel because of rain, we will reschedule for the following day, Sun. May 23rd. Meet at WPD at 1:30 p.m.
*CASTLE TOUR*
*MOOSE TOUR*
*HIKE TO CHAMPNEY FALLS*
IT’S A WEEKEND PACKED WITH OUTDOOR FUN!
WHITE MOUNTAINS, N.H. – JUNE 5, 6, 7, 2010
Jumpin’ Ahead to Spring 2010! This comes to you early since I have booked all of the cabins at Mt. Liberty and down payment will be due by end of ’09.
The group returns to the White Mountains on this weekend for a combination of great outdoor adventure. The weekend will feature a ride up to the “Castle in the Clouds” in Moultonborough, N.H., where we will take a tour of this mountaintop estate perched high in the Ossipee Mts. The tour takes us through this beautiful structure where we will learn about its original occupant, eccentric millionaire, Thomas Plant. After the tour, we’ll enjoy a picnic on the estate grounds with grand views of Lake Winnispesaukee.
After a short hike on the grounds, we head up to Lincoln, NH, where we will settle into our favorite little cabins at Mt. Liberty that several of us enjoyed in 2008.
Saturday evening we’re off for another adventure with Pemi Valley Excursions – a “Moose Tour”. Cabin owners shared with me this summer how they took this 2 ½ hr. tour and ended up seeing 24 moose! She said the experience was great fun! So, we’re off on the “Moose Bus” to see some moose “up close and personal”. (Sometimes tours can go as late as 10:30-11:00 P.M. Some of you will want to keep that in mind.)
Sunday we can sleep in and have the morning to relax. After lunch, the group heads down the Kancamagus for a terrific 2 hour hike (r/t) out to Champney Falls. I did this neat hike this summer which end up at some wonderful waterfalls that I think you’ll really love
That evening, after dining out at “The Common Man Restaurant”, we’ll gather around the fire pit for a campfire.
After breakfast on Monday morning, we’ll pack up and head back home.
As you can see, we’re in for some great fun in the Whites! Sign up early as trip is limited to 10 ladies. (Nine ladies in cabins and one in a nice motel room located right beside Zealand Cabin.) Reminder, too, that the cabins are right on the Pemi River so, if you dare, there will be some time to swim too!
COST:
Single Cabins: $181.00 (2 nights lodging, castle tour & transportation.)
Double Cabins: $ 138.00 (2 nights lodging, castle tour & transportation. One other lady will share cabin with you.)
Triple Cabin: $110.00 (2 nights lodging, castle tour & transportation. Zealand Falls Cabin sleeps 3. This includes one bed on enclosed unheated porch. One person in this group must be willing to sleep in porch bed.)
Single/Motel type room beside Zealand Cabin: $158.00 (2 nights lodging, castle tour & transportation.)
Feel free to check out the Mt. Liberty Cabin website by going to www.MtLibertyMotel.com
“DISCOVER THE BERSHIRES”
Hike It Or Bike It Overnight
June 26 – 27th
HIKE IT
Mt. Greylock is best known as the highest point in Mass. (3,491 ft. elev). It’s also home to the state’s only sub-alpine forest. The hike to the summit is a challenging climb, but the rewards are great!
The group will hike up the Cheshire Harbor trail and hike the last .7 mi. on the A.T. to the summit. The hike has a 1,932 ft. elevation gain and is considered to be a strenuous hike. (Total hike is 3.3 mi. to summit). Once you reach the summit, hikers can take in their last climb to the top of the War Memorial Tower for some added views of Western Mass.
The bike group will be driving up to the summit to retrieve hikers, so this hike is “one-way”…to the top!!!
BIKE IT
Less challenging than the hike, this group will cycle along the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. This former railroad line is now a scenic, paved 11.2 mile long recreation path that passes along the Hoosic River, between Mt. Greylock and the Hoosic Mt. Range.
This day you may choose to do 15 miles or may opt for the lesser 10 mile ride. Your choice.
After the bike ride, this group will travel by car up to Mt. Greylock’s beautiful summit to enjoy the views as well. We will pick up our hiking friends and head over to our overnight accommodations at the lovely Vacation Village Resort in Hancock, MA.
We’ll have a simple pizza sandwich take-out back at our condos with options for ladies to swim at the indoor or outdoor heated pool, hot tub, or relax by the fireplace in your room. Barry and I have used this facility on two occasions while hiking in the Berkshires, and I think you too will enjoy the accommodations.
There will be two ladies per Suite. Should you choose the Master Bedroom, you pay $94 for the night.
Trying to save a few dollars? A second lady in the suite will have use of the pull-out sofa and her cost will be $78 for the night. THIS FEE INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION TO THE BERKSHIRES AS WELL.
The Suite is fully equipped with a kitchen so each person is asked to bring her own breakfast items and perhaps share with your roommate items such as coffee, etc. Other costs would be for lunch stop on Sunday and bikers will pay a small fee for trip to the summit of Mt. Greylock in the car after our bike ride.
We will check out on Sunday morning and make a stop on the ride home for lunch in Charlemont, MA. Arrival home is between 2:30 & 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.
We will need a second driver and perhaps a third driver as well. Driver will receive $35 on the day of the trip for gas.
Trip is limited to 8 ladies. A $50 deposit holds your spot and please let me know if you will be taking the master bedroom or the pull-out sofa.
SO, WHETHER YOU DECIDE TO HIKE IT OR BIKE IT, THIS OVERNIGHT TO THE BERKSHIRES WILL BE A BLAST!!
Get On Board For . . .
“2010 New England Adventure Hunt”
It’s Happening Saturday, July 17 – Monday, July 19
The Travel Adventure Hunt commences at 7:30 A.M. on Saturday, July 17th with teams of 3 or 4 coming together for 48 hours of adventure traveling by car to one of our fine New England states.
Teams will receive “travel folders” to be given out at the Team Meeting scheduled 4 days prior (Mon. July 12th). Teams will then begin to strategize their way through the clues to obtain a number of scavenges (Discoveries) throughout an area of the state. That location will be revealed at the July 12th meeting.
This is not a “road race or foot race” but rather a gathering of information from clues to locate scavenges (Discoveries). As Discoveries are located, you’ll gather points and move on to the next set of clues that bring your group to another unique & beautiful place. At each location you will perform a certain “task” with the use of a digital camera. The camera’s SD card will be evidence that you’ve made your “discovery”!”
At the end of the day, groups will come together at the “big house” that Lead On has rented for the weekend. We will have dinner “in or out”, share our findings, and enjoy some quiet down time. Saturday mid-morning, we continue the next leg of the journey. We return to the same house late Saturday afternoon for another leisure night of fun and announce the winners of Lead On’s first “Travel Adventure Hunt.” The winning team will be entitled to free local Lead On Adventures for the remainder of 2010 and will go into “Lead On’s Adventure Hunt Hall of Fame”!
Monday is a free day and you’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like before returning to Massachusetts. You will have earned it!! ”
Other important notes: At least 2 players from each team will be required to take a short ride in a canoe, and all players will have to travel for a short ride on a ferry boat. Some walking/hiking is also required of everyone.
Travel Adventure Hunt is like a birthday and looking forward to opening a present; each location unwrapped is a BRAND NEW SURPRISE!! ”
COST: $237.00 for two nights lodging at the Big House and one meal. There is also the option to stay a third night for only an extra $20.00 per person. (We can figure out those details when we meet on July 12th. Please indicate how many nights you’ll be staying when you register.) $79 deposit required.
