For Prospective Members of Women Outdoors
Western Massachusetts
Welcome! Please CONTACT US with any questions about events.
Tusi and Nira
Nira at niraharper@gmail.com & Tusi at ritachild@hotmail.com
Western Massachusetts
April through June 2019
Please note that all Women Outdoors trips are cooperative trips led by volunteers. While members are concerned for safety, our experience levels differ and mistakes may be made. There may also be equipment failure, unexpected dangers, or conditions beyond our control (such as weather). There is also an inherent level of risk in many of the activities that cannot be eliminated. Women Outdoors and its coordinators don’t train, screen or certify any of the leaders or supervise the trips. All trips are offered in the common adventurer spirit – where each participant is responsible for her own skills level and safety. Please be sure to verify all of the information above as well as the organizer’s experience and trip plans to your own satisfaction so you can make an informed decision about whether the trip is right and safe for you. Remember that in choosing to participate you are agreeing to assume responsibility for all risks associated with the activity. Women Outdoors trips have an excellent safety record. We ask that you take care to keep it this way!
Fri. Apr. 5. Salon Style Discussion and Dinner (potluck or order in). 7:00-9:00 pm. I'm interesting in more personal sharing and getting to know others. Topic: Sexuality, intimacy and aging. Come with a willingness to share your thoughts, questions and experience as it has evolved. Have you changed with the times, or with age, or solidified how you identify? How would this conversation be meaningful for you? Florence, Pathways Cohousing, location to be determined based on RSVP numbers.
Sat. Apr. 6. Hike to Vernal Pools. Meet at 10:30 am to hike to some vernal pools teaming with life! Place to be determined.
Sun. Apr. 7. North Hadley Sugar Shack. We’ll carpool at 10:00 from Sheldon Field to go to breakfast and sample the local maple syrup.
Sat. Apr. 13. Cut Bittersweet on Elwell Island. We’ll meet at 1:00 pm at the Damon Rd, Northampton put in to paddle a short distance to Elwell Island. We’ll cut the bittersweet vines to keep them from pulling down trees. Bring your branch loppers and saws.
Sun. Apr. 14. Hike or Bike Ride. Depending on the weather, we’ll either hike in the Holyoke Range, or bike in the Hatfield – Whately area.
Sat. Apr. 20. Wildflower Festival Tour. We’ll carpool to Bartholemew’s Cobble in the Berkshires to join the Trustees tour of wildflowers, then grab some lunch in Great Barrington, just north on Route 7.
Sun. Apr. 21. Book Group & Potluck. Potluck at 5:30 and discussion of Zoya’s Story: An Afghan Woman’s Struggle for Freedom .
Sat. Apr. 27. Map & Compass Class and Hike. Map & Compass class at Childs Park, Northampton at 2:00 pm, followed by a late afternoon hike at Mineral Hills. The class will be taught by Women Outdoors member Barbara Lamay and is pretty much a "beginner" class (see description below). The class will happen only if there's enough interest (4 women minimum) so please let Deb know by April 19 if you're going to come.
The hike at Mineral Hills will be focused on practicing map and compass skills. Time tbd. (Anyone who wants to just hike is welcome to do so,) Here is Barbara's description of the goals for the class: (a) become familiar with how to use a compass; (b) become comfortable with using a compass; (c) be able to use a compass when out hiking in order to avoid getting lost, or for re-correcting when inadvertently off-track; (d) become familiar with a selection of local maps and what they do and do not show; and (e) ideally, be able to use compass and map together.
Sun. Apr. 28. Sunderland to Montague Bike Ride with Snacks! Join our annual scenic bike ride to the Montague Book Mill to snack by the river, then on the return, make an optional stop at a secret waterfall. It’s 11 miles round trip, a moderate ride, no real hills. Time & meeting place will be sent on the listserve.
Sat. May 4. Northampton Pride. Meet at Nira’s at 10:00 to walk to Pride, then have lunch together at the Fairgrounds.
Sun. May 5. Hike at Windsor State Forest. We'll hike one of the trails at Windsor State Forest, which is less than an hour from Florence. Includes a waterfall at Windsor Jambs, and the Windsor Jambs Brook winds through a wide gorge with 80-foot granite walls. Meet at JFK Middle School in Florence to carpool at 10:45 am (or meet us at 1096 River Rd, Savoy, MA at 11:45.) Here's the trail map: https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/08/uq/windsor_63761_67885.pdf
Sat. May 11. Bicycling History Presentation. Bike to 33 Hawley St, Northampton Arts Trust, for presentation at 6:00 by author Larry Finison on bicycling history.
Sun. May 12. Shelburne Falls Outing. We’ll carpool from Northampton at 2:00 to visit Shelburne Falls Bridge of Flowers and potholes, then have dinner there.
Fri. May 17. Salon Style Discussion and Dinner (potluck or order in). 7:00-9:00 pm. Topic: to be determined by the group's suggestions from the previous salon or others writing in. Florence, Pathways Cohousing, location to be determined based on RSVP numbers.
Sat. May 18. Coffee & Bike Ride. Meet for coffee at 9:30 at Cushman’s Market in North Amherst. Bike rides leave at 10:00 sharp! We’ll have two options – one challenging 20 mile, hilly amazing ride with a three mile downhill (what goes down has to go up), and if there’s interest, an easier 9-10 mile loop as well in parallel, depending on who wants to.
Sun. May 19. Lilacland. Join us at 1:00 for our annual visit to Lilacland in Belchertown when the lilacs are in full bloom. C
Sun. May 19. Book Group & Potluck. We’ll meet for a potluck, then a discussion of The Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo. Time & place to be announced over the listserve.
Sat-Mon. May 25-27. Backpacking & Hiking at Mt. Grace. We’ll backpack to the cabin and Mt. Grace and take moderate day hikes from there. Limited to 6 people. There may be a day hike scheduled for Saturday to meet the group.
Sat. June 1. Hike at Lenox Audubon. Meet at 1:00 to hike the beautiful, easy trails at the Audubon in Lenox. Afterwards, we’ll have dinner at Baba Louie’s in Great Barrington. Carpooling will be arranged from Northampton.
Sun. June 2. Millers River Kayak. Let’s meet at 1:30 pm at The Boathouse on E. River St in Orange. Rentals available. We’ll paddle upstream to Lake Rohunta to explore, then paddle back.
Wed. June 5. Kayak Swift River. Meet at 6:00 pm at the Swift River boat launch on Cold Springs Road in Belchertown for an early evening kayak on this winding, leisurely river.
Sat. June 8. Paddle with a Purpose – Water Chestnut Pull. Come to Lake Warner in North Hadley from 1:30 – 5:00 to help stop the invasive water chestnut from spreading within the Pioneer Valley. Great strides have already been made at keeping this plant in check, so let’s do our part to maintain this progress. Plants are small in June, so the pulling is easy. Easy paddle on flat water. Canoe or kayak necessary. (A few spaces in a loaner may be possible.)
Sun. June 9. Hike TBD. We’ll meet at 11:00 to go on a moderate, two hour max hike, then have lunch together, either picnic or at a restaurant. R
Thurs. June 13. Paddle with a Purpose – Water Chestnut Pull. Come from 5-8 pm to the Oxford Marsh, Chicopee River. (See description for June 8.) R
Sat – Sun. June 15-16. Kayak Essex River. We plan to kayak the beautiful Essex River estuaries in Essex, MA near Ipswich on Saturday, then either go to Crane’s Beach early on Sunday or do some easy hikes or walks in the area. We hope to have a place to stay lined up. Led by Tusi & Nira.
Sun. June 16. Book Group & Potluck. Potluck and discussion of Waking up White: and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Deborah Irving. Time and place announced over listserve.
Fri. June 21. Summer Solstice Fire Circle. Come celebrate the summer solstice with songs, chants, and ritual around the fire. Bring drums or rattles if you have them, and favorite fireside songs and chants.
Sun. June 23. Calendar Planning and Bike Ride. We’ll socialize and plan the summer calendar of events over a backyard brunch. Optional bike ride to follow. Co
Sun. June 30. Mt. Sugarloaf – Old Deerfield Bike Ride. Meet at Mt. Sugarloaf parking area at 1:00 pm. We’ll ride up scenic River Road almost to Greenfield and back via Old Deerfield Village and South Deerfield. Moderate to strenuous with rolling hills. 18 miles total with 1.5 miles on busy Route 5.