"By the time they got to Woodstock"

Once Blakeslee and Billy arrived, the Walking Tour began much like it does every year - with bags being stuffed to their brims and slung over zealously over backs, excitedly anticipating the use of built in amenities like reachable water hoses and secret pockets for stashed granola bars. To get to our send off party in Woodstock CT, we crammed into my car and drove 20 minutes to the Artists in the Country barn - this will be the last car ride for Raianne, Billy and Dan until June 24th.

WT Logo Handkerchief designed and silk screened by Dan Blakeslee

Paul Gandy was there with portions of the edited documentary footage projected onto a large screen, while his family and Ann Chuk assembled a spread of potlucky favorites. Local CT songwriters started off the evening, ending with a "performance," if you could call it that, by members of this year's Walking Tour. Last night was the first time we all played together, but the audience was forgiving - we would spend the rest of the evening rehearsing for the official shows.



After a quiet night's rest inside the nice dry barn, I saw Raianne, Dan and Billy off on their first walk from Woodstock to Dudley. Woodstock-Dudley Route

On driving this morning's route ahead of the gang, I'd hung bright new WT markers to guide the way.  

-MM

BUTTONS!!!!!!!!!

Walking Tour Compilation CD

We will be releasing the first Walking Tour Compilation CD featuring songs from our 2010 live performance at The Nave Gallery in Somerville, MA with Christopher Bell. More details to follow but we are thinking about these jackets for the packaging. 100% Recyclable!

http://superdups.com/products/packaging/wallet

Questions? Comments?? Ideas???

2011 Walking Tour Poster

Hand Drawn by Dan Blakeslee

FINAL HIKE #10: June 26 Ashburham to Mt. Watatic/ NH border

This will be our last hike up beautiful Mt. Watatic. Possible impromptu performance on top of the mountain. We will detour slightly to pick up the Trail at Russel Hill Rd.

Main St Ashburnham, MA 01430 1. Head east on MA-12 S/Main St toward Pleasant St 0.4 mi 2. Slight left onto River Styx Rd 0.4 mi 3. Continue onto Russell Hill Rd Destination will be on the left 0.4 mi Russell Hill Rd    4. Sometime after Kelton Rd., Before Cross Rd, bear Left, enter the woods climbing steeply. at Top ridgeline offers nice views through trees for next mile or so. 0.7 mi 5. Drop into shallow saddle, reaching Mt. Hunger, come around corner to see nice view of Stidges Meadow Pond and Mt. Watatic, follow trail through thick Hemlock down steep descent. 0.5 mi 6. Turn Right at Fork, onto 2 track lumber rd. immediately Bear Right back onto narrow hiking path 0.2 mi 7. Brief overlap with logging rd. follow blazes. 0.1 mi 8. Reach telephone wire and follow phone poles, heading downhill. Turn Left onto Holt rd. (paved) 0.1 mi 9. Turn Right onto RT 101, skirting shores of Lake Winnekeag 0.2 mi 10. Turn Left in gravel p-lot at Camp Winnekeag, walking west with lake on left side and RT 101 behind follow blazes passing several trails for camp. 0.3 mi 11. cross 3 wooden boardwalks 0.2 mi 12. Begin steep climb 0.2 mi 13. pass by 2 track path on right, then fork left at top of rise, Blueberry Hill. 0.1 mi 14. Fork right, follow blazes, 0.2 mi 15. pass fire circle on top of Fisher Hill 0.1 mi 16. Cross stone wall and apss sign for Ashburnahm State Forest, pass through thick hemlock, white pine 0.5 mi 17. Go Right on Old Pierce Rd (paved) 0.4 mi 18. Cross RT 119 into dirt lot with kiosk. pass through brown metal gate and up 2 track State Line Trail. 0.3 19. Turn right at Midstate Trail sign with distances. Be careful as Wapack Trail is also blazed here with yellow triangles. 0.1 mi 20. cross a stream 0.3 mi 21. nice overlook 0.2 mi 22. Pass Wooden shelter 0.1 mi 23. Reach stone Cairn at Summit. Midstate trail makes hairpin Left turn just before summit, so retreat back to trail, head northwest, parrellel to and to the left of new rock rd, with Mt. peak on the right heading downhill gently. 0.6 mi 24. Pass series of Stone Cairns on Nutting Hill 0.2 mi 25. Bear left at fork, (Wapack trail bears right), then turn right onto hiking path. Sign says "NH 0.41 to right and 119 0.79" 0.4 mi  26. reach NH state line marked with granite marker for Midstate Trail. 27. Hike back to P-lot Approximately 8.5 miles total (not including hike back to p-lot)

Hike #9 June 25 Westminster to Ashbunham Town Common

We will leave trail a little to reach Ashburham Town Common and celebrate their Downtown day with them!

 1. At Waterman Bridge Overpass, at Intersection of Wyman Rd. and Village Inn Rd, follow Waterman Bridge over Rt.2 immediately turn Left onto the North Side, on paved rd, through a metal gate 0.2 mi
2. Just before pavement ends, turn left onto footpath with yellow blazes, soon crssing dirt rd, up small hill 0.4 mi
3. Come out of woods and turn Left onto 2 track dirt rd. 0.1 mi
4. Turn Right onto Battles Rd (paved). homes nearby 0.1mi
5. Turn Left onto Merriam Rd (paved) then immediate Right to cross grassy wedge b/w bog and Garden Store. Cross RT 2A bearing right along shoulder, heading Northbound, away from Round Meadow Pond 0.1 mi
6. Turn Left into woods off RT 2A. Follow blazes through many turns ahead. 0.1 mi
7. Fork Right 0.3 mi
8. Cross Howard Rd. 0.1mi
9. cross under power line 0.1 mi
10. Come down short slope, bear Right, cross intersection with another trail 0.1 mi
11. Turn Left at T- Intersection, then Right at Y-intersection 0.1 mi
12. bear Right  at T- intersection. 0.1 mi
13. Cross 2 track dirt path 0.2 mi
14. come to stone wall. proceed Left at T-intersection, Turn Right onto Town Farm Rd (paved) 0.1 mi
15. Turn Right onto Syd Smith Rd at corner of Town Farm and North Common Rd.s 0.1 mi
16. Syd Smith rd turns to dirt, then bear Left onto wide, 2 track path, drops into woods 0.2 mi
17. Turn Left onto small dirt path, uphill parrallel to stone wall 0.2 mi
18. Traverse top of Ridge, pass through gap in stone wall 0.2 mi
19. follow blazes as they swing right 0.3 mi
20. Cross over intersections with 4 abandoned dirt rds, then walk along boardwalks through bog 0.1 mi
21. Turn right onto Oakmont Ave, cross under R&R overpass, on other side Turn Left, climbing over dirt pile onto Old Whitman Rd. (paved) 0.2 mi
22. follow past Old Gardner Rd on left then cross Whitman river 0.2 mi
23. Cross another Bridge over river into Whitmanville, Cross Ashburnham Rd, head uphill on Bragg Hill Rd. 0.2 mi
24. At top of Rise, turn right onto dirt rd, pass through clearing, enetr the woods on 2 track path 0.3 mi
25. cross small stream 0.1 mi
26. pass under power line 0.1 mi
27. cross stream, bear Left at Fork, follow blazes 0.2 mi
28. Continue straight, passing fork to the right 0.3 mi
29. Cross stone wall, entering Westminster Conservation land, views of muddy pomd on left 0.4 mi
30. Reach Muddy Pond Shelter 0.2 mi
31. Follow blazes through clearing of timbered trees, cross intersection with blue blazed trail, turn Right onto narrow hiking trail. 0.3 mi
32. Turn Right at t-intersection onto broad trail, then fork Left onto narrow path, trail can be faint. watch for blazes    0.2 mi
33. Cross three stone walls 0.6 mi
34. Cross Intersection with Whitney Hill Rd. (dirt) 0.2 mi
35. Cross Wooden foot bridge over Phillips brook to reach RT 12.
36. Take a Left onto RT 12 heading Northwest, toward Main St Ashburham 1.5 mi
Arrive at Main st. Ashburham

Aproximately 8.2 miles

Hike #8 June 24 Princeton to Wachusett Village Inn Westminster

This hike goes right up over Mt. Wachusett. On a nice day there can be spectacular views!! Oh and we end at the Wachusett Village Inn

1. Starting in Sanctuary Parking lot turn Left, Heading west on Goodnow Rd.(paved) 0.1 mi
2.  Pass through Metal Gate, turn right onto Midstate Trail and follow yellow triangles 0.2 mi
3. Turn Left at T- intersection, follow sign for Chapman trail, toward glacial boulder trail 0.1 mi
4. Come through Stone Wall, cross intersection, following Chapman Trail 0.3 mi
5. Bear right, continue northeast on chapman trail as Western Border Trail enters from left 0.1 mi
6. Cross Thompson Rd. (paved), passing Black pond on other side, and crossing a wooden Footbridge over stream 0.3 mi
7. Pass Sanctuary boundary, at stone wall, marked by post #28 and signs for Midstate and Dickens 0.3 mi
8. Go Through Metal Gate, cross Westminster Rd (paved), picking up Harrington Trail/ Midstate trail on other side, climbing through open clearing 0.1 mi
9.Cross Stone Wall, turn Left at top of clearing, follow broad two track trail. 0.1 mi
10. Follow blazes as trail bears to right 0.1 mi 
11. Continue along Harrington trail as Stage Coach Trail leads off to right 0.2 mi
12. Cross wooden foot bridge over W.Wachusett Brook, cross West Rd (dirt) continuing on Harrington 0.2 mi
13. Cross Administration rd (paved), continue on Harrington, crossing two wooden foot bridges, passing jct. with Lower link trail 0.2 mi
14. At top of Steep climb turn Left onto Semuhenna Trail 0.4 mi
15. Cross Summit Rd. (paved), bear left onto Semuhenna/Westside Trail, then immediate Right onto Semuhenna 0.2 mi
16. Cross Summit Rd. again 0.3 mi
17. Merge Left at T-Intersection onto Old Indian Trail. 0.2  
18. Cross Balance Rock Rd. (dirt), cross intersection to pick up Balance Rock Trail. Pass Balance Rock and follow blazes veering left downhill 0.4
19. At bottom of hill pass by left turn for Pine Loop Trail, then take Left into Ski area parking Lot 0.2 mi
20. Walk across the lot to 3 Flag Poles near pond at entrance rd. Turn Right onto Mile Hill rd. walk uhill on shoulder following yellow triangles 0.1 mi
21. Turn left onto hiking path marked Midstate Trail just before town line 0.1 mi
22. Cross abandoned two track dirt rd and stone wall. Pass sign about Fitchburg watershed, please stay on trail 0.1 mi
23. Cross Wooden Footbridge over stream, passing several more stream beds flowing downhill on left. 0.1 mi
24. Pass unmarked trail on right, then bear Left follow triangles 0.3 mi
25. Turn Right at Y-intersection 0.1 mi
26. Cross a Stream on Stone Causeway and turn Right at T-intersection. enter small p-lot for Redemtion Rock. Follow Blazes, turn Left before reaching the rock, slight descent, cross over RT 140. 0.1 mi
27. Pass boulder on left and continue uphill, scaling cliff and overlook of Mt. 1.1 mi
28. Pass campfire circles, turn sharp left, climb up steep cliffs, Crow Hill Ledges. turn Right at top of Cliffs to reach overlook or Crow Hill ponds and RT 31. 0.1 mi
29. Take a sharp Left, follow blazes, circling counter-clockwise around Crow Hill. 0.4 mi
30. Descend from Ledges, on stone steps, turn Left at lg boulder at base of hill 0.9 mi
31. Cross stone wall and proceed Left 0.2 mi
32. Cross stone wall and Turn Right 0.1 mi
33. Emerge from woods and turn Right on Stone Hill Rd (paved) 0.1 mi
34. Cross Narrows Rd, walk over wooden auto bridge, trun Left onto Hiking Path on other side, follow parrallel to Narrows Rd. 0.1 mi
35. Folk Left, follow Triangles, stay close to stream 0.3 mi
36. Bear right, leaving stream, climbing switchbacks 0.1
37. Continue on, crossing two wide dirt paths, turn Right onto 3rd Two Track Path 0.1 mi
38. Cross several more dirt roads, emerging into Parking Lot, stay to left, follow edge of lot to other side and turn left into woods. 0.1 mi
39. Emerge from  woods, cross Wyman Rd to Vilalge Inn Rd.0.1 mi

Approximately 8.5 Miles