Photo by Chris White - Beantownfstop.com
My friend Chris called me up and wanted to find someplace neat to explore. After some thinking I remembered the old abandoned quarry in Becket, MA… I checked this place out when writing the book, but it didn’t make the cut. It is plenty cool just not easy to give navigation directions. Chris brought his camera gear and got some neat shots – check them out over at his blog BeantownFStop.com.
Here is a little more about the Quarry from the Becket Land Trust website:
The quarry, known during its operating days as the Chester-Hudson Quarry, played a key role in the early development of the Town of Becket and the surrounding area. Granite from this quarry was used for monuments in many states. The quarry was operational from the 1860′s to the 1960′s.
When the quarry was abandoned, much of the equipment and structures were left just as it was (as if the quarrymen had gone for lunch and never returned). The site has stayed the same, plus some rust, until now.
The Historic Quarry and Forest is open year round, dawn to dusk, and admission is free to the public.
You can find directions, maps and all kinds of other info on their website: Becket Land Trust
Find BeantownFstop:
I got the chance to check out XPress by Smart Cup. If you are coffee drinker, coffee can become the most important part of you morning routine. Coffee making on the go can be a huge life saver… In steps the XPress. XPress is a French coffee press built into a lid with a pusher rod that fits most 16oz and 20oz cups.
I was hoping the XPress would be a useful coffee tool for backpacking. I’m not sure I could carry a paper cup in my bag for a day without crushing it and the fact that the press part is not easily reusable nixed it off my back country gear list pretty fast. Read more »
Photo by eliduke
Dr. Welch is a professor of pediatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y. He is also a licensed professional guide, a certifying instructor (and field course instructor) for the Wilderness Education Association and a member of the Wilderness Medical Society. Welch has drunk from many water sources with no filter other than his teeth.
While at the University of Cincinnati, Welch conducted a 1995 survey where 48 of 50 U.S. state health departments responded to a questionnaire about giardiasis in their jurisdictions, the agencies studied 80 outbreaks of giardiasis in 1991; 19 outbreaks were linked to contaminated water, and just two were associated with campers or backpackers.
Two departments considered water-associated giardiasis to be a problem for backpackers in their jurisdiction, though the study found neither had any data to reinforce the claim.
“This was a classic food/hand epidemic in all respects,” Welch says. Read more »
Enjoy the Outdoors!
Saturday September 24 2011, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, along with 31 other trail clubs will be launching Family Hiking Day. In part, supported by REI, Family Hiking Day is a great opportunity to get families to enjoy the outdoors together. The event will be held on National Public Lands Day and coordinating with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative.
So I urge you to grab your family and head outside. Whether it be a short stroll with the grandparents or an all day hike with the super fit family spend some time together in the best place of all… in the woods!
The ATC has a few links to help your family plan a hike:
If you are looking to plan a hike in Western, MA I can help pick a hike for your family, just contact me.
If you do participate I would love to have you share your family hike story here at huskyhiker.com… contact me!
I spent a good chunk of last summer hiking the hills of the Berkshires, exploring some great places and even some not so great places… I hiked, I camped, I hiked some more and I wrote and wrote and wrote. I spent way to much time at the library! In the end I had compiled 20 of the nicest easy hikes the Berkshires has to offer… If anyone has purchased the book I would love to hear your feedback.
Wilderness Logics
As any bigger people know finding outdoor gear that will work for you is a major pain in the butt… Sleeping bags, especially mummy bags can be tough to find. Most outdoor companies don’t think about us “husky” folks.
Wilderness Logics, a relatively unknown company is different in this department, they make a top quilt (think zipper less sleeping bag). Top quilts are great they save weight and the insulation under you when in your sleeping bag does not do much for warmth when compressed. Top quilts are the go to for hammock camping.
The Wilderness Logics King Top Quilt is built for us bigger folks in mind, tall or wide… It is 55″ x 78″ with a
King Quilt
sewn foot box to tuck your feet into. I’m about 300lbs and this quilt fits me perfect. Big people’s hunt for a great sleeping bad has ended! Read more »
Enter to win!
Random.org picked Karl and Audrey as the winners. Karl and Audrey please go to adayak.com, pick any outdoor shirt then contact me with what shirt you want/size/color and your address and I will have Adayak get it out to you! Thanks everyone for entering!!!
Adayak.com contacted me about advertising here on huskyhiker.com and rather than placing an ad I talked them into giving you guys the chance to win a couple T-Shirts. Just comment on this post to enter! if you want to double your chance to win by entering twice, comment below and tweet this message “RT @huskyhiker win a free shirt from adayak.com and huskyhiker.com - http://su.pr/APSA4I “ I will pick 2 winners on 5/17/11 one week from today. Winners can pick any shirt and adayak.com will ship it to your door! Enter now!
About Adayak:
Unique Outdoor Apparel & T-shirts featuring a huge assortment of outdoor clothing, apparel and merchandise. adayak.com is your source for Outdoor Apparel featuring 100% organic cotton hiking t-shirts, kayaking t-shirts, climbing t-shirts, camping t-shirts and more. Adayak offers the outdoor enthusiast apparel and merchandise they can wear and use to display their love for the outdoors. adayak.com’s goal is to offer unique, stylish outdoor t-shirts that you can wear around town or out on the trail. Read more »
After spending all day on your feet hiking to your camp area, and then fighting to get your tent up, there’s nothing quite beats the feeling of crawling into a warm, soft sleeping bag. Getting a decent nights’ sleep while hiking is vital as it revs you up for the journey ahead, so buying the right sleeping bag is very important. If you’re new to hiking, or just thinking about upgrading your gear, here are a few things you might want to consider when shopping for a sleeping bag:
Weight, size and shape
All three of these criteria have to be carefully thought over. A heavy or bulky sleeping bag can make all the difference as the added weight of a heavy sleeping bag can slow you down or take up room in your backpack that you might need for other essential items. Lighter sleeping bags tend to be more expensive than their heavier counterparts, but if you have the budget they are definitely worth the investment. As for size and shape, most hiking sleeping bags are “mummy” shaped to conserve heat, but if you’re a restless sleeper this won’t leave much room for moving around so it might be worth looking into rectangular down sleeping bags as an alternative. Again, they are pricier than standard sleeping bags, but will guarantee you get a better nights’ sleep.
Fill material
When it comes to fill material there are only two choices: down or synthetic. Down is lighter and more durable than synthetic filling, but if it gets wet it will lose its loft and, subsequently, its insulating power. If you’re going somewhere near water or snow, or just hiking on a particularly wet weekend, you will always be better off with synthetic filling. Another bonus of synthetic fill sleeping bags is that they are cheaper than down fill bags, though they are not as durable and will need replacing sooner. The down fill might be a better investment in the long run.
Temperature rating
This should be the lowest temperature you would be comfortable in and you should choose a bag with a temperature rating that’s 10 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the coldest temperature forecast for your destination.
Price
This should be the last thing you consider and the least important factor in your purchasing decision. If you’re on a tight budget price can seem really important at the time, but compromising on quality can mean waking up tired, sore and in no mood to hike in the morning. Weigh up price and quality carefully before making a decision on what sleeping bag will best suit you.
Camp Map
October Mountain is the largest state forest in Massachusetts. At 16,500 acres October Mountain has a vast network of hiking trails including a section of the Appalachian Trail.
The Campground at October Mountain offers 47 campsites on 3 levels. Level 1 is less wooded than level 2 and seem to be better suited for campers or RV’s. None of the sites offer water or electric hookup. Level sites are more wooded especially 47, 48, and 49. Level 3 offers three yurts and a couple of camp sites. There are 2 bathrooms on the ground both were just so so, Not super clean nor dirty. As most Mass State Parks the bathrooms have outdoor dish washing stations, a nice feature.
The few times I stayed here I found most of the campers to be quiet. October Mountain’s biggest downfall is the power transformer station across from the campground. On the first level, the hum from the transformers is annoying at best, on the second level it is quieter but still a constant hum is present. I would choose to stay else where for this reason alone. Not the wilderness campground I was hoping for in Mass’ biggest state park…
Beavers!
Why I Hike? For adventure, to see places that the masses haven’t seen, to be alone in a quite place. Hiking for me is a time to unwind, take my time and enjoy life! When I am out in the woods I am in no hurry to be anywhere or get anything done (unless it is raining and I am trying to get the shelter up). It is just nice to slow down and enjoy small victories. Fresh air and wildlife are just a bonus! And that first “real” meal after being in the woods for a couple days is oh so glorious…
Tom Mangan over at Two-Heel Drive has offered a challenge to his fellow hiking bloggers. On the surface, the assignment is simple — take 15 minutes to write a short piece on “why we hike.”
Here are some others:
Fat Man of the Mountains – Why we hike (Hint: It has something to do with beer and cheeseburgers)
TrailSavvy – Why We Hike
Greene Adventures – Why We Hike
Live Free and Hike – Why We Hike
Appalachia & Beyond – Why We Hike (ESP)
Join in share your #whywehike story, share your story with me and I’ll post it here…
outdoors, random fun | 
1/2/2012 9:50 AM | 
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