The latest from the Gang ... 

Susan and Chuck H, Sue , Ines and Marco A, Nonie L,
Joe McG, Elaine M, Barbara H, and Elsie L

South Mystery Group met at the Fuller Craft Museum to admire the recently opened Glass Lifeforms Exhibit, contemporary artworks inspired by Harvard University’s plant and invertebrate models made by glass artist Blaschka. 

We took our group photo with the metal duck by junk sculptor Leo Sewell. Elsie and Marco were teleported into the photo later.

For lunch we went to Casa Vallarta, Mexican restaurant, a very short drive from the museum. Our lunch was filled with ideas for future events and reminiscences about past events.

Ines and Marco

Chris B, Meredith P, Dori C, Jane P & Kathy W.  Not in photo Carol B. 

After having spent 2 hours in the Concord Museum, learning more than we were taught in school about the Revolutionary War in 1775, five Metro West members ate lunch at Helen's Restaurant in Concord Ctr, after which we walked to the Concord Cheese Shop and the Thoreauly Antique Emporium.  It was a delightfully touristy day for us. 

Dori C

Dori C, Jan G, Chris B, Jane P, Wendy R,  Meredith P, Jan U, Lainey O’C, Al G,
Ivanhoe the Alpaca, Carol B

Ten of us gathered on a bright, chilly, sunny day at the Harvard Alpaca Ranch. We learned about the 31 resident Alpacas who were just as curious about us as we were of them.  There are more female Alpacas than males at the ranch and Ivanhoe (pictured) has his harem.  We even met a blue eyed female. All of the animals have names as well.

The owner of the ranch gave us a very informative tour where he answered our many questions. We  learned among other things, what they eat, how they sleep, and the fact that they each instinctively know to take turns guarding the herd so the rest can sleep.

We then headed to the Ranch’s store to view and buy socks, hats, and wool. Afterwards we enjoyed lunch at the Harvard General Store.

Carol B

Stephanie O, Elsie L, Susan and Chuck H, Joe and Maggie C, Barbara H, Joan S

On a beautiful October day the south mystery group visited the Willard House and Clock Museum in N.Grafton. We viewed shelf clocks and wall clocks, big clocks and small clocks , and even a musical chiming clock,  Our guide acquainted us with the Willard ancestors as we viewed several rooms in the antique house. 

We continued on to the Post office pub for lunch and conversation and some reminiscing.  

Elsie  L

Trail Hut at Muddy Pond, from left: Lisa L, Perry G, Christie B, Meredith P, Janice G,
Rexy, Hedy P, Dori C (Heimo S behind the camera)

Eight TOHG members, including Lisa Lyons on her very first Gang excursion, gathered on a private homestead just outside Ashburnham, a few miles south of the New Hampshire border, for a hike on the Massachusetts Midstate Trail. While the trail crosses the breadth of Massachusetts, we “only” covered the parts of Section 3, one of the oldest sections—a hiking trail between Mount Watatic and Wachusett Mountain that has existed for nearly 100 years. After a long downhill on abandoned Whitney Road, we started on the trail proper from an old bridge crossing Philips Brook. Using walking poles, everyone had a grand time scrambling over rocks, roots, and the odd rivulet fed by earlier summer rains. The leader had to backtrack on occasion to find some of the faded trail markers, but with everyone’s input, the team made it in timely fashion through forests young and old and foliage colors yellow, red, and green, to Muddy Pond for a rest and photos at one of four Midstate Trail huts. After a walk back on a country road, we shared lunch at a restaurant in Westminster, which for some of us was the first time dining indoors at a restaurant in over 18 months. What a joy to share this experience for so many reasons! We hope to see Lisa on many more TOHG events, and we hope that next year the trail signage will be improved for an even better hike.

Heimo S

Ready to roll!

What a great day we had for our fall foliage bike rides!  The foliage was actually a disappointment this year, but the weather more than made up for it.  It was 70 degrees with a lovely breeze all day long. 

For the pot luck, we didn’t even need the shade canopies!  There were twenty-two of us, ten for the 20-mile ride, twelve for the 10+- mile ride.  We even had a three-wheeler bike on the trip.  Half of the 10-mile group took a slight detour which gave them more like a 15-mile ride.  This meant that for the first time ever the 20-milers got back for the pot luck first! 

We had a delightful time socializing in the back yard, catching up with members we haven’t seen in a while, and comparing notes as to which ski trips many of us will be doing this winter as well as bike rides to be scheduled for next year.  We really are making a come-back after the past two years with COVID!  Hip hip hooray for the amazing Gang.

Mary W

The Three-Wheeler !

From left to right: (red paddle: Kathy W), Barbara B, Anne W, Dan Y, Ann Marie S, Karen L, Ann Marie D, Robert R, Dennis D’A, Mary McG, Cathy P, Nancy Q, Paul W, Ellen W, Meredith P

Wow! 16 Gang members met at Foote Brothers Canoe and Kayak Rental in Ipswich on a cool, cloudy day for the TOHG paddle finale, and what a great day it turned out to be! The sun never came out, but there was plenty of sunshine on our faces. It was an easy, peaceful, 1-hour paddle to what we thought was the end of the river where we came across a barricade of fallen trees and debris. We were about to turn around when Dan, Robert, and Meredith adventured through a small opening to the other side for a brief peek. Didn’t take long for them to return, (I guess it was “spooky” back there), so we turned around and floated downstream to the landing to pack up and head to the Clam Box for a delicious lunch where long time members, Sue Rogers  and Dick and Millie Clark, met us for lunch and camaraderie.

A perfect ending for a perfect season. We are planning a great season for next year—so far we have commitments for 8 kayak trips: 2 in the south, 2 north, 2 west, 2 central. If you think you’d like to join us, be sure to update your profile to include Kayaking as one of your interests. See you in the spring!

Pat G

Meredith P, Marco A, Ann Marie S, Pat G, Mary McG, Karen L, Joel S, Nancy B, Ines A, Cathleen R, Joe McG, Maureen D, Elaine M

Thirteen  members of the gang finished off the Cape Weekend with a 2 mile walk along the marshes, dunes and ocean.  Despite predictions of rain, the skies cleared and temps were in the mid 70s with a breeze making for a very enjoyable walk.  
The group started into the marsh area where we encountered a state conservation officer and a scientist who were collecting diamondback terrapin eggs that were hatching to protect them from predators until they were  little older; and would then be released back into the marsh.  After we all got a chance to ask questions, and take a few pictures of a few of the babies that had hatched we continued on.
Joel pointed out a few beach plums along the side of the trail.  We managed to gather enough so everyone could have a taste.  The dunes were beautiful and we ended up on the beach.   
Marco found a rock that looked like it was smiling and when we were done we had created “Sandy Hill”, our new mascot.  At one point Pat Giarrusso exclaimed “this is the highlight of The Weekend ”.
A quick stop for a few of us at the Shipwreck ice cream stand in Sandwich where we decided it was a perfect ending.

Submitted by Meredith P

Organized by Karen L, with Paul and Kathleen W, Mary McG, Jerry G, Pat G, Marina K, Maureen D, Barbara B, and Anne W. 

It all started with golf.  When Karen heard people talking about a golf excursion while at lunch following a Mystery trip, she decided she would have to find something else to do.  She mentioned to Ines that she’d rent a kayak when everyone was golfing.  Little did she know that she was now the leader of a kayak excursion during the Cape Cod Weekend. 
Lesson 1 – Be careful what you say around Ines; she will haul you in. 
Lesson 2 – Leading the kayak trip was fun so it was great that Karen was glad she got hauled in. 
Lesson 3 – She’d do it again.  

We had 10 people on the trip, managed to avoid a torrential downfall, and captured the tide on our 2-hour trip through the marsh, out to the ocean, and back to the dock.  The outfitter’s knowledge of the tides meant we travelled with the current all the way.  It may have been the least strenuous paddle ever.  

Our leader Karen found this outfitter, Cape Cod Waterways, for us.  He was efficient, knowledgeable, and friendly.  A good pick.  And we all agreed we would recommend them to anyone else who wants to kayak on the Cape.  On our way to the ocean, we checked out families of ducks, many mussel and clams, and a very strange crab, no longer than an inch with a yellow streak down its claw which it held over head as it scurried rapidly sideways away and then into the mud.  When we reached the ocean we pull up at a sandy beach with the help of the boy scouts.  Next year, if the tides are reversed, we can go in the other direction and explore Swan Pond.

Submitted by Karen L and Anne W