Menu
Log in



The latest from the Gang ... 

Log in

Login 

  • HOME
  • Recent Events
  • Thursday, April 27, 2023 12:55 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Daniel, Alan, Kathy, Kim, Art, Larry, Joan

    Seven TOHG members (including brand new member Kathy) set off under cloudy skies to ride the North Central Pathway from Winchendon to Gardner MA. The clouds soon parted to allow some sun to brighten our ride as we rode past lakes, streams, marshland and woods. In other words a perfect ride to enjoy all the bounty Mother Nature has to offer.

    Alan U

  • Wednesday, April 26, 2023 12:05 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


     Kate , Helgard, Ken, Alan, Daniel

    Six hardy souls set out on a cloudy and misting morning along the Amesbury Riverwalk Trail, Ghost Trail and Eastern Marsh Trail from Amesbury and Salisbury and stopping at the Seabrook line before continuing to the Merrimack River at the Newburyport line. Although the weather was cold and raw at the outset the sun peeked through the clouds just before our ride ended. Perhaps our next ride will be sunny and bright!


    Kate, Daniel, Helgard, Alan, Sheila
    Alan U
  • Wednesday, April 19, 2023 12:28 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Lisa L, Kimberly S, Judith S, Sheila P, Alan U, Rene K, Gayle A, Joel S, Liz C.
    Miriam J behind the camera

    Ten TOHG members set out from Woburn under sunny skies along the Tri Community Rail Trail. We rode from Woburn through Winchester along the Aberjona River through Winchester Centre, past Wedgemere and stopping at the Mystic Lakes Dam on the Arlington town line hoping to see alewives and perhaps a resident bald eagle. Although we didn’t see either of those we were fortunate enough to see cormorants, turtles and a blue heron. Finishing our ride under cloudy skies we stopped for coffee at a local coffee shop in downtown Winchester before returning to Woburn. 

    Alan U.

  • Tuesday, April 18, 2023 10:19 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Ken S, James W, Art P, Sheila P, Alan U, Mary W, Lisa L, Ines A,
    Mary M, Lucy M, and Patrick W 

    It seemed only fitting that eleven TOHG members biked to The Old North Bridge and Concord Centre during Patriots week. We enjoyed about a 10 Mike round trip ride through Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and along a wooded trail from Bedford Depot and finishing in Concord for coffee. On the return we stopped to visit the Old North Bridge which was busy with visitors also remembering that fateful day in 1775 with “the shot heard round the world.”
    Alan U
  • Tuesday, April 11, 2023 12:43 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Rear: Allan, Mary, Ken, Alan.
    Front: Lisa, Gail (first day as TOHG member!), Linda, Sheila.

    It was a beautiful Spring day as eight TOHG members set out to ride the Londonderry Rail Trail.  Along the way we passed through several marshes, woods and ponds and saw a number of turtles taking advantage of the warm weather to sun themselves. Some of us were also fortunate to see a beaver near his dam. And our ride finished with coffee at a local restaurant with group photo. 

    Alan U.

  • Monday, April 10, 2023 12:48 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Alan, Gayle, Mary and Betsy

    It was a beautiful sunny day as four of us set out along the banks of the Merrimack River in Newburyport. We biked along the waterfront, past many amazing art sculptures, benches, swings and hammocks even before turning inland and completing our closed loop ride. 

    Alan U.


  • Tuesday, April 04, 2023 12:14 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Our bike ride began under damp and cloudy skies but the sun soon vanquished the clouds and rain. Three of us rode both sections of the Independence Greenway Bike Trail in Peabody on Tuesday 4th April. The path tools us past several brooks and ponds, along an active quarry as well as a memorial to Martha and Giles Corey, accused of witchcraft in 1692 and put to death.  One of the highlights of our ride was helping a small turtle safely across the bike path. 

    Alan U.

  • Monday, April 03, 2023 1:36 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Kim, Alan, Ken, Judith, Sheila, Daniel and the bear
    It was a rather chilly but sunny morning when six members met for the first official TOHG bike ride of the season. We biked the Methuen Rail Trail past a heron rookery, Nevins MSPCA farm, historic Methuen rail depot, poets wall and the former industrial mills on the Methuen-Lawrence line. After completing this ride most of us journeyed on to ride from Salem NH to Windham NH through woods, stone passes and several ponds and streams. We even saw a few patches of snow and icicles! All agreed it was a great way to start the season.

    Alan U.

  • Thursday, March 30, 2023 12:07 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Ines, Dibba, Meredith, Marco, Ruth, Stephanie, Jan, Liz and Kathleen. Taking the Photo: Jill

    It was a beautiful sunny day with a chilly breeze. Nevertheless, ten hardy members gathered to walk up to the Noanet Peak and marvel at the look of Boston’s skyline in the distance. Then two more loops for 4 miles through Noanet Woodlands (The Trustees of Reservation) and the adjacent Caryl Park (Dover Public Park), and after sharing a fresh batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, everybody was ready to hop into their car away from the cold.

    Thank you everyone for joining us,
    Ines and Marco

  • Thursday, March 16, 2023 1:00 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    It was a beautiful day for a hike, sunny and not too cold, temperature about 50 degrees. We were treated to two wildlife sightings, a small herd of white tail deer and a Pileated Woodpecker. Pileated Woodpeckers are one of the largest woodpeckers and very exotic looking with a large, red tufted crown on their head.

    Some of the trails were very wet and muddy but not enough to cause us to alter our route. There were lines of tubing strung from the sugar maples for sap collection as well as taps and buckets. We visited the sugar shack and spoke to a Moose Hill employee who was boiling the sap down to make maple sugar. It takes about 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrop. 

    We also visited Moose Hill Farm and saw Galloway Belted Cattle grazing in
    the fields. These cattle are known for their gentle natures, long lives and
    having no horns. They can also make do with poor pasture conditions so are easy to feed.

    After the hike, we enjoyed lunches, snacks, and homemade cookies at the
    picnic tables.

    Stephanie Olbrych

    By popular demand, Stephanie is sharing her Ocean Spray cookie recipe:  

    Prep Time:   10 minutes
    Cook Time:  12 minutes
    Yield:  Approximately 21/2 dozen cookies

    Ingredients:

    2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
    2/3 cup brown sugar
    2 large eggs
    1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
    1 ½ cups flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    ½ teaspoon salt 
    1 6-ounce package dried cranberries, craisins, or cherries
    2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips<>

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.
    Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. 


  COPYRIGHT © 2024
TOP OF THE HILL GANG
All Rights Reserved

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software