Seventeen riders showed up on a beautiful 10 day - sun shining, temperature perfect. The ten 10 milers went by some lovely vernal pools on the 240 acers of land donated to Carlisle as conservation land by Mr Greenough. The Greenough Pond may have been created by him to provide habitat for water fowl. While large (about 21 acres), it is fairly shallow, averaging only 2.1 feet deep. In the vernal pool that we go by are a number of wood duck boxes. Curious as to why I have never seen any wood ducks in that area, I asked a local bird watcher who told me “ they won’t come back to it if it is not cleaned out”. The Mass Division of Fisheries and Wildlife takes care of the whole area. A vernal pool is a distictive type of wetlands devoid of fish so insects and amphibians can survive-like wood frogs, toads and salamanders. The are very shallow and most dry up certain times of the year.
Patricia DR, Jim and Joyce F, Judith L, Don and Polly T, Judy T, Kathy W, and Mary W were the 10 milers
Gaile A, Allan G, Marlene H, Helgard Ki, Lanie O'C, Art P, Elizabeth B, Matt G rode 20 miles
The twenty milers had a wonderful ride as well. Part of it went through the Great Brook Farm State Park. This 1000-acre park features more than 20 miles of trails, offering free guided walking tours on Friday mornings. There's also an active dairy farm that offers free tours on weekends.
Then we came back and ate, drank and were merry.
A few stragglers come in as it wouldn’t be the same without them.
Dawn and Joe M, Ray G, Maryann D and Dan Y.
Mary W
