Task 94 - Nashoba Paddler (Groton, MA)

Task 94 - Kayak 6 new places (2/6)

Location:   Nashoba Paddler
Distance:   6.08 Miles
Time:          2.30:08

Rating:       3-Stars

With the dog days of summer behind us and fall fast approaching we took advantage of the beautiful weather and decided to explore the Nashua and the Squannacook Rivers. Our journey began at Nashoba Paddler where we had scheduled appointment with the owner. (Note that after Labor Day you must schedule an appointment)

After paying for three hours in two old town kayaks we launched into the calm waters of the Nashua River and began our journey south towards the confluence of the Nashua and Squannacook rivers. Like most New England water ways the low the water levels were very noticeable. In addition to the low water levels the river was littered with downed trees many of which jutted out into the river.

If you are looking for excitement then this isn’t the river for you. If you are looking for a relaxing peaceful paddle down a lazy river then check it out. There wasn’t much to see along the river since it is flanked by conservation land and the Groton Town Forest with the exception of the Groton School Boathouse and a few bridges.

Along the river we saw a few fish and even fewer birds. We did get a treat and saw a huge snapper turtle with a shell that probably measured a good 14 inches. Sadly I couldn’t get a good picture of him since he quickly hid in the plant life at the bottom of the river.

Next, we stopped at the abandoned rail bridge and climbed up to get a different perspective of the river. The bridge was still structurally sound but showing its many years of neglect. It is a testament to the old days of transportation.

Just around the bend from the rail bridge was the confluence of the two rivers. The owner of Nashoba Paddler told us that if we explored the Squannacook River we would see nests (piles of river rock) built by the freshwater eels. It was interesting to see these nests and even more of a mystery of how they built them. While we didn’t see any eels we certainly did see lots of their handy work. Unfortunately the Squannacook river was barely passable from the start and with the fallen trees we didn’t manage to make it very far.

We continued a little farther down the river until we reached the Route 2A overpass. Having travelled a little more than 3 miles and 1.5 hours down the river we decided our hunger was getting the better of us and we would head back.

Our return trip was somewhat quicker since we made no stops or detours and we were travelling with the current. Overall it was a good day but I am not sure I would return. I thought that the price of 88$ for two people for 3 hours was steep for a river that lacked anything really interesting and equipment that was average at best. My kayak seat was damaged and could not be adjusted. Unfortunately I didn’t discover that until we were a mile down the river. We also returned to find no one at the shop and we were left padlocks to secure the kayaks. While we expected that since she had said she may not be there we didn’t like the responsibility of having to secure the kayaks and leaving the other equipment unsecured.



Task 96 - Go Mountain Biking 10 times (Assabet River Rail Trail)

(96) Go mountain biking 10 times (7/10)

Location:  Assabet River Rail Trail
                  (Marlborough& Hudson, MA)
Distance:  8.96Miles
Time:        48 Minutes

Today my brother and I got back into our Mtn Bike riding schedule and took our usual Monday night ride. We didn’t go into the woods today as I recently made some upgrades to my bike that included adding new clipless Crank Brother’s pedals. I thought it best to avoid a more technical ride while I get used to being really attached to my bike for the first time. We also go a later start then usual and even though we also have new LED front and rear lights I didn’t want to get stuck in the woods in the dark.

We opted instead to explore the rest of the Hudson part & the whole Marlborough part of the Assabet River Rail Trail which we had previously visited with his kids.  This time we managed to go farther than we did the last time and actually rode all the way to the end. It was a roughly 9 mile round trip ride from the Main Street Parking Lot across from the Main Street Cemetery.

The trail we rode was a nicely paved section and offers riders many great safety features. Every major road we crossed flashing lights to alert drivers that there were bikes on the path and near the crossing. While these lights do not give us the right away I appreciate that they alert drivers of our presence and many very nicely stopped to let us cross safely rather than dodge traffic. At the smaller roads the path had clearly marked signs to inform riders of those crossings and stop signs to ensure riders know they too have to follow the rules of the road.

Its history as a rail trail are obvious at several locations and had there been more day light I would have taken some pictures of the steep embankments where bridges over the railway once stood. They also built a tunnel under the Hudson Road/85 Connector to 495/290 that allowed the trail to continue without having to cross a highway. The tunnel colorfully showcased a mural painted by local artists.

On our way home I was glad to have our new lights as the trail is not lit and does get very dark. The lights did a great job illuminating the path in front of us and also allowing us to keep track of each other with our rear flashers. Without the lights we might have collided with a few walkers wearing black clothing who had no lights at all.

I am looking forward to the day when the entire trail is completed and extends from Marlborough all the way to the South Acton MBTA station. Included below is our Run Tracker maps and statistics.

Task 9 – Ogunquit Beach

(09) Visit 5 new beaches. (4/5)

Beach:       Ogunquit Beach
Location:   Ogunquit, ME 03907
Rating:       3 - Stars

With summer quickly fading I decided to take a vacation day and enjoy at least one more beach day before it was too late. My friend Chris and I decided to make it a day trip to Maine’s Ogunquit Beach. It was a short 2 hour ride from home and we arrived just before lunch. We found parking to be a very reasonable 15$ and the attendant was very helpful suggesting a good place to grab a bite before heading to the beach. We ended up having lunch at Frills’ (see review).

After lunch we loaded up our beach chairs, umbrella, cooler, and towels and made our way to the beach. We crossed the bridge over the Ogunquit River and made a left down the beach. It was pretty busy although not overly crowded. A few friends of ours had the same idea for the day and we met up with them and found a good spot to set up near beach marker number 3.

Having been sitting in the sun at lunch I was ready to cool off with a dip in the ocean. The sand was soft and not overly hot which was nice. Nothing sucks more than burning your feet trying to get to the water.  The water was refreshing but not nearly as cold as it was at Spectacle Island the weekend before and after bobbing around for a while we returned to our chairs to enjoy the sun in an attempt to get some color.

Crowd watching here at Ogunquit was pretty good with lots of people moving around. That is one of the things I enjoy most about the beach is watching the people come and go.  I joined the people and took a stroll down the beach.  It was an active beach with people building sand castles and playing various games. When we got back we returned to the water one more time before relaxing on the beach chairs.

By 4:30-5:00 most people had started to pack up their stuff and head back. The water was also rising quickly and we too had enough.