Quincy Ride last day of 2011 Ride

Took the mountain bike out for a local spin today.  Temps were in the mid 30s F.  The were showers too.  I think this was a good test of my winter riding gear.  I need new biking shoes, more on that later.

This time I started out riding west on Fenno Street.  Then a left into the MMRA road and trails.  Via the these trails I rode to Furnace Brook Road / Quincy Shore Drive.  I then road north along Quincy Shore Drive, to the Nature path that's behind the Donut store.  From there to Commander Shea Blvd.  Then left onto the path behind Boston Scientific.  Then into the Squantum Point Park, then through Marina Bay, then to Squaw Rock.  And back home via Quincy Shore Drive.

Along the trail in Squantum Point Park, my foot slipped out of the bike shoe.  I was looking around for my shoe.  Then I saw it still clipped to my bike.  A few months back, one of the shoe's straps had broken.  Now I see that's no good, the shoe is too lose.

Further along this trail, I hit a flooded section.  This was frozen over, but the ice was not strong enough to hold me and the bike.  This I expected.  The water was only a foot deep.  But the ice was thick enough to prevent me from riding it out.  I had to stop.  So I trumped though the ice and freezing water. It was cold!  After making it though that frozen mess, I took my shoes off and dried my feet as much as possible.  It was going to be a cold ride for my toes, and I was just over the half way point for my ride.  

I made it home with my toes.  They did hurt for a little while after they warmed up.

Good ride today, feel great now.  Took about an hour and 20 minutes for this Quincy ride.



Happy New Year!

Chickatawbut Hill, Fox Hill, & Wampatuck Hill Blue Hills Quincy MA Hike

Today it was going to be a longer hike.  Temps in the 30s F when I started, high in the 30s F at the end.  Quite breezy especially at the summits.  Got an 8:00 AM start from Shea Rink Parking lot.  Then I hiked the Sawcut Notch Patch to the gas line.  I hiked the gas line south all the way to Chickatawbut Road.  After crossing the road, I picked up the Red Dot trail heading South.  Shortly I took a left onto a narrow trail that lead to the summit of Chickatawbut Hill.  I then took a narrow trail down to the yellow dot trail to the Overlook Area on the road.  After crossing the road again I picked up Ceder Rock Path at 4013.  I took this to the pipeline at 4012.  I took the pipeline North to 4048, and took a right on to Ridge Path.  At 4072  I took left onto a narrow path, and took that too Pine Tree Brook Path.  Heading West on this path I took a right onto a narrow path and follow to the green dot trail.  From there It was my normal route up and over Fox Hill, then onto Wampatuck Hill,  and back to the parking lot via Green Dot Trail.  Today was a very good hike.  I was back at Shea rink at 11:00 AM.

Christmas Day Blue Hills Quincy MA Hike

APRS AB1II-7

The temp was in the 20s F.  Great day for a hike!  We started the usual spot and trails from Shea Rink.  Except this time we stayed on Sawcut Notch Path until the gas line at 4066.  Then left onto the gas line, until 4049 we took a left onto Pine Tree Brook Path.  Then we took a narrow path to 4090 to the Indian Camp Path (Green Dot)  At 4102 I took Fox Hill path over fox hill, and down to the green dot trail.  Ame stayed on the Green Dot trail, but we stayed in touch via D-Star on simplex.  Hike was about 2 hours long.  There were a few snowflakes today.  

My APRS setup is a Yeasu VX-8DR with GPS mic.  I was using a Diamond tri-band antenna.  Today I tried a 1/4 wavelength telescoping whip.  This worked much better.  I was able to see 95% of our hike today on aprs.fi.  APRS Position of AB1II

Another way to the summit of Fox Hill Blue Hills Quincy MA

Today was great wx again, with temps in the 40s F.  We started off the same way as all the hikes have been so far.  From the rink, to Sawcut, then to the green Dot Trail.  This time though we took a narrow path at 4090 to Pine Tree Brook Path.  From their to 4084 base of Fox Hill.  According to our map there is a narrow path going straight up to the summit of Fox Hill.  This trail quickly faded to a non trail.  So we kept going towards the summit.  We did find were the trail connected to Fox Hill Path at the Summit, but in the middle the trail is so overgrown, it can't be called a trail.  We then hiked down Fox Hill to the gas line, then up and down Wampatuck Hill, then back to the gas line and back to the car.  This hike was about 2 hours and 10 minutes long.

We came across two mountain bikers.  They made me wish a little that I was on my bike.  I'd have to say that I like both hiking and mountain biking the same.  Both are great work outs, and are excellent ways to explore.

Blue Hills Quincy MA Hike Fox Hill and Wampatuck Hill

We woke up late.  Started the hike from the rink.  About an hour and a half hike.  Sunny with temps in the
30s F.  We did Fox Hill.  We split at the gas line, and I did Wampatuck Hill solo.  We stayed in touch using our D-Star Radios.  DV on simplex is fun.

Getting up late we though the trails would be crowed.  We were wrong.  There were less people on the trails than we are used to when it's early.  The trails were not as soggy as expected either.  There was some frost along the trails today.  A great hike, nice workout.  Again very happy we live close to the Blue Hills.

Blue Hills Hike

Did a solo hike today.  Same paths and hills as last week.  Took about an hour and 20 minutes.
Wx was great.  Cloudy with temps climbing into the mid 40s F.