FRIDAY While previously checking out Orange, Ma, I discovered that Peak Adventures, which operates the Community Boat House, has a special kayaking event on Friday nights. For $15 you can kayak on the Miller River from 5-7 PM. That also includes a meal at the end of the paddle. My wife wasn't free that night so I took my grandson, Joel. We had a great time! This very reasonable price includes the rental of the kayak, canoe, or stand up paddleboard and the food. It would be great to have a place like this closer to Chicopee, but until we do, you might want to check out this Friday night activity before the weather gets cold. Regular rentals during the week are only $8 per hour for a kayak, canoe, or standup paddle board. At that price it is not worth loading up your own kayak and driving it up there. Just rent theirs and walk away afterwards.
SATURDAY This is also fair time, especially for some of the smaller communities. Each year my trip to the fair becomes a special outing because I ride my scooter to the fair, take in the entertainment, enjoy some fair food, and get in another scooter ride on the way home. The Cummington Fair, which was last week, is one of my favorites. It is very family oriented and has great entertainment which is thoughtfully scheduled so the acts do not conflict with one another. My friends, Danny and Dianne rode out with me on his motorcycle last Saturday. After the roast beef dinner, we saw the frisby catching dogs performance, saw the Matt Episcopo magic show, listened to the musically talented Jose Duddy, and finished the day with the oxen pull and a quick tour of the antique tractors and "one lung" gasoline engines displays.
My other favorite small town fair is the Spencer Fair which is this weekend. I think I exceeded my caloric intake in Cummington and may have to sit this one out. However if YOU go, be sure to stop by Nelson's Fudge and the place that sells the world's best apple crisp. I don't know the name of it but manage to find it each year. You can ask where it is. That apple crisp alone is reason enough to go to the Spencer Fair!
SUNDAY The third event of my great week was a 4.5 mile hike around Tully Lake (just across the Athol line into Royalston) on Sunday afternoon. This is a great recreational lake about 48 miles from Chicopee. Excellent lake for kayaking and canoeing, picnicing, and hiking as well as frisby golf, if you do that. This place is well worth the drive.
Volleyball area with the boat ramp in the background. There is also a horseshoe pit.
There is a very scenic view about .4 of a mile on the left of the lake accessible by an improved pathway. A series of waterfalls are accessible by hiking about 2.5 miles around the lake to them, or by taking an improved path just past the campgrounds, or you can drive up to the beginning of the falls on a paved road.
Hiking around the lake is a pretty challenging hike because of the roots and rocks. Hiking boots are definitely recommended. I would definitely start on the left side of the lake otherwise you will be doing a lot of uphill hiking. To the right of the lake is a frisby golf course. This is an excellent lake for canoes and kayaks because there are several islands to explore and boat motors larger than 9 hp are prohibited. In fact both times I was there, I saw no motorized boats.
This is a great place to visit. To further whet your appetite for Tully Lake, I have posted a video of the upper section of the waterfalls. Happy exploring!
Video of Upper Section of Doane's Falls
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