JW Documents

A Random November Saturday in the mid-west of the Northeast

So it’s Friday night and, with plans of checking out a possible new biking spot in the morning, I’ve got to deal with the possibility that my biking companion/ brother/ current roommate will be MIA due to a hangover.  If this is the case he’ll be left to sleep the day away while I enjoy romping through a new biking spot.  No rest for the weary.  Oh wait, I mean no waiting for the weary.  We/I will be heading out to Willard Brook and while I’ve read some quick reviews on the place we’re pretty much going in cold and hoping for the best.  The best being a good spot close to home that I can spend some quality time tearing apart with my freshly tuned Cannondale and the worst being a glorified campground.                                                                                        

                                                          Morning comes quickly and, to my surprise, my brother isn’t hung over and is only mildly behind schedule.  We make it out the door by noon and to Willard Brook by 12:30.  We get lost on the way, but this (of course) is the navigator’s fault as we (insert he) forgot to bring any map of any sort.   Whatever, life’s better this way. We scramble out of the Pathfinder and unceremoniously unload our bikes (both used hardtail Cannondales).

Willard Brook is much like most State Parks in that there’s an entrance (always key) which is easily identifiable (insert “therefore, probably crowded” in the summer months).  The park is located off route 119(somewhat close to route 2 and about 50 miles from Boston) and consists mostly of hiking trails, few of which are much fun to ride.   The trails are overly rocky and crowded with tree roots and the going is slow.  We quickly conclude (right or wrong, we don’t care) that this is more of a campground than a mountain biker’s paradise. We make our fun tearing through the stream seeing how far into the mud we can pedal.  There is a quarry behind the park that looks inviting and we vow to come back with digital cameras (and helmets).

Mission failed, we decide on the ever popular “plan B”.   Next stop, Leominster State Park.   Tried, Tested and True.  Leominster State Park offers a little something for everybody; from technical and strenuous to the easy ride through the woods that weekend warriors love.  Good riding if you’re the type that only wants a quick 2 hour excursion, but you can also spend the entire day exploring the various trails and offshoots.  Located literally minutes off route 2, the only problem with LSP is that it’s usually crammed with other people.  Saturday is no different and although we outlast most of them and ride past dusk, we run into the usual hiking and biking traffic that LSP provides.  Other concerns are the constant gunshots from the shooting range at the back of the Forest and, since hunting season is upon us, the occasional gunshot from the other direction as well.  As we wanted no part of the fun that bullet dodging provides we stayed away from that part of the park.  Navigating hills and traversing through State Parks can apparently be tiring after a late night out and my partner tired quickly.  We called it a day at around 5:30 pm and vow to go all out and take on the ominous Wachuesett (part of the mid-state trail) next weekend.