We hiked the Ridge Trail in Ashfield today, a new trail for most of us. A wonderful trail!! with a steady climb to the top with views, then back down the same trail to our cars. A little over 2 hours .The cold persists but the sun is noticeably higher in the sky. Photos: 1: We’d never seen so many coyote tracks, and here’s one of many spots where they gathered and “partied”. 2.Nancy attached my camera to her versatile hiking pole and we managed a timed group photo. And from that same spot, we had great views down into Ashfield’s Apple Valley. Further up trail, we were able to make out Mt. Monadnock (NH)and various named hills and mountains closer to home. 3. Cashews and dried cherries for us, dog biscuits for our best friends. 4. Hiking back down after having had such a perfect time together. Because of scholars in the group, I’m getting better at indentifying trees by their bark, but it is a tricky business! 5. Snowshoes and spikes come off and we head to our favorite lunch place: Elmer’s Store in Ashfield where most of us had the Shrimp Gumbo soup. There were STRANGE things in that soup! Turned out all those legs and tentacle looking things were parts of soft shell crabs. It was absolutely delicious, if a bit startling at first. Next week: a Tuesday hike in Windsor with Trustees of Reservations and theThursday hike somewhere in WIlliamsburg… hopefully near enough to the Williamsburg Inn where we’ve been known to splurge on the $5 Turkey Dinner. Until then, try to stay warm! Love , Penny 
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