Bicycle Tour: Otter River State Forest, Day Three

No bears. I fell asleep at about 9:30 and woke up at 11:30. I got out my binoculars and tripod and did some stargazing for an hour. Ursa Major, Bootes (Arcturus), Scorpio (Antares), Lyra (Vega), Cygnus (Deneb). Tried to view Albiero. Bright lights from restroom made me walk over to the swimming beach where it was darker. When I was finished, I reviewed star charts to remind me what I had viewed. I couldn’t use any of my iPhone stargazing apps because my signal is too weak. I went to sleep again at about 1:00 am. After my usual breakfast, I walked into town to the Cumberland Farms, where I bought a sandwich, chips, yogurt, and three bananas. I took many photos of the town: Somerville nice houses, the lack of sidewalks in some sections of US 202, and about a dozen photos of empty nip bottles. Living on US 202 is noisy from trucks, loud motorcycles, and high speed car traffic. The speed limit in town is generally ignored. Everyone has to drive. I don’t know where the big grocery store is. The total walk was 3 miles. I explored the park. It is very quiet here; about 10% full. It is 62 F at 9:00 am, headed for maybe 80, but I can’t get a weather forecast. I am going to be lazy, then move to Group Camp B at about 3:30 when the AMC group led by Denny LaForce arrives. Sites in the 70s get a lot of highway noise. The nearby restrooms are closed. The nature trail between sites 55 and 56 is a two-mile hike to Lake Dennison. I walked about a quarter mile and turned back because I was not a prepared hiker. I could come back for a few days, maybe riding out on Saturday or Sunday for road safety and staying here for a few days to explore the area. Tully Lake is about ten miles away. I took a nap from 11:00-12:30. I’m reading Charles Stross’s The Trader’s War, an omnibus containing The Clan Corporate & The Merchants’ War.

On Saturday, June 1, 2024, I enjoyed a rest day at Otter River State Forest by exploring the area on foot. (For the second day of this tour, see Otter River, Day Two).

I slept well and woke up at 5:00 a.m. It was cold, maybe in the high 40s. There were no bears in the nighttime.

After sleeping some more, in the morning I walked one and a half miles to the Cumberland Farms store in Baldwinville for fruit, snacks, and a sandwich. There are some beautiful old houses along U.S. 202 in Baldwinville.

A beautiful old house in Baldwinville

Otter River State Forest entrance sign

Otter River State Forest entrance road

Ferns growing in Otter River State Forest

Later in the morning I explored the park’s roads and trails. The park was about 10% occupied. Sites in the 70s got a lot of highway noise, and the nearby restrooms were closed.

Pine trees growing in Otter River State Forest

Beaman Pond

Near Beaman Pond, I found a brick patio commemorating the North American Family Campers Association.

North American Family Campters Association brick patio

The Wilder McKenzie Nature Trail, which starts between sites 55 and 56, is a two-mile hike to Lake Dennison, a state park with another campground. I walked about a quarter mile and turned back because I was not a prepared for hiking.

Wilder McKenzie Nature Trail to Lake Dennison

I took a nap from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In the very warm afternoon, I began striking camp, and at about 3:00 p.m. the AMC tour leader found me and told me the tour group had arrived at Group Site B. I finished packing, rode over to the group site, set up my tent, and joined the everyone for dinner.

Conversation included talking about black bears and the bear box at the group site (which we all used); when in the life of a tree does it sequester the most carbon (old trees have the highest rate, and if we stop cutting down old trees, we can avoid 1.5 degrees, although I think we’re beyond that point); new and existing bicycle trails and how long it takes to build one; bad drivers; nip bottles by the road; and advocacy groups like AMC, MassBike, and local advocates in various regions, cities, and towns in New England.

Since I had trouble texting even via satellite, I walked to the parking lot where there was open sky for getting a satellite link.

Everyone went to bed between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. I got up at 2:45 a.m. to use the restroom. Vega was right overhead. Even here there was noticeable light pollution. The park buildings were lit brightly with indiscriminate floodlights.

My phone drained its battery fairly quickly unless I put it into airplane mode. The battery on my watch had the same problem. I depleted one of my 10k power banks.

For the fourth day of this tour, see Otter River State Forest, Day Four.