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2014, No. 5
Winter (November, December, January)
Newsletter of the Cyclonauts Bicycling Club — Springfield, Massachusetts
THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER
As I write this, the fall foliage is at its peak, the
weather is sunny and warm and perfect for biking.
But soon the leaves will fall, the temperature will
drop, and it will be time to put away the bikes and
get out the hiking boots and (dare I say it) skis.
Thanks also to Suzanne McAuley and Mary Ann
Siron, who put together our hike schedules for November through March. Please look through the
offerings in this issue, and mark your calendar to
join the club on some great outings!
Thanks to all who led rides this season, and to our
ride schedule coordinators: Betty Siwinski, Joe
and Janet Parslow, Ken Paquette, Susan Strange,
and Chuck Allsop. We all appreciate your dedication and effort.
Happy trails,
Liz Sturgen
CYCLING EQUIPMENT NEWS
Check out the amazing inflatable helmet. Developed by
the Hovding company in Sweden, it works like an airbag.
Normally it is worn around the neck like a scarf. In case
a crash is imminent, an internal gyroscope detects the
sudden shift in the cyclist’s orientation angle and the airbag is rapidly inflated, using a helium charge. It is
claimed to cushion the head much better than a plastic
helmet. It also provides more coverage, including the
neck area. Who will be the first Cyclonaut to wear one ?
WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
Please welcome Brian Walczak,
Brian & Carrie Rogers. We hope you
will enjoy cycling and hiking with the
Cyclonauts. We encourage you
to present your ideas, as we are always looking
for ways to improve our organization. We hope to
see you soon on a ride or hike.
WEBMASTER’S CORNER
Our club website is www.cyclonauts.com. You can find our latest hike schedule there.
Photos of recent rides and hikes can be found in the Gallery section. Send photos &
postings to the Webmaster, Ray Siwinski at spfldcyclonauts@gmail.com. Ray should
be notified if you are able to lead a hike on an open date, or if the weather forces cancellation of a hike.
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Winter 2014
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The deadline for the Winter Supplement of the Spoke Notes is Thurs, Jan 22, 2015. All hike
schedules, notices and other entries to the newsletter must be submitted by that date to:
Peter Munk
18 Evergreen Drive
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
or petermunk7@gmail.com
WEDNESDAY HIKES
Breakfast is at 8:00 AM at the restaurant listed (unless another time is listed below). Hikes begin at 9:00 AM.
Wear clothing in layers suitable for the weather. Bring water and food. Trails may be icy — wear
appropriate footwear. If at least 4 inches of snow is on the ground, hike will be replaced by cross-country
skiing or snow shoeing. Rain cancels. If in doubt about conditions, contact the leader.
11/5/14 - Hike Monadnock (new trail!!) State of New Hampshire - Will charge $4.00/person. Meet @ Stop and Shop
Parking lot Rt 5, Northampton @ 7:30 am. Breakfast somewhere in New Hampshire
Mary Ann Siron - 413 568 3304 - ottertales@comcast.net Dogs not allowed - Moderate to Strenuous
11/12/14 - Note: this is raindate for Monadnock hike. Hike Robert Frost Trail/M and M trail through Horse Caves and
over Mt Norwottuck (about 4 miles) Breakfast @ Atkins, Amherst. Meet @ 9 at Notch Visitor's Center Rt 116 to hike. Dog friendly - Call leader if in doubt Betty Siwinski - 413 427 6095 bettrad@msn.com
11/19/14 - Hike Whitaker Woods, Somers, Ct. Breakfast @ the Plaza Restaurant, Rt 83 Somers, Ct.
Don Maynard - 413 525 3464 - djmaynard07@charter.net Dog Friendly
11/26/14 - Hike Conant Brook Dam, Monson. Breakfast @ Beth's Family Dining 107 Main St. Monson.
Chuck Allsop - 413 782 6328 - hi2sam@verizon.net Dog Friendly
12/3/14 - Hike Miller - Luden Pond, Monson. Breakfast @ Reid's, 20 East Longmeadow Road, Hampden, Ma
Don Maynard - 413 525 3464 - djmaynard07@charter.net Dog Friendly
12/10/14 - Hike Rice Nature Preserve (top of Highmoor St off Main St.) Wilbraham, Mass (moderate hike)
Park in bank parking lot across from Village Café, 462 Main St, Wilbraham, for breakfast.
Mike Cronin - 413 566 3114 - mike92341@gmail.com
Dog friendly
12/17/14 - Hike Mt Tom (away from "microburst damage"). Moderate and dog friendly. Breakfast @ "Denny's" @ 8,
2173 Northampton St., Holyoke. Meet @ Bray Lake parking lot, Mt. Tom Reservation
Rt.5, Holyoke, Mass @ 9 am. Mary Ann Siron - 413 568 3304 - ottertales@comcast.net
1/1/15 - PLEASE NOTE, for this date only Wed hike is moved to Thursday, New Year's Day @ 10 am. Hike Chicopee
State Park. Park in back of Deegan's Restaurant, Burnett Rd, Chicopee. Pot luck to follow at Suzanne's.
Please bring food item to share and slippers or indoor shoes to wear in her house. Moderate, dog friendly.
Bring snowshoes, x-c skis or microspikes depending on the weather. Suzanne McAuley - 413 530 4686
1/7/15 - Hike Case Mt. in Manchester, Ct. - Moderate and Dog Friendly. Meet @ Plaza Restaurant parking lot Rt. 83,
Somers, car pool to Manchester. Breakfast @ Vernon Diner. Lisa Hall - 330-957-8872 lisah7us@gmail.com
1/14/15 - Hike Wendell St. Forest. Moderate and Dog friendly. Meet @ Stop & Shop parking lot Rt 5, Northampton at
7:30, carpool to Breakfast @ Shady Glen, Turners Falls. Evi Schactl - 978-544-2121 evievi111@gmail.com
1/21/15 - Hike Chicopee St Park. Note: We will be crossing the "scary bridge" unless group decides differently.
Breakfast @ The Trading Post - 769 Burnett Rd, Chicopee. Easy to Moderate - Dog friendly
Ann Morin - 413 592 4123 - morinann@hotmail.com
1/28/15 - Hike Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area, Northampton. Breakfast @ Big Y food court, Rt 5, Northampton.
Hike 9 am @ Moose Lodge Entrance of Conservation Area, end of Cooke Ave in NoHo - easy to moderate
and dog friendly. Al Shane - 413 548 9435 - alnmarion@juno.com
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Winter 2014
SATURDAY HIKE SCHEDULE
Breakfast is at 8:00 AM at the restaurant listed. Hikes begin at 9:00 AM.
Wear clothing in layers suitable for the weather. Bring water and food.
Trails may be icy — wear appropriate footwear. If at least 4 inches of snow
is on the ground, hike will be replaced by cross-country skiing or snow
shoeing. Rain cancels. If in doubt about conditions, contact the leader.
Nov. 1 - 8:00 Breakfast at Beth’s Family Diner, 107 Main St. (Rt. 32), Monson. 9:00 Hike Peaked Mountain.
The trailhead in located on Butler Rd., Monson at the Miller Forest Tract-Lunden Pond parking lot. The Hike
around Lunden pond is mostly level. The second part of the hike is up Peaked Mountain which is a moderate
climb of 1200'. 2 ½ hours total. Mike Cronin (413) 566-3114 or mike92341@gmail.com. Dog Friendly
Nov. 8 – 8:00 Breakfast at Beth’s Family Diner, 107 Main St. (Rt. 32) Monson. 9:00 Hike Norcross Wildlife
Sanctuary. Don Maynard 413-525-3464.
Nov. 15 – 8:00 Breakfast at Atkins, Amherst. 9:00 Hike from Batchelor St. Parking lot. Climb to Norwottuck.
Paul will do a shorter, flatter hike. Ann Morin and Paul Griffin - 413-592-4123 or morinann@hotmail.com
Dog Friendly
Nov. 22 & Nov. 29 - Dates Open. Please contact Suzanne McAuley if you can fill either of these dates.
corgislivehere@gmail.com or 413-530-4686
Dec. 6 – 8:00 Breakfast at Day & Night Diner 1456 N. Main St., Palmer, leave at 9:00 for Maduro Woods,
Palmer. Don Maynard 413-525-3464
Dec. 13 – 8:00 Breakfast at Tailgate, South Hadley, 9:00 Hike MT Holyoke Campus, Riding Stables, and back
of MT Holyoke campus. About 4 miles. Bea Robinson – 413-786-0190. Dogs must be on leash
Dec. 20 – 8:00 Breakfast at Tailgate, South Hadley. 9:00 Hike Skinner State Park. Park at entrance gate. Paul
Griffin and Ann Morin 413-592-4123 or morinann@hotmail.com
Dec 27 – 8:00 Breakfast at Cushman’s Market, Pine St., Amherst. 9:00 Hike Robert Frost Trail from Amherst to
Mt Orient in Pelham. Bring drinks and snacks. Peter Munk 413-525-8534 petermunk7@gmail.com Dog Friendly
Jan. 3 – 8:00 Breakfast at Atkins, Amherst. 9:00 Hike at the Notch. Park at Visitor's Center. Paul Griffin and Ann
Morin - 413-592-4123 or morinann@hotmail.com
Jan. 10 – 8:00 Bridge Side Grill, RT. 116 Sunderland. 9:00 carpool to MT Toby. The Trial Head is located on
Reservation Rd. off Rt. 47N. Moderately Strenuous Long Hike with steep climb to summit 3-4 hours. Bring water/snacks. Dog Friendly. Suzanne McAuley, 413-530-4686 or corgislivehere@gmail.com
Jan. 17 - Date Open. Please contact Suzanne McAuley if you can fill the date. corgislivehere@gmail.com or
413-530-4686
Jan. 24 – 8:00 Breakfast at Atkins, RT. 116, Amherst. 9:00 Hike from the Notch Visitors Center. Suzanne
McAuley, corgislivehere@gmail.com or 413-530-4686. Dog Friendly
Jan 31 – 8:00 Breakfast at the Wagon Wheel Country Drive In, Rt 2, Gill, MA. or 9:00 at Northfield Mountain.
Hike or snowshoe to Rose Ledges, about 5 miles of moderate terrain. Bring snow shoes and/or stabilizers.
There is no fee for snowshoe trails. Dogs are not allowed. Call leader for details. Betty Siwinski (413) 427-6095
or bettrad@msn.com
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