John Satterlee
Team Member
At some point in the last ten years, I came up with the notion of taking a trip up Greylock if the Red Sox ever won it all. Don't ask me why, perhaps spurred by such chatter on the highpointer's forum.
I happened to have a school reunion in Lenox, MA, a few miles south, this afternoon-the day of the first game of the 2004 world series. I figured that the Sox beating the Yankees was just as good, so I headed up.
There are two roads to the top, one from the south and one from the north. I decided to do a loop. I parked at the south park entrance and took Rte 7 to Rte 2 and then took Notch Rd, the northern road, then returned on the southern road.
A nice suprise was how beautiful the roads between the two mountain roads were, along a beautiful valley up Rte 7 and then a nice quiet road alongside a little river with lots of fall foliage left.
Because it was forecast to be in the 30s in the morning, it was hard to dress for, especially when the descent would be so chilling after a vigorous climb. I ended up taking off the helmet, gloves, and down to shirts on the way up. I had almost full winter gear on for the return.
16 or so miles after the start, the climb started and as the steep ascents began, I began to wonder what the heck I was doing up there. I had just driven the same exact route a few weeks earlier and I recalled only one steep section, but I seemed to hit that same section 5 or 6 times.
The woods were lovely, not yet leafless but enough gone to litter the ground and provide for nice views once high enough.
After a few miles, someone had kindly spray painted the miles on the ground, the road leveled out somewhat, and a view of the summit tower popped thru the newly leafless trees.
Both the north and south roads join near the summit, with some great views of the valley below, you definitely don't see views like that in Rhode Island.
The summit was full of people, a group or two of youths and lots of cars all over. I had just been to the summit a few weeks before and I was running late, so I skipped a stopover at Bascom Lodge to warm up by the fire.
The descent down the south approach was not exactly down hill all the way and there was actually a little climb. The road surface sucked bad so I couldn't really build up speed.
There was another fireplace at the lodge at the start of the road, but I barely had time to enjoy that warmth either.
I happened to have a school reunion in Lenox, MA, a few miles south, this afternoon-the day of the first game of the 2004 world series. I figured that the Sox beating the Yankees was just as good, so I headed up.
There are two roads to the top, one from the south and one from the north. I decided to do a loop. I parked at the south park entrance and took Rte 7 to Rte 2 and then took Notch Rd, the northern road, then returned on the southern road.
A nice suprise was how beautiful the roads between the two mountain roads were, along a beautiful valley up Rte 7 and then a nice quiet road alongside a little river with lots of fall foliage left.
Because it was forecast to be in the 30s in the morning, it was hard to dress for, especially when the descent would be so chilling after a vigorous climb. I ended up taking off the helmet, gloves, and down to shirts on the way up. I had almost full winter gear on for the return.
16 or so miles after the start, the climb started and as the steep ascents began, I began to wonder what the heck I was doing up there. I had just driven the same exact route a few weeks earlier and I recalled only one steep section, but I seemed to hit that same section 5 or 6 times.
The woods were lovely, not yet leafless but enough gone to litter the ground and provide for nice views once high enough.
After a few miles, someone had kindly spray painted the miles on the ground, the road leveled out somewhat, and a view of the summit tower popped thru the newly leafless trees.
Both the north and south roads join near the summit, with some great views of the valley below, you definitely don't see views like that in Rhode Island.
The summit was full of people, a group or two of youths and lots of cars all over. I had just been to the summit a few weeks before and I was running late, so I skipped a stopover at Bascom Lodge to warm up by the fire.
The descent down the south approach was not exactly down hill all the way and there was actually a little climb. The road surface sucked bad so I couldn't really build up speed.
There was another fireplace at the lodge at the start of the road, but I barely had time to enjoy that warmth either.
