Re: Miles Standish

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@ici.net>]

cms@fluent.com wrote:
> 
> Hi all you New Englanders: I just heard that Miles Standish State Forest
> just put in an equestrian campground - yeeeha! Sounds like a road trip is
> in order...
> 
> Anybody want to plan a training/camping weekend for this summer?
> 
> Chelle and Dy
> Tunbridge, VT (not too many rocks, but a lot of monster hills)

Yes, there is a new 14-space horse campground located in the extreme
southeast corner of the park near Charge Pond.  This new campground
(actually, a conversion of a little-used existing tent camp) is
almost entirely due to the effort of two local trailriders, Pat and
Bob Derosiers, who took the opportunity when the park Superintendant
offerred it, and who supplied most of the labor to renovate the camp.
I understand that there are two water and restroom facilities, and--get
this--a *hot water shower* near the camp entrance.  Otherwise the
camping is "primitive."

The camp is kind of experimental.  It is not clear yet whether you
will be able to reserve spots through the new Massachusetts State Forest
web-based campground reservation system, or whether it will be done
on a more closely-controlled basis through the park Superintendant's
office.  The campground is only open for overnight camping from April
through October.  At other times of the year, day trips are fine.

Myles Standish is in southeast Massachusetts where the climate is
comparatively mild.  Often, when the rest of Massachusetts is snow-covered,
Myles Standish is still clear, with temperatures a good 10 degrees
warmer than they are west and north of Boston.  Because of the frequent
relatively deep sand footing the park is not popular with mountain bikers
in the summer.  (The park's mountain biker nickname is "Myles SANDish.")  You
do see them in the winter because the ground firms up when it freezes.  The
park used to be open to ORVs, but they were barred two years go, although
we are trying to get this changed because the ORV people are willing
to do a massive amount of trail maintenance and have the heavy-duty
equipment to accomplish a lot.  The upshot is:  Myles Standish is great for
winter riding!

Note that this overnight campground is in addition to the horseman's
day parking area near Barren Pond and the central forest headquarters.

Somebody said, "If you hold it, they will come."  Unfortunately, I do
not consider myself, by a *long way*, experienced enough to organize an
ECTRA or AERC ride.  But somebody really ought to give this park a good
hard look.  (Incidentally, in my last post I said you could hold a 100
here with "scarcely a loop."  I meant to say, "scarcely a *repeat* loop.")
I think it would be a splendid place to hold a late winter or very
early spring ride, like the Vermont January Thaw Ride, but kinder
and gentler!

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Massachusetts, USA