Ames Norwell SP orientation

[Mr Magoo]

I am a principally Blue Hills or Wampatuck rider, but my son is playing soccer in Rockland tonite from 6-8pm so I am going to Ames Norwell for some broader horizons. I remember somebody telling me that the goods may lie on private land as well as the SP. (Ssshh). Is Chestnut Street the preferred trailhead? Should I use the State provide map for anything? Any tips provided are most appreciated. Thanks for the last minute info

[Slider]

That is Bill Boles backyard. I am sure he knows it well. I'm guessing he's NembaBill here.

I rode it years ago, and it was OK, but not real challenging. From there, though, you can ride power lines to Cranberry Pond in Holbrook/Braintree - much better. I would guess there are lots of houses that have spring up since my moto rides there 20 years ago, but the trails back then were pretty cool.

It has been so long that I would mistrust my directions from the power lines, especially considering the many changes that likely occurred. Maybe Bill can help.

I entered to reach Ames Nowell from the power lines on Route 139. Heading the other way takes you toward Cranberry Pond. There are lots more entry points, though.

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[Mr Magoo]

That would be a great trail to establish: Braintree to Abington. As I drive along upper liberty street heading south I often think about what it would take politically to get permission to do it right. Using powerlines to string together conservation parcels. Its great to know that you've already done it. I must explore this some day on my own.

Meanwhile, I just drove a couple of extra miles to the back of norwell end of wampatuck and rode familiar trails instead of getting lost in Ames Norwell. Some other time. Thanks for the input.

[Slider]

At least back when I was moto'ing there, I never got any complaints or confrontations. Might be tighter now, if there's been a lot of development, but a bike should hardly be noticed, I'd think.

One cool story about Cranberry Pond. There's a big rock right alongside the pond. The trail skirts it, and there are a couple of routes up onto it. At the top, there's a recess that gives you a nice windbreak and view of the pond.

Now, I was an archaeology major at UMass. Never finished, but that is another story. I'd researched the prehistory of the area, and found that the river and surrounds became unnavigable around 4,000 years ago, as the waters receeeded following the last ice age and the shallow river valley silted up. There was not much local activity until colonial times, since there was no good route to get there. So any artifacts are 4K years old or more.

Back then, pond was really just a deep basin in a broad, shallow river valley. Picture LOTS more water back then. The rock that now sits along the pond would have been a great vantage point to see the whole valley, and the vast herds of red deer or whatever would be easy to scope out from it. You can even see what was the shore line a long time ago - it now shows as a two foot drop as you approach the pond, several yards before the current water edge.

All this was passing through my head one day as I sat crosslegged in the hollow on that rock, during a cold winter ride. I used to change my soaked socks there. I'm thinking "I bet someone once sat right here, preparing to hunt." I looked down between my legs, and there's a perfect projectile point, plus a lot of debitage - the stuff left behind as you knap new points. I got chills as I realized that someone had sat exactly where I was, making spear points, and enjoyig the same wind break that was making me more comfortable many centuries later.

A small tree had grown up in the cleft and its roots pulled up the artifacts from deeper in the dirt that had accumulated there over the centuries. I bet there's more to be found, but I resisted the urge to rape the site and dig. But now, so long after that day, there might be more stuff on the top. Check it out if you make the trip!

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[nembabill]

I usually ride in from the Brockton end, Using the powerline that crosses Boundary Street. (Which is the Brockton Abington line.)
There are enough trails to explore that you can keep busy for an hour or so. But not enough for a full day's riding.
I rode/walked the trail around the South side of Cleveland Pond last week. It used to be a nice trail, but now most of it is a 15 - 20 foot wide mudbog. I became mosquito food!!! :(