Welcome!  Please CONTACT US with any questions about events.

Tusi ritachild@hotmail.com and Nira niraharper@gmail.com

When you participate in an event, you assume the risk as stated here:

Please note that all Women Outdoors trips are cooperative trips led by volunteers.  While members are concerned for safety, our experience levels differ and mistakes may be made.  There may also be equipment failure, unexpected dangers, or conditions beyond our control (such as weather).  There is also an inherent level of risk in many of the activities that cannot be eliminated.  Women Outdoors and its coordinators don’t train, screen or certify any of the leaders or supervise the trips.  All trips are offered in the common adventurer spirit – where each participant is responsible for her own skills level and safety.  Please be sure to verify all of the information above as well as the organizer’s experience and trip plans to your own satisfaction so you can make an informed decision about whether the trip is right and safe for you.  Remember that in choosing to participate you are agreeing to assume responsibility for all risks associated with the activity.  Women Outdoors trips have an excellent safety record.  We ask that you take care to keep it this way!

Wednesday Walks. Noor and others will lead some Wednesday hikes or walks, not every week, usually at 1:00 pm. Details will be posted over the listserv.

April 1. April Adieu Challenge.  Introducing the "April Adieu" 30 day Challenge! Want to start losing that added winter weight? "Tone those Abs", Want a kick start to an active summer season? It's time to dust off the stationary bikes, pull out the free weights, put on the "sneaks"  and join the April Adieu 30 day Challenge!

Strength train, walk, run, row, swim, yoga, Tai chi, pickleball,PT activities! You get to choose 4 out of 5 activities. (open to others that I haven't thought of and that can count (seriously) for cardio or added health benefits). Let me know by Sat. March 30^th  if you would like to participate!

The fun Challenge begins April 1st!! and ends April 30th. 

Tues. April 2. Games Night.  We'll gather at 7:00 for snacks and chats and then move into gaming by 7:30.  Please bring what you'd like to share. There is always instruction and/or an open round, so don't worry if what we play is new to you. That's part of the fun! 

Fri. April 5.  Documentary Viewing.  Please join for this special viewing of Go On, Be Brave a documentary of Andrea Lytle Peet, who, after given the terminal diagnosis of ALS at 33 years became the first person with ALS to complete a marathon on a recumbent trike in all 50 states! 

https://www.massbike.org/go_on_be_brave_film_screening_0405

Doors open at 5:15 with food from Miss Florence diner, film screening, 6:00 to 8:00 and mingling and discussion after.  Sponsored by All Out Adventures of Northampton . Tickets can be purchased at alloutadventures.app.neoncrm.com, sliding scale 0 to $35. Location -Northampton Center for the Arts, 33 Hawley Street. Women Outdoors folks going will meet at 5:30 to snack and chat before the viewing. Please let me know if you are coming so that we will keep an eye out for you.

Sat. April 6. Rail Trail Bike Ride. Let's go Bike Riding on the Rail Trail in Florence beginning at 10:00 am until 12:00 noon. Meet at the J.F.K. school at 9:45 am for parking. The trail is right across the street from J.F.K. and we can leave from there. (Helmets required) Level of difficulty is easy.

Sat. April 20. Hike at Robert’s Hill.  Let's go for a Hike at Robert's Hill in Leeds at 1:00pm to 3:00 pm.  There are three trail heads for this park and the one we'll meet at is at the far end of Water Street.  (From Reservoir Road in Leeds, take a left on Water Street and follow it down to the sign that reads "dead end" and keep going until you see the parking lot).  There are medium ascents and descents so hiking boots and sticks are recommended for stability. 

Sun. April 21. Mt. Holyoke Ridge Hike. Meet at 10:00 am at the hiker parking on Rt. 47 for a strenuous 4.7 mile up and back hike to Mt. Holyoke.  Dogs welcome. 

Sun. Apr. 21.  Hike at Ice Glen, Stockbridge, MA, 1:00 pm.  A unique, short (1.4 mile out-and-back), "moderately challenging" hike near Stockbridge, with moss-covered boulders, crags and crevices, and old-growth trees to hike over and around. We'll meet at 1:00 pm at Goodrich Memorial Park, 2 Park St, Stockbridge, MA. More details closer to the date. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/massachusetts/ice-glen-trail

https://www.oldgrowthforest.net/ma-ice-glen  

Tue. April 23. Full Moon and Poetry Hike.  For Poetry and Moon Lovers, I will be leading a 1/2 hour flat stroll on the dike in Northampton, MA. Bring a poem to read (optional) while we watch the sunset and the rise of the full moon.  Bring a chair if you prefer to sit.  Leashed pets are welcome. Meet at 7:30 pm on the front porch of 41 Williams St., Northampton.

Tue. April 30. Museum and Picnic Lunch-10:30 am.  Visit the stunning New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art in New Salem, MA followed by a picnic lunch on the patio. 

Fri. April 26. Celebrating Arbor Day with Trees & Art. Let’s celebrate Arbor day on Friday, April 26th by spending time surrounded by the beauty of trees! Please join us at 11:00 for a walk at the Berkshire Botanical Gardens (BBG) in Stockbridge. While at the BBG, we can also take in the art exhibit “Re-rooted.” Ellen Driscoll is a New York artist whose work relates to plant life. According to Driscoll, she “takes her inspiration from the quiet work plants do to survive, adapt, and heal our planet.” 

Please note: We’re not yet sure when they will begin to charge an admission fee. It will be sometime at the end of April. Admission is $18 but we are trying to get a reduction in ticket price for a group. 

Sun. April 28. Slow Poke Bike Ride. Meet at 1:00 pm for an 11 mile round trip easy bike ride from the scenic turnout in Sunderland to the Book mill in Montague. We’ll stop at the café for lunch or snack and view the waterfalls before returning.

Sat. May 4. Birding 101. 7:00-9:00 AM at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. Meet in the parking lot of the nature center for a stroll through the woods, old orchard and a look at the marsh. We'll be looking and listening for spring migrants. Slow paced walking on some uneven terrain. Bring binoculars if you have them.

Sun. May 5. Hatfield to Whately Bike Ride.  Meet in Hatfield center at 1:00 for a moderate 16 mile bike ride with a stop at a lovely view.

Wed. May 8.  Games Night.  We'll gather at 7:00 for snacks and chats and then move into gaming by 7:30.  Please bring what you'd like to share. There is always instruction and/or an open round, so don't worry if what we play is new to you. That's part of the fun!  Address is 1 Deer Haven Drive in Haydenville. Park on the street or my driveway. There's plenty of room. 

Fri. May 10. Karaoke.  8:30 - 11:30 pm. Bring your beautiful voices for a night of Karaoke at Spare Time Bowling in Northampton.  Besides singing, you can also dance to the music. This event will be at the Bar area within the Bowling alley. Practice your favorite song and perform or just come along for some big fun!!! Level of difficulty is "easily the biggest laughs you'll probably have all year".

Sun. May 12. Sanderson Falls Hike. Meet at 1:00 pm at Sanderson Falls parking lot in Chester, MA for a moderate hike with some elevation to a beautiful waterfall. Mostly a dirt road, but bring hiking poles.

Sun. May 19.  Florence-Westhampton Bike Ride. We’ll start at 1:00 pm at the bike path next to Florence Paint to ride past the old Straw Bale café and loop back.  A moderate 15 mile ride with hills.

Sun. June 2.  Bike Ride. We’ll do an 18 mile moderate ride tbd.

Wed. June 5.  Games Night. We'll gather at 7:00 for snacks and chats and then move into gaming by 7:30.  Please bring what you'd like to share. There is always instruction and/or an open round, so don't worry if what we play is new to you. That's part of the fun!  Address is 1 Deer Haven Drive in Haydenville. Park on the street or my driveway. There's plenty of room. 

Sat. June 8. Potluck Brunch and Cultural Chaos Street Festival . 10:00 am -12:00 noon brunch, 12:00… Cultural Chaos.  Meet at Marilyn & Mary’s for an outdoor potluck brunch (10 am) followed by a one mile walk (or bike) on the Manhan Bike Path to the Cultural Chaos street fair. (You could also drive to the festival — about 1 mile away) 

Cultural Chaos will be taking place on Sat. June 8th from 12:00-5:00 pm on Cottage Street in Easthampton! Cultural Chaos is a vibrant street festival featuring live music, dance, poetry, performance, visual art, and delicious food in the heart of the Cottage Street Cultural District. This event is presented by Easthampton City Arts (ECA) and the ECA Cottage Street Cultural District Committee. 

Come to the brunch and/or walk, festival!

Sun. June 9.  Lake Warner Paddle.  Meet at 1:30 to paddle this gentle, shallow lake.  It will be warm if the weather is warm, or we may need wetsuits if it’s cold.  It can be windy. Bring a snack and your pfd. 

Sat. June 22. Summer Solstice Fire Circle, MacLeish Field Station, Whately.  Meet at 7:30 for a fire circle at a beautiful site.  We’ll have singing, sharing and snacks, then watch the full moon rise.  Optional hike beforehand. Details will be posted on the listserv.

Sun. June 30.  The Tour de Mont Holyoke Range Bike Ride. 9:00 am. The ride will begin and end at Esselon Cafe in Hadley, for all who care to join in this 25.4 mile ride.

Planned for the second day of the Tour de France and in celebration of big, fun, challenging things, please join in a colorful WOwMA group ride. (A racing stripe would not be amiss, however, nor would a jaunty set of socks.) The picture of the route will be sent closer to the date, and I’ll include a checkpoint where one might join in for a shorter ride for any who might like to join in partway through.  Mileage was figured using google maps across three sections— Esselon to Warren Wright Rd (end of bike path), WW to Pearl St, south Hadley, and Pearl to Esselon. That’s right; this route does not go over the gap at the Notch; instead it rounds the entire range!

Bring water, a helmet, a snack, all the clothes you might need, and $ for eating at Esselon afterward, if you wish. Wear a bright color since we’ll be on the roads.

Vive la France!