Sunday, March 29, 2009

March 25th hike

The hike took place on the Jellison Cape which is in the Stockton Springs/Fort Point area.
A cool day with plenty of sunshine made for a pleasant 5+ mile walk for about 34 DOC members and guest. We had lunch on a grassy Knol overlooking the Penobscot river and arrived just in time to view one of the new oil rig modules being shipped from Maine to the gulf of Mexico.












Monday, March 23, 2009

2009 2nd Quarter Schedule


DOWNEAST OUTING CLUB

DOWNEAST OUTING CLUB
Activity Schedule – April, May, June, 2009


Contact person must be called to confirm meeting place and time. If you cannot reach contact person, call Jim Z.. Don't forget your lunch. In consideration of other hikers, please, no dogs on the trail.

Bob B. will happily accept 2009 dues, $5 per member, from anyone who has not already paid. If in doubt, call him. Checks should be made out to Downeast Outing Club.

April 2 Newbury Neck
Walk from town beach to tennis courts and back. Lunch at town beach. 6 miles round trip. Meet at church lot diagonally across from Surry Gardens on R t172. Call Donald P. if you plan to attend.

April 9 Fields Pond
Moderate 3 mile hike in the woods with a few difficult areas. Meet at Audubon Nature Center in Holden on Fields Pond Road. Call Gordon or Jane R. if you plan to attend.

April 16 Sears Island
Walk 5.7 miles around island along the shore or, for easier footing and a shorter walk, 3 miles roundtrip in the island interior. Meet at the end of the causeway. Call Bob or Sandy B. if you plan to attend.

April 23 Gorham Mountain
On MDI Moderate hike up Gorham Mtn with an elevation gain of 525 feet and nice views from the top. Continue along Gorham Mtn trail down to Ocean Path and past Thunder Hole. If time and conditions permit we can also hike around Great Head. Flat walk on Ocean Shore Path also available. Distance 4 or 5 miles. Meet at Schooner Head Pkg area. Call Gloria H. if you plan to attend.

April 30 Veazie Town Forest
Walk through the Town Forest and along Eagle Way in hopes of seeing eagles and then to the Veazie Salmon Club for lunch at the picnic tables. Take first right after the light at Chase Road on Rt.2 coming in to Veazie. Call Sue S. if you plan to attend.

May 7 Day Mountain Cave on MDI

Moderate hike to the cave over trails and carriage road with a couple of short but moderately steep pitches. About 3 miles round trip with plenty of options for a longer hike. Meet at Champlain Mtn parking on the south side of Rt 3 in Seal Harbor. Call Doug M. if you plan to attend.


May 14 Beech Mtn and Canada and Beech Cliffs
On MDI Both of these hikes are classified as moderate. Meet at the parking area at the end of Beech Hill Road. Call Gail or George D. if you plan to attend.

May 21 Mt Waldo
Meet at Mendall Marsh boat launch area on Rt 1A between Prospect and Frankfort. Call David or Elise A. if you plan to attend.

May 28 Acadia Mountain
MDI About 3 miles, some steep parts. Climb to the summit, descend on Somes Sound side, return via Man O’War Brook fire road. Meet at Acadia Mtn parking area on Rt 102 near Echo Lake. Call Christina D. if you plan to attend.

QUARTERLY MEETING June 4 12:00 noon

Potluck Lunch at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Ellsworth Call Work Crew member: Christina D. or Gail E. at or Kathy and Jim Z.

June 5, Friday
TBA

June 11 Flying Moose Mountain in Orland.

Flying Moose Mtn is located on the Wildlands – Great Pond Conservation Trust Land. Easy/moderate hike, mostly flat. 4.2 miles. Meet at North Gate on Bald Mtn Road off Rt 46. Call Joe or Ellie B. if you plan to attend.

June 18 Catherine and Caribou Mountains in Franklin.
Both trails start from the same point. Catherine is 1.4 miles roundtrip and Caribou is a little shorter. Both are moderate with different great views. From Ellsworth drive east on Rt 1, turn left on Rt 182 across from Viking Lumber, drive about 13.4 miles, look for DOC signs, turn rt , drive 1 mile on dirt road to starting area. Call Barbara or Dick S. if you plan to attend.

June 25 Holbrook Sanctuary on Cape Rosier
Route to be determined.
About 4 miles. Meet at Brooksville Fire Department on Rt 176. Call Shirley E. if you plan to attend. The next meeting of the planning committee will be on May 22nd. Contact any of the following with suggestions and offers to lead hikes: Joe B., Sue S., Linda B., Gloria H., Christina D., Dick F., Jim Z., and David A. if you plan to attend.

Annual Camping Trip August 16, 17, 18
Details to be announced

The Downeast Outing Club, its members and contact persons, take no responsibility and have no liability for any accident or injury associated with its activities. Participants do so at their own risk and with the understanding that trip leaders are not experts.


Spring sking in Maine

Several DOC members took advantage of sunny skies to squeeze in an all day ski at Baxter before the snow deteriorated. (Jane is not sitting down on the job, but thigh deep in a soft pocket of snow.)

Sunday, March 22, 2009

March 19th Naskeag Point in Brooklin

Fridays hike at Naskeag Point in Brooklin was a delightful walk with a stop at the Wodden Boat School. Lots of sunshine and little wind.
Lunch was on the Naskeag Point beach in warm sunshine.





Sunday, March 15, 2009

Maine Bear Monitoring 2009

This link has nothing to do with the DOC but as Shirley E. points out it is very interesting.

Follow this link http://www.crownofmaine.com/paulcyr/stories/bear-monitoring-2009/
to a photo journal by Paul Cyr where Maine state biologist are doing their annual bear monitoring

March 12th at Schoodic Point

The bright sunny day won out over the 20' temperatures and wind to entice about 20 DOC members to a lovely 3+ mile walk along the coast at Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park.
Pat B. was the hike leader and invited everybody to her house afterwards to warm up.



Wednesday, March 11, 2009

DOC Hawaiian Explorers Report

Breaking News . . .
5 DOC members report that the sun is shining in Hawaii, copied below is the text and picture of the explorers March 7th email.

Hi Jim and DOC
Wishing you were here! It's been a little damp, but we're making the most of our time together.
Jane, Gordon, Charlotte, Ron & Gloria

Mar 5 QUARTERLY MEETING

The DOC quarterly meeting took place last Thursday as scheduled. About 40 DOC members were present to listen to the club officers reports, hear the proposed hiking schedule for the 2nd quarter of 2009, and enjoy the usual pot-luck lunch.





Bangor Land Trust Schedule of Upcoming Events

Below is a list of several events that the Bangor Land Trust is hosting.
If you are interested and would like to get some more info on these events you can contact Bangor Land Trust directly at www.bangorlandtrust.org or (207) 942-1010

Monday, March 2, 2009

February 19th hike

The February 19th hike was superseded by a bit of bad weather. Fortunately the following Saturday was a great weather day and a few intrepid DOC members donned snowshoes or skis and enjoyed the Green Lake railroad trail lead by Gloria H