New England Trail, Outdoors, Public Transit Hikes, Transportation

New England Trail Public Transit hikes overview

My spouse Sara and I are section hiking the New England Trail using public transit. There are some areas that require overnights due to the distance between public transit stops, but most can be done as day hikes.

Here are the sections I’ve gotten to with information about public transit options. Click the “Full post” links for a detailed description with photos.

Massachusetts

Connecticut

  • CT Sections 20-21 have no close public transit access.
  • CT Section 19: CTtransit 34 (2 mile walk) to midpoint on Hatchett Hill Road.
  • CT Section 18: CTtransit 912 to Winslow Place Park & Ride (2 mile walk) to southern end.
  • CT Section 17: CTtransit 912 to Winslow Place Park & Ride (2 mile walk) to northern end, 926 to Albany Ave & Mountain Road (1.1 mile walk), 66 to Farmington Ave & Old Mountain Road (0.5 mile walk)
  • more to come…
New England Trail, Outdoors, Public Transit Hikes, Transportation

Pioneer Valley Public Transit Hikes: New England Trail MA Sections 3 & 4

My spouse Sara and I are section hiking the New England Trail using public transit. There are some areas that require overnights due to the distance between public transit stops, but most can be done as day hikes.

In 2022 we hiked Massachusetts Section 3 and Section 4, which are in the towns of West Springfield, Westfield, and Holyoke.

A plethora of delicate mushrooms scattered amongst a lush carpet of moss.
  • Hike difficulty: Moderate – some steep climbs, long distance.
  • Approach difficulty: Moderate – crossing two busy highways and navigating a narrow underpass.
  • Distance: 7.5 miles (7.8 miles with approaches)
  • Transit: PVTA B23 (schedule, weekdays only) from the Holyoke Transportion Center (HTC) or Holyoke Community College (HCC) & R10 (schedule) from Springfield Union Station. Route G73E provides trips every half hour from Northampton’s Academy of Music to Springfield Union Station. B48 provides service from Northampton to the HTC, R41 provides service from Northampton to HCC, and P21E provides service from Springfield Union Station to HTC. Use the transit directions below for directions from where you live.

Interactive map:

 See full screen

Directions to the northern end: Take the B23 to the Westfield / Apremont (Flag Stop) – Stop 5053 (transit directions), walk 0.3 miles west of Route 202 to the trailhead (walking directions). Be careful crossing Route 202.

At the southern end, the bus stop is just to the east of the trail right after you cross Route 20 (transit directions). Be careful going under the railroad underpass on Old Westfield Road and crossing Route 20.

Section 4 runs from Route 202 to the I-90 underpass.
Our timing (late September) was perfect for amazing flushes of mushrooms. Here, a gilled mushroom with umbro stands above the duff.
A hand painted sign reading “Armageddon Trail” with skull and crossbones. The tree has begun to grow around the sign. In the background, the leaves on the living trees are still vibrant green.
A luscious mushroom cap with sunlight pouring through a spider web.
Purple aster at the base of an oak of some kind (we are guessing).
One of the many views along East Mountain.
A gorgeous yellowish-gold coral mushroom nestled in the dry leaves.
Emerging from the MassPike (I-90) underpass.
The guardrail of the MassPike is visible at the top as Section 3 begins at Bush Notch.
Autumn olive at peak ripeness.
Peckham Industries quarry.
A smattering of bright orange-red chanterelle-type mushrooms poking through the dried gray-brown leaves in striking contrast.
An old beaver-gnawed tree with fresh oyster mushrooms at its base.
Signing in to the log book at the Harold Akey Camp Area.

New England Trail, Outdoors, Public Transit Hikes, Transportation

Pioneer Valley Public Transit Hikes: New England Trail MA Section 2

My spouse Sara and I are section hiking the New England Trail using public transit. There are some areas that require overnights due to the distance between public transit stops, but most can be done as day hikes.

Last month we hiked Massachusetts Section 2, which is in the towns of Agawam, Southwick and Westfield.

  • Hike difficulty: Moderate – two steep climbs, otherwise mostly flat.
  • Approach difficulty: Hard – walking along highways with heavy traffic without sidewalks for much of the way. At the north end, in times of low water, the Westfield River can be forded and there is a transit stop right on the other side of the river.
  • Distance: 3.5 to 4.1 miles (6.9 to 7.5 miles with approaches)
  • Transit: PVTA R14 (schedule) & R10 (schedule) from Springfield Union Station. Route G73E provides trips every half hour from Northampton’s Academy of Music to Springfield Union Station.

Interactive map:

 See full screen

On the PVTA’s R14 bus to the end of the line, Pheasant Hill Apartments.

Directions to the southern end: Take the R14 to Pheasant Hill Apartments (transit directions), walk 1.2 miles on S. West Street to Rt. 57 to the trailhead (walking directions).

At the northern end, walk 2.2 miles on Feeding Hills Rd to Little River Rd to Rt. 20 to the bus stop in front of Chipotle (walking directions). Or if the Westfield River is low, you can ford the river and catch the R10 bus back to Springfield Union Station at Westfield Street (Rt. 20) and Old Westfield Road (transit directions).

Staying on the trail is recommended! The signs read “Danger Open Pit Stay Away” and “Posted Private Property”
The view to the west.
The old fire tower has partially obscured views of the area.
The trail passes by the Springfield Underground Reservoir.
One of the two steep sections.
A view of the Westfield River, with Rt. 20 (and bus stops) across the river.
Climate change, Community, Outdoors

Hudson Valley Walk Podcast

1 Comment
Crossing the Rip Van Winkle bridge.

Three years ago I spent a week walking in the Hudson Valley of New York, asking people their thoughts and feelings about climate change, staying with people I’d never met before each night, gaining an understanding of what stops people from taking action, and finding some serendipitous surprises about my influence in the world.

What I didn’t know then was that the biggest challenge would be editing the podcast! There’s just one episode, and it’s finally ready:

Thanks to Barry Febos, John Michelotti, Kristen Wilmer, Kaya Weidman, Ed Baum, Julia Indichova, Connor Stedman, Lori Gross, Fiona Fraser-Gross, Ethan and Dyami Soloviev, AnnMarie Tedeschi, Tom Houghton, Sarah Scott, Petra Aldrich, Air Nonken, Sarah Womer, Sara Katz, Myk Freedman, Julie Rosier and Oliver Brown.

Pictures from the journey:

Hard not to think about it, isn’t it?
A good spot to play pennywhistle by.
Susun Weed’s swimming pool.
The Catskill Mountain Railroad
The cutest railroad car ever
On the streets of High Falls, New York
At the top of Bonticou Crag
“He Was a Nice Guy” by Anti Liu, at the Unison Arts & Learning Center
The address was “1 Fourth St”
Poison ivy and “flowers”
Castleton Commodities power station right across the street from…
Our Lady of Mercy church
I walked past the Balmville Tree a few years too late…
For it had died.
The two mile walk across the Newburgh-Beacon bridge.
Sarah Womer of Zero To Go.
Climate change, Community, Cooperatives, Transportation

City Council run

I am very excited to announce that I am running for Ward 5 City Councilor in Northampton, Massachusetts!

Map of Ward 5, Northampton, Mass. See https://www.alexjarrett.com/map.php
for an interactive version.

I’m running on a platform of increased affordability, working to address climate change, walkable mixed-use development, safe and sustainable transportation, inclusion and social justice. Here are some quotes from my press release:

“I care about Northampton’s long-term future.  I have a vision of a Northampton that is ready for climate change and is a leader in stopping it.  Our infrastructure needs to be in good shape, and also our community as we support each other and welcome climate refugees.  My vision is of a community that has enough housing stock at an affordable price that people who grew up here can afford to stay, and that lower wage workers aren’t priced out.  A community with businesses that understand that respecting and supporting workers is in their long term best interest, and where many of those businesses are owned by the community and/or the workers themselves.  And with schools that are well funded, teach students to advocate for change and adapt to a changing world.”

“Everything we do as a city is interconnected.  Transportation policy affects development policy and vice versa, and good policy in both of these will improve our community’s health and result in a net increase in the tax base of the city.  Inclusion in the process of city government leads to a more just society. Sharing personal and city resources saves money and brings people together.”

“My job is to learn from everyone around me to understand these connections, and find consensus with other leaders.  My work over the past 16 years with Pedal People and other cooperatives has built my skills as a listener, a facilitator and as a person who can find common ground across difference, and make changes that work for everyone.”

For more about my campaign, see www.alexjarrett.com

Community, Cooperatives

Affordability of living in Northampton

I’ve lived in Northampton for 20 years.  Thirteen years ago, I bought a two-family house in Florence with three other people.

We couldn’t afford to buy here without going in on it together, but doing that made it much easier to afford and maintain. If there is a problem, we have four people to think about it together. We live right on the bike path, and together we built a bench and welcomed people to come sit on it, repair their bikes, make a free phone call and lots of other projects that our collective energy made possible.

We were talking recently about that decision, which we entered into with some trepidation, being unsure how it would really play out. We all agreed it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made, for affordability and for community.

Since I’ve moved here, rents and housing costs have just about doubled, compared to inflation of one and a half times.  My current housemates, who we charge rent to based only on what our expenses are rather than market rate, would pay double the rent they pay to us if they move elsewhere in Northampton.

Many of my friends and people I talk to can’t afford to rent or buy here anymore. Many of the fellow worker-owners of my business, Pedal People, choose or have to live in Greenfield or Holyoke and commute in.

There’s great work being done in this area. The Habitat for Humanity housing and the new buildings on Pleasant Street are good, but it’s not enough.

Until we solve the global wealth and income disparity problem, here are some ideas of what we could do locally to change this situation. Some of these ideas are not currently legal under state law, but the Northampton City Council could pass resolutions and we can lobby state lawmakers to change these laws.

Legal structures

  • Encourage the development of Community Land Trusts.  These allow a person to own their own home, but a non-profit trust owns the land under their house and leases it to them for 99 years.  If the owner wishes to sell, the trust has the option to buy based on a formula that factors in the time they’ve spent there and work they’ve done to improve the property, preserving affordability and preventing speculation.  The Champlain Housing Trust in Burlington, Vermont is a very successful Community Land Trust with 2,200 apartments and 565 owner-occupied homes.
  • Encourage the creation of  limited equity housing cooperatives, where residents own their unit and make decisions together, gain equity in the property, while the structure keeps the price affordable for the next residents.

Taxes

  • Tax vacation and second homes and extremely large homes at a higher rate, and pass on the savings to everyone else.
  • Tax out-of-state corporations at a higher rate.
  • Expand the property tax work-off program to people with low income and total assets, in addition to seniors and veterans.
  • Give tax breaks based on income and total assets.

Sharing

  • The population of Northampton is about the same as it was in 1950, yet many more housing units have been built since then as people have larger houses and live with fewer people.  Work to reverse that trend by encouraging people to share their homes, which will effectively increase the housing stock.  This brings in extra income, builds community and can provide companionship and assistance for older or disabled residents.  Provide training in how to live cooperatively and sample agreements for sharing homes.
  • Remove the limit on no more than four unrelated people living together.

Rents

  • Create a program where property owners pledge to rent their properties based on their expenses (including their labor), not on the market price.  People with money to give back could charge less than their expenses.  This could be similar to the PACE car program where people pledge to drive the speed limit.  Let’s make it cool to charge lower rents: “I’m renting my house for $300 below market.” says one person, and another would say “Well, I’m doing $350 below market!”  There are tax laws that require property owners to charge market rate, or they risk their deductions being disqualified.  Those laws need to change.
  • Consider rent regulations that restrict the rate at which rents may rise.

Zoning

  • Allow mobile homes, trailer parks and tiny homes in Northampton.
Climate change, Outdoors, Transportation

Transportation equity: walking

I’ve been walking the sidewalks of Northampton, Mass. lately, and with the recent snow and ice storms it’s been a rough ride.  Northampton’s sidewalk clearing laws stipulate that property owners must clear or treat the entire width of the sidewalk within 24 hours of the end of a storm, and keep it clear or treated after that.

Let’s imagine an alternate history where after a storm, each property owner was required to clear the entire road in front of their house, and they had 24 hours to do so, but the sidewalks were cleared by trained professionals.  Obviously a disaster, but the current (opposite) situation is unfair and difficult for sidewalk users.

We shouldn’t have to wait 24+ hours to have safe passage, and the inconsistency and lack of enforcement of each property owner’s obligation to keep it clear makes the dangerous even after that.

What’s impacts does the current policy have?

  • There’s a disproportionate impact to people with less money and can’t afford a car, and to people for whom it’s unsafe to drive, such as undocumented people.
  • Wheelchair users end up riding in the street, using a private vehicle if they have one, or rely on van services, which are usually funded by tax dollars.  Wheelchair users do use the rail trails that are plowed in the winter.
  • Public transportation access is limited.  Most bus stops are not right at someone’s house and their destination is also not right at a bus stop.
  • Those with a car use it more, which has environmental impacts but also health impacts as people don’t get as much regular exercise.  Children are driven to school instead of walking.

The City of Northampton has a complete streets plan.  I couldn’t find mention of keeping the sidewalks clear of snow & ice, so I decided to research how other cities manage.

  • Burlington, Vermont plows all their sidewalks with small plows, concurrently with street plowing during the day and at night in time for schools to open.
  • Amherst, Mass. has a sidewalk plowing route for major sidewalks and prioritizes sidewalks that facilitate students walking to school.  After the initial plowing route is done, residents are required to maintain the sidewalk in a passable condition

As a step towards treating sidewalk plowing as we do street plowing, I would like to see us move towards a system similar to Amherst’s, where the city assists residents by plowing the sidewalks during a storm on major thoroughfares (which are especially dangerous to walk in the street), and then property owners must maintain them after that.

Let’s make it so all of us, regardless of how we choose to get around (walking, biking, public transit, driving), have equal access to transportation.

Climate change, Cooperatives, Transportation

The Florence Electric Vehicle Co-op

Imagine having access to the most appropriate travel option whenever you need it, and all of the options using the cleanest energy possible.  Foot, bicycle, electric bicycle, electric city bus, pedal electric vehicle, or a full size electric car when all the other options won’t do.

One of the problems with owning your own car is that there’s a great incentive to use it more.  In general, the more you use it, the lower the per-mile costs, because driving more doesn’t affect the cost of the car or the insurance in most situations.  Unless you drive a lot, not owning a car but having access to one when you need it is usually cheaper and uses less energy.

So – let’s create a cooperative where we can rent by the hour or day the electric vehicle that’s most appropriate for our needs!

I propose we start with a regular electric bike, and a PEBL, a pedal electric vehicle made locally.

Cars are complicated, with insurance and licensing to worry about. Once we get a handle on the costs and logistics, perhaps we can get used electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, which are about $10,000 these days.

Want to join me?  Let’s create a cooperative structure and crowdfunding plan – drop me a line!

Community, Potluck talks

An experiment in welcoming

For almost twelve years, my house has hosted a weekly potluck on Monday nights. We’ve hosted it every Monday night, without fail, even if it falls on a holiday. Some nights we’ve put a pot of food on the counter and a note on the door, but it’s always happened. The other night I gave this talk to the people who showed up this week:

“You’re part of a movement in creating accepting spaces. It’s not perfect, but we have the intention of welcoming everyone who comes to this space. There are enough of us who live here that some of us can step back and take a break when it becomes too much.  There were a few years there where I had to go hide out in my room, and it was important that I gave myself permission to do that, so that when I came back downstairs I could really be present for people.

Many of us are uncomfortable around difference, and it takes work to build skills in acceptance and not rush it.  There’s a fear of being stuck talking to a person, and part of the skill is learning how to leave when it becomes too much.  Part is in being straightforward when a person does something that doesn’t work, making room for their feelings, and making it clear that they are still welcome.  We haven’t had to ask people to leave very often, but if we do, it’s always with a clear option of how they could return (not drinking alcohol, alternating attending with another person who is uncomfortable with them, etc.)

I like to find ways to engage that meet the person where they are at.  With children, I like to follow their lead and drop my adult preconceptions about how we should play.  Music has been a great way to connect, and I’ll try to learn songs to sing with people, regardless of their ability to hold a tune!  And it’s okay to disappoint people by stepping back when you need a break.

How can you create more accepting spaces in your life? Would it be a regular event?  Don’t try to take on too much at once: I wouldn’t start a weekly event unless you have a bunch of other people to take turns with you.  Or would it be just reaching out to someone with the trust that their presence in your life would give something back to you if you work to build that relationship?”