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• Ashuwillticook: Great park, tricky name The Changing Scene Ashuwillticook: Great park, tricky name At our house it has become a fun word game as I try to remember how to pronounce it and never get it right. Take a crack at it yourself. ASHUWILLTICOOK. It isn't easy but it’s not only worth saying but also experiencing. The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail that runs from Lanesboro just south of the Route 8 entrance to the Berkshire Mall all the way past Cheshire and eventually to the town of Adams is a complete delight for those who want a little (or a lot) of exercise while looking at nature at its most splendid. It all started on a Saturday morning when my wife said "Get the dog leash. We're going for an adventure." "Where?" "Ashuwillticook," she answered. "Where?" "The trail they made over the old railroad track between Lanesboro and Adams." I remembered the headlines in the newspaper but had not read the stories under them. Also, I was in no mood for adventure. Just before we left the house, she asked if I had a plastic bag in my pocket. "I always have a plastic bag in my pocket," I told her. The new dog had been living with us for several months. "Someone wrote a letter to the paper complaining that people were not picking up after their dogs," she said. "She called the trail 'Ashuwilltipoop.' " I must admit that the trail caught me by surprise. We had trouble finding the Lanesboro entrance so entered the park in Cheshire. As I sighted down the 10-foot wide pavement with two-foot shoulders on either side, I thought back to the days when I could have gone whizzing along on my skates or scooter without any hills to fight, going up or down. There were numbers of bicyclists pumping away, some alone on fancy bikes with matching attire and others in family groups, mom and pop and kids on tiny two-wheelers. The job done by the state seemed first rate in every aspect, right from the setup at the parking lot with a long view of Hoosac Lake (Cheshire Reservoir) where some families were feeding the Canada geese in direct defiance of the signs telling them not to and a few fisherman were testing their bad luck. I don't know what the lake is stocked with, but they were sleeping deep that day. There were picnic tables set up along the grass and we thought how much fun it might be to bring lunch some sunny noontime and just watch the water ripple as the ducks and geese took off and landed. We walked quite a way along the trail toward Adams and without exception everyone said hello or good morning as we encountered them. You get a feel of a place from things like that and Ashuwillticook felt good. The little plastic bag had been utilized during our visit and I carried the evidence all the way home with me because the trash barrels had not yet been set out for the season. Do you think the woman who wrote the letter appreciates me? I went on the net and looked up Ashuwillticook to get the history. The Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad first developed the corridor in 1845 with hopes of eventually extending it to Rutland, Vt. The Boston & Albany Railroad then took it over, and the trains hauled limestone from a number of quarries that were developed up the line. In 1900 the New York Central bought the BAA, and then sold it to the Boston & Maine Railroad in 1981. Service ceased in 1990 and a group of public-spirited citizens preserved the right of way and then convinced the state to convert the corridor into this marvelous public park. In this day of declining state support for projects, we are thankful that this one made it through in time. This is a recreational area well worth a visit not only for recreation but just to sit and enjoy the beautiful Berkshires. Once you go there you'll want to go again. As a matter of fact the dog keeps pestering us to take her back. And believe it or not, she pronounces Ashuwillticook perfectly. Still can't spell it though. |
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