Woodward Forest - August 12, 2026

Heading out

The mid-week hiking crew (Bill, Al, Danny and me) was out again today at the Woodward Forest in Norton, MA.

We met at the trailhead at the end of Gateway Lane. The trails are mostly compacted ground through Hemlock and Beech trees. We hiked about 2.5-miles, and then went out for brunch at the Hanger 12 at the Mansfield Airport.

The crew - Bill, Al, Danny and Erik

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Land Preservation Trust of Norton
Trail Map

Echo Lake - August 12, 2026

Heading out

I did last night's Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip on an lake that I had never paddled before – Echo Lake.

Echo Lake, also known as the Pascoag Reservoir, is a 325-acre lake located in Burrillville and Glocester. It is popular for boating, fishing, and paddling with a state-maintained boat ramp off Maroney Road. We put in at the boat ramp and headed out to circumnavigate the lake. The shoreline developed with houses, but there are lots of coves and islands to explore. Boat traffic can be heavy, but it wasn’t too bad last night.

Paddling with Cheryl in the Spirit II

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Echo Lake from RI DEM

RICKA Meeting on the Water - Lincoln Woods - August 10, 2026

Skye, Steve and Danny enjoy
snacks at site 45

During the summer, RICKA’s monthly meetings are replaced with “Meetings on the Water” – paddles that are intended to get people together who might not normally paddle together, or to get people out to venues that they might not normally visit. In July, the Sea Kayak group led a Full Moon Paddle at the URI Bay Campus in Narragansett. This month, the flatwater group led a paddle at Lincoln Woods State Park. 

Paddlers launched from the boat ramp for the trip around Olney Pond. We also got a permit for picnic sites 45/46, which has a nice beach for landing boats. We got a campfire going and had snacks for anyone who stopped. Bill brought a homemade blueberry pie, Skye brought home-grown tomatoes, and I made monkey bread and brownies in the Dutch oven, and quesadillas on the fire. It was a nice night.

Hiking at Lincoln Woods - August 5, 2026

I found a walking stick

The mid-week hiking crew with Bill, Alan, Danny and Nancy was back at Lincoln Woods State Park yesterday for a 5-mile hike.

Lincoln Woods is RI’s oldest state park. It opened in 1909 after acquiring farmland and woodlots from the Olney, Arnold, Comstock, and Mitchell families. Over the years, it has grown to 627-acres around Olney Pond bordered by Route 146 to the west, Breakneck Hill Road to the north and Great Road/Route 123 to the east.

Danny at the stone steps

This time Bill took us further out into the woods out near Breakneck Hill Road. In addition to large boulder outcroppings, we found old foundations, stairs carved into the bedrock and other remnants of the old homesteads from the days before this became a state park. And we didn’t get lost - too often.

Breakfast after the hike was at the 9 Twenty Cafe in Lonsdale.

The crew - Alan, Bill, Erik, Danny and Nancy

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Stump Pond - August 5, 2026

Giving the safety talk

I led my second Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip of the year last night at Stump Pond.

At 300 acres and 2.3 miles long, Stump Pond in Smithfield (also known as the Stillwater Reservoir) is the largest pond in the Woonasquatucket River watershed. The wooded shores, islands, and scenic hills make it a great place for a paddle.

Heading out

The Stillwater Reservoir was built in 1910 to provide a reliable water supply through the summer for the mills down river. It was never a drinking water reservoir. The local name “Stump Pond” came from the many tree trunks that remained standing in the water after the dam was built.

We put in at the Stump Pond Fishing Area and paddled across to the Pleasant Avenue Bridge. The pond was too high for us to paddle under the pipe under the bridge, so we then headed north to the dam, and then east to the where Woonasquatucket River enters the pond, and then back to the put-in - about 3-miles. Nice night.

Back at the put-in at sunset

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Fife Brook - Deerfield Riverfest - August 2, 2026

I made arrangements with Aaron to do a tandem run at Fife Brook on Sunday. It was Deerfield Riverfest weekend, so I expected there to be a lot of people around - there weren't. With the heavy rain last week there were other rivers were running, and the Fife Brook dam released at over 2,000 cfs on Saturday, which may have scared some people off. Fortunately, Conrad was leading a Boston AMC trip, so we were able to hook up with him.

There are two sections of the Deerfield with summer releases that are popular for whitewater paddling. Advanced paddlers often head to the Dryway in Monroe Bridge. This is a class III-IV section for experienced whitewater paddlers. We would be paddling the Fife Brook section, which is mostly class II, with the exception of Zoar Gap at the end that is class III. This would be my 24th run on Fife Brook, and my second paddling tandem with Aaron.

Heading downstream

We met the group at 10:00 at the Zoar Picnic Area to arrange the shuttle. With high water conditions, the release from the Fife Brook dam continued throughout the night, so we didn’t need to wait for the water to come up. The original release estimate was 1,500 cfs, but it was actually releasing closer to 1,000 cfs for most of the late morning/early afternoon.

We got on the water around 11:00 and practiced ferries and eddy turns/peal outs at the put-in before heading downstream. Just downstream from the put-in is the first rapid known as Hangover Helper - a ledge extends across most of the river resulting in a 2-foot drop followed by a long wave train. We ran the drop and played in the waves before moving downstream.

Jeff on his Paddleboard

The next rapid - Carbis Bend - is similar but smaller. A ledge extends out from the left side of the river producing a couple of easy surf waves. Aaron and I got there first and were able to do some surfing before the kayaks arrived.

Just downstream from Carbis Bend is Freight Train, which is a long wave train that ends with a large surf wave. The rapid takes its name from the speed that many people build up running through the waves, and the railroad bridge just downstream that carries freight trains across the river. We were able to drop into the big surf wave below the railroad bridge for some surfing.

Running the Island Rapid

After Freight Train we took a break at the Bridge to Nowhere before running Pinball. Pinball is a rock garden that’s a great place to practice eddy turns, peel outs and ferries. Aaron and I ran the rapid backwards ferrying from rock to rock until we needed to head downstream to stay with the group.

After Pinball is the Island Rapid. As the name describes, the river is split by an island. The usual route is to the left with large waves and fast moving water where the river reconnects at the end. Aaron and I were able to catch the eddy on the left and get some pictures of others coming through.

Below Zoar Gap

After the Island Rapid comes Zoar Gap – the largest rapid on this section of the river. We scouted it from the road and confirmed the usual line - just right of center down the shoot at the top, then left down the shoot at the large boulder.

Aaron and I went down last. We caught an eddy on the left on the way down, and then ferried out before turning downstream into the Gap. Aaron guided us down the first shoot and lined us up perfectly for the second drop. Always trust your bowman. My record at Zoar Gap is now 22 attempts with 14 successful, 6 swims and 2 walks. I have been successful on my last 7 attempts. Here is Aaron's video of the run.

Here are the major rapids as best I can identify them.

• Surfing Carbis Bend – 0:00
• Running Freight Train – 1:11
• Surfing below the Railroad Bridge – 2:02
• Running one of the unnamed rapids – 2:28
• Back ferrying/surfing down Pinball – 2:40
• Close call on a rock in Pinball – 3:30
• Miami Beach – 3:55
• Planning from the eddy above Zoar Gap - 4:33
• Running Zoar Gap – 4:54
• Below Zoar Gap – 5:36
• Mini Gap – 5:55
• Train goes by – 6:15

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Two views of our run through Zoar Gap

Aaron's Video

Rob's Video of Zoar Gap Runs 

Zoar Gap runs over the years

Fife Brook Release Schedule

Charlemont Gage
River Description from American Whitewater

Lincoln Woods - July 28, 2026

Ryan in my Yellowstone Solo

I have been dealing with a sore knee since December that has limited my ability to kneel in my canoes. I tried again last night at the BVPC trip at Lincoln Woods, and it was another no-go. I switched boats with Ryan who paddled my Yellowstone Solo while I paddled tandem with Erin in their Esquif Canyon. 

I got the results from an MRI on my knee yesterday, and it turns out that I have a torn meniscus in addition to arthritis. I need to make a follow-up appointment with the doctors to see what the options are.  

Paddling tandem with Erin in the Esquif Canyon

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