There are times when I feel like I need a disconnect. Hiking to me is more than just a workout or the never ending search for that perfect view point. It’s about getting out there and using the time to think/reflect/decide what to do next, what road to travel. Introduce an old friend and a combination of Alander Mountain, Bash Bish Falls and the quaint little town of Barrington Massachusetts, home to the Great Barrington river and you have what turned out to be a perfect day of reflection, friendship and mental health.
We started the day with Alander Mountain, we accorded to meet a 10AM. Unfortunately, Hector did not arrive till 11AM, not his fault since I should have told him to make sure and have an offline version of maps since the area is not cell phone friendly. Luckily, he made it and found the place, not sure how, so I am glad he is a smart dude. Alander was/is a very simple hike, other than the length, it’s a simple 1200′ ascent to a beautiful mountaintop that offers close to 360 degree views.
On the way up to the mountain we ran into a cabin that belonged in a horror movie from the 80’s. I knew the cabin would be there, yet knowing it would be there and seeing it in person are two very different things. We made a stupid video entering the cabin because it did have that crappy horror movie, we are gonna die when we enter vibe coming from it. Entering the Cabin Video
Shortly after the cabin and a quick ascent we came to the top of the Alander, it really is a sight to see. The top of the mountain is a wide expanse of beauty. There really is not a bad place to stand and awe at the beauty that is this great state of NY. Let me show you instead. Here is a video if you want a full view.
A quick jaunt down and we headed to the nearby town of Barrington Massachusetts and oh my was it quaint. Turns out that Hector loves this town and visits it often with his family. We walked around so he could show me the town and had burgers and ice cream, mental health can’t be health without ice cream. It’s a main ingredient that cannot be forgotten.
The reason for Barrington though, was the Barrington River which has a couple of swimming holes. We parked on the side of the road and headed down river for a good place to jump. All this while having some amazing conversation with Hector, it was the first time we had this much time in years and it alone was worth the trip. The Barrington River, excuse me, the Great Barrington River did not offer any real deep swimming holes, the 3 or so we found were all 4-5 feet deep, but the water was crystal clear and refreshing and sometimes that is all you need. Had the air temp been warmer, it would have been utterly refreshing.
There was a second part of the Great Barrington we were suppose to visit, unfortunately access was no longer available so we headed to the final stop of the day, Bash Bish Falls.
Mind you, this whole day was really spent in three states, as all our happenings were in the borders between NY, CT and MA. Bash Bish is half in MA and half in NY. We parked in the MA side and headed down to the falls. Swimming is strictly prohibited in these falls, but the water is so beautiful and crisp it’s hard not to take a quick plunge. Just look at this!
If that picture does not say swim, I am really not sure what does…
The day did exactly what it needed to do, give me certainty on my current path and provided a great bonding moment with an old and dear friend.
If you want to see the rest of the picture and some great videos of the day, including the shack one, head over to the gallery for the day.