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  1. #1

    Default New On Cookie Lady (Mass)

    I mean, News...

    Roy, husband of the Cookie Lady has had a fall and is in rehab. So she will not be as available for hikers as she has in the past until he's back on his feet. If you do visit, maybe offer to do a few chores...

    Cosmo
    Last edited by Cosmo; 07-17-2016 at 19:55.

  2. #2

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    Sorry to hear! I was there in May, but no one was home. Got late, so hung my hammock in the trees and spent the night. Signed register. Nice place, sorry I missed her. Hope Roy gets back on his feet soon.
    [I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35

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  3. #3
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    Does Roy still fly his Piper Cub from the strip out back?
    Order your copy of the Appalachian Trail Passport at www.ATPassport.com

    Green Mountain House Hostel
    Manchester Center, VT

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  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff View Post
    Does Roy still fly his Piper Cub from the strip out back?
    I can't say, except that in May the landing strip was out back and still mowed.
    [I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35

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  5. #5
    Registered User swjohnsey's Avatar
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    Piper Voyager, I believe.

  6. #6

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    Here's a bit more info on Marilyn's situation...

    Roy Wiley suffered injuries in a fall at home a few weeks ago, and is in rehab. Therefore she's not around as much and not as available to hikers. Mass DCR RR (whom she knows well) stopped by there Monday to talk with her (and her daughter). Marilyn said she's still happy to have hikers continue to stop by, but given the circumstances she (and obviously Roy) won't be around as much.

    She mentioned that a few hikers have not been inclined to do a little work in exchange for camping there, and sometimes set up their tents without asking first and/or while Marilyn was gone. That sort of attitude doesn't help. Hikers wanting to camp there MUST ask permission first and MUST be willing to work around the place an hour or two - mowing, picking berries, etc. Hikers should not set up tents first and ask permission later. Their daughter said signs will be posted at the farm that indicate this.

    Given the situation, Marilyn could use some help around the farm, as blueberries will be ripening soon. This is a good opportunity for hikers to give back to the trail angels who support them. So if you can't or don't want to help out, probably best to keep on hiking.

    Interestingly, I've heard from Tom Levardi in Dalton that he's dialing back as well. Says it seems that more and more hikers are just assuming they can just set up in his yard w/o checking in with him first (it's his house, after all). He's mentioned that several hikers set up their tents and head out on the town and come back drunk and disorderly.

    Folks, Marilyn and Tom are finite resources--let's treasure them, not use them up.

    Cosmo

  7. #7
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    Interestingly, I've heard from Tom Levardi in Dalton that he's dialing back as well.
    I hiked by Tom Levardi's house on July 1 and saw this in his front yard. It doesn't look like a "dial back" to me. It looks like a lure-in.


  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cosmo View Post
    Here's a bit more info on Marilyn's situation...

    Roy Wiley suffered injuries in a fall at home a few weeks ago, and is in rehab. Therefore she's not around as much and not as available to hikers. Mass DCR RR (whom she knows well) stopped by there Monday to talk with her (and her daughter). Marilyn said she's still happy to have hikers continue to stop by, but given the circumstances she (and obviously Roy) won't be around as much.

    She mentioned that a few hikers have not been inclined to do a little work in exchange for camping there, and sometimes set up their tents without asking first and/or while Marilyn was gone. That sort of attitude doesn't help. Hikers wanting to camp there MUST ask permission first and MUST be willing to work around the place an hour or two - mowing, picking berries, etc. Hikers should not set up tents first and ask permission later. Their daughter said signs will be posted at the farm that indicate this.

    Given the situation, Marilyn could use some help around the farm, as blueberries will be ripening soon. This is a good opportunity for hikers to give back to the trail angels who support them. So if you can't or don't want to help out, probably best to keep on hiking.

    Interestingly, I've heard from Tom Levardi in Dalton that he's dialing back as well. Says it seems that more and more hikers are just assuming they can just set up in his yard w/o checking in with him first (it's his house, after all). He's mentioned that several hikers set up their tents and head out on the town and come back drunk and disorderly.

    Folks, Marilyn and Tom are finite resources--let's treasure them, not use them up.

    Cosmo
    You get extra points for using this tragedy to get on your soapbox and promote your personal views which have nothing to do with the subject.

  9. #9
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    Cosmo...thanks for letting us know the details of Marilyn's situation this year.

    I will communicate to our southbound guests whats going on and encourage work for stay to help the Wileys thru this challenging season. They have both given a great deal to the hiker community and it's time for all of us to give back.
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  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cosmo View Post
    ... and sometimes set up their tents without asking first and/or while Marilyn was gone. That sort of attitude doesn't help. Hikers wanting to camp there MUST ask permission first ...
    I am definitely guilty of this, then, and this NEW word needs to be spread around, as it contradicts what I understood. Not to mention, but I am, there are notices posted and a clipboard to sign, all saying explicitly and/or implicitly "welcome and make yourself at home" and giving instructions, but no instructions as to "don't camp here if no one is here to ask." My options where to camp where I thought I was welcome, or to hike into the woods and camp illegally.

    Not complaining at all, just saying I was made to feel welcome based on what I knew and read in advance and what I read there on the porch. Had I read anything at all saying otherwise, I definitely would not have hung my hammock and stayed the night.

    My apologies.

    BTW, I did the same thing at the "ice cream man's" home a couple of years back, as his notes on his porch said pretty much the same thing: welcome and make yourself at home. Maybe I'm just a bad hiker?

    For what it's worth, I also stayed at Tom Levardi's a night or two later. Super nice guy, ... who has had some super NOT-so-nice hikers stay at his place, thus he is no longer in the guide books welcoming everyone and anyone, I am sad to say.
    Last edited by Rain Man; 07-21-2016 at 10:06.
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  11. #11
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    I stopped by the Wiley's today for the first time before hiking the stretch southward to County Road. Roy was there, though Marilyn was not. He was looking a bit frail, with what appeared to be four or five family members - maybe a daughter and son-in-law and a couple grandkids. They were trying to get a gas powered push lawn mower started. I asked about the berries, and they told me it's a late year, they have a couple bushes starting to produce, but not yet full force. I plan to go back and hike the stretch to Dalton in a few weeks and check back.

    They still had a sign up at the nearby trail crossing advertising Marilyn as a shuttler. I didn't see this until I got back from my hike. Fortunately, after walking 20 minutes or so north on County, I was able to hitch a ride with a nice guy driving his pickup back to Dalton, free of charge, though I offered to pay.

    Cosmo, I saw Dirty and Deadline out performing maintenance just north of October Mountain Shelter. Let them know there was one puncheon board rotted out up not far from Washington Mountain Road. Trail generally was in good shape, though mucky, understandable and to be expected given the terrain. I found this relatively flat stretch of trail administered more of a beating to my feet than expected - lots of roots and a fair amount of rocks, as well.
    The more miles, the merrier!

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  12. #12

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    Glad to hear that Marilyn and Roy are still at it, and they seem to have some family support.

    Late berries might account for the increased number of reported bear interactions we've been getting at various campsites. Bear boxes are doing their job, but campers should put their food in them immediately upon arrival at the campsite.

    Time for another in the endless round of bog bridge replacements in the area, including north of Pittsfield Rd/Washington Mtn Rd. We're about 5" above normal rainfall this year and it's pretty mucky out there.


    Cosmo

    Quote Originally Posted by Driver8 View Post
    I stopped by the Wiley's today for the first time before hiking the stretch southward to County Road. Roy was there, though Marilyn was not. He was looking a bit frail, with what appeared to be four or five family members - maybe a daughter and son-in-law and a couple grandkids. They were trying to get a gas powered push lawn mower started. I asked about the berries, and they told me it's a late year, they have a couple bushes starting to produce, but not yet full force. I plan to go back and hike the stretch to Dalton in a few weeks and check back.

    They still had a sign up at the nearby trail crossing advertising Marilyn as a shuttler. I didn't see this until I got back from my hike. Fortunately, after walking 20 minutes or so north on County, I was able to hitch a ride with a nice guy driving his pickup back to Dalton, free of charge, though I offered to pay.

    Cosmo, I saw Dirty and Deadline out performing maintenance just north of October Mountain Shelter. Let them know there was one puncheon board rotted out up not far from Washington Mountain Road. Trail generally was in good shape, though mucky, understandable and to be expected given the terrain. I found this relatively flat stretch of trail administered more of a beating to my feet than expected - lots of roots and a fair amount of rocks, as well.

  13. #13
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    Cosmo, maybe ten minutes after I saw you two weeks ago, I ran into the Shaker campsite resident bear! It was my first wild sighting of a black bear and simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. As you said, it does seem to have developed the habit of stopping and staring at hikers, not approaching any further but also not retreating.

    And anybody reading this should know that Cosmo and his crew are working REALLY hard on the Northern Mass. section of the trail. I can't imagine what kind of shape it would be in were it not for your virtually heroic efforts!

    Jane

  14. #14
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    Marilyn shuttled us a few weeks ago in Lee, didn't even realize she was the cookie lady until after ! Nice woman. We also missed a Shaker campsite bear sighting by about 10 minutes, another hiker coming the opposite way saw it, and then they knew about it when we were at goose pond.
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  15. #15
    Registered User Driver8's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cosmo View Post
    Glad to hear that Marilyn and Roy are still at it, and they seem to have some family support.

    ...
    Time for another in the endless round of bog bridge replacements in the area, including north of Pittsfield Rd/Washington Mtn Rd. We're about 5" above normal rainfall this year and it's pretty mucky out there.
    Cosmo
    Hi Cosmo. Good to hear back from you! I have to say, when I met the Wiley's, there was a distinctly sad cast to them. Maybe I caught them at a bad time, but it felt to me, not knowing any more than I did and never having met them, that maybe they'd had a death in the family. I don't mean to speculate idly, but it sure felt that way. Roy had a protective cover, either leather or rubber or the like, over his left eyeglass, and felt frail and diffident to me. He was friendly enough, and having missed my interchange with one of the others, told me about the couple of productive bushes - the others had said "too soon, cold, late spring, try back."

    I asked about eggs, but they were out and said the hens lately seem to be taking a break. I wasn't warmly welcomed, but I chalked this up to them being preoccupied with the cranky, very old lawn mower when I walked up. The rides sign on the AT road sign was a bit worn and old, encased in a plastic cover. Might've been there for years. I heard from other hikers that someone that day had gotten a cookie and eggs, so who knows what to make of all of it?

    Thanks again to you and the crew for great work. I'd enjoy coming to help someday soon, and have a friend who could come along, maybe more. I'm follow your links and drop a note.

    Finally, as I ended my hike, around 4:50 pm, there were several hikers just north of County Road chopping at a big tall leaner trying to take it down. They said they were thru-hikers, wanting to stay overnight there, and didn't want it to fall on them. I didn't linger, but found their story unusual. Is it possible I misunderstood them and they are part of your team? They did have a big thru-hiker-looking pack or two, plus a hatchet and some cord they looked to be using to guide the leaner down.
    The more miles, the merrier!

    NH4K: 21/48; N.E.4K: 25/67; NEHH: 28/100; Northeast 4K: 27/115; AT: 124/2191

  16. #16

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    I have got the same impression from them on occasion. I think they are running out energy trying to maintain the business and living in such a (relatively) remote area--but good to hear Marilyn is getting out to shuttle here and there.

    Please PM me about the hikers you observed cutting the tree. If they were carrying a hatchet, I'm doubtful they were thrus. We have seen an uptick in "stealth" camping and people "improving" campsites, so location, date and details would be helpful.

    Thanks!

    Cosmo

    Quote Originally Posted by Driver8 View Post
    Hi Cosmo. Good to hear back from you! I have to say, when I met the Wiley's, there was a distinctly sad cast to them. Maybe I caught them at a bad time, but it felt to me, not knowing any more than I did and never having met them, that maybe they'd had a death in the family. I don't mean to speculate idly, but it sure felt that way. Roy had a protective cover, either leather or rubber or the like, over his left eyeglass, and felt frail and diffident to me. He was friendly enough, and having missed my interchange with one of the others, told me about the couple of productive bushes - the others had said "too soon, cold, late spring, try back."

    I asked about eggs, but they were out and said the hens lately seem to be taking a break. I wasn't warmly welcomed, but I chalked this up to them being preoccupied with the cranky, very old lawn mower when I walked up. The rides sign on the AT road sign was a bit worn and old, encased in a plastic cover. Might've been there for years. I heard from other hikers that someone that day had gotten a cookie and eggs, so who knows what to make of all of it?

    Thanks again to you and the crew for great work. I'd enjoy coming to help someday soon, and have a friend who could come along, maybe more. I'm follow your links and drop a note.

    Finally, as I ended my hike, around 4:50 pm, there were several hikers just north of County Road chopping at a big tall leaner trying to take it down. They said they were thru-hikers, wanting to stay overnight there, and didn't want it to fall on them. I didn't linger, but found their story unusual. Is it possible I misunderstood them and they are part of your team? They did have a big thru-hiker-looking pack or two, plus a hatchet and some cord they looked to be using to guide the leaner down.

  17. #17
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    Greetings...first post on White Blaze yay. I'm section hiking from Jug End Road to Route 2 in North Adams next month. I'd love to stop by and pitch in at the Cookie Lady's house regardless of schedule or tentsite. Does anyone have an update from last year or even this as to her and her husband's status? Also Tom Levardi...He's listed in Guthook and Awol this year....

    Thanks in advance

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by robbym70 View Post
    Greetings...first post on White Blaze yay. I'm section hiking from Jug End Road to Route 2 in North Adams next month. I'd love to stop by and pitch in at the Cookie Lady's house regardless of schedule or tentsite. Does anyone have an update from last year or even this as to her and her husband's status? Also Tom Levardi...He's listed in Guthook and Awol this year....
    I was hiking with a couple of other hikers last June and went past cookie lady. However, the hikers I was with did stop overnight while I continued on. I saw them later and they said they did a few chores and were offered some cookies. The husband is really frail they said.

    As for Tom Levardi, what a great guy. On June 15, 2018, I stopped by for a soda on my way to the Shamrock Village Inn in Dalton. We sat on his porch talked for a long time about Italy (he's Italian and so am I). There were quite a few hikers on his porch when I arrived, but they headed off for town soon after I arrived. They were going to tent there that night though. It would be a shame if Tom stopped doing what he does. He seems to have a real affection for hikers.
    Last edited by ldsailor; 03-29-2019 at 11:58.
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  19. #19

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    Roy Wiley, Marilyn's husband passed away last week. Here's a link to the obituary. Not yet sure if the family will be able to welcome hikers this season. I'll be happy to pass on more info when I get it, or others may hear sooner.

    Sadly,

    Cosmo

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cosmo View Post
    Roy Wiley, Marilyn's husband passed away last week. Here's a link to the obituary. Not yet sure if the family will be able to welcome hikers this season. I'll be happy to pass on more info when I get it, or others may hear sooner.

    Sadly,

    Cosmo
    I heard from Marilyn's daughter today. She says her mom will likely continue to host hikers this season, and would welcome any assistance hikers can provide on blueberry farm projects.

    Cosmo

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