>>> IF YOU'VE LOST TRACK OF THE DAYS AND WEEKS SINCE
MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER ANNOUNCED STAY-AT-HOME
ORDERS TO COMBAT THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK, IT WOULD BE PERFECTLY
UNDERSTANDABLE. BUT SPRING IS OFFICIALLY HERE,
WITH SUMMER ONLY A FEW WEEKS AWAY.
AHEAD OF TACKLING THE WHITE MOUNTAINS THIS SUMMER,
"CONNECTING POINT'S" BRIAN SULLIVAN VISITED THE HILLS IN
THE SOUTHERN BERKSHIRES AND CAME ACROSS SEVERAL OTHER HIKERS WHO
WERE OUT ON THE TRAILS FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
>> FROM ROUTE 7 IN THE SOUTHERN BERKSHIRES, DRIVERS CAN ZEE
PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH TACONI RANGE, THE TACONIC MOUNTAINS TIE
VERMONT TO MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT.
THE HIGHEST RANGES CAN BE GOTTEN TO THROUGH THE RACE BROOKE FALL
TRAIL. MOUNT EVERETT IS THE HIGHEST
PEAK. THE THREE MILE JOURNEY STARTS ON
THIS PEACEFUL MEADOW BEFORE QUICKLY TURNING TO THIS ON THE
TREELINE. RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO MARCH
FORWARD, WE SPOKE WITH A LOCAL TRAIL GOER ON WHAT TO EXPECT.
>> THERE IS A REALLY LOVELY WATER FALL.
THERE ARE TWO LEVELS, THE LOWER FALLS AND UPPER FALLS.
IT HAVE GROWN UP AROUND HERE. I HAVE BEEN COMING.
YOU CAN DO AN EASY VERSION, A HARD VERSION OR MEDIUM IN
BETWEEN. >> CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
WITH MY SIGHTS SET ON HIKING THE WHITE MOUNTAINS, I WAS LOOKING
AT MOUNT EVERETT TO BE SPRING TRAINING AND GET USED TO STEADY
INCLINES AND DECLINES AND RELATIVELY RUGGED RAIN.
I WASN'T ALONE IN TREATING THIS TRAIL AS A PREP COURSE.
>> THIS TRAIL SPOKE TO ME BECAUSE PEOPLE SAID IT WAS
HARDER, EXPERT, I WANTED SOMETHING MORE.
I DID IT A FEW DAYS AGO. MY SISTER -- IT IS REALLY COOL
BECAUSE YOU GO OVER RIVERS AND IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT IS KIND
OF JUST LIKE ONE TRAIL AND YOU ARE HIKING UP IT AND THAT IS
YOUR WORKOUT. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN NATURE.
>> I KIND OF JUST STARTED PICKING UP HIKING.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT GOING UP BIG TRAILS YET.
BEING ABLE TO GO TO SOMETHING WHERE IT IS A NICE, STILL WALK,
I LIKE TO TAKE PICTURES SO BEING ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE
SCENERY, BUT CAPTURE THAT SCENERY
>> THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF SCENERY THROUGHOUT THE TRAIL
WITH SEVERAL LOOK THISOUT AIRS YEAHS LIKE THIS ONE.
THE BROOK CAN BE HEARD FROM THE DISTANCE AT ALMOST ALL TIMES.
WHATEVER WILD LIFE THERE WAS DIDN'T MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN
UNTIL I CAME ACROSS WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A WOODPECKER, BUT
WAS A YELLOW BELLIED SAP SUCKER. BACK TO THE BROOK.
THE SOUND GRADUALLY CHANGES FROM A BABBLE TO A ROAR NEAR THE
FALLS. THE SIGHT AND SOUND ARE
MAJESTIC, DELIVERING A TOUCH OF HAWAII TO THE BERKSHIRES.
ON THE SECOND TIER I WAS ABLE TO WET MY HANDS, AS WELL AS MY
SHOES, SHORTS AND SHIRT. THE UPPER FALLS ALONE ARE WORTH
THE TRIP. I STILL HAVE A LITTLE FARTHER TO
GO TO GET TO THE TOP. THE WHOLE POINT WAS TO
EXPERIENCE SIMILAR TERRAIN ON THE BIGGER MOUNTAINS IN A MUCH
SHORTER TIME FRAME. OFTENTIMES GETTING TO THE TOP
CAN PLAY A DISTANCE SECOND TO THE ADVENTURE ALONG THE WAY.
FOR A SOLO HIKER LIKE ME IT IS A TIME TO CONTEMPLATE ONENESS WITH
NATURE WHILE MOVING FORWARD. OTHERS MAY BE FRIENDS HAVING A
GROUP EXPERIENCE UNLIKELY TO BE REPLICATED ANYWHERE ELSE OR A
DAD TAKING HIS KIDS ON THE TRAILS LIKE MY DAD DID WITH MY
BROTHER AND ME. PARENTS WHO HAVE HAD TO HOME
SCHOOL THEIR CHILDREN FIND IT NECESSARY TO TURN THE GREAT
OUTDOORS INTO A CLASSROOM ON A SOMEWHAT REGULAR BASIS.
>> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO EVEN MISS SOME CLASS
WORK, TO GET THE KIDS OUT, THEIR MOTOR SKILLS AND STRENGTHENING
AND BREATHING THE FRESH AIR. EVERYBODY ON THE TRAILS IS
RESPECT. OF EACH OTHER.
IT IS GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE. IT IS A LONELY TIME, SO I THINK
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.