Grafton Trail Riders' 59th Annual
"Over the Mountain" Ride
For 59 years, members of the Grafton Trail Riders have completed in some form or other, the 20-25 mile trek now known as the "Over the Mountain" ride. It has changed somewhat over the years, and today is a cherished tradition enjoyed by members, their families, and non members.
The ride begins with trucking the horses to Petersburg Pass in Williamstown, Massachusetts at around 8 am. There is always a (very fast) ride leader, whom you may not pass, and drag riders who pick up trail markers, and makes sure everyone is safe, so the ride may be completed at any speed and you will never feel either rushed, or slowed down. It can be completed at the steady walk in 6 hours.
The ride meanders through Massachusetts and back into NY for the first 10 miles or so. The first half is generally regarded as both the prettiest half, and also the most difficult. The lunch stop usually takes place in the fields at Brimmer Junction, but in 2008 we were kindly allowed to break in a SeaGroat parkinglot since the fields were too wet to park horse trailers. A lovely lunch of cold-cut sandwhiches, cookies, and fruit is prepared by Grafton Trail Rider volunteers. After the lunch stop we cross RT 22 and travel along dirt roads, trails, and old carraige roads. There is an optional detour to visit the fire tower if you wish. The trail takes us back to our club house, where we can untack, unwind, and wait for a fantastic BBQ that is catered for us each year. There are carpools to drive you back to petersburg pass to pick up your rig. Later there is a campfire, music, dancing, raffles, and other fun activities! The Over the Mountain Ride is an event that cannot be missed! Even if you dont want to become a member you can still sign up for this time honored event.
Just in case there is an accident, or your horse is just plain tired, there are trailers waiting at every road crossing in case you need rescuing, and would like to be trucked back to the club grounds. Some people arrange to trailer in at the lunch stop to just do the second half, or trailer out at the lunch stop after the first half. If your family would like to attend the BBQ dinner, but not the ride, there are options for dinner only reservations. The club limits the number of riders to 100, so be sure to sign up early!
See you on the trail!
