Mugsy's Story

Clark University and beyond

March 2010 - Present

Hello world! I'm Mugsy Moose, your faithful Outing Club mascot. My story begins in March, 2010, when I was conceived (so to speak) on a warm and sunny afternoon out on the campus Green. With a few clicks of the keyboard I was on the way, soon to be delivered in the mailroom amidst great anticipation. Or so they tell me.

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The Outing Club needed a mascot and I was proud to have been selected from among the billions of stuffed animals for sale on the internet for such a distinguished role. In addition to my official mascot duties, I get to tag along on some of the Outing Club's amazing trips!

My very first trip will always be special to me. It was a hike at Eagle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Holden on March 28th, just days after I arrived. Follow the link to read the whole fascinating story. This pictures is me on that hike, standing on the trail above Asnebumskit Brook. And below, I'm with Jill and Andrew at the Eagle Lake trailhead. Jill was so fond of me that day! Andrew too, but he was being coy about it to protect his future political career.

	Further down the trail, I'm with Therese checking out what became known as my favorite tree hole. I had so much fun peering inside. Being nine feet off the ground, making that happen was such a huge production! I love the silly things that people do for me.

For most of the first hike I rode in Jill's backpack. In later hikes, Therese and Jill always had this game where Therese would go to clip me into Jill's pack and Jill would run away pretending she didn't want to carry me. But we know she really adored me! Then Therese would catch her and I'd ride in Jill's pack until the next rest stop, whereupon the cycle would repeat itself. Jill and Therese... what a pair!

My next hike was a very special one for Jill because it was the first Outing Club trip she organized herself. We went to Upton State Forest on April 25th.

There were horse jumps on the trails from a big horse thingy that was just ending as we arrived. So I figured that if horses can jump over them, why not a moose? And that's what I proceeded to do. Later, we came upon a stream. I was chillin' out on some rocks and Therese joined me. Horizontal hiking at its best.

After summer break, I was back in action at the beginning of fall semester 2010, climbing trees on Newton Hill and admiring the views from Peaked Mountain in Monson with Seble. We look so happy in the great outdoors. Come to think of it, I'm always looking happy no matter what!

My next mountain was Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham on September 26th. This is our group photo at the monument on top. That's me on top of Jill's head. I'm up there because as we were getting ready to take the picture Jill asked how her hair looked, and Greg said it needed more mousse. Jill also cuddled with me to stay warm in the cool summit wind. It was fun, but packing extra layers would have been a more sensible approach.

For the next picture we fast forward to 2012. In between, I had decided to embark on a soul searching journey. Over the course of the year, I was either meditating in a dark, cozy cave known as a closet or chilling out in a cat bed with a rather pudgy cat named Cody. It was good Karma. I really got to know myself during that year and developed a clear vision of what to do with my life. When the time was right, I came back to Clark in full force. Much to my excitement, everyone welcomed me back with open arms! It sure felt good to be home!

I loved being back in action and meeting new people, and more important, they love me! So activities fairs are one of my favorite things. Here I am representing the Outing Club and greeting new students out on the Green at the fall 2012 Student Activities Fair. My role was easy because Jill, Therese and Christina did all the talking. They did an impressive job too! We collected gazillions new names for our list.

Anniversaries are so sentimental! This is me on top of Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham again, this time on September 1st, 2012 celebrating the 10th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Outing Club at Clark. The Outing Club's first trip in 2002 was to Mt. Watatic, but due to mechanical difficulty the group ended up in Littleton instead. Long story. But this time we made it to the top with only minor misguidance along the way.

Next day I'm in the van with Hannah for our annual Cascades Parklands hike to kick off the year. Hannah is happy because it is her first time driving the van for an Outing Club trip. Naturally, she did an awesome job. And when we got there, I had lots of fun climbing around on Split Rock.

	Here I am hanging out with Therese and Jill on top of Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire on September 15th. It was my first trip outside of Massachusetts and was very exciting, like being on top of the world! Jill, it seems, had seen a little too much of the Lion King.

Mt. Monadnock was a double-header weekend for me because the next day I visited Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary right here in Worcester. I'm peeking out from the top of Nadine's bag and smiling in the sunshine, which was so nice and warm!

Can you tell I'm really eager to get to Buffumville Lake?? That was my next trip on October 20th. Everyone loved hearing Therese try to pronounce "Buffumville" with a Texas twang, so we had to go check it out. Here we're cruising in the van down I-395, all set to hike Buffumville's 7-mile lakeshore trail.

A moose on a horse? Yup, that's right! It was my first time on a horse and I'm up there with Gaia, who organized the trail riding trip on October 21st. Naturally, the horses all loved me, and I had so much fun hanging out with them.

	A moose on a dam? Yup, that's right too. Specifically, the half mile long Windsor Dam at Quabbin Reservoir, which we visited a week later on October 27th. And after crossing the dam, I'm chillin' with the eagles inside the visitor's center. Don't I look majestic!

It's my hero, Henry David Thoreau. We were having a deeply transcendental conversation at Walden Pond on November 4th. I was even reading his book in the van on the way down. And with help from Therese and Jill, I made some new friends in the Walden visitor's center after the hike. You can't really see Jill but she's behind the rooster.

Soon it would be 2013, and even though New Year's Eve is in the middle of winter break, that didn't stop me from living it up and celebrating! I look so festive!! So happy new year y'all!!

My first trip of 2013 was oh so special! On January 20th we went back to Eagle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary where I had been three years ago on my first-ever Outing Club hike. I was hanging out with Dominique and Demi, and then guess what happened?? I spotted my favorite tree hole! So with help from Jake, Therese and Greg, we did a little re-enactment so I could look inside again. It was epic! Never mind the strange looks we got from the rest of our group. It was still epic!

Mugsy with Hannah & Stefan at open house

Did I mention that activities fairs are one of my favorite things? So here I am in the Grind on February 16th with Hannah and Stefan greeting lots of prospective students at the first of Clark's three Admitted Student Open Houses. We were quite a team. Greg even made me a little name tag out of red felt and wood so everyone would know who I am. It made me feel so official. Therese is always amused when Greg does crafts-y things. Greg says his talents are every bit as good as any third grader you can find.

To be continued...

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