RED LINE the BLUE HILLS –– THE GAME

T H E R U L E S

Just like playing Monopoly, you go round and round. Except that instead of collecting hotels, you collect trails! Here's how to play RLBH!

Definition

What is "Red Line the Blue Hills"? Trying to put your boots on every inch of every trail (on a DCR paper map) of the Blue Hills in Milton, MA – and red lining your map with a red marker to track your progress. Get a map for $2 at the Ranger Station or the Trailside Museum. See our website for details: amcsem.org/RLBHWS/index.htm.

Your Map

Whatever map you start with, you get to finish with – meaning that you only have to do the trails on your map, not any trails the DCR may add after you bought your map. In contrast, if the DCR removes a trail before you get a chance to do it, then you do not have to do it; in fact, you should not do it as it is closed – just mark the trail in a different color, scribble it out, or white it out to indicate that it has been removed.)

Red Lining (your first pass through)

There are two ways to accumulate the trails:

§ Group Mode: Participate in the Thursday night group hikes

§ Dexter Mode: If you can't come to any/many of the group hikes, you can just hike and red line every trail, in any order, on your own, and report in when you are totally finished.

Blue Lining (your second pass through)

When you have completely finished red lining, you can begin blue lining. Use a blue marker and you again walk every inch of every trail, either in group hikes or on your own. Report in when you are finished.

Green Lining (your third pass through)

When you have completely finished blue lining, you can begin green lining . . .

More Colors of the Rainbow

Future times through, of any color, work the same. So far the order of colors is: red, blue, green . . .

Making up a Hike

If you miss a group hike, you may make up that week's trails at any time. Report in when the makeup is complete, and we’ll update the attendance chart. Weekly maps are on the RLBH website. There is no time limit for makeup.

The Honor System

Everything is done by the honor system; if you say you've done a trail, then you've done that trail. You cannot count a trail that you did years ago as that defeats the purpose of the game. But you may count any trail you do by yourself after you have started the game.

Freelance Red Lining

If you don't want to play by these rules, then play by your own rules! Count any trail that you have ever done years ago, and red line your trail map at your own pace. And hike with the group whenever you want, or not. And report in when you have finished.

What Happens When you Win the Game

Nothing! Except that you have a well-worn, well-folded, marked-up map to frame and put on the wall. And we'll list you on the website as a "finisher" – either official or freelance. And you may find yourself in The Breeze!

Coming Just for Fun

No one ever has to red line a trail map! Come just for fun, exercise, and socializing.