Training Log Archive: TomN

Back in Maryland. Mid-morning it was pretty nice, 70s and low humidity. Plus the hiker-biker trail is mostly shaded. I stopped at the farmers' market at the train station to look at the goods.

Howard Mountain loop. No visible megafauna this time. Temperature just above 50, but it's supposed to get up to the 60s this afternoon.

Repeat of the Mt. Will loop, in the other direction and at a more leisurely pace. The trailhead is right across the road from the transfer station, to which I had just paid a visit.

Puzzle Mountain up and back. It was in the mid-50s and overcast with high clouds when I started up, but the clouds came down and it started to rain about half-way up. I put on my raincoat and continued, and near the top (up about 3000 feet) it turned to sleet. I passed one snowbank in a little hollow. Still, there was a view through the gray sky off the summit to Howard Pond below. I snapped a picture and came back down. Not too slippery on the ledges and rocks.

A new neighbor I met yesterday told me about a route over the ridge and down to Route 2, so I ran it today. The first third follows an abandoned road up and around the shoulder of Howard Mountain, then joins a rough road down to Route 2, just as advertised. I saw a lot of moose droppings, then some fresh moose tracks in the mud, and then the moose in the woods. It left in a hurry. The last third of the route is on Howard Pond Road, climbing 500 feet or so from the valley.

Last night we were out in the canoe looking at the sky, and saw the Starlink satellite train passing overhead. It was a strange and almost disturbing thing to see. It looks unworldly, sort of menacing.

Mt. Will loop. It's a popular hike, right outside Bethel, with two nice viewpoints looking out over the Androscoggin valley. Most of the uphill was hiking, some of the ridge was too rough to run, but I pushed where I could. Very nice woods up on the ridge, with the spring foliage just coming in.

On Friday we had driven north through Memorial Day traffic, arriving at our summer cabin at night, with no electricity due to a power outage. It must have been recent, because the hot water was still hot. The plumber had been here the week before to drain the antifreeze and turn the water on. Temperature fell to the 40s overnight, but some time during the night the power came back on and the fan began to circulate the heat from the gas stove.

Saturday was lovely, sunny and 70, and I attended to the spring chores, clearing away all the leaves and branches, caulking a leaky window frame, emptying the mouse traps (16 mice in 2 traps) and putting in the dock. Ice-out on the lake was only 3 weeks ago, but as soon as it was gone the lake re-filled with slightly warmer water. At least I could wade in comfortably to assemble the dock parts.

Today was also nice, still warm, and I went out on the Mt. Will trail before noon. A front passed through in the afternoon, with a little spattering of rain and a lot of wind, raising whitecaps on the lake. Our daughter Mei-An is coming up from Boston tonight. Somewhat cooler weather ahead.