Training Log Archive: bl

Amounts to a rest day, 2 DP's and a ride to Portsmouth (Beth to fabric shop), Portland (attractive Falmouth Foreside for sail dropoff) & Portsmouth again. Nice to see blue water & sky as well as R&J's P'mouth neighborhood of colorful saltboxes and big snow banks. (235mi total)

More of same combined with a visit to Stony Brook for DP. Being Friday, little traffic.

Repeat of yesterday, so I thought, with just some more powder but found the nordic course freshly groomed - actually in the process - so a most pleasant 40'. Snow stopped, sun mostly out. Parked car somewhat in front of a gate I've never seen open. Came back to find SPS campus police had opened, septic truck serving p'potties fm last week's IS race & maybe one tomorrow. Another half length to be persona non grata.


TGIF pause...
Deep in the heart of winter at 7 Allen
Center Brook


PGM leaves cold as can be (abuzz with bees, full
of fragrance and lovely flowers first week in May)

Usual 30, departed, and shortly after, hypoglycemic jitters descended from somewhere...probably something to do with a candy bar around 3p - but still, it does not necessarily compute.

AM DP, "ermine & pearl" world at 19F. Moon was out eventually. Need more far-flung tracks.

At SPS nordic, a slithery surface over crust*. Sun, no one else. Just enjoying midday escape. Stopped to peruse the chickens, all cooped up. More snow tonight. Winter 33% over.

*recall similar more than 5 years ago here. Beth & I were able to stay on top of crust covered with a layer of powder, equally slithery - as in having discovered a magic wax.

Shoveling & raking - warm, no cold fingers which was nice. When Mocha saw me shoveling snow by front door, she wanted nothing to do with being outside and barked accordingly.

Luti 5. Hadn't paid attention to weather. Was surprised to feel rain tho
forecasted. Mild to moderate rain, puddles and vehicles on Clinton (one
nearly ran me over (young male, pickup, didn't stop coming off 89 ramp, my behavior based on assumption of his at least slowing but he was nearly 20mph), icyness on second part of Silk Farm - not nice conditions (ones that wear one down over successive winters) tho warm. Honest, at least.

Saw a deer cross BBR, several cars stopped: 4 deer in grouped picture pose, dark brown against white snow - lovely "sketch". Was going to take the dogs for an outing after winning ice dam war (thanks to mild temp) but had hypoglycemic blahs & jitteryness. Mocha didn't seem to care. Zoe is busying herself with spilled birdseed at the feeder.

Full moon eve for what it's worth. Last month, full moon, eclipse, first day of winter but not much to see. November moon, floating on thin layer of air over sand, is recalled somewhat fondly

something about the circle on the mount that makes me think "Euclid" but not sure if his geometry is applicable - but would think so.

PM DP that I wished to skip but doggies were not satisfied w/ course of day. Out back on SS, maybe 2.5' deep in open in places - tired' em out. Then under pines & back. Times like this I miss readily available cardio.

At noon & after work - still light/dry. Tomorrow's is supposed to be heavy/wet.
Rakin' the bloody roof as well.

Faraway series, photos from elsewhere, #49
A winter run on the Westchester Country Club GC, 1968


Best I can figure is that this was taken near home on winter break, '67-8 (slide stamped '68). Often went to WCC for runs: lush green acres or polar opposite, natural beauty, could pick times & not be chased away. Used to run barefoot a lot on the amenable surface. Not a golfer, never a caddy.

AM DP with 2 "anxious" dogs - probably as to when/where/what we'd be doing. Road in to PL not plowed. First January/winter ski in Nottingcook and a cold/8F, clear, calm blue day at that. So January. Waxless on packed, crusty snowmobile trails, mostly in shade. Nary a machine or person at 10a. FR along to check distance etc. Pretty good guess. Think I also looked in OCAD a few years ago but often have trouble with measure fxn & lifting of mouse to pan more map, making measurement discontinuous & not necessarily easy to reconnect.

Same route (jogging) as in am but loop CCW. Saw some footprints but nobody, no machines. Need to recall yaktraks. Distance to w/in 0.01 mi.

Spent some time on the roof (crampons & line fixed to house with eye bolts) in a losing battle with ice dams - not a new enemy but a virulent one, hard to keep in line. Ice too thick to remove for the most part - back of dam was vertical in some places with slush & even dripping water where I'd hacked thru it in places. A reason for spring's welcoming.

To car with a pack, skis etc.

The Notch Friday, sun south, gray & flurries north



View from Johnson Brook Cabin, Bailey, too



Mark and Bailey after bailing out on Chase Mt



Morning sun at JBC



The Androscoggin thru 13 Mile wood



Another stretch at late morning




Lots of excellent food - 3 guys who know Julia Childs & Rachael Ray etc - talk recipes and then cook 'em up. Alot of Lost, not sure what's found. 2 beer bellies and Mark could lose some weight, too. Beth gave me John Irving's LAST NIGHT AT TWISTED RIVER. How appropriate as the first part takes place in the Northern woods at/around a logging camp in the 1950's - a harsh existence. Berlin, Milan and Errol are mentioned quite a few times. So is Rte 16 along the Androscoggin which I drove on Fri & today. Errol has an immense store (for the area) named LL Cote for sports, hunting fishing, food, hardware etc etc. What a gun shop.... Was concerned about getting out (6.4 mi in in "flatlander" vehicle) - 3-4" fresh powder last night but after maybe a mile, there were vehicle tracks in. Beth's new snows were up to several long and moderately steep hills. With less than 0.5 mi to Rte 16, along came a plow truck. A world apart.

Gym on the way home. First thing was sit ups as if penitent for 2 days of "bad" behaviour. Missed it last week as well.