Training Log Archive: bl

DP at end of Rob Road into Town forest. In recent years, groomed for SM use: wide enough for 2 cars to pass & flat to gently rolling for most part. Need to revisit for skate next good snowfall. Today's walk brought back winter '02-03 when we used to pass thru here regularly with big Z the bully & little M the bullied, Beth meeting us at opposite end.

Miserable day weather-wise...driveway all ice but driving ok. NEOC winter party this eve in Carlisle.

Along stream almost to brush dump. Back on top of contours. Dusting of fresh snow on boughs. Lots of deer scent etc to keep dogs occupied. Passed by former tent site - we need to return to the woods this spring, been too long, 2+ yrs. SS

Off Parsons in Meadownsend - curious to see how the woods were, pretty good with a new cover but dense, too. Was on SM track early & late. Fresh MTB tracks on the return but saw no one. Overcast (& warm), a compass would have made for less guessing & resorting to finally following outgoing track.

SloGo from the Y, a first. Allowed a perusal of some of nearby neighborhoods.
Many old interesting houses, icy sidewalks, passable streets, hint of warmth in sun, chilly in shade. Found myself on the edge of Old North cemetery & wandered through, treading carefully on the crusty snow & ice.

After the outing.

A winter's eve by the fire.

Staying warm

Figured crust was worth a second try & found some @ BHS on the soccer field. There was a 250m stretch which was very good. Worked on weight shift, balance & no pole. Car was parked on sheer ice so perhaps anyone who saw me depart toward the Outback thought I was fairly looney. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Indeed, calm & blue makes for a decent January day.

SS DP upstream to the root stock & then along the contours. Came upon a few blazes, including a corner blaze but it was not readily apparent which way a boundary continued. Two sites where deer rested for the night. Z gobbled up scattered droppings when I wasn't scolding. Will have to walk all the way to the brush dump road & return on Allen w/ Beth too. Noticed the NW wind on returning - don't think it was all that present at start. Supportive crust after yesterday's rain - will try out later.

Tried the crust at SPS - half soft, half so so. Biting wind, left it that.

PM DP on the same SM trails I used Sunday - now hard but somewhat nonskid with corrugations,debris & occasional bare patch. Might have made a good road thru the woods for a run but was not prepared. Cold today - hi of 14F. Heard of 4F in Alabama (big time, large scale cold).

Rainy, gray day, aka warm front. Treading water for the time being.

SS DP to contours, up & then along bottom over to where the old path is - just discernible. No game tracks to speak of. Bright, white proper January morning.
Should be using the gps for the fun f it.

Along the way

One way BMS home, Beth dropped me off. Packed SS, freshly groomed, barely tracked on some stretches. New diversion near Boucher, crossing Bow Center Rd and traveling alongside for a few hundred meters. Br. Londonderry better than last time skied. Signs said Nottingcook & Bow sand pit - went that way, a mix of old, somewhat familiar but also the not really recognized due to fresh snow as well as some logging. Finally came to a recognized jct. which led out to Stoney Brook. SB had enough snow to keep skis on (borderline abuse), stepped lightly across Allen & onto home turf, testing the frozen brook at very end. Good fun, over the hills & thru the woods we go. The way January should be.

On the way