Training Log Archive: bl

Contours walk with Z&M. Got very windy last night, had the house creaking as it sometimes does in January. Well enough fortified but still cold in woods (0F) & drafts of wind did find us. Brilliant blue and white. Got a tad disoriented coming out of woods, saw yellow paint & redirected.

SS path


Z prancing at 13.

Sunset-moonlight Kearsage hike led by Bob D. I wondered re whether or not to go given the zero temp & strong wind. Bob didn’t express the least doubt about doing this in such conditions. Glad I went. It was cold but most of cold is fended off provided one is sufficiently prepared. Cold fingers and toes are the worst & chemical warmers can fix that. My warmers were old but worked. I was rusty on winter hiking of this nature. There were 9 of us as a Bow Rec Dept group. Several were on their first winter hike, one only the second time on SS. There was a moderate amount of waiting but all is well that ends well. I missed the sunset from the summit. Lots of ice as expected and some mighty gusts but shelter in trees was not far away.

Then down & down, eventually into the quiet. Finally hardwood forest where one could turn off headlamps and experience 'utmost' moonlight. Shadows on the snow & flakes glistening are ethereal things.

Drove there with Bob & Dorie. Back home by 7:30.

People having fun

View opening


Forest on Fire

Cold afterlight

At White Park, found one stretch of freshly groomed track which was really nice. Who should I see right off the bat but Udo! Gray contrasts, snow coming down, WSW.

Nottingcook loops looking for what moonlight there was. I was surprised by the ambient light to the south under the cloud - probably 'Manchester metro' but it looked like a Shea Stadium in the middle of the forest. Could see far on the PL. Trails were groomed for Sms with little use - so very smooth... a 10' wide (est.) smooth road in the forest for wuss snowmobiling. Some trails were even groomed with a trackless 2" of powder on top. Couldn't decide whether I liked it w/o the head lamp or with. W/o, I could see well enough but no detail. With, the world was much smaller but so much better illuminated, offering prints of comings & goings in the snow and other detail otherwise missed. I expected to see eyes reflecting back. Initially thought I did, but in retrospect, it was occasional snowflakes sparkling back. It was windy on the PL & almost w/o any noticeable wind in the forest. Need more night time visits to the woods, in whatever manner.

At Carter Hill around 4p. Not as good as at White Park re grooming but ambiance makes up for that. Quiet and at one point it might have been in France with rolling orchard hills (thinking vineyard) stretching to that particular section of horizon -- and Penacook Lake behind.

More snow tonight. It was minus 6F this morning & roof raking was indicated, work or not. Ice dams grow quickly when conditions are right -- which is most of the time. Learned a lesson some years back.

Table tennis first with Udo at the Slusser center and then dropped by the fancy Hopkinton library to take a look - had never been on Pine St.

Skate at TRT, excellent conditions as expected. Parked at the CHC lot and made one entire loop.

SS walk at end of day with Z&M. Didn't think M could/would care to come along but both were out ahead in the c. 15" of dry snow. Went to the contours, up, along, and back across the marsh to more tall pines & along the cemetery spur. First SS loop out back in several years. Saves using the car for DPs which is welcome. I'll ID this as the day of the "Boston Blizzard".

Visit to Trapp nordic on the way home. Just above 0F but calm so cold wasn’t so much noticed. Headed toward the Cabin but on a longer route than I should of - and it went up and up, mostly too steep for me to skate. Nice place to ski but 144 mi from here. Would do well to budget a day and a half additional on a future drive to Burlington.

Trip to Vt over in fortunate timing, given impending blizzard. Jenn’s current menagerie includes 5 dogs (2 pit bull rescues and one 8 y/o blind Shih Tzu, all in her foster care, plus her 2 own) and 3 cats, 2 in foster care. And add two adolescents to that and a full time college professor job - she gets all bases covered somehow. One of her dogs, Ila, a german shepherd, kills any cat she can get her jaws on! She has done so twice in the neighborhood after escaping from the fenced-in backyard. Pit bulls are given a bad rap, at least in so far as their getting along with people. Bad owners can equal bad dogs.

Token jog to the Champlain lakefront to catch the last of the day. Cold, dressed for it, a nice feeling, that of adequate preparation.

Burlington visit for Cai's VYOA concert in town. Lots of young talent & poise.
A nice drive up under sunny skies, getting colder all the while. About 15' more daylight here than at home.