Training Log Archive: bl

From BES home, Beth dropped me off. It was that or Kimball Pond. More tired than I care to be - I'll ascribe it to the cold. 310 was low battery right out of the block. Had no time piece for practically a first.

Finally took a look at Open Orienteering Mapper. Threw in a Bear Brook ocad file as template and scribbled some. It seems to draw the same as OCAD, at no cost. And now that lidar imagery is reasonably available, it seems many a mapper's dream come true.

C • OOM 2

C • Did you have a storm? 2

JSTF as a surprise. Looked at the web site around 7:15 this morning & noted a V1 clinic at 10a which proved the necessary precipitant. Had not really driven anywhere this past winter for skiing.

A drive from bare ground to winter for sure, little Jackson (and the northern NH I saw) indeed being white. Freshly groomed and unused tracks with big flakes drifting down for some of the time. Later shafts of sun. Worked on various techniques with the instructor. I was the only one who came. A pair who did appear in the afternoon, Tony & Suzanne Federer! Heard Tony's voice from afar. There was a friends’ group ski which they participated in regularly in the past & were at it again today. I went out again after lunch. Didn’t wander much as the point was technique practice.

Gray lady

Still tired from a cold, about 5 days now.

Home via 16 and 28, right by BB to Hooksett. Much preferred, new to me and avoided much of the ticky tackiness along 25/Meredith area. Glad to have gone although the nearly 5 hours RT driving I view skeptically these days.

C • Friday glider 2

Pretty much a reflective walk on SPS campus. Still under the cold spell with added conjunctivitis last night. Put up with a few icy trail patches then got to fields, to the track and back along Silk Farm. Lots of kids in shorts & some in T shirts with temp hi 30s. Nice walk. Crappy weather coming tonight and tomorrow. Meanwhile, a Joan Baez concert tonight for something different.

Burned up energy earlier today with a file cabinet that wouldn’t fix, even after I got an extra pair of hands and with O-Ringen entry with which I did not completely succeed. Got myself entered but not Beth. Her CC payment was rejected, no explanation (20’ after mine was accepted - couldn't see any batching opportunity). Thinking I might have mis-typed, I tried again - same result. It was the CC company rejecting charges overseas w/o prior reassurance. I had Beth call to discern this as I was fed up with spinning wheels. If the red-lettered message had explained the situation it would have been straightforward enough. Still have to return to enter her and make lodging arrangements.

C • CC problems 4

Calling it a rest day. Came home from work & took a nap and decided to give in to any impulse "to go do something". Hacking away in the middle of the night can do that. Cancelled my long awaited dentist appt today - can't be in the chair with a tickle in the throat, fighting to suppress. And a visit to the dentist with an obvious cold would be frowned upon by the staff, I'm sure.

When we lived Leverett 20+ yrs ago, I went to a dentist appt with a cold. When he put back the chair, my nose plugged up as he proceeded to go to work, occasionally rinsing my mouth with copious water. Memorable. Today's was only a 'prophy', however.

Spring-like day inspired a visit to Bear Brook. Parked at park entrance & took Mile Long Rd. to its end. Had the 1975 BB map (used by me at a 6/1679 meet!) which proved invaluable. Finally got to the UNO 2011 A meet map - by then had spent nearly 30’ in arrival. Mile Long Rd. had ice over much of it but it was also soft ice - no falls but some delicate ice dancing. Orienteered on the most northern portion of the 2011 map and then made my way back on the Catamount Trail, along Catamount Brook for a portion, then over the hill to the NW & back down to Mile Long Rd. The unnamed hill felt quite solitary. I don’t believe I’ve been there for at least ten years. Woods were mostly hardwood there which is to say light, almost bright for BB. Could see quite a distance and the leaves flattened by the recently departed snow cast a strange semi-gloss light. The 40 year old trail scheme had changed little, the boulders hadn't budged and, at 1/15, are the smallest of the small for an O map. A few new clearings and small trails were about the sum - except omitted boulders and 40 yr old contour interpretation.

An invigorating visit, the kind that one can find on a fine early spring day. Completed a traverse of the 6th decade yesterday. This was a good start to the 7th.


Catamount Brook Cascade with the iPhone. Needed the other camera for comparison. The iPhone camera can do lots, in any event.

C • Congrats! 6