Training Log Archive: bl

Pleasant, easy walk with W. 8th car in parking at end of Woodhill-Hooksett Rd., 5pm on a Saturday eve. Peepers were singing away. Along WH Rd to Wolfe Cascade Brook Tr. , back along Steer Brook Tr, to field and WH Rd at end.

Backside of Pawtuckaway from Reservation Rd. - years since I’d been there. Some uncertainty in finding correct parking and trail head, which was Mountain Tr. Did some 6 points from an old red course, no date on map. Did pretty good with the technical O. Was generally quite close to my previous route of which I had a vague recollection once or twice. Sorting boulders, big and little, was often difficult. Very impressive rock, including the south wall of South Mt.

Saw a couple walking on an unmapped trail- at least on my map. In the end, we met up 4 times - each time, I’d guess we'd likely not see each other again. By the 4th time, it was quite surprising. Open Topo Map shows the parallels in our route. They were on easy street. I was beating myself up in generally challenging terrain although there were a good number of low relief, generally rock-free areas. Mostly gorgeous woods.

I was reminded of how much of Pawtuckaway is not on the orienteering map. Forgot to restart watch at one point. Sat to rest twice. Needed water, snack etc. which I didn't have with me. Tired. Balanced challenged a good number of times but did not fall. Seemed pretty lonesome some of the time. It was quite the surprise when W barked at the most unexpected sighting of the two hikers on a trail that I was unaware of.

Came home mostly due west, including Deerfield Roads I’d never seen & than by Podunk. Seemed a cold day pretty much thru out with sun later.

Had stopping st Pawtuckaway in mind after a Ben P visit and boat visit but the visits became prolonged and it was cold & grey. I wasn't interested in starting around 5pm or later.

Easement walk with Eric & Ken on WTF boundary by Hampton Hills. Blazes were easy enough to follow with the three of us looking. There was a blank section where we likely did not go up an embankment enough because it went too close to a house -- with a state trooper car in the drive, evidently that trooper's home. Another issue was a dumping site on WTF property.

Getting onto Van Ger we walked too close to a house, ironically with another police car in the drive, this one unmarked. At one point, Ken slipped, fell, hit his right buttock on a rock, tumbled off, got up too quickly, then leaned against a dead tree branch, looking out-of-sorts & proceeded to a near faint, falling to his knees. At 80, it was indeed a scare but it got sorted out & got to the end of the walk OK.

Cut an hour off the time. Certainly a nice morning in the woods and impressive looking ones at that. Such walks are good for seeing parts otherwise unseen.

Off Woodhill-Hooksett, took the SVT we saw yesterday thinking it might go around the marsh but it did not. I could see on my phone that I was coming to a gravel pit. Just saw a high earth bank & returned. Nice woods, had never been there. I thought thepath along the marsh on the other side might be one and the same but my course in the woods was always too far southeast, no west to speak of. Not sure which town. Open hardwoods, some shady hemlock. Very windy from NW.