Training Log Archive: bl

US ski O champs, middle distance, Marshfield, Vt at Fritz nordic trails. Conditions were good as could be expected given major lack of snowfall in weeks. 14 controls, some 5.8k length. So much up & down, constant in fact. No trouble with orienteering but easy to see one going to wrong control with all the red and green lines & numbers. Skied past two turns & corrected after 30 secs or less so slowness is testimony to crappy skating but not a surprise. Mangaged to ski by first control which would surprise anyone else, I'd imagine. Was lying against bank & I was sl perplexed, looking right due to vague uncertainty noted in next sentence. Had seen that trail leading off into woods under dense hemlock, the little snow there was littered with needle debris. Concluded that it was a RC for blue that made the passage there worth tackling despite the disinviting appearance. Turned out that that was the first control for all courses - the launch into the map. The other way was being used for the last leg to finish. Getting up a steep slope to #7 was a challenge accomplished. There are a few times when removing skis might be faster. Pete B removed his here. It was steep, ungroomed, with the occ small pine poking thru snow & liberally sprinkled with briars also poking thru - maybe 80-90m of such. Nice opportunity to ski across open field at end - one did have to avoid bare ground which plays havoc with upright status.

Middle distance start: Gregg Walker, Pete & Lex, Ernst

Ski clinic after racing with Ali Crocker. 4 of us with a vivacious, pretty & brilliant (astrophysics research) teacher!

392 mi RT for weekend. Drive up thru Franconia, sun to south, new weather system right at the Notch. Wind/clouds/lenticulars/snow flurries/cold change within a few miles. Had planned on staying at a St. Johnsbury motel. In leaving Fritz barn around 4p, I encountered Mary-Jo Childs who invited me to her home, along with Hans B who had spent the previous night there. So a pleasant drive across some of northern Vt to Williston. Last visit to the Childs' was fall, '94, when both boys weren't much beyond bassinet stage.
Very pleasant evening there then drive to Crafstbury thru Stowe, Morrisville & North Wolcott, maybe one of those towns "too tough to die" (Tombstone, Az slogan) but none-the-less looking pretty much dead. There are, frankly, alot of grim, austere sights/towns/buildings in northern New England, mostly exacerbated by winter austerity. Nature alone can be austere but not grim or grimy, in my mind, anyway. I saw a considerable amount of the latter over the two days. A landscape blanketed in white, is marvelous, of course, esp when one does not have to drive anywhere.

Franconia Notch

Red Middle Distance - Splits

Contours & back, stepped deep into muck at one point, walking along outline of old skidder track.

A band of reflection between icy banks



This little stream courses across a flat area nearly 0.5 mi in 'immediate' length from swamp, thru the front of our property & off to another swamp and off again and again until it has run its course...to the sea via others, perhaps and growing all the time. I haven't checked but I should.

Slow noon hour short loop with Diane. Saw Brian, her old beau. He ran right by us, arms' length distance, as before some weeks ago. Not my discomfort:-).

What I skipped yesterday. Such a clear, cloudless, all day. Dark just at 5:30. Makes about a month with no precipitation to speak of.

Event: Connecticut Valley Ski-o Festival
 

Nice DP/morn in the making. Dusting of snow last night while DC/Phily/Baltimore are buried; "economic meteorologists" calculate the cost to the economy of all the lovely white stuff, everything reduces to $ in a dead -end culture, perhaps. Got on steep hillside, open areas had a foot of snow, bare ground under crowded hemlocks.

Luti 5.5, windy, brisk. Nice running south thru SPS. Need more energy, though.

Postponed gym, tired of must-do's!

AM DP onto contours. Need to continue w/ creativity opportunities "on the wall" as time allows.

Noon, big flakes drifting down, lt NE wind, Fisk-Little Pond, CW, thought first split was a bit slow - not a positive feedback... Other splits quite accurate as hit watch right at stop sign ea time. 4' slower than last time, same direction!

16:43, 14:01, 14:11, 7:22, 4:14

Came home to a new mouse, been wks; down to one after 2 escaped last wk. Had some photo ideas but this little guy was bedraggled due to spending a bit much time in the trap - very bouncy, too. Put him in with the other who may be pregnant. They're "settling in." Lodging free but w/o choice.

AM reasonably creative DP to contours, left along base, then across large wet area to tall pines & back from the east. This is a period when walking across snow is easy enough, not getting in car even for a brief distance has been pleasant.

Noon Luti with Diane, sunny, much improved over yesterday. But not
particularly honest an effort. Tomorrow.

Usual; got there early, before classes, quieter.

Ran into boss, same rl initials, adjacent pages in the signin book. I'd left work early for a declared "appointment" - when we encountered each other in the pkng lot at the gym (complete surprise) upon my departure, said appointment did not seem to fit in the temporal sequence, as he had noted my departure from work...sigh:-).

C • Perfectly legit 2

Double whammy, MSO and late person took away noon run as well as appetite for gym. Got out door after work. Went to SPS to avoid wind & traffic. Wind found me there, an incessant NW wind even away from fields. Rattled the timbers here last night, blew the moonbeams away. Today was not really into whatever it takes & ran less then 30'.

Spent some time with new Bear Brook map in ocad; traced some contours from jpg's for additional area - a pleasant, distracted 20' or so at end of work day. Harked back to Nottingcook drawing days.

Far away series; photos from elsewhere, #2:

Spring graces Isle of Wight churchyard, '91

Ski O Super Bowl Sunday alternative (courtesy Jim Arsenault) - well, was done long before SB but maybe these types don't like "American Pie", pizza/beer/crass commercialism & even a touch of DV after the booze:-). Colder than advertised, noted that fact buying gas at an open-area type station off exit 20. Brr in shade with wind. Pretty decent conditions considering that there has been no snowfall to speak of in weeks - last big precipitation was rain & that was quite some time ago. Some crustiness, ice patches and bare spots but avoidable & noted on map, tho I did not tune in adequately. If I'm going to skate, I need to work on technique.... Bermans, Peter Goodwin, Aims, Pete B among others present.

Distance is what I recall Jim's optimal route was. Skipped sprint, had to get home for more chores.

Stopped at Piche's on way home & got 2 ski poles tended to.

Rec'd Bear Brook ocad map today from Alexey - the next Boulder Dash takes on a bit more form.

C • Technique 2

C • US Champs 2