Providence Trip - Day 1

.This week, I had another work trip that would support our system's hardware installations!  After my good experience last week, I was really looking forward to the trip - this time, to Providence, Rhode Island.  Since it was a holiday, there wasn't going to be anyone online that expected to speak or email with me.  This allowed me some flexibility, since I had approval to work on this unusual travel day.  I took advantage of the situation and slept a bit later than normal - I ended up waking up at 0645 (without an alarm set).  At 0700, I began teleworking.  For the rest of the morning, I only took one short break (0800) for breakfast in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon).  Otherwise, I stayed online until 1115 and completed the first four hours of my work day until it was time to depart from Lebanon (1130).  By then, the temps were 32 F and it was pleasant and sunny outside.  Due to my big breakfast, I skipped lunch and started driving south on I-89.  Not surprisingly, there were Massachusetts license plates everywhere and they blew by me as I mostly followed the speed limit.  After nearly an hour on the Interstate, I exited on to NH-77, which led me to NH-13.  Not only was this the route with the shortest distance, I had noticed several Rail Trails on the map nearby,  With the goal of getting some good outdoor activity, I headed towards the town of Brookline.  Arriving there at 1315, I was met with temps in the mid 30s - I've been so lucky during my Nomad Life journey!  I parked at a lot near Potanipo Lake (near Mason Road) and, after some research online (because there really wasn't any signage), I was able to locate the Brookline Rail Trail.  From my car, I hiked south (through a small covered bridge) until the trail petered out at NH-13.  Reversing course, I started north towards the Lake.  It took some help from locals (walking with their dog) but I eventually realized I was in the southern section of the larger trail.  Without blazes or signs, I tentatively headed into the "Tevye Section", which initially wandered through paved roads of what appeared to be a Jewish Summer Camp.  After this, the trail turned into a forest road that was clearly used by snowmobiles.  There was actually better signage from this point and I was able to hike two miles before I reached North Mason Road.  By that point, I had learned that there was another two mile section of the Brookline Rail Trail located to the north that connected to the Granite Town Rail Trail (total distance of the two sections of trail = 4.5 miles).  I'd also concluded that I didn't want to walk in the slushy snow to reach my car - instead, I walked east to NH-13 and headed south on the pavement.  Fortunately, there was a wide shoulder and I was able to make very good time.  By 1450, I had reached my car after just a bit more than four miles.  Overall, it was a great time on the trail!  Next, I drove south on NH-13 for about 1.5 miles, hoping to find the northwest trailhead of the Potanipo Rail Trail.  I was successful in my search and even had a short time to do some walking.  At this trailhead, there was a map of the trail and I learned that it was about 2.7 miles long, with the northern end (1.5 miles) going from the trailhead I found to the corner Bohanan Bridge Road and Oak Hill Road; another section is about 1.2 miles and connects to the Massachusetts part of the Potanipo Rail Trail.  Sadly, there wasn't enough time to really make progress on this Rail Trail.  However, I felt good about adding to my experience with more trails on the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge list.  Reluctantly, I left the area at 1500 and drove south on NH-13 to the Massachusetts border (crossed at 1505).  The road became MA-13 and I continued south while temps rose to 37 F.  After passing through several small hamlets, I located MA-2 and used it to reach I-190.  Following that road, I made my way to Worcester and then accessed I-290 to cross through the city.  Exiting on to MA-146, I soon reached the Rhode Island border (1610) and continued south on RI-146.  This road had lots of construction and traffic but I eventually made it to I-95.  During this part of the drive, I kept seeing cameras over the road and worried about traffic tickets (later research says they are inactive toll cameras for trucks).  The traffic volume continued increasing and I was relieved to get off the Interstate at the T. F  Green Airport exit.  Shortly after that (1640), I arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Warwick and was able to quickly check into my room.  With the drive completed, I was able to log two more hours of work (transportation to the work site).  Before resuming telework, though, I hosted a telcon with our family's Thanksgiving Planning Team (1700 to 1740).  Beyond that important discussion, I completed my last hour of work online (1740 to 1840).  Pausing my work day again, I left the hotel and went to dinner at the "Iron Works" (a restaurant at the nearby Hilton Hotel).  It was a VERY popular venue and my only choice was to sit at the crowded bar.  The only empty seat was next to one occupied by a Veteran named Greg, who appeared to be a regular, and his service dog (Hope).  It turned out that we had a lot of things in common (military experiences) and even both had family on Cape Cod.  The drinks and dinner (pastrami sandwich) were very good (prices were too!) and I stayed at the bar until 1950.  After saying goodbye to my new friend, I drove back to the hotel and finished my last hour of telework (2000 to 2100).  Because I'd already reached my fitness goals for the day, I didn't feel bad about watching movies until bedtime (2300).  I'll admit that I'm rather excited about the work I'll be doing at the Airport during the next few days!

Nomad Life - Day 169

I woke up at 0700 this morning, still feeling tired.  That sealed the deal for me on whether or not I should drive up to Bradford (VT) to join the latest iteration of the Dayhike & Dine series.  They'd been planning (coincidentally) to climb Mount Willard (in the White Mountains) during one of my days of visiting but I'd never committed.  Still, I had hoped to see all those folks.  With the decision made, though, I lounged around in bed for about an hour (reading and doing Duolingo exercises) before going to breakfast in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon).  Unlike the previous day, it was very crowded and I had to listen to folks from Massachusetts (almost all cars in the parking lot had that plate) complaining about food, accommodations, prices, etc.  SMH....  After that (0815), I returned to my room and did some more reading & puzzles, caught up on communications with friends and relatives and did a few work tasks (travel prep and claims).  I also purchased several items online from Walmart and made plans to pick them up later.  For lunch, I ate leftovers (from Pellegrino's).  Suddenly, I realized that most of the day was over - and I'd not even been outside!  Almost frantically, I left the hotel (1500) and drove to my storage unit.  When I arrived, my odometer said that I'd reached 16K miles since I'd begun my Nomad Life on August 1 - wow!  Because I hadn't been able to access the unit for many months, I ended up spending nearly 90 minutes swapping items, adding things to the storage unit and reorganizing my car.  By the end of these efforts, I realized I barely had enough time for any outdoor activities.  Luckily, I was less than a mile from the Northern Rail Trail and, after parking at the lot near Forward's Garage, I was able to get 2.2 miles of skiing (between 1630 and 1730) between that location and the Bank Street Extension.  It wasn't as formal as I'd hoped, but I also got about an hour of bird watching (again in support of the New Hampshire Audubon Annual Backyard Winter Bird Survey.  Even better, I ended up talking with a lady on the trail about our results (she was doing it too).  Unfortunately, I saw fewer species than I had during the previous day.  But I hadn't forgotten and looked forward to entering my results online, just as I'd done for most of the years I lived in New Hampshire.  Before I was done, I watched kids playing hockey, dodged snowmobiles and marveled at the (stupid? insensitive? careless?) people who had damaged the nearby Packard Covered Bridge.  It's terrible that it can't seem to avoid getting hit by tall vehicles!  When I finished, I noticed that the temps, which had earlier risen to about 30 F, had started to fall quickly with the setting sun.  Realizing that my trip to Cape Cod was not going to happen as I'd expected, I'd earlier coordinated doing some laundry with a friend.  So, at 1745, I visited Jim & Cathy's home in Lebanon.  They were, of course, very gracious and friendly and I ended up visiting with them while the clothing was washing.  At one point, I took a break so I could drive to West Lebanon to pick up my Walmart order (hiking boots, underwear, jeans).  Just after that (1845), I ate dinner inside the Burger King on NH-12A.  At 1900, I drove back to Jim & Cathy's, turned over laundry to dryer and then hurried back to hotel so I could get the large pile of scrap paper I wanted to burn.  This resulted in some adventures with their wood stove - I always forget how to work these but, in my defense, they are all different...  Along the way, I spent time watching the Winter Olympics with Cathy.  Once my laundry was completed, I reluctantly said goodbye and departed from their home (2045).  It was clear that they were sending their well-wishes and prayers along with me - great friends!  Despite further attempts that I'd made to connect with Sarah H earlier in the evening, I never was able to make it work.  Back at my hotel (2100), I watched movies. Sadly, I forgot about getting the rest of my steps so only end up achieving about 85% of my goal.  That's twice in one weekend - dang...  I went to bed at 2300 after another day filled with some great love and happiness.  I'm really looking forward to returning to Hanover/Lebanon again soon!

Nomad Life - Day 168

This morning, I was up much earlier than I'd hoped to be (0430) and did NOT feel rested.  I stayed in bed until about 0700 but never got any quality sleep.  Instead, I did some reading, puzzles and Duolingo exercises before going to breakfast in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon) at 0745.  Strangely, I still didn't feel great - this was probably due to the lack of sleep but maybe also from that one kind of beer I tried at Jesse's the night before...  At 0800, I went outside for the first time - the temps were initially 11 F (brrrr)!  From the hotel, I started my rounds of visits and socializing for the day by driving to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where I joined the Men of St. Joseph Monthly Meeting.  As usual, this fellowship group was very helpful and I saw several friends from our church (and even met new guys).  I stayed with them from just after 0800 until about 0945 and then said goodbye.  At around this time, I started to hear back from my family in Massachusetts (Dad and Katie).  I'll admit that I was surprised and disappointed about how they were bailing on getting together during the upcoming weekend.  Yes, they were legitimate reasons but I hadn't expected not to see them while I was in the Northeast...  Oh well - maybe I'll have better luck when I return in the Summer.  Next, I drove to my old Condo neighborhood and visited my next door neighbor, Monte (arrived at 1000).  He'd graciously offered to host me for a mid day meal and, while I was there, I got to see Beth and Ann too (they stopped by for a short talk).  For the next few hours, we visited, had lunch and caught up on news.  Monte has been helping me with some mail and has been a wonderful friend - it was great to be able to stay at his place for so long.  While at Monte's, I did some birding in support of the NH Audubon Annual Backyard Winter Bird Survey (started at 1200).  From his balcony, I recorded about one of observations and saw several species.  Out side, the temps rose to about 30 F.  Finishing up my visit to Gile Hill at 1300, I tried to visit another neighbor (Sarah H.) but she wasn't home.  After that, I headed back to the hotel (arrived at 1315) and caught up on some admin.  Another reason I was there was to wait to hear back from Jim F., who had said he wanted to meet for a meal.  When he finally called (1430), we tried getting together at The Fort (local diner) but we discovered that it was closed (no explanation).  Instead, we reconvened at Pellegrino's Italian Market, a new place (for me) with a great reputation.  The food (sandwiches) was excellent!  While there, Jim and I had a great conversation and he shared a lot of life/health recommendations (both in a Physician and friend role).  As usual, Jim was very gracious and seemed genuinely happy that I was back in town.  Just before 1600, I suddenly realized what time it was and remembered I'd planned to attend Mass at Sacred Heart. Quickly saying goodbye to Jim, I drove to the nearby Parish, barely making it in time.  During the service, it felt a but strange to be back "home" after more than six months.  Along the way, I got drafted into helping with the offering - that made me glad because I definitely wanted to support the church while I was in town.  After the service was over (1700), I went down into the Parish Hall and again got drafted to help with the Mardi Gras night.  At first, I sold tickets, a job that brought back memories of my recently departed friend, Herman.  During this time, I met a lot of Father Charles' friends and saw many of my old acquaintances from church.  Like the others earlier in the day, everyone seemed very happy to see me.  Feeling very humble but very loved...  Later, I helped Wyktor in the kitchen with dishes, cleanup, etc. and was reminded of all the evenings I'd previously supported our Knights of Columbus Parish and Father Charles.  All told, I spent nearly four hours helping and it felt like old times.  Because "they needed me", I ended up skipping another local skiing event (this one at the Hartland Winter Trails) that I'd tentatively added to my calendar.  But, like last night, I considered this a good trade.  At 2115, I departed Sacred Heart and drove a short distance to my hotel (arrived at 2130).  By then, the temps were in the low 20s but I didn't feel too cold.  I should probably have tried harder to get my 10K daily step count but, instead, decided to watch movies and take a "rest day."  This didn't really improve things, though, because I didn't make a big effort to catch up on my sleep.  I ended up online until almost 2300 and still felt tired from the morning.  Turning out the lights, though, I definitely had a lot of happy thoughts about how great the Upper Valley had been while I lived there - returning today definitely felt like home!

Albany Trip - Day 5

Because of my early bedtime last night, I woke up this morning at 0400, feeling quite rested.  Since it was so early, though, I decided to go back to sleep and, when my alarm rang at 0600, it was VERY hard to get out of bed.  Somehow, though, I began teleworking immediately.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Latham) and then went back to work immediately after that.  For once, I actually had Friday meetings.  Even better, though, I was able to complete the final document sign offs from our Installation Trip.  By 1045, I had reached the 4.5 hour mark of hours for the day and checked out of the hotel.  As I loaded up my car, I was pleased to find that I had another sunny day and that temps were in the low 30s.  This made me feel good about the impending drive towards the Upper Valley and I immediately drove (via NY-7) across the Hudson River to Troy.  Even though it was closed (for renovations ?), I stopped to visit the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.  It was very difficult to access due to traffic patterns, one way streets and snow drifts blocking parking spots.  In the end, though, I found the building and nearby park and took a photo of the site.  Apparently, Kate Mullany was an early (late Nineteenth Century) labor pioneer - the web had some good information on her but it's not clear when the location will be officially open again.  Satisfied that I'd seen all I could, I continued east on NY-7.  There was SO much traffic and I despaired of getting out of Troy.  Along the way, though, I passed some less expensive (than in Latham) fuel - I filled up the gas tank at a Valero at 1130.  From there, the traffic thinned out and I eventually found myself entering Vermont and getting on VT-7, which took me to VT-279 and US-7.  I passed through Bennington at 1200 - by then, it was sunny and temps were in the mid 20s.  I'll admit that the sight of familiar Green Mountain peaks brought a warm feeling to my heart...  During this phase of the drive, I only saw New Jersey plates on the road - each one of those cars tailgated me and passed on double yellow lines.  It wasn't until I finally reached Manchester and turned on to VT-30 that the plates changed to New Hampshire and Vermont.  I did have to follow a lot of them towards the northeast... I got on VT-11 soon after that and followed it all the way to the town of Chester (arrived there at 1300).  Along the way, I climbed over the Appalachian Trail ridge of the Greens but then came down into the Connecticut River Valley to 35 F temps.  I followed VT-103 to I-91 and, after driving north for a while (light traffic, fortunately), reached I-89.  I crossed the Connecticut River at 1350 and was soon exiting the Interstate (very familiar feelings) in Lebanon.  In the end, the drive went very well and I was able to check into the Quality Inn on NH-120 at 1355.  This meant that I was online, from my room, when a Company telcon began.  Once that was over (1430), I did a bit more telework to complete my work week.  Just before 1500, I left my hotel and drove to the Greensboro Ridge Natural Area, where I hiked for an hour (two miles) in the snow.  This outdoor workout was a go-to activity for me when I lived in Hanover and I was able to log an hour of Volunteering for the Hanover Conservancy (train maintainer) simultaneously (and with their blessing).  Feeling very good about my change to resume some familiar tasks in support of local organizations, I returned to my car just before 1600 and drove to Jesse's Steakhouse.  Typically, the group I met there on Thursdays when I lived in Hanover (Ed and Bruce) would not have been there on a Friday - however, they heard I would be in town and I was able to join them for a "do over" Happy Hour.  The beer prices had risen to $4 but the ambiance was still just the way I remembered it.  We had a great time visiting and the party was even better when Jade (bartender) arrived for her shift.  Along the way, we made plans for my next visit (during warmer weather).  It was with a great deal of reluctance when we finished our time together (1815).  As I left Jesse's, my heart was warmed that everyone seemed genuinely happy to see me - I'll need to come back again soon!  This feeling definitely overwhelmed an opposing thought about how I would have liked to attend the Torchlight Snowshoe event at the Billings Farm (scheduled earlier in the evening).  Can't do everything!  When I reached my hotel again (1830), I caught up on a bit more telework and then went to the hotel Fitness Center.  The gym was very limited so I didn't get to bike - however, I did walk just under two miles (in 35 minutes) on the treadmill.  Afterwards, I watched movies and had an unexpected call with Eileen.  Time seemed to go by very quickly and I had to force myself to go to bed at 2300.  It's great to be back in the Upper Valley!

Albany Trip - Day 4

As I'd suspected, the overnight project (Technology Refreshment) at the Albany Airport wasn't completed until nearly 0600.  This was longer than everyone wanted but, fortunately, the end result was that we completed all checklists and tasks, as intended, and the facility was able to take over the new system just when they wanted to have it.  Along the way, I got to watch equipment being installed in the maintenance area, in the radar room and in the tower itself.  While we were up in the cab (at around 0300), I believe I could see where Carolyn lived.  Otherwise, the entire area was nearly a picture - I was reminded of my many years in black & white Navy aircraft simulators.  There were some moments of concern (delays in file downloads, inoperative speakers, etc.) but everyone stayed on mission.  Towards the end, the system was functioning correctly (yaaaay) but I had to wait to sign some documentation as the Oversight Representative.  No matter, though - by then, I'd poured myself a cup of black coffee and the rare caffeine was working its magic...  In the end, we finished our project at 0600 and I carefully drove back to the Holiday Inn Express (Latham).  By this point, temps were in the low 20s.  After arriving at 0615, I was able to join the breakfast buffet (in progress, despite the published start time of 0630) and I got some good food before returning to my room.  Before trying to sleep, I spent some time catching up on admin - I ultimately went to sleep at 0700.  Sadly, this wasn't a restful sleep at all.  If I'm generous on the definition, I managed to get about four hours of rest before I decided to get out of bed.  In reality, though, it was only about two to three hours of dozing.  After making the call to wake up, I caught up on reading, made plans for the upcoming weekend and sorted out items to return to my car.  At noon, I started (resumed ?) teleworking in an attempt to complete the last two hours of my work day.  By this point, the Site Implementation Lead had determined that there was no need for the entire group of Installers to return later in the day - as a result, I stayed at the hotel.  At 1345, I went to the gym and  did 4.6 miles on the stationary (recumbent) bike (20 minutes), 2+ miles on the treadmill (40 minutes) and 0.5 miles of swimming laps (30 minutes).  These activities really made a difference in my lethargy and I felt much more awake.  My workout was done at 1515 and I returned to telework a bit more (until 1630).  By this point, I had started to have some regret about staying inside buildings all day because it was sunny outside (temps in the 30s).  Oh well - work does come first...  At 1645, I departed from my hotel and drove to El Charro Mexican Grill (near the Airport).  After I arrived (just before 1700), my sister Carolyn joined me and we had a nice visit together.  Most of the conversation was about family news and her recent trip  to Nashville and Memphis.  This wasn't our first trip to the restaurant and we were again rewarded with some delicious food.  At 1910, we said goodbye and I returned to my hotel - by this point, I was REALLY starting to feel tired.  Forcing myself to stay awake, I spent the rest of the evening watching movies, finally heading to bed at 2200.  By that point, there had been no calls from Albany Airport about problems with the new equipment so I'm feeling really good about our work this week!

Albany Trip - Day 3

Even though I wanted to sleep well into the morning (and hadn't even set an alarm), I still work up at 0700.  Unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep, even though I tried to tire myself with reading.  Giving up, I worked on puzzles and Duolingo exercises before heading down to breakfast in the Lobby of Holiday Inn Express (Latham) at 0840.  Wide awake by then, I joined meetings online between 0900 and 1100 (2 hours).  Beyond that time, I took a break from work.  Meanwhile, outside, it was snowing lightly (temps in low 30s).  My next task for the day was to get as much active time as I could.  To that end, I began a workout at the Fitness Center that included: 2 miles on treadmill (40 minutes), 4.6 miles on the stationary (recumbent) bike (20 minutes) and 0.5 miles of laps in the pool (30 minutes).  It felt great to have gotten so much exercise for once!  Even though I was finished just after 1230, I skipped lunch and, instead, returned to room to take a 60 minute nap.  Awake again, I resumed teleworking and stayed online (prepping for evening work) from 1430 to 1800 (3.5 hours).  By this point in my strange day, I was annoyed to find that it was raining outside - I sure hope this doesn't mean more ice!  Fortunately, when I went to my car at one point (around dinner time), I found the temps to be very reasonable (30s).  Hoping to avoid a long drive around the traffic-snarled area, I decided to get dinner at the Hotel Restaurant (formerly known as "On Tap").  I sat at the bar there and had a great meal (Chicken Parm and mixed veggies) while watching "Big Trouble in Little China" on the bar TV (campy).  I was done eating at 1845 and then went walking around in the halls to complete my 10K step goal for the day (somehow, all the working out didn't tip the pedometer scales)...  In my room again, I did some Thanksgiving Planning and then watched some videos online until it was time for me to leave the hotel at 2215.  From the Holiday Inn Express, I drove back to Albany Airport (arrived at 2230) and met up with the other members of the Installation Team.  The place was almost deserted (just the way we like it) but we needed this quiet because we had to go through a LOT of tedious checklists to ensure everything was in order and that the new equipment could meet the needs of the facility.  To be honest, there was a lot of "hurry up and wait" but then things started to get hot/busy.  My job was mostly to observe but I was asked (several times) for "Executive Decisions" - fortunately, I was able to make these without much concern and the Installation effort stayed on track.  Throughout the evening, I kept eying the pot of coffee in the break room and wondered if this would be one of the rare nights in my life where I'd need some.  As we rolled through Midnight (I logged the last 2.5 miles of my day), our checklists showed we were less than half way through the overall process so it was sure to be a long night...

Albany Trip - Day 2

Woohoo - it's time for some in-person, on-site work!  With the excitement building, I was awake by 0545 and had started teleworking at 0600.  I took a short break for breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Latham) at 0715 before returning to my telework.  When I knocked off at 0800, I'd already worked one hour for my job.  After that (0815), I got ready to depart for nearby Albany Airport where all the magic will happen this week.  Outside, it was 15 F and partly sunny - not that it mattered, because I'd be inside all day...  Starting at 0830, I met up with the rest of our Installation Team (most had traveled from their home bases in the Mid-Atlantic Region) and we introduced ourselves to the local facility staff.  For most of the morning, our team was validating inventory and preparing for the Main Event (tomorrow night), when we plan to remove the old (2010 timeframe) computer equipment and replace it with new (2023 timeframe) stuff.  This was actually my first time in this kind of role since 2013 so everything felt unfamiliar and interesting.  My colleagues were very patient and also appreciated the extra set of eyes. While walking around inside the buildings at the Airport, I logged almost a full mile!  We kept at our job until about 1430 (six more hours of work).  Feeling prepared for the next day, our team made plans to convene the following afternoon and returned to our hotels.  I arrived at the Holiday Inn Express by 1445 and bought a "cup of noodles" for my (late) lunch from the desk clerk.  After that, I resumed teleworking in my room and completed my work day by 1600.  There was a little time after that for me to catch up on personal stuff (organizing, blogging, reading) before it was time for me to make my way to Troy for my dinner with Scott V.  I came outside of the hotel to find my car covered with a light layer of snow (not in the forecast).  After that (1640), I drove (via NY-7) to Troy and arrived at Dinosaur Bar-B-Q (on the Waterfront) at 1655.  Scott arrived about five minutes later and we sat down and had a delicious dinner (I had meatloaf with two sides and a local beer).  During our meal, we had a great conversation about Scott's life in Troy (since he graduated from RPI) and my Nomad Life.  It was a nice visit!  At 1830, I departed and then had a rather scary drive (via NY-7) back to Latham.  While I'd been eating, the light snow had turned to ice (temps in the high 20s) and there was freezing rain falling all around.  I must say that I was VERY relieved to make it to the hotel...  In my warm and cozy room again, I took care of blog and eBird entries and was tempted to lay down.  Instead, though, I went to the Fitness Center to workout again.  To complete my 10K step goal. I first walked on the treadmill for two miles (40 minutes) and then rode a stationary (recumbent) bike for 4.4 miles (20 minutes).  With my fitness goals completed, I headed back to my room and figured I had some time to watch movies.  Once again, I got carried away and didn't go to bed until after midnight (0015).  Since I'll be working "Mid Shift" tomorrow, I'm hoping I don't regret this decision...

Albany Trip - Day 1

After nearly seven years of work on my project, today is the first day of my oversight role in the field!  Normally, I'm relegated to paperwork and meetings but, instead, this phase of my career will involve hands-on, quality assurance involvement in the deployment of new equipment.  I'm very excited.  Despite my best efforts to make today easier, however, I still had to drive to Albany before I could begin.  Probably for this reason, I was up at 0530 (before alarm) and had started teleworking at 0600.  No breakfast was offered at the hotel (Red Roof Inn, Erie) so I didn't take any breaks except to do minimal packing and and loading of my car (parked right in front of the door).  As a result, I was able to telework until 0915 (3 hours of my work day completed before departing the hotel.  Fortunately, my drive also counts as work for the day!  I stopped for breakfast at McDonalds (located right next door to the hotel) and took the food on the road with me.  Outside, the weather mostly pleasant (sunny) but very cold (1 F).  The hotel had been located right next to the Interstate so I was on I-90 again very quickly and headed east soon afterwards.  Sadly, my Subaru's TPMS was annoyed with colder temps...  After less than 30 minutes, I switched to I-86 and crossed into New York State (0940).  I reached the town of Findley Lake at 0945 and then encountered some construction as I made my way towards the bridge that crosses Chautauqua Lake.  Shortly after reaching the east side of that body of water, I passed through Jamestown (1000) and entered the Seneca Reservation.  At some point near here, I also found myself within the boundary of Allegany State Park.  Almost every road sign was bilingual, with equivalents to English in the Seneca Language.  In a couple of places, I noticed that the term "ohi-yo" was used in place of the Allegany and realized that it must be the source name for the "Ohio Country!  At 1030, I arrived in Salamanca and got gas at a Native American station.  It seemed to be warming up (at least higher than single digits) by the time I got back on I-86.  Next, I passed through Angelica (1120) and then the terrain started to climb.  As I crossed the ridge on I-86 west of Almond (elevation just over 2K feet), the temps dipped to 10 F - brrr...  I reached Hornellsville at 1135 and marveled at the large number of windmills on the hills in this area; for some reason, though, there was no wind.  I was in Corning at 1215 and Barton at 1245 - this area had lots of cops - and finally arrived in Binghamton by 1325.  Temps had settled at 20 F and I briefly thought about getting some steps nearby (Finger Lakes Trail = NCT nearby).  However, I had a meeting scheduled at 1330 and needed to stay on task for my drive...  Along the way, I skipped lunch.  At 1300, I joined a work meeting on my laptop from the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel (just west of I-81) in Binghamton.  Fortunately, I was able to connect with my iPhone as a HotSpot and was able to participate in a productive discussion.  With that meeting finished (1430), I resumed my drive, using surface streets to pass through town until I reached I-88.  From there, I passed through Afton (1500) and Sidney (1510) as I dodged more cops.  Wen I reached Oneonta (1525), I didn't stop - this is usually a good rest/gas/food place but I was all set today.  The rest of my drive on I-88 included Richmondville (1550) and Duanesburg (1610).  At the latter town, I got off the Interstate and used US-20 (no tolls) to reach Albany at 1640.  Next, I used I-87, NY-7, US-9 and NY-9D to reach the Holiday Inn Express (my lodging for the week) in Latham, NY at 1645.  Luckily, I was able to quickly check into my room and resumed teleworking until 1800.  After work, I joined a KofC Council Meeting and spent time with them for the next 45 minutes.  As that meeting ended, I ordered dinner at a nearby Panera and drove to pick it up at 1855.  On the way, I heard a (new) funny noise from car (muffler?) - dang...  After getting my food and eating inside the restaurant (1910), I walked around the aisles of a nearby Home Depot.  Fortunately, there were almost no customers and it was very warm.  Along the way, I met the Manager (nice lady) and we ended up talking to her for a while - she had lots of ideas for my (non-existent) home projects but I didn't stop her.  By the time I finally finished my walk, I managed to reach two miles worth of steps for the day.  With my "exercise" completed (2000), I drove back to my hotel and quickly changed into workout gear.  After locating the Fitness Center, I spent 40 minutes (2020 to 2100) on the recumbent bike and logged 8.8 miles.  I would have liked to do more (and, maybe, even swim) but there were lots of kids (some kind of big school group) roaming around everywhere I went.  Instead, I headed back to my room and spent the rest of the evening catching up on blogging, Duolingo, etc. before finally heading off to bed at 2300.  It was a whirlwind day of telework and driving but I'm in position for my Big Day tomorrow!

Nomad Life - Day 167

Despite my late bedtime, I still woke up at 0600 this morning.  I took advantage of the extra time by reading, working on Duolingo exercises and completing puzzles on my phone.  At 0730, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of Red Roof Inn (Clyde).  Back in my room about 20 minutes later, I spent time working on my blog and eBird records.  There was also some time for me to research lodging options for later in the day.  Next, I started packing up my car - I was able to check out of my room by 1015.  The temps were 14 F but it seemed MUCH colder.  Before I could leave the parking lot, I had to clear a lot of ice in my wheel wells.  When I was able to depart Clyde, I backtracked (via US-20) to Fremont and went to Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church (1030).  The inside of the building was very pretty and it was warm - however, I had the misfortune of sitting immediately in front of a woman who sang and prayed about as loudly as anyone - it was distracting!  When the service was over (1115), I drove (about a mile) to Spiegel Grove, which was the home of President Rutherford B. Hayes (they also had a Museum and Library there too).  Because it wasn't yet open to the public, I started walking around the property (1125).  The estate was pretty big and had lots of trails - I later read that former President used to have a goal of six miles of walking every day.  Despite the cold, I still encountered lots of people with dogs.  After about 30 minutes on the trails, I went inside the (now open) building and got a ticket for the Presidential Museum (1200).  Actually, I could have toured the home but skipped that due to time constraints.  Instead, I toured the exhibits, which were very good.  I learned more about the 19th President and the hotly contested Election of 1876, which was decided by only 1 Electoral Vote after months of wrangling.  I believe I saw everything they had on display but I never saw a single mention of why Hayes left office after only one term - a docent told me that he'd indicated he thought he'd accomplished all his goals and didn't need to be reelected...  I departed from Freemont at 1305 - by then, it was a chilly 20 F.  These temps didn't seem to agree with my Subaru, unfortunately, because I'd started to get the "TPMS" failure light on my dash again - fortunately, it's intermittent and the tire pressures seem good.  To continued my drive towards the East Coast, I got back on US-20, which was a nice four lane highway - unfortunately, I had really bad luck with the few traffic signals I encountered and spent the next 30 minutes stopping and starting with no traffic around me.  I passed through Monroeville at 1335 and changed to OH-18 about 10 minutes later.  After that, it was Clarksfield (1400), Penfield (1415), Litchfield (1420) before I exited the highway on to side streets that took me to the town of Medina by 1430.  After that, I used OH-3, CR-37, I-271 and OH -303 to reached the town of Peninsula.  My goal, all along, had been to check out Cuyahoga National Park - I arrived at the park Visitor Center at Boston Mill by 1500.  The park property was located very close to some busy ski areas (Boston Mills Resort and Brandywine Resort) and I watched lots of people having a blast on the slopes.  Even with temps in the teens and 20s, I managed to log some time outdoors and I had fun exploring the little (reconstructed) "village" at Boston Mill Station, a stop along the Ohio & Erie Canal Tow Path and Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.  In addition to logging some more distance on the Buckeye Trail (it crossed the Park), I also walked on the Ohio & Erie Canal Tow Path.  During this stop, I also talked with the staff in the Visitor Center and helped them with a survey.  Next, I drove north on OH-9 until I reached the village of Brecksville (part of Cuyahoga County!) at 1545.  From there, I continued to the east and south until I reached Brandywine Falls five minutes later.  Once I was parked at the lot there, I carefully navigated slippery stairways and got some spectacular views of the completely frozen Brandywine Falls.  This stop was even better than the last one had been - I logged a second mile of walking for the day (reaching two since I woke up).  It's always good when I can make progress on my step goals while also making good time in my drive...  Finished with the sightseeing, I departed the National Park at 1615 and took back roads (towards the northeast) until I reached OH-91.  This part of the drive was intended to take me through the town of Twinsburg and I arrived there at 1630.  During my visit, I explored the town square, the Middle School & nearby Chamberlain Park, which is apparently the scene of the Annual Twins Day Festival (each August).  In our family, this place has been famous for years; my girls and I were thinking this was a town completely devoted to Twins but it turned out to be a rather normal Midwestern Village.  I'll admit that I felt a bit cheated but, at least, I learned about the (twin) founders, Moses and Aaron Wilcox before I gave up my search.  Instead, I stopped at the local Dairy Queen to eat a late lunch / early dinner (1700).  Even though I ate in the restaurant, I was on the road again less than 20 minutes later.  It didn't seem intuitive, but Google Maps suggested I take I-480 to the west so I could intercept I-271 again.  I didn't argue and was soon headed north.  The progression of towns and routes from this point included: Mayfield (1735), I-90, Mentor (1745), Madison (1800) and the Pennsylvania Border (1830).  Meanwhile, the temps dropped to 5 F and I began to get tired.  I stopped briefly at a rest area and made a hotel reservation.  Otherwise, I passed the time by listening to Super Bowl LX on SiriusXM.  At 1900, I arrived at my hotel, the Red Roof Inn near the Interstate in Erie, PA.  Once I'd checked into my room, I turned on the TV (rare for me to ever do when I'm traveling) and watched Super Bowl.  Because of this choice, I stayed up until about 2300 and then had lots of trouble getting to sleep because of the loud neighbors.  Hopefully, I'll still get some quality sleep because I need to be in Albany tomorrow night!

Nomad Life - Day 166

For some reason, the sleeping conditions overnight were so good that I wasn't awake until 0800!  That may be the best amount of uninterrupted rest I've gotten since beginning the Nomad Life.   With the late start, though, I had to hurry to make sure I got breakfast in Lobby of Baymont (South Bend), catch up on traveling admin and pack up the car in time to get my drive started as soon as possible.  Somehow, I was able to depart South Bend at 1045 - I definitely felt rushed, though...  Outside, it was 25 F and overcast but I was hoping for better conditions to the east.  Because I was avoiding the Indiana Toll Road, I initially used city streets to depart the city.  Later, I got on IN-23, which used to be a road I often used to get around the area.  After a while, I crossed into Michigan (MI-62) and then transitioned to Redfield Street.  At around this time, I started to encounter pretty steady snow flurries and the road conditions were poor (unplowed areas).  By 1115, I passed through Mason Township and soon got on MI-205, which took me to US-12 - I followed this route for several hours afterwards.  As I'd hoped, the sun came out at around this time, although the temps stabilized in the high teens.  More towns I encountered during this phase of the drive: Mottville (1125), Bronson (1155), Quincy (1220) and Janesville (1240).  At the latter point, I transitioned to the Deal Parkway and started looking for the North Country Trail, which crossed through Hillsdale County near this point.  I found it when turned on to Industrial Parkway and continued following it even after I reached MI-99.  This section (2.8 miles) was coincident with the highway until it joined some bike trails in Hillsdale.  Knowing this, I stopped briefly to fill up my gas tank at the local Meijer (1250).  After that, I continued following the NCT in my car until I found the trailhead at Wicker Place.  Noticing a steep, paved trail that joined city sidewalks there, I took a break from trail hunting and made my way to the nearby campus of Hillsdale College.  I've supported them financially ever since my friend, Don T (a professor there), passed away in 2018.  They have good online courses (Adult Continuing Education) and send out a stimulating newsletters each month.  In any case, there wasn't much to the place - they had some amazing examples of Midwestern Architecture and statues of the Founding Fathers but, for a school almost as old as Notre Dame, I was a bit underwhelmed.  One point of hope, though, was evidence for large building projects nearby.  I'll keep an eye on the institution...  From the campus, I resumed my search for the NCT, finding it again at the corner of West Street and Monroe Street.  I thought maybe I could count some of the trail here while driving but then noticed that the route intersected the start of the Baw Beese (Rail) Trail.  I did park and walk around in the area for a little while here and got some good photos as the weather conditions continued to improve (1315).  Hoping to find some more drivable sections, I got back on MI-99 and headed east.  The rail trail paralleled my route for a while, although it was nearly inaccessible as it passed through marshes and lakes to the north.  Eventually, I was able to access it by driving down roads that were perpendicular to the State Highway and later found a trailhead (near the Baptist Church on Beecher Street in Osseo) where the Baw Beese ended.  From that point, I started driving another NCT section from there.  The trail continued to the south for 1.5 hours until it crossed MI-34 - there was a trailhead just east of the Otto Drain where the NCT went south into the woods and I gave up trying to follow it.  Instead, I drove east to the town of Pittsford (arrived at 1410) and started searching for the place where the NCT came back out of the woods.  I located this spot on Pittsford Road, just north of Losey Road.  From there, I started counting the miles on my odometer again.  However, this time the trail followed a series of snowy dirt roads across the prairie.  I'll admit to some trepidation about reaching a dead end or drift I couldn't navigate but I was impressed by the signage in this area; several times, I stopped to get photos of blue blazes and signs that indicated I was going the correct way.  Before long, I reached Squawfield Road, a place I'd noted on the map when I was last in the area (MAY 2025).  Soon after that, I located the last road (Tuttle) that would take me to the place where I last followed the NCT in Michigan.  My project concluded when I reached 10.2 miles on the odometer at Territorial Road (1445).  Overall, I logged 14.5 new NCT miles in Michigan today (a negligible amount was on foot) and learned a lot more about its routing through the State.  Noting the late time of day, I gave up on the NCT for a little while and started following roads that paralleled the MI/OH border.  By 1455, I entered Lenawee County 1455 - turned south on Meyerholtz Highway, which turned into OH-23 when I arrived in Fulton County, Ohio (1500).  I didn't realize it at the time, but I stayed in that county for more than an hour after that point.  A bit later, I got on US-20 and headed east.  I continued until I reached the town of Oakshade and then took OH-108.  My driving target was Wauseon, a place where I knew I'd again find the North Country Trail.  Once I was near the Wabash Cannonball Trail and knew I could resume my trail search, I stopped for late lunch at Arby's and ate in the restaurant (1530).  With my meal completed, I drove a short distance and found the turnaround spot from my last visit (MAY 2025).  After reaching the NCT/WCT trailhead on CR-13 (1545), I followed CR-F, which paralleled the bike trail.  To continue my pursuit of trailheads and drivable NCT section, I had to use CR-5 and CR-EF for a while.  At one point(1605), I was able to do some hiking on the NCT/WCT near the Fraker Mill (Covered) Bridge.  I found it interesting that the trail was mostly plowed and wished I had more time to log some actual distance on foot.  However, my eastward progression required me to resume my drive...  After that, I was off and on CR-F and CR-EF for several miles.  Just after I saw signs that indicated I was entering Lucas County (1620), I finally discovered that the NCT disconnected from the Wabash Cannonball (North Fork) on Waterville-Swanton Road in Oak Openings Preserve Metropark.  To find it again, I used a map I located during a stop at the park and, with some creative divining, I located a trailhead on the corner of OH-64 and Berridge Road.  From there, I drove 0.8 miles until I located the Wabash Cannonball Trail South Fork.  Strangely, the NCT then headed east on this rail trail - towards the town of Whitehouse.  I took some more back roads to find this place and arrived there at 1655.  Unlike some of the other stops this afternoon, I didn't even stop and continued driving on back roads and OH-64 until I reached the next trailhead, which was where the WCT (South Fork) crossed Flinzel Street in Whitehouse.  From there, the NCT required a road walk (or drive, in my case) and I followed the route (all OH-64) until I reached the parking area for the Farnsworth Roche de Bout Shelter, located on the banks of the Maumee River.  By then, I'd logged 4.3 new miles of NCT for the section and reached 5.1 miles of NCT in Ohio today.  When I consulted my trail log later in the evening, I found I'd just passed 100 miles for the entire trail (out of 4730).  I did feel pretty good about my efforts at the time!  Starting at 1705, I walked on Maumee River Tow Path and encountered lots of birds.  Sadly, I also (unintentionally) got to watch hunters killing geese - they shot them right out of the sky while they were walking around on the frozen river surface!  Feeling a bit shaken about observing that event, I departed the park at 1730.  Using OH-64 and OH-65, I made my way to US-20 (entered Wood County at 1735) and passed through Hessville at 1755.  With the sun setting and temps dropping rapidly, I decided it might be a good idea to make lodging arrangements.  To this end, I stopped on the side of road (just before the US-20 Bypass Split for the town of Fremont) and made a reservation online.  Next, I drove on the Bypass (this allowed for really good speeds and avoided downtown Fremont).  At 1845, I arrived at my hotel, the Red Roof Inn in Clyde.  At the desk, I found that I had a room but the clerk was unable to confirm whether I'd paid already.  Hopefully, there won't be too much of a problem down the line.  During this encountered, the clerk reactivated my dormant Red Roof Inn loyalty account (it did have Nicky's name but my email address).  After getting to my room, I worked on getting organized and then headed to the gym for a workout.  Ultimately, I completed 8 miles of biking (40 minutes) and tried out the elliptical.  With only two miles worth of steps completed for the day, I walked around in the hotel to achieve my 10K goal.  I also planned to go swimming but, when I was changing in my room (2100), Kerith called.  We ended up talking for nearly two hours!  Afterwards, I gave up the idea of any more workouts so, instead, got to reading.  Perhaps I might have gone to bed but there were some VERY loud people in the hallway until well past midnight.  Because of them, I couldn't sleep, even after I turned out the light (2330).  Ultimately, I probably wasn't asleep until at least 0030.  What a day - lots of driving and interesting NCT encounters!  Hope I can be as productive/efficient tomorrow...  North Country Trail Today = 19.6 miles / Grand Total NCT = 100.3 miles