White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking in the morning - started snowing but I still was able to go swimming at UVAC in White River Junction between 1430 and 1515 - then took in a sauna (5 minutes), rode 3 miles on bike, did some rowing and worked with the weights (done at 1600) - home by 1615 - more teleworking]

Grantham, NH (USA)

With several recent days of freeze-thaw-freeze, I wasn’t sure the drive to Grantham would be worth the effort this morning.  Fortunately, the groomers had come through John’s Glen before me and made tracks!  Temps were in the low 20s when I arrived (0800) and that kept people in their warm houses (great for me).  I got almost two full hours on the trails all by myself - it felt great.  As my skis warmed up, they must have melted the surface of the track a little so, by the end, I was practically speeding along.  It wasn’t until the last 20 minutes that the parking lot (empty when I arrived) filled to capacity and other skiers entered the circuit.  Luckily, I was on my way home before it got too “peopley”… Perfect day of cross country skiing at Eastman!

Lyme, NH (USA)

I was up early this morning because I was waiting for call from White River Subaru (they told me they expected a part delivery).  Finally (0730), I was notified that it was OK to get on road for White River Junction.  When I arrived, they quickly got to work and I took a walk along the roads nearby (along the way, I discovered NOSC WRJ!).  The car repair was done at 0820 but I didn't get back for another 10 minutes.  I then left WRJ (via I-91) and drove to the trailhead for the Greensboro Ridge Natural Area, where I met a work crew from the Hanover Conservancy.  This time (between 0900 and 1015), we cleared downed trees on two trails in the Greensboro Ridge Natural Area, the trail system I’ve adopted since moving to the Upper Valley.  I’d reported several blow downs and about seven folks showed up to help me reopen the trails.  As part of the job, I ended up hiking the entire trail system (I did a full circuit with Steve).  Since our crew was quite efficient and completed all planned work, Myrilla suggested that we head to another location (Lower Slade Brook Trail) with downed trees to continue trail maintenance.  Most of us agreed and, to get there, we drove north through Hanover (on NH-10) until we reached River Road.  We continued until we had nearly reached the Lyme-Hanover town line and parked at Josh's house.  We had to walk from there, down a steep hill, to reach the trail system.  Between 1030 and 1145, we cleared even more trees/brush.  We had to wear microspikes (lots of ice) but the temps were good.  I hadn’t hiked this trail system before and was surprised to find such pretty waterfalls.  Need to return during the hot summer...  After we finished working, I did some networking before heading home (arrived by 1200).  Glad to have been able to participate in such a worthwhile project - we definitely made a difference!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworked in the morning - drove to White River Subaru in White River Junction to try to get help with my broken brake light but they had ordered the wrong part - while waiting to find this out (0700 to 0800), teleworked in waiting area - volunteering (window washing) at UVAC between 0800 and 1000 - home by 1015 - teleworking the rest of the day] 

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking in the morning - started snowing but I still was able to go swimming at UVAC in White River Junction between 1345 and 1430 - then took in a sauna (5 minutes), rode 5 miles on bike, did some rowing and worked with the weights (done at 1515) - stopped by the Subaru dealer to check on one of my brake lights - errands in West Lebanon - snowing again - home by 1700 - more teleworking]

Grantham, NH (USA)

After teleworking since very early in the morning, I drove to Eastman for some skiing (arrived at 1530).  Fortunately, I had just enough time to squeeze in a full hour of skiing on the trails near the clubhouse (1535 to 1635).  We'd gotten almost a foot of new snow during the previous 36 hours but I guess it wasn’t enough for tracks (except in one place)... Still, it was nice to be outside and I only saw one other skier.  After I was done, I drove home (arrived 1700) and did some more teleworking. More snow is coming later this week so hoping for even better trails by the Weekend!

Grantham, NH (USA)

After attending Mass in Lebanon this morning (0800), I drove to Eastman to do some skiing (arrived at 0915).  For the first time since I started cross country skiing, I tried a black diamond obstacle today!  In addition to skiing my regular green and blue trails, I also ventured out on a loop that used Sunrise Crest (#4) and Brook (#5) and took me down a HUGE hill.  It was a wild ride!  Bonus: I didn’t fall and was able to stop before running into the trees at the bottom.  Also explored areas much closer to the Lake than I normally do - this was actually the first time I did a long, remote circuit starting at the Clubhouse.  Was mostly alone, especially on the trails near the Brook - several of these routes weren’t rolled or groomed.  In the end, I logged two hours (3.5ish miles) in mid-20s temps (finished 1120).  Before departing for home, I talked to the clubhouse pro (Chris).  I was home again by 1200.  Feeling high on an adrenaline rush!  More snow enroute so the trails should be even better soon.

White River Junction, VT (USA)

Spent two hours this morning (0840 to 1040) cross country skiing on the trail system at John’s Glen and had the place almost completely to myself!  The few inches we got yesterday (re)covered the ground only enough for “rolling” the surface but the conditions were just fine for me to be able to explore and get some exercise.  Temps were in the 20s but the Yurt had a warm fire that you could feel even outside.  Feeling great after four miles on my skis!  Afterwards, I drove home, talking with Eileen on the way.  I ate lunch at my condo and then drove to Moose Mountain (Huggins Trail Access), where I joined my friends (and many others; there were 30 of us!) from Hanover Conservancy for a snowshoe walk.  We were exposed to lots of history, discovery and views!  The AT passes nearby but didn't really connect.  Like in other parts of our town, the extensive trail network has many more miles to explore - we walked many of them while we were in the woods (between 1300 and 1500).  Next, I drove to UVAC in White River Junction to do some volunteering (prep for Swim Meet); I was working there from 1515 to 1630.  I then drove home, feeling good about my time away from the condo - what a full day of activities! 

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking in the morning - snowing a lot - went to UVAC in White River Junction at 1200 to donate blood - done by 1245 and did some errands on the way home (West Lebanon) - back online by 1315 - more teleworking]

Concord, NH (USA)

Following up on my promise to a fellow parishioner (David), I drove to the Social Security Administration Office in Concord this morning.  Before leaving, I did a little of my job (teleworking early).  The weather was good and we got an early start from Sacred Heart (0745 show time).  Using I-89 (and a couple of back roads near the intersection with I-93), we made great time, arriving at round 0845 (15 minutes before they opened).  Since David was first in line, we spent less than 20 minutes there - I'd started walking at Horseshoe Lake (nearby) but barely got any steps at all before he was done with his appointment.  Backtracking to I-89 (saw a huge homeless encampment being cleared by the police on the way), we made good time going north again.  As a result, we arrived in Lebanon at 1010.  Before heading home, I visited with Camille and Cathy in the Parish Office.  I was able to start teleworking again by 1030.  An efficient day of service!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking in the morning - swimming at UVAC in White River Junction between 1430 and 1515 - then did some rowing, rode 4 miles on bike and worked with the weights (done at 1600) - home by 1615 - more teleworking]

Adirondack Weekend - Day 3

I slept much later this morning (0600), even though Juneau again woke me during the night.  Surprisingly, I was awake before Eileen and was able to let the dogs out and feed them again (with much more certainty).  Temps were in the single digits again but the weather was very nice otherwise.  It was a holiday so I didn't have to work or rush home yet.  Eileen was upstairs by 0630 and we strategized on what we could do before I departed for home.  In the end, we decided to do some chores (changing the water in her axolotls tank, moving firewood, cleaning) and then go out for some breakfast.  During the same window, I also packed my car so I could depart from the restaurant afterwards.  I said goodbye to the dogs (I always miss them when I'm gone) and, by 0900, we left Eileen's house.  We drove into town and got some delicious food at the Potsdam Diner.  While eating, we visited and talked some more and then Eileen went to work in Canton.  Meanwhile, I stopped at nearby Stewart's Shops Gas Station to put some air in my tires.  This ended up taking a while and I wasn't ready to leave town until almost 1045.  At that point, I realized that Eileen still had the sunglasses I'd loaned her.  When I called, she told me they were at her house so I went back there to retrieve them.  Heidi and her dogs were there again but things went better than before.  Because I'd driven south of Potsdam by this point, I was able to use NY-72 to drive towards New Hampshire.  On the way, I listened to audiobooks.  I used NY-11B, US-11, NY-190 and US-11 (again) to reach Champlain.  After accidentally getting on the ramp for I-87 there, I was able to back up to the rotary and get back on US-11 again.  I stopped for gas at Irving (1230) and then continued east.  As I drove east, I stayed in communication with the staff at Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington (where I planned to stop for a tour).  At Rouses Point, I switched to US-2 and started my drive to the southeast.  I used VT-78 to cut across to I-89 (Swanton) and then made good time to Burlington.  Arriving at 1345, I used the ParkMobile app to pay for a parking spot (I later learned that, because it was a holiday, this was unnecessary).  The reason for my visit to Burlington was so I could follow up on philanthropy efforts I've been doing for the last several years.  Some back-story: while driving back and forth to hiking zones, I’ve often listened to a program on NPR called “The Moth Radio Hour.” - they always have great stories!  In 2019, I heard a man named Mark Redmond talking about his work with Spectrum Youth and Family Services.  His narrative was very inspiring - I really appreciated the way he explained how his life evolved as he got involved (and, later, became the Director) with the organization.  Spectrum supports at-risk youth (ages 14-24) and families in the Burlington area and helps them get their lives on track.  Perhaps what spoke to me most was Mark’s association of his personal transformation while being active inside his energetic and community-focused Catholic Parish.  After hearing about their mission, I decided to research Spectrum online and eventually made a donation in memory of my mother (Mary Coogan), who often supported groups like this.  Mark’s staff responded enthusiastically and we’ve been in constant contact over the last few years.  As I’ve learned more about Spectrum, I’ve come to believe even more in their mission and have participated in their "Growth Giver" campaign.  Today, I got to take another step in this process when Mark gave me a personal tour of Spectrum’s operations in Burlington.  We walked through the welcoming "Drop In Center" and then proceeded to the Warming Shelter and "The Landing" (simulated condo living).  Along the way, we passed through a health center, extensive kitchens and career center. Mark gave me a full description of how those who seek help are moved through a comprehensive process until they complete a full transition to independent living.  Some of the staff at these sites are former residents and previous participants in the programs offered there.  Spectrum also uses mentors, in-home counselors (for "broken" families) and a car detailing service (job training) as additional catalysts to support “life learning” experiences for the young people.  I feel very privileged to be part of this organization, even from the outside, and look forward to continuing my education on philanthropic organizations that prioritize a "faith that works."  My visit ended up taking about two hours - after saying goodbye to Mark, I made my way back out of town.  Just then, it actually started to snow and I wondered how hard it was going to be to get home without weather trouble.  Fortunately, it had warmed up into the 20s by that point... Eileen called and we talked for a while.  After that, I listened to audiobooks again.  To reach home, I used I-89 (with a stop at a rest area near Essex Junction to answer some texts).  Along the way, I began to feel very tired but still arrived home by 1730 without any scary moments.  I unpacked the car and sorted through a LOT of stuff I'd gathered in the previous few days.  Feeling quite energized after my weekend away and I'm now ready for the work week!

Adirondack Weekend - Day 2

I was wide awake by 0415 (Juneau had kept coming to check on me throughout the night) and couldn't go back to sleep.  Since Eileen wasn't up yet, I read and relaxed in bed until almost 0545.  At that point, I got out of bed and let both dogs outside.  The temps were in the low single digits (!) but the sky was clear.  To pass the time, I did some more reading and (after another 45 minutes) fed the dogs, who were my best friends forever (they usually eat at 0600).  I also looked for things I might do while Eileen was running trails with her friend, Mary.  After Eileen got up and made us some breakfast, we made plans for going across the St. Lawrence to Canada after she was home again (we planned for 0930ish departure).  Eileen left at 0745 and I was close behind her; I drove to Colton and went to Mass at St. Patrick's.  The Priest (Father Joe) was about 15 minutes late and the homily included sad news about reductions in Mass schedules.  Still, the church was nice (I later learned that Eileen goes there sometimes).  At 0910, I departed back to the north on NY-56 and arrived at Eileen's about 15 minutes later.  She wasn't home yet so I had enough time to change, pack up my car and play with the dogs.  When Eileen got back, it took her a little longer to get ready.  She suggested that we eat lunch (leftovers) before we left and I agreed.  We were on the road by about 1030.  From Potsdam, we used US-11 (to Canton) and then NY-68 to travel towards Ogdensburg.  After taking a few old farm roads to bypass the town, we used the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge (it had a small toll) to cross the Saint Lawrence River.  In the middle of span, I got a little bit of a scare as we made our way (carefully) across the metal grating on the bridge (the river was very windy and had lots of whitecaps.  We entered Canada at Johnstown, ON - using our passports only (no "ArriveCAN" required so things were very easy).  We then drove a short distance to ON-401 (McDonald-Cartier Freeway) and headed west.  Eileen started falling asleep (I must be great company...).  Hoping to improve alertness, we stopped at Starbucks (coffee for her and hot chocolate for me) in Brockville, ON (1145).  After that, we continued west (after missing entrance to the highway).  Observations: they had nice roads and good signage.  We spent a lot of time talking (always nice) and never saw the Saint Lawrence River during the drive.  We eventually got off the highway near Kingston, ON and used ON-9 to reach the town of Sydenham.  Then we used ON-5 and ON-19 to reach Frontenac Provincial Park.  We both started getting interested in Frontenac Outfitters on the way but later learned they were closed for the Winter.  We arrived at the main area of the park by 1315 and made our way to the Visitor's Center.  I got a parking pass (1325) and Eileen picked up some brochures for the course she will be teaching during the coming semester.  We then drove back to the trailhead and started our walk on the Doe Lake Trail and (later) the Arab Lake Gorge Trail.  From Eileen's brochures, I learned that the trails we were hiking were located inside the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve.  Temps were in the high teens and low 20s, the sun was shining and the snow wasn’t too deep - these were actually great conditions.  We needed poles but not spikes or snowshoes.  After we were finished (1530), we headed south on ON-19 again.  I got a bit turned around in Sydenham and we had to use some back roads to reach ON-9 again.  From there, we intersected with Princess Street, which took us into the middle of Kingston.  Along the way, we continued our nearly all-day conversation (we never ran out of topics!).  In the city center, we then drove around on streets that followed the waterfront.  At one point, we crossed the Great Cataraqui River and found ourselves close to the Fort Henry National Historic Site.  Both of us were hungry, so we backtracked into Kingston again and found a place to park near the Delta Hotel, which I'd spotted earlier.  It was a short walk to the hotel and we learned that their restaurant (Aqua Terra) was not open for dinner yet.  Unfazed, we sat at the bar (the Vu Lounge) and each ordered a cocktail.  Eileen got a "Partridge in a Pear Tree" (vodka and pear juice) and I got a "Frostbite" (rum and cream with peppermint).  The drinks were very good and we were able to find a place to sit by the water while we waited for the restaurant to open.  When it did (1700), we moved to another waterside table and started our dinner with some glasses of Hayes Valley (CA) Cabernet-Sauvignon.  The atmosphere was very nice and the waiter was excellent.  Outside the window, the sun set but there were lights visible on the water (Wolfe Island?).  We were given a tasty amuse-bouche to start and then got some House Baked Red Fife Sourdough bread, curried cauliflower soup and a large Caesar salad.  The entre was a 12 ounce Enright Cattle Company Ribeye with Yukon gold potatoes and green beans (we shared it).  We talked some more and really enjoyed our time in the restaurant.  In the end, there were no leftovers except for two slices of the bread - Eileen told me it was the best dinner she'd ever had.  Since her daughter (Heidi) was watching the dogs, we departed Kingston as soon as we were finished (1815) and started back towards Potsdam.  At first, we crossed the Great Cataraqui again (ON-2) and drove along the (dark) waterfront.  After that, we got back on ON-401 and continued to the northeast.  From that point, the route we drove coming back was almost exactly the same as the morning.  Of course, there was lots more talking...  Meanwhile, there was very little traffic on the back roads (we didn't even see any other cars on the bridge across the Saint Lawrence).  I used my Global Entry card at the border and it worked just fine.  As we crossed the high bridge again, my tires still showed low pressure on the dashboard but a larger issue was how low my gas tank level was.  So, I stopped at the Mountain Mart in Canton for some fuel (2015).  Since we both wanted to get out of the car by this point, I decided to wait to get air for the tires and, instead, headed directly to Eileen's.  We arrived by 2035 and I got to meet Heidi and several dogs she was watching for family friends (one didn't like me).  After they had all left and it was just me and Eileen - we then settled ourselves down with another movie ("Enola Holmes 2").  Although we started watching much later than I'd normally watch anything, the film was entertaining.  Best part of all: Eileen even stayed awake for the whole thing!  We finally went to bed by 1045 - what a day!

Adirondack Weekend - Day 1

Since snow hasn’t visited the Upper Valley in sufficient quantity to cross country ski, I took advantage of the long weekend to find a better venue.  In the process, I had a rare opportunity to visit Eileen in northern New York!  She'd previously told me she had some work to do this morning but I also had a four hour drive that would align our availability.  After packing up my car in a light snow storm (there was finally some accumulation), I left my condo at around 0535.  I stopped for gas at Irving in Hanover (0545) and then drove south to I-89. I had decided to take the route with the shortest distance and this meant that I was only on I-89 for a short distance.  Getting off the Interstate in the Royalton area, I started to encounter a lot more snow as I drove west mostly at high elevations.  I passed the time with audiobooks and the driving got easier as the sun came up.  I used VT-107, VT-12, VT-100, VT-125 and US-7 to reach Middlebury (scary, unplowed roads on the pass near the Long Trail).  After that, I used VT-125 to get to the southern end of Lake Champlain, where I crossed into New York.  I then took NY-185, NY-9N (to Keene, NY) and NY-73 (to Lake Placid).  The snow never really stopped but the roads were mostly OK whenever I was not on a mountain pass...  I used NY-86, NY-30 and NY-458 to reach NY-11B.  After that, I got on NY-72 and it took me almost all the way to Eileen's.  However, the last few miles involved Google Maps taking me on round-about dirt roads across farm fields.  In the end, I got to her house at around 1020 (10 minutes earlier than I'd told her).  Eileen was still working and asked if I could wait for a little while longer before we got lunch or went out for some exercise.  This was fine with me and Brenna called a bit later, allowing me to pass the time before it was time to order lunch (Eileen called A1 Kitchen in Potsdam).  I drove over to pick up the food at around 1145 (still talking to Brenna) and, after getting back, ate my lunch special (shrimp lo-mein and pork fried rice).  Eileen had a work call that lasted until almost 1300 but then she asked where I'd like to go cross country skiing.  After a bit of discussion, we settled on visiting Higley Flow State Park (near South Colton).  Even after deciding, it took us (Eileen, Mika and me) a while to get there and, as a result, we weren't on the trails until almost 1400.  I’d visited Higley during the summer a few years ago and remembered they had great trails - I was not disappointed!  The freshly groomed system already had a nice packed ground layer and they had just got three inches of fresh snow.  The conditions were perfect so we spent almost two hours in the frigid (10 F) North Country woods and had a blast.  As always, Eileen saw lots of people she knew... Along the way, we checked out the Pine Trail, the camping areas (including loops) and the Beaver Pond Trail (not maintained).  I had some trouble with the steeper areas (lots of ice too) but got a lot of exercise.  After were were finished skiing (1600), we drove back to Potsdam (via NY-56) and picked up a lot of groceries at Price Chopper.  Back at Eileen's we prepared our dinner.  Actually, Eileen did most of the work to make the food (broiled chicken with a peach jam glaze, green beans, snow peas, rice).  My contribution was some bottles of wine I'd found that were representative of my visit to Patagonia.  Eileen really liked these and we talked a lot, laughed and reminisced.  At 2000, Eileen suggested a movie and we ended up choosing "Enola Holmes".  Over the next few hours, I watched the movie but Eileen fell asleep.  I was tempted to switch to something else, however, I couldn't reach the remote...  The movie turned out to be good, though.  The movie ended at around 2200 and we then relaxed in the warm quiet of Eileen's cozy home.  She got her second wind at around 2230 and started cleaning and doing other chores (!!!).  Meanwhile, I read and caught up some emails/texts.  We finally retired for the night at around 2300.  It has been great to have a chance to see Eileen and get away from the normal New Hampshire life!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworked in the morning - volunteering (painting) at UVAC in White River Junction between 0800 and 1050 - home by 1115 - teleworking the rest of the day] 

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking in the morning - physical therapy appointment at VA Medical Center in White River Junction (0730 to 0830) - then went to UVAC to go swimming (0930 and 1000) - errands in West Lebanon - home by 1115 - more teleworking]

Newport, NH (USA)

A fellow parishioner (David) at Sacred Heart needed a ride to the Department of Motor Vehicles this week.  Since the closest office was located in Newport, he had a hard time finding someone who would drive him.  Since I didn't have a lot of meetings in the afternoon today, I told him I'd take him.  I teleworked all morning and early afternoon and then went to pick up David at the church.  Departing at around 1400, we then drove (via I-89 and NH-10) to Newport and he went inside the office, only to find that he was lacking an important document.  Oh well...  We drove back to Lebanon and I told David I'd try to help him again, when he was ready.  By 1600, I was back at my condo and spent the rest of the afternoon teleworking.

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[after 0800 Mass in Lebanon, I went swimming at UVAC in White River Junction (0930 to 1015) - also did some rowing, biking and Stairmaster (done at 1115)]

Grantham, NH (USA)

It has been almost three weeks since there was enough snow on the ground to do any skiing.  I was quite pleased when we got several inches yesterday but then was sad to see that it’s already melting away again.  On social media, Eastman Cross Country Center announced this morning that the trails were closed except for pass holders and residents.  Fortunately, the latter category included me!  I was able to get about an hour (1225 to 1325) of skiing on the trails (which were rolled but not groomed) near the Clubhouse and had the place to myself.  Conditions were slushy but I am really glad I got outside...  Afterwards, I talked to the Pro (Chris) in the Clubhouse for a while.  Got home by 1500.  Hoping for more winter weather next week!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking in the morning - volunteering (window washing, etc.) at UVAC in White River Junction between 0800 and 1000 - snowy commute - home by 1015 - more teleworking]