White River Junction, VT (USA)

[chores and Spring Cleaning at home - at 1430, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) - spent 45 minutes swimming (50 lengths) - by then, I was the only one left in the lap pool (they were going to close shortly afterwards) - I thought about sauna and maybe even weights but wasn't in the mood - departed for home instead and arrived there at 1600 - rode my stationary bike (18 minutes / 3 miles) before bed]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

Four days in a row on skis!  I started the day early (teleworking) and conditions didn't look good for anything outdoors (rain was forecasted).  It stayed dry for a while, though, so I decided to take a break (between meetings) at 0915 and drove into Hanover so I could go skiing again at the Dartmouth Rugby Fields.  Starting at 0930, I raced around the (remaining) tracks on the trails set up by the Oak Hill Outdoor Center team.  I’ll admit this decision smacks of obsession but I managed to squeeze in another hour (2+ miles).  There was a bit of grass showing from under the last of the snow we got during Saturday’s storm but I was pumped to use it up before the rain started (literally 10 minutes after I was finished).  After getting done (1030), I joined a MS Teams meeting in progress as I drove home (arrived by 1045).  I spent the rest of the day teleworking.  At 1645, I departed home again and drove to White River Junction (UVAC), where I swam for 45 minutes (50 lengths) and then took in a 15 minute sauna.  I had hoped to work out a bit but forgot my exercise shirt.  Instead, did some shopping in West Lebanon (finished at 1730) and went home (arrived by 1745).  Because a few things had popped up after hours, I did some more teleworking until 1900.  This ski adventure may be the last hurrah of the 2023-2024 season in Hanover but I’m guessing there are some places in the Whites & NEK that will still have some white stuff this weekend (a lady I met this morning even predicted that the snow would survive at Storrs Pond, even after the rains).  Fingers crossed!

Meriden, NH (USA)

Two more hours (4 miles) on skis this afternoon!  After work (1600), I left home and drove to Meriden so I could do some more cross country skiing.  When I arrived, I found temps in the low 40s (overcast) and conditions misty.  Fortunately, the snow was still good!  Started skiing at the Plainfield School at 1635.  While I was using the (groomed!) trails at the Plainfield School, I saw a few other people who were walking but no other skiers.  I guess everyone put away their equipment for the season… Not me, though!  I was done by 1835 and drove home in misty conditions (arrived at condo by 1915).  Winter is not done yet!

Hanover, NH (USA)

The single digit temps overnight set the snow surfaces very well.  Through the entire work day, I was itching to get outside!  At 1645, I drove over to the Dartmouth rugby fields to see if others might have broken some trails.  On the way, I passed LOTS of young people (members of sports teams?) who were running in the pleasant (40 degree) temperatures.  When I arrived (1700), I found something even better than I'd ever imagined: groomed tracks (presumably made by the Oak Hill Outdoor Center staff)!  They weren’t the normal routes but I reveled in the nicest conditions I’ve seen since February. I started on Gariplay Field but decided - for the first time - to cross Reservoir Road and see what was behind the Ray School.  As I went deeper into woods on the edge of town, I soon realized that I was inside the Storrs Pond Recreation Area.  This was the first time I’d been there and it was nice to get a look at the popular camp and swimming hole.  The trails back there were quite challenging, with big climbs and steep descents.  I fell a few times - mostly because of the slippery/sticky conditions but also because of how fast I was going.  Woohoo!  Most everyone else was a skate skier but I did meet one lady (Dorothy) who was skiing Classic like me.  After reaching a place called Area 5 (along NH-10), I realized I probably wasn’t going to have enough daylight to get back to my car.  So, for the last 20 minutes of my 1.75 hour adventure, I walked on the road.  Reached my car at 1845.  Overall, skied/walked about 3.5 miles on a beautiful day. Made it home by 1900. Temps should be low double digits overnight so I’m hoping for another chance on my EVOs tomorrow afternoon!

Enfield, NH (USA)

After the Upper Valley got the biggest snow storm (20ish inches) since I moved to NH, I was itching to get out on the ski trails this morning.  Unfortunately, I hadn’t considered how many of the cross country areas I use in winter had already closed for the season.  And not just “we aren’t grooming” closed - some had warnings about restricted access due to mud season.  I only really had two choices: go to Oak Hill (i.e., Dartmouth) on a day they had scheduled ski races or break trail somewhere familiar.  After digging my car out (yikes) of a huge snowdrift (1045), I chose the latter option and drove to Enfield (I-89, US-4 and NH-4A) to check on a section of the Northern Rail Trail.  The roads weren't good but the weather was great (sunny and in the high 20s).  Even better: the parking lot for Mascoma Lakeside Park had been plowed.  But then the real work began!  Let me tell you: breaking trail on skis is not fun in 20+ inches (with drifts in places up to 3 feet)… For the first hour, I was wading more than skiing.  Even though someone had previously walked part of the trail in snowshoes, there were places that I sank up to my thighs.  Along the way, the bottom of my wax-less skis got coated with about three inches of sticky snow.  Determined, I retraced my route several times within a mile long section south of the Enfield Depot and gradually packed down the surface.  Other people walked through the area on snowshoes while I was there and helped to make the base layer even stronger.  I believe the sun helped too, refreezing the tracks after I went through.  As a result, the second hour was MUCH easier and fun.  I was gliding and getting a real vertical stride going.  In the end, I logged two hours on my EVOs in two hours (1150 to 1350).  Feeling great as I got in my car to go home (arrived at 1430). Hoping that this snow lasts for a few days because I’m not done enjoying this “Winter” season yet!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[started teleworking very early - I finished my work day at 1445 and drove to White River Junction (UVAC) for a workout - swam for 45 minutes (50 lengths), took in a 15 minute sauna, did some PT weights, biked for just over 8 minutes (2.0 miles) and rowed for 5 minutes (1K) - afterwards (1645), I drove home and continued teleworking until 1730]

Lincoln, RI (USA)

Our family planned a huge birthday bash for my father and it was going to take place late this afternoon.  I was up early and considered my options; since I didn't have to be in the Providence, RI area until 1500 (and didn't want to sit around all day), I decided on executing a plan I'd been outlining earlier in the week: to visit the Shrine for Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney.  I'd already been thinking about taking this detour, so there wasn't much to plan.  I left the condo by 0645 in hopes of arriving at the location at the time they opened.  Stopped in West Lebanon (shopping) just after 0700 and was back on the road shortly afterwards.  Used I-89 to reach I-91 and headed towards Connecticut (listened to audiobooks on the way).  It was rainy but weather improving as I went south; traffic was also not a problem for most of the way.  In the end, I made good time and arrived at St. Mary's Parish in New Haven (on the edge of the Yale University Campus) by 1000.   It was here, in 1882, that the Knights of Columbus were founded.  As a Knight myself, I was interested in learning more about the life of the founder, Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney - he lived less than 40 years but helped inspire the development of a strong fraternal organization with a “safety net” component (insurance).  The impact of the Knights of Columbus is probably unmeasurable but there is no doubt it has lived up to its principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism.  My visit to the historic church (which included his tomb) and the nearby Pilgrimage Center (which contained a full account of his life, the founding & subsequent mission of the KofC and the cause for his Canonization) did not disappoint.  The example of this one priest provides yet more evidence that the life of one person, however short, can have a profound and lasting impact on the world and people in it. After buying some souvenirs at the McGivney Center (1030), I got on I-95 and drove east.  The weather was wonderful by that point but I was surrounded by some really crazy drivers...  Landmarks I passed brought back memories of using this route constantly when I was younger - almost everything was familiar.  Realized I'd forgotten my dress shirt for the party later in the evening and stopped to do some shopping at Walmart in Coventry, RI.  Back in my car again (1255), I continued north towards Providence.  On the way, I made some calls to my dad (coordinating a meet up) and Mollie.  Due to construction, I had some problems getting off where Google Maps told me.  However, I still made it to the Bally's Twin River Casino in Lincoln by 1315.  As I mentioned, the purpose of my journey was to join my family in celebration of my dad's approaching 80th birthday.  Of everyone in attendance, I had the longest drive but arrived first. I had thought about going somewhere for nice walk but the parking at the Casino was limited and I felt lucky to get a spot.  In the end, I walked around for about an hour in the parking lot.  At 1445, I changed into one of my new shirts and met my sisters inside the Casino a few minutes later.  My dad (and Beth) arrived at about 1515 and all attendees (including my brother in law, two of Dad's neighbors, my nephew and his girlfriend) joined together for some photos before my father gave all of us cash to spend on the machines.  After that, everyone split up to play the slots.  I followed my dad around for a while, watching him win and then went in search for some adult beverages.  During this entire period, I'd thought I was at the same casino where my dad had taken me last October.  However, after I'd walked around the entire place, I asked a bartender where the wall of beer/wine was.  With a quizzical look, she indicated they'd never had one.  Feeling embarrassed, I looked online and realized that the other casino had been in Tiverton (D'oh).  Settled for a "to-go" beer from the same bartender (1545) and then went back to find my family.  Everyone (except me, who hadn't gambled at all) was out of the gifted money by then (1615) and started digging deeper into their wallets.  Mercifully, we had a dinner scheduled at 1700 in Johnny Longo's (an Italian Restaurant on the premises).  It was quite a fancy place and everyone enjoyed drinks and food for the next hour.  Almost everyone was acting sad because they had lost money all afternoon.  Fortunately, my sisters had created some activities to uplift us!  We went through "is Dad older or younger than X?", scratch tickets and a box that looked like a gold bar that included specially made poker chips that featured my dad's face.  Actually, I won some prizes!  After the main dishes were consumed, we all made toasts for my dad and described funny stories we recalled about him - I think he enjoyed the attention. I'll admit that I kept looking at my watch because I had a three hour drive left to do... Fortunately, I got to sample some of the cake that Dad/Beth had brought (it had a picture of his dogs).  All the food was good and I was glad I had been able to be a part of everything!  Leaving the casino (1855), I got on I-495.  Google Maps initially offered several options but all seemed to be taking me east towards Boston; the amount of time in transit would end up being shorter but the distance would be more than I had gas to accomplish.  Somehow, I found a different route that seemed more direct and would keep me below the remaining miles limit (so I wouldn't have to stop on the way).  Once I chose that, Google Maps was quite creative to finding a "crow flies" track and I was also limited to about 40 miles per hour for most of the way.  Still, I was glad I used the alternative, which included MA-119, MA-225, MA-111, several back roads to cut over from Pepperell, MA to Brookline, NH.  From there, I got on NH-13 and followed that road for quite a while.  Passed through Mont Vernon (looked interesting)...  Later, I was on NH-77 and that later joined NH-114 as I passed through the town of Weare.  Taking NH-77 to Sugar Hill Road, I intercepted I-89 in Hopkinton.  From there, my drive home was fast and easy.  By 2010, I was at my condo (only about 15 minutes later than the "fast route" would have taken me and still with gas in the tank).  Afterwards, I got everything out of my car but went straight to bed]

Woodstock, VT (USA)

[my cousin, Shelagh, was visiting North Pomfret with several of her friends and she suggested that we meet up today - I was not able to get over to the Woodstock area until (at least) lunchtime but she had a hike scheduled that wouldn't get done until later - on the way over to meet her, I stopped for gas at Irving in West Lebanon (1425) - at 1500, we met at the Worthy Kitchen and enjoyed some beers (and some parmesan fries) for about 90 minutes - this was the first time we'd actually met but it was like we'd known each other for many years - afterwards, we shuttled her car over to the Billings Farm (because she wanted to leave it there for the night) and then parked near the downtown area of Woodstock - we walked to a little wine bar called Au Comptoir and met the rest of her friends there (1645) - I had a glass of Merlot but the rest of them tried some of the fruity cocktails - we visited until around 1750 and then I said goodbye - I walked to nearby Our Lady of the Snows and went to Mass (1800) - afterwards (1840), I walked back to my car and drove home (arrived by 1715)]

DC Trip - Day 4

For some reason, I was up very early (0500).  Unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep so did some reading and then packed up my stuff early.  I left my hotel room at 0615, checked out of the hotel and stopped in at the McDonalds next door to get some breakfast (0625).  From there, I walked to the Crystal City Metro Station (the weather was great again).  Next, I made my way (by Yellow Line and Red Line) to Union Station.  I arrived there by 0715 and ate my breakfast in the Amtrak waiting area.  At 0800, we were told to get in line for boarding The Vermonter.  However, we were delayed (no announcements) and, by the time we were finally allowed on the train, we departed about 20 minutes late.  I got a "your train is delayed" message when we were already almost to New Carrolton...  Fortunately, I managed to get a seat in the quiet car and got some work done for most of the ride to NYC,  Sadly, the internet was not reliable and several people around me completely ignored the quiet rules.  The worst thing of all, though, was when we got to Penn Station and the crew changed - the new conductor(s) were rude, loud, annoyed and threatened to throw people off the train who didn't cooperate.  It took a while to get back to working after that...  We reached New Haven (still late) and I got to walk around for a little while.  I asked one of the conductors about the sleeper car that had been on the train in DC but had "mysteriously" vanished along the way (he said it was unusual to have it).  By 1350, we departed (with our newly installed diesel engine) and headed north along the Connecticut River.  We stayed behind schedule until we reached Springfield (only about 10 minutes late) and then proceeded to sit at the platform for almost 30 minutes.  The doors were all closed, the announcements were vague and hard to hear - sheesh...  We finally got moving again at 1535 (the turn around maneuver wasn't as bad as the last time).  After a full day of meetings and other work, I turned off my computer at around 1630 and looked out of the window for the rest of the trip.  We passed homeless encampments, kids waving, flooding and other familiar scenery.  The Vermonter stayed behind schedule all the way home and arrived in White River Junction at 1830. I immediately got in my car and started driving towards the UVAC - the Amtrak was so slow in departing that I actually easily beat it across the railroad crossing.  I hadn't made a reservation for a swim lane and, when I was suited up, found all of the lanes filled.  Fortunately, the Warm Water pool was completely empty - as a result, I was able to swim for 30 minutes (34 lengths).  It felt strange (and, I imagine, the lifeguards thought it was unusual) but I was glad to log some laps.  Afterwards (1920), I drove to West Lebanon to do some shopping at Shaw's (done at 1940).  Back home by 2000, I unpacked and finally got a chance to relax.  Very glad to be done with this work trip (and hope there aren't many more required for a while)...

DC Trip - Day 3

My sleep was much better overnight and I was awake (refreshed) at 0545.  I started my morning with reading, Duolingo and Sudoku.  Like the previous morning, I left my hotel at 0745 - this time, however, I walked directly to Crystal City Metro Station.  The weather was great!  I took the train to L'Enfant and then got some (overpriced) breakfast at Cosmo Cafe (0815).  Next, I got set up in the Conference Room (0820).  Danny arrived soon after that and we shared our computer for our first meeting (0830).  At 0900, our next set of meetings began and we powered on through to 1300.  I tried to meet up for lunch with Kelly but she was busy again. Instead, I went to lunch with Chris D. at My Own Pizza (1315).  After that, we went back to Conference Room and continued meetings until 1530.  I'd planned to depart the city but there was a party (for someone celebrating their 50th birthday) going on near the exit so I stayed for a little while.  Meanwhile, Stephanie texted and suggested that we meet up - I agreed.  At 1630, we met at L'Enfant Plaza and then walked north to Hill Country BBQ.  For our happy hour (brings back old times!), we had margaritas, brisket, ribs and sausage.  We also talked and visited until about 1945.  After that, we walked back to L'Enfant, where I boarded a Yellow Line Train to Crystal City while she took an Uber home.  I reached Crystal City at around 2015 and then walked to the Holiday Inn.  Back in my room (2030), I tidied up a few work items (including some late texts from my Customer).  Before calling it a day, I spent more time walking around in the hotel for my last few steps (2100).  After that, I spent the rest of the night reading. Bed time was at 2230.  Productive trip, sprinkled with some nice visits!

DC Trip - Day 2

I woke up (after minimal sleep) at about 0615.  Eileen texted right at that time and we ended up in a call for 30 minutes.  After that, I spend some time reading and working on Duolingo (until 0715).  As I was getting dressed, I figured out I'd forgotten a belt for my dress pants - I decided to use my informal belt and no one ever noticed.  I left the Holiday Inn at 0745 and walked north on Richmond Highway.  There was no breakfast included in my room rate so (at 0755), I stopped for breakfast (burritos, apple slices) at McDonalds.  Later, as I was walking on Crystal Drive, I ran into Chris D (my boss).  We walked together the rest of the way to the Crystal City Metro Station - it was sunny and pleasant.  The timing was good on the trains and we were at L'Enfant Plaza in only about 15 minutes.  Chris wanted some coffee so I went with him the FAA HQ (first visit for me since 2020).  While there, we ran into my friend, Atousa - what a nice surprise!  We talked for a little while before I headed up to the Conference Room (where our all day meetings were going to be held) - Chris and I were there first.  There were some snacks set up for us and I started my morning ignominiously when Sprite sprayed all over me as I opened a can...  After cleaning myself up, I started making plans for meeting with Arnie and Stephanie later in the day.  The work meetings that had caused my business travel began at 0900.  After that, we worked (with minimal breaks) until about 1200.  For lunch, I went to FAA Cafe and got lunch with Stephanie (started at 1210).  We had a nice visit and I was recharged for the rest of the work day after I returned to the Conference Room (1300).  We had a lot more meetings for the rest of the afternoon (again, with minimal breaks).  Work was finally done at 1600 and, after coordinating with Arnie, I took the Metro to Pentagon City.  At 1630, we met up at Mattie and Eddie's Irish Pub and had some drinks until another friend (Greta) arrived at 1720 - Arnie left soon after that.  Greta and I had some more drinks until about 1800 - we hadn't seen each other since before COVID and there was a lot of news to share!  As we wrapped up, she offered to drive me back to my hotel and we arrived at the Holiday Inn just after 1900.  We ended up talking for a little while in her car, though...  After saying goodbye (1930), I stopped at McDonalds to get some dinner (to-go).  Next, I returned to my hotel room and read for a little while.  After that, I walked on the 7th and 8th floors to finish out my 10K steps for the day.  I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and went to bed at 2200.  Busy day!

DC Trip - Day 1

I was asked by company to take a business trip to Washington, DC so I made arrangements to take "The Vermonter" from White River Junction.  This morning, I teleworked early (meetings lasted until 1030). After that, I finished packing and departed my condo (1055).  On the way to the station, I got messages from Amtrak that the train was already delayed by 25 minutes (for a car that was blocking the tracks). In attempt to use up some of the extra time, I went walking near the train station.  The train finally arrived at 1205 - its roof, windows and entry stairs were full of snow. There were some big lines of people wanting to get onboard (Dartmouth students going on Spring Break) and we were warned by the conductors that the train was going to be full by the time we reached New Haven.  As we headed south, I walked around a bit - one interesting thing I noticed was that there were rear facing seats (I've never seen that on previous trips).  Temps continued warming up along the way but there was still plenty of snow all the way to the VT/MA state line.  Also, the Connecticut River was running VERY high.  I got good views from the eastern side windows.  Despite the larger number of passengers, the forward cars were "closed" for use.  I tried to do some teleworking but the people around me were quite loud (making phone calls, etc.).  We arrived at Springfield just after 1500 and spent a bunch of time doing the ridiculous "train backing into the station" routine...  I wanted to walk around for a bit but the crew said we were "leaving shortly".  About 20 minutes later, we finally pulled out of the station.  We made good time to New Haven, recovering all but 10 minutes of our delay (arrived at 1640).  Fortunately, there was a time for me to walk on the platform for about 20 minutes (while Amtrak changed the engine from Diesel to Electric).  We were on our way just after 1700.  I continued to telework.  For a little while, we seemed to be doing well - at one point west of New Haven, however, we started driving very slow (there was never any explanation given).  After Stamford, I went to the Dining Car and picked up some dinner (1815); I ate in my seat as the sun went down.  We finally arrived at Penn Station (NYC) at around 1900 and the train emptied almost completely.  At first, I thought I'd get an empty seat next to me but lots of people boarded just before our departure (1910) and I got another seat-mate.  After heading across the Hudson River, we seemed to be going fast as possible but I soon noticed that the Conductor time estimates for each stop (Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, etc.) were off by five to 10 minutes each.  The end result was that we got almost 45 minutes behind schedule by the time we arrived at Union Station (Washington, DC).  Sadly, this seems to be the typical experience for me (and Mollie) for this route.  I was off the train at 2255 and raced to the Metro platform - fortunately, I was able to immediately get on a Shady Grove bound Red Line train and took it to Gallery Place.  Another man on the train asked me for help because of confusing signage and muffled announcements (I was able to help him).  Next, I took the Green Line train to L'Enfant and then waited (walking while I had the time) for the next Yellow Line train to come.  By 2320, I was off the Metro at Crystal City Station - from there, I walked for 15 minutes (south on Richmond Highway) towards my hotel.  The area was a bit sketchy but I made it to the Holiday Inn OK.  I checked in at 2340 and, after dropping my bags in the room, then took a walk in the hallway to reach 10,000 steps for the day (kind of surprising, with all the other issues I'd experienced).  Back in my room again, I planned to go to bed.  However, I was not tired at all.  Instead, I read and did some online puzzles until I was able to get to sleep (well after midnight).  Unfortunately, I ended up dozing (fitfully) all night long.  At least I made it to DC...

Grantham, NH (USA)

After a winter with only a month’s worth of days that allowed me to ski, I knew that keeping my Rossingnol EVOs in the car was wildly and irrationally optimistic.  There hasn’t been enough snow in my area for so long that local mountains and cross country courses have been announcing “last days” for over a week.  Imagine my surprise and satisfaction, then, when I woke up this morning (late due to the time change) to discover that we got about four inches of snow overnight!  Hoping to allow some time for grooming at the Nordic Centers, I spent the morning cleaning and organizing (I also spoke with Eileen briefly).  With a great deal of excitement, I left my condo (1030) and drove a loop around the Upper Valley, looking for evidence of good ski conditions.  After driving north on I-91, I struck out at Thetford Academy (raining, couldn't find the trailhead).  I briefly considered driving all the way to Craftsbury Outdoor Center - as I headed north, however, I found that the temperature was rising and there was much less snow.  A check on their website confirmed they were closed.  Instead, I got off the Interstate at Fairlee, crossed the Connecticut River and took NH-25A across the Appalachian Ridge.  There was a lot of snow up there but I didn't see obvious places where I could ski.  I eventually joined NH-118 and used it to drive east.  Where the road split from NH-25, I drove south on NH-118 towards Dorchester.  Thinking I might be able to enter Green Woodlands from the east side, I checked but found that the road hadn't been plowed.  Feeling defeated, I continued to Canaan and then took US-4 to I-89. I was going to head home but then thought I should check the conditions at Eastman.  When I arrived at the Cross Country Center there (ready to pay for the trails on the golf course), I found it closed.  I suddenly thought about trying John's Glen, a location where I'd spent most of the last three years skiing, and tentatively drove (through lots of mud) over there.  I found no other cars parked at the trailhead but there were ski tracks in the snow from someone who had already been there.  Figuring this would be my last chance of the year, I made my way back into the trail system and - even though I had to cross a few creeks - managed to get an hour on my skis (1310 to 1410)!  The temps were in the low 40s and I was the only person dumb enough to try to break trail on the slushy, sticky and muddy surface beyond the limit of tracks I'd initially seen. At times, it wasn’t really skiing at all - it was more like ice skating in slush. Still, I must admit that this “Last Hurrah” feels quite satisfying!  Back in my car by 1415, I drove towards home - it had started to rain by then and I didn't think there was much else I could do.  Again, though, inspiration struck and I stopped at Whaleback Mountain to see what was happening there.  I learned that it was Closing Day at the Whale!  Got to raise a glass to my friends who work there and enjoyed musical performances by talented local young people.  Hoping for a longer season next year!  I departed when the bar closed (1600) and made it home about 15 minutes later.  By then, it was raining steadily.  I definitely made lemonade out of the lemons given to me today!

Cornish, NH (USA)

I started my day by attending the monthly Men of St. Joseph meeting at Sacred Heart Lebanon (0730 to 0845).  It was good to see everyone.  Afterwards, I drove to Cornish (via I-89 and NH-12A) so I could join another HWA Survey Team at Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park.  Arrived at 0920 and met the rest of the volunteers and leaders (Kyle and Grace, AmeriCorps Staff) and then went with them to check another four groves of Hemlocks.  One of them was filled with shrub size bushes - I had never noticed the species used for the ubiquitous hedges… We didn’t have to walk nearly as far for the other stands but there was still plenty of bushwhacking involved. At one point, I had to wade through a creek (Blow Me Down Brook) two different times to locate the target grove.  Again, we didn’t find any HWA.  It was great to be outside in the wonderful weather.  Like the M-B-R park, Saint-Gaudens is on the temperature boundary (Zone 3 to 4) where the invasive insects cannot survive right now. Hopefully, conditions will remain the same and they won’t be able to spread into our area.  In related news, Mollie told me she’s been researching predators of the HWA as part of her job in the Virginia Tech Entomology Lab.  The beetles she raised and cared for can apparently be deployed to eradicate HWA if it ever appears in the Upper Valley.  Apart from the fun I had, rambling the woods and basking in the dim light of an evergreen forest, it’s great to know that my own daughter is involved with the mitigation process to defend such beautiful trees from predation...  Once the volunteer session was over (1130), I walked around on the grounds of Saint-Gaudens to get some more steps.  During this window, I got a few calls from Eileen that weren't possible to complete due to cell signal (not sure whose).  At about 1230, I departed Cornish for Windsor (across the Connecticut River via the Cornish Covered Bridge).  Once in Vermont, I took US-5 north to reach the Harpoon Brewery for lunch (arrived 1245).  Unlike my last visit, it was very crowded and noisy.  Sitting at the bar, I tried two different beers and had a delicious sandwich (Space Cake Chicken Melt) and some chips.  I was done eating at 1345 and then drove (via US-5 and I-89) to White River Junction so I could swim at UVAC.  Completed 50 lengths, took in 15 minutes of sauna and did my PT weight exercises.  Afterwards, I drove to West Lebanon and got some reward items at Hannaford (1535).  Next, went to Mass at Sacred Heart (1600).  My adventures for this busy Saturday were finished at 1645 and drove home.  Whew!

Woodstock, VT (USA)

I’m fortunate to live within about 30 minutes from two National Park Service units and have often visited each for hikes and “forest therapy”.  Recently, the staff at both sites requested assistance with surveys of the trees in their Hemlock groves and I jumped at the chance to help.  Most of the east coast has been experiencing an infestation of an insect called the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) and some have been seen in nearby counties.  In preparation, I had to complete a lot of forms and some training but the required effort was rewarded with two days of wonderful weather!  On the first (today), I departed my condo in the middle of my telework day (0840), drove to Woodstock (VT) and joined a team that surveyed three Hemlock groves inside Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.  This latter step was complicated by construction delays in Quechee so I wasn't at the trailhead (at the Billings Farm parking lot) when the main group departed (0900).  Fortunately, I managed to catch them (three staff from the park and eight volunteers) by 0915 by practically running up the forest road that departs from the park entrance.  Steve was our leader and he took us on a nearly four mile walk through the woods so we could cover the various Hemlock groves that needed to be surveyed.  The weather was quite nice but a lot of bushwhacking was required to reach the two different stands of trees.  This was my first time surveying so Steve gave me a tutorial - after that, the inspection of needles/leaves was an easy process.  At the first location, I checked 20 sprigs/twigs on the ground, looking for HWA but didn't find any.  At the second stand of Hemlocks, I spent most of my time looking at the branches of six different trees because there were very few sprigs/twigs) on six trees.  Again (fortunately), we didn’t find any HWA. At that point, we were wrapping up our day and I asked to be excused in order to return home (to finish my work day).  Steve thanked me and I headed towards my car via a more direct line than he'd planned.   left the group early so I could go back to work.  Departing Woodstock by 1155, I drove home and resumed teleworking.  What an interesting volunteer project!

Lebanon, NH (USA)

This morning, I started teleworking very early.  Just before 0830, I took and drove over the the Dartmouth Hospital.  The awesome Prouty management team coordinated a great breakfast and Cancer Research Lab Tour for me this morning!  We were shown areas of research where doctors and other scientists (all associated with Dartmouth College, Dartmouth Medical School and the Norris-Cotton Cancer Center) work to identify treatments, preventative screenings and other cutting-edge options for patients.  One particularly interesting part of the tour involved studies/testing on zebra fish that were were intended to lead to a better understanding of bladder and pancreatic cancer in humans.  We also learned about the effects of the naturally occurring arsenic in the New Hampshire soil on the human body.  Afterwards (1015), I returned home and continued my teleworking day.  I was thoroughly impressed by the energy, skill and dedication of the doctors, grad students and administrators in their search for cures - glad I could observe some of their important work!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[after work (1515), I drove to White River Junction to volunteer at the LISTEN Dining Hall there - it was the night for Sacred Heart Parish to prepare and serve the Community Dinner - there were a lot of people there so, for the first time in a while, I didn't initially have to help on the "front line" - instead, I kept the serving trays filled and got an early start on cleanup - eventually, though, I moved back up to the serving line and assisted the others in providing meals to over 100 people - afterwards (1745), drove over to West Lebanon and did some errands - arrived home by 1830]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[started teleworking very early - I finished my work day at 1445 and drove to White River Junction (UVAC) for a workout - swam for 45 minutes (50 lengths), took in a 15 minute sauna, did some PT and regular weights, biked for just over 23 minutes (5.4 miles) and rowed for 5 minutes (1K) - afterwards, I drove to West Lebanon and did some shopping for my trip (finished at 1745) - drove home and continued teleworking until 1830]

Adirondacks Trip - Day 6

My hotel room neighbor was quite loud and I woke up (somehow feeling rested) at 0330.  Since Eileen had texted during the night to let me know she wasn't able to meet up again, I decided to leave early.  Instead of waiting until daylight, I packed up my car and was on the road by 0405.  Headed east on NY-11B and got on US-11 in Malone. The weather was clear and cold and there were strange lights to the north (Northern Lights?).  There was almost no traffic.  To pass the time (and keep myself awake), I listened to audiobooks for most of the drive.  Got off of US-11 on Old Military Highway and followed the familiar cut-off to US-11.  Otherwise, I followed that latter road all the way to Rouse's Point.  Google Maps gave me some interesting shortcuts in that town but I was eventually on US-2.  Used VT-78 to reach Swanton and, after a few attempts to find a gas station that would take my Irving card, I stopped for a fillup at Shell (0615).  A short time later, I was on I-89 and, from there, had a great drive (with no slow downs) all the way home.  Arrived at my condo by 0820 and unpacked my car.  Teleworking after that.  Eileen called within in hour, asking if I was still in town.  Nope.  Oh well - things can't always work perfectly when coordinating with busy people.  Still, I am glad I was able to be in position for something good - maybe I will have better luck next time...