White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworked from early in the morning - at 1445, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (52 lengths) - then went grocery shopping in West Lebanon - afterwards, drove home (arrived at 1700) and continued teleworking]

Woodstock, VT (USA)

Today's plan included another opportunity to volunteer in the Upper Valley!  I was awake early and found it was VERY cold (mid 20s) - that made it hard to be motivated...  Still, I departed my condo by 0750 and drove (via I-89 and US-4) to Woodstock.  The day was clear and cold, the quintessential Fall day in New England.  I went to Mass at Our Lady of the Snows (0830 to 0915) and then I drove to the Billings Farm (arrived at 0920) so I could volunteer at the Family Halloween Celebration. From 0925 to 1335, I helped out with Pumpkin Bowling and Cider & Donut sales. I got a maple creamie during my break and even got a new Billings Farm ball cap from the staff!  As usual, I was able able to get a healthy lunch in the staff break room when my shift was done.  Overall, the weather was nice but we did have some swirling wind gusts that took the fallen leaves airborne.  Met some new staff and volunteers and lots of friendly visitors to "The Farm."  I left Woodstock at 1400 and was at my condo again by 1430.  Sadly, foliage season is nearly done...  

Hartland, VT (USA)

This morning, I worked (downsizing, disposing of items) around the condo.  At 1215, I was just about to leave home for some volunteering when it started to rain.  In an attempt to save myself a long drive for nothing, I tried to reach the volunteer coordinators.  However, they didn't answer.  Taking a chance, I drove (via I-89, I-91 and US-5) to the rally point in Vermont I could join a work crew with the Hartland Winter Trails Foundation (arrived at 1300).  Fortunately, the project coordinator (Theo) was already there, along with Alex and Kate (a couple from Hartland).  To start our work, we had to drive from the maintenance shed to the trails near the corner of Mace Hill Road and Cobb Hill Road.  From that point, we spent the afternoon getting the trails ready for cross country ski season!  We cleared brush and even felled some dead trees, walking the full length of two trails (Howe's This and Zippity-Do-Dah).  I got to use some nifty loppers and electric cutters while Theo used a chain saw to cut some big trees (I used it a bit too).  The weather was very nice and it was good to be in the woods on a pleasant Fall day.  After leaving the trail complex, we walked back to our cars on the road.  As we finished (1600), I thought about great it will be to try the improved trails!  Afterwards, I changed clothing and drove back to Lebanon (via US-5, I-91 and I-89), arriving at Sacred Heart Catholic Church by 1630.  Once there, I joined my fellow Knights at the Sacred Heart in putting on the Parish's annual Oktoberfest (helped for two hours).  There was lots of good food and I saw lots of old friends.  After my volunteering time was complete, I socialized and ate dinner with Jean-Louis and his wife.  Several of us stayed in the Parish Hall after the other parishioners had left - I had a drink with John P. and his brother, Joe.  During the ensuing conversation, we figured out that been on a 1990s deployment aboard the "Enterprise" with their dad (!).  I ultimately left the event at 2000 and arrived at my condo 15 minutes later.  What a fun and busy day!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworked from early in the morning - at 1345, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (52 lengths) - afterwards, drove immediately home (arrived at 1515) and continued teleworking]

Enfield, NH (USA)

[after work (1500), I drove to Forward's Garage so I could volunteer with the VA Medical Center Adaptive Sports Team on the Northern Rail Trail - John and I spent between 1515 and 1645 riding a tandem (two reclining bikes connected by a hitch) out to the gazebo at Lakeside Park in Enfield and back - the weather was wonderful (70s) - bike setup wasn't that good - afterwards, I helped Jeremy and Jen a bit before I departed (1730) - on the way home, I got gas and a car wash at Jake's in Lebanon - home again by 1800]

Warren, VT (USA)

With extremely nice weather in the forecast and the tail end of the foliage season rapidly approaching, I departed Hanover early this morning (0800) with high hopes for a great hike on the Long Trail in Vermont.  I first used I-89 to reach Sharon/Bethel.  It was foggy and in the 30s as I next drove west through the foothills of the Green Mountains but the sun was shining brightly in the bluebird sky.  I used VT-100 to make my way through the pretty Mad River Valley before heading further west to the ridges above the Champlain Valley. By the time I arrived at my trailhead target near Lincoln Gap (0930), it was a balmy 45 F.  I’d hoped to get right on the trail but the road had already been closed for the season - this meant I would have to do a road walk for 3/4 of a mile.  Just as I was about to start, another hiker arrived and took one of the last parking spots.  She and I exchanged pleasantries and ultimately decided to join up for a hike to the summit of Mount Abraham.  This was a welcome surprise, since I usually end up solo on such trail adventures.  Even more of a bonus, Rebecca (from New Zealand) was an experienced hiker, mountaineer and wilderness guide - the size of her backpack and extensive hiking section planning were also reassuring… Starting at 0950, we walked the leaf strewn pavement to the Long Trail - after that, we made our way uphill through rocks, roots and painted trees.  Since she’d been on holiday in the States for several weeks, she had lots of stories of hikes, scenery and transportations - this kept us entertained for a few hours.  I was feeling a bit rusty during the first few miles but kept on going and this paid dividends as the mountain scenery grew more spectacular.  We encountered a Outing Club group from UVM during our climb and also met several other hikers as we climbed.  Reaching the summit (4000+ feet), we were treated to expansive views of peaks in all directions (I actually spotted Whiteface in the ADKs).  Wow!  We ate lunch in the wide open alpine zone - I’ll admit that the wind made it feel a bit chilly.  Apparently, though, there was over a foot of snow there one week ago so I can’t complain.  There were some remnants of the wintry precipitation but nothing, fortunately, that required microspikes.  Rebecca’s backpack held lots of goodies that she generously shared.  The UVM group joined us for a bit and mentioned that there was aircraft wreckage quite close by - this intrigued me so we headed over there.  Seeing the stricken fuselage, I marveled at the news the pilot had survived… Since the weather was still good, we decided to continue north to the summit of Mount Lincoln.  This required less than a mile of walking, although there was more mud along the way than we’d seen earlier.  After getting another great view, we started our backtrack towards our cars.  Rebecca and I shared stories of hiking adventures at home and abroad and the return leg seemed to go much more quickly.  There were some spots where the exposed granite was tricky but we navigated those without incident.  At one point, we caught up to a local man who decided that he wanted to talk about politics with us.  That was not my cup of tea (and definitely not something I like to bring with me into the woods) so I soon found myself walking faster...  Fortunately, we’d nearly reached the pavement by then and were able to say farewell soon afterwards.  The last mile or so included some images of foliage out of a Robert Frost poem and I realized what a really special day in the mountains I’d just had.  At our cars (after roughly 10 miles of walking) by 1620, we agreed that we deserved a beer for our efforts and convoyed north on VT-100 to Waterbury for brews and dinner at Prohibition Pig.  We arrived at 1715 and enjoyed drinks, dinner and more fun conversations.  Reluctantly, we both agreed to end our day at 1900.  After exchanging social media information, we said goodbye and I got on I-89.  I was home at 2015 after a really great day away from Hanover. Happy I got to be a part of Rebecca’s US vacation and that I was able to spend such a quality day in the mountains of Vermont!  Long Trail Today = 3.3 miles / Grand Total LT = 134.4 miles

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[did errands around the house all morning - after 1345, left Hanover and drove to White River Junction (UVAC) - spent 45 minutes swimming (50 lengths) - afterwards (1500), drove to the LISTEN Community Dinner Hall for a LISTEN Volunteer Thank You party - met some new people and enjoyed some good food - at 1600, I drove back into "downtown" WRJ and attended Mass at St. Anthony - saw Jean-Louis - afterwards (1645), drove to the western end of the Mascoma River Greenway and walked about two miles on the rail trail (weather was very pleasant) - drove home (arrived at 1800)]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[started teleworking very early - at 0700, departed from my condo and drove to White River Junction for a Physical Therapy appointment at the VA Medical Center - afterwards (0830), I did some errands (shopping) in West Lebanon - arrived home before 0930 and continued teleworking]

Cape Cod Trip - Day 2

I was awake (still at my dad's house) by 0600 and then carefully made my way (down the scary stairs) to get ready for the day.  There was some shuffling of dogs but everyone was ready to go to breakfast in Plymouth by 0700.  We first drove to McDonalds, just to the north of the Sagamore Bridge, and then took MA-3 to Stowell's Café, where Dad and Beth have breakfast every Sunday morning.  For some reason, it was closed and this upset plans significantly.  Dad suggested going to the nearby Marshland Restaurant (which we had passed on the way but looked closed earlier).  Fortunately, when we arrived  the "Open" sign had just been raised (0800).  That was a lucky break and we ended up having a delicious meal there.  Afterwards (0915), we drove back towards the Cape Cod Canal, using the scenic route along the beaches of Plymouth.  We arrived at my dad's house by 1000 and everyone spent some time relaxing.  My Dad actually made a trip to the dump and I did some Duolingo and reading.  At about 1115, Dad suggested that we drive to Hyannis to get some beers at the Cape Cod Beer Company.  On the way, he took me on another scenic drive (down memory lane) on MA-132 and Main Street.  What a blast from the past - most of the buildings were new, changed or gone...  I was impressed by how the shopping areas remained vibrant and busy. At 1200, we arrived at the Brewery and, once inside, set up for some Beer Tasting.  Unlike some places I've been, they gave us "wooden nickels" to bring up for our next drink.  One nice thing was that we got to keep the taster glass at the end.  I tried five different beers and my dad had four - he ended up giving me one of his tokens and I used it to try another selection.  My dad also treated me to some bar food, so that kept me full.  Meanwhile, the Patriots game had started on a huge TV screen nearby.  At one point, we'd both gotten up to refill our beers and someone tried to take our seats.  Once we talked to these "interlopers", though, we ended up sharing a table for the rest of our visit.  The young man had a Notre Dame hat and this started a conversation with his fiancé, Claire, who was a 2021 grad.  His parents also joined in the conversation and we ended up talking about life on the Cape, the young people's experiences in NYC (where they lived), upcoming wedding plans, travel, etc.  Overall, it was a nice exchange (my dad liked it too).  We saw some good game action on the TV and were feeling pretty good by the time we departed (1430).  On the way back to Dad's house, I looked at the weather forecast for Boston the following day.  I'd previously bought a ticket for the Spectacle Island Ferry that was supposed to leave from the South End on Monday (at 1030); however, the weather was predicted to be so iffy that I thought I should probably skip it.  Similarly, my tentative plans to stay with Katie and John (if I was going to remain in Massachusetts overnight) but, with rain coming, I decided to go home instead.  When I told my dad that I was thinking of departing, he expressed a bit of disappointment - still, he told me he understood.  By this point, we had reached his home and I quickly packed up my gear.  At about 1555, I said goodbye to Dad and Beth and got on the road.  Initially, US-6 and MA-3 weren't too bad on traffic but the amount of cars increased as I approached the merge with I-93.  As a result, it took me about 20 extra minutes to get to the tunnel under the city and it had started to rain during that time.  Listened to music to pass the time...  Once I was through to the north side of Boston, the traffic lightened up.  However, the driving was harder because of the spray and visibility.  Still, I was doing pretty well by the time I reached Hooksett (NH-3A) and was on the western edge of Concord only two hours after I'd left Sandwich.  It started to get dark soon after this and the rain didn't stop.  I made good time on I-89 all the way to Lebanon, though, and drove into my condo parking lot just before I'd reached three hours in the car (1850).  Between rain showers, I unpacked the car and then spent the rest of the evening relaxing.  Glad to have such a nice weekend getaway with my family!

Cape Cod Trip - Day 1

I'd promised my dad that I'd pay him a visit before some upcoming travel plans I had.  It seemed like the best plan was to leave on Saturday, rather than brave the Boston traffic on Friday after work.  With that goal in mind, I woke up at 0530 (before my alarm) and packed up the car - I was on the road by 0600.  The weather was warmer than I'd expected (55 degrees) and there were clear skies. I drove (via I-89) to Concord and encountered almost no traffic (listened to audiobooks on the way).  Arriving at NH-3A, I proceeded south to Hooksett and stopped for gas at Irving (0710).  At that point, I determined that I was ahead of schedule - I texted Katie/John that I could meet them about 15 minutes earlier than we'd planned (they said they'd try to be there).  Meanwhile, I got on I-93 and headed south.  Traffic picked up but there was very little gridlock by the time I got to Boston.  By about 0815, I was on MA-3 and, about 10 minutes later, got off the highway in Pembroke.  Before long (0830), I was at the Omelet Factory and got a booth right away.  I did some reading and Duolingo while I waited for Katie and John, who arrived about 15 minutes after I did.  We enjoyed a nice breakfast and conversation for the next two hours - it had been a while since we'd visited so it was nice to catch up.  As we finished (and said goodbye), I called Gerard with an update on my ETA; I was on the road again by 1100.  I drove (via MA-3) to Plymouth.  Taking back roads, I made it to Gerard's house by 1145.  Before arriving, I'd thought we'd visit for a bit but he told me he was hungry.  So, we got in his car and drove to North Plymouth, where we parked at the Plymouth Bike Path Trailhead.  We then walked south until we arrived at Nelson Beach.  Taking some side streets, we got good views of the ocean and homes nearby.  The conversation was good - I was telling him about my Danube River trip and he loves stories about Eastern Europe!  Afterwards, we drove to visit the nearby ThreeV Restaurant, where we got some lunch and beer.  I continued telling him about my European vacation and showed him some of my photos.  At about 1500, I told him I'd need to get going because I'd promised to get together with my dad before dinner time.  He drove me back to his house and we had another conversation (about current events) on the way and in his yard.  Eventually (1630), I got on the highway and headed towards Cape Cod. There was very little traffic so I arrived just after 1700.  I spent some time visiting and playing with the dogs. Dad had planned a big dinner but, since I'd eaten so much at breakfast and lunch, I wasn't too hungry.  Instead, I relaxed and enjoyed talking with them.  In the end, I sampled a bit of pizza and pie.  Meanwhile, I told Dad and Beth about my activities in New Hampshire.  After dinner, we relaxed in the living room.  Surprisingly, CNN was not on the TV for the entire evening...  By 2130, it was time for bed and I didn't stay up much later - was asleep before 2230.  What a great day of visiting!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[I took a break from teleworking so I could go swimming at UVAC in White River Junction - I left home at 0800 and barely made it (again because of construction on US-5, which never seems to end) - spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths, PR for the time) - afterwards, drove to West Lebanon to do some shopping at Shaws and Hannaford - home by 1000 - unloaded my kayak for the last time in 2024 (sad) and then resumed teleworking]

Enfield, NH (USA)

[after work (1600), I went to my regular Thursday Happy Hour at Jesse's Steakhouse - stayed until about 1745 and then drove to Whaleback Mountain in Enfield so I could attend the annual Fall Flannel Fest (1800) - the food was great, there were some good drinks and I participated in a silent auction (I didn't win anything) - met some nice people and tried to keep warm (the temps were in the 40s!) - at about 2000, I said goodbye to my friend, Jon, and made my way over to Lake Mascoma in Enfield because I had heard the Northern Lights were showing up very nicely - unfortunately, all the places I checked had too much cloud cover (although the sky was definitely brighter to the north - returned (via US-4, Forwards Garage and Heater Road) home, arriving by 2030]

Lyme, NH (USA)

Got a brisk afternoon paddle in Lyme today!  I teleworked from early in the morning and, at 1400, I took a break and drove (via NH-10) to Lyme.  I'd been wanting to paddle in Post Pond there for several years and arrived at the boat launch at 1430.  I then spent an hour on the water - I think this pond is locally known as “Loch Lyme”.  I was the only brave soul on the water but I saw some folks closing up their fishing cabins along the shore.  The pond was probably a mile in circumference and I did two clockwise loops in one hour.  Saw ducks and geese, weathered some light rain and marveled at the pretty Fall colors.  Afterwards (1530), I drove home (via NH-10) and resumed my telework day (1600).  Sadly, there won’t be many more paddling days in 2024... 

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworked from early in the morning - at 1500 (I left a bit before but forgot my workout back), I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (52 lengths) - afterwards, drove immediately home (arrived at 1615) and continued teleworking]

Barton, VT (USA)

Local authorities that I trust have highly recommended that I visit the Northeast Kingdom for a hike/paddle adventure and I decided (yesterday) that I should make the trip today.  I was up early but it was very foggy in Hanover so I wasn't sure if the drive was worth the effort.  In the end, I decided it was and left my condo at 0830.  To reach the NEK, I used I-91 and some back roads north of Lyndonville - Google Maps took me to the northern end of the lake and I got some good views of water and mountains.  Overall, it took a 90 minute drive through fog-shrouded Vermont but, when I arrived at the north end (Barton side) of Lake Willoughby (1000), there was a brilliant bluebird sky.  After I drove along the east side of the lake (VT-5A) I managed to get one of the coveted parking spot next to the south end launch point. I met a helpful parking lot host who gave me lots of suggestions for a successful day.  I started my hike at 1030 - Part 1!  The trail up Mount Pisgah, one of the two palisade hills above the lake, began about half a mile south of my car so I had to walk on the road.  This was ok because there wasn’t much traffic yet.  Starting from the Southern Trailhead, I then climbed up to the summit.  At first, I was leap-frogging with a group of young people (I found out later that they were from the BU Outing Club).  Before long, though, I passed the kids (along with almost everyone else I encountered).  During most of the hike, I heard a LOT of French (only 20ish miles from the Canadian border).  The climb felt good and reminded me of many past AT hikes.  Brightly colored leaves surrounded me - on the ground, above me and in the breeze.  There were glimpses of the lake below and they grew more and more amazing as I climbed.  I eventually reached a rocky outcropping that was covered by a crowd of people but it only had views towards the south (Burke Mountain).  I had a sinking feeling that I’d missed a chance for a lake view.  But, fortunately, some of the other folks mentioned better views a little further up the trail.  I didn’t pause and was soon rewarded by a *spectacular* viewpoint of Lake Willoughby from the ~2.7K summit.  There was some wind so I didn’t stray far out on the narrow, precarious ledge.  Got some good photos and felt VERY glad I’d made the trip!  After getting my full of the scenery, I backtracked quickly downhill, stopping only to help a few hikers (“how much farther?”) who were struggling uphill.  Reached my car (after almost 6 miles; pedometer actually said 6.66 miles) by 1300.  Recommendation for Part 1 of the adventure was excellent!  After this point, I made a quick transition from hiking to paddling.  It amused me that lots of people wanted my parking spot so I didn't move the car to get the kayak near the water.  Instead, I carried it about 100 yards to the edge of the lake.  Overall, Part 2 of my visit to NEK was a bit more of a challenge.  While I’d been hiking, a stiff wind from the north had built some solid waves (most with whitecaps) on the surface of Lake Willoughby.  Still, I’d made a long drive and wasn’t inclined to skip a paddle in such a pretty place. Still, I was quite nervous to watch the swells as I was getting ready to go...  There was a large group of divers at the same beach - they looked like they were having fun.  Eventually, I summoned the courage to launch from the beach (1315).  From that point, I struggled through the swells (water coming into the boat almost every paddle stroke) until I was more than 25 yards offshore.  After that, I made my way up the western shore, fighting for every inch of water.  I saw an interesting “yellow brick road” of leaves that flowed along in a lazy line - realized later that I’d seen this effect during my hike!  Somehow, I made good progress until I was directly under the summit of the western palisade and abeam of the Mount Pisgah summit.  Turning around, I practically surfed back toward the southern end of the lake.  Before I was done, I made some runs back and forth parallel with the swells.  Even made a short jaunt up the eastern lakeshore.  Finished at 1415 (2 miles) after a satisfying paddling workout.  The views alone made all the effort worthwhile but I was actually glad not to have sunk...  I left my kayak on the water's edge and walked back to my car.  After driving it a short distance to the landing, I stowed it on the roof of "Nessie."  During this time, I talked to a diver about a place where I might complete the classroom course for Dive training - he mentioned a place in Burlington that I'll have to check out!  Afterwards (1430), I headed south on VT-5A towards, West Burke.  Once there, I got on US-5 and drove into Lyndonville.  By 1500, I'd reached Hoagies Pizza and Pasta and spent some time relaxing inside.  I tried a Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale (with cinnamon on the rim!) and ended up having lunch too (Cordon Bleu Panini and chips).  While relaxing, I found out that the nearest Mass in the area was in St. Johnsbury at 1600.  So, I ate quickly and departed from the pub at 1545.  From there, I used I-91, US-5 and back roads to reach St. John the Evangelist, just in time for the service.  The church was a beautiful (large!) and nearly full of people.  Everyone sang loudly and the Deacon gave a great Homily.  Once Mass was over (1650), I drove (via US-2) back to I-91 and headed south.  After that, I made good time all the way to Bradford and then hit the closed section of Interstate.  I used US-5 to reach Fairlee and then crossed the Connecticut River to Orford, following NH-10 and River Road to get back to Hanover (I arrived at my condo by 1810.  Great day in the woods and on the water!

Etna, NH (USA)

Spent a beautiful afternoon on Lake Mascoma!  After work (1500), I drove east from my condo (through Etna and Enfield) in search of paddling location. First, I checked out the Shaker Village end of the Lake but there was no parking.  Instead, I returned to Lakeside Park (near the rail trail and bridge) and got set up for my paddle (1600).  When I first moved to the area, I paddled the south/eastern end but had been unable to get into the other part due to wind and lots of motorboats.  Today, though, the water was like glass and there were only scullers and kayakers on the north/western end.  Temps were in the high 60s and the water’s edge was speckled with brilliant Fall colors.  I saw loons, ducks and geese while I completed a counterclockwise loop (from the non-motorized boat launch at Lakeside Park) up to the Mascoma Dam and back.  My pace was good and I logged 4.5 miles in 90 minutes (done at 1730).  Afterwards, I drove a short distance on NH-4A to the Baited Hook (1745). I'd been wanting to check it out for several years and passing it on the water reminded me.  The place was quaint but their beer selection (and costs) were not very impressive (only bottles).  Still, I enjoyed the place and the reward after my time on the lake.  I wasn't there too long - afterwards, I drove home via US-4, Forward's Garage and Heater Road (arrived at my condo at 1830).  Life is good!

Enfield, NH (USA)

[teleworking very early - at 1400, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) - spent 45 minutes swimming (50 lengths) - then did some errands in West Lebanon (Staples, Hannaford) - drove next to Forwards Garage so I could do some volunteering with the VA Medical Center Adaptive Sports Team at their Tuesday Night Cycling event (arrived at 1545) - John and I rode together again (he used his own bike with hand/pedal) - I let him lead and did great - between 1615 and 1700, we rode to the Enfield Depot (5 miles) - while taking a break, I noticed that the chain had broken on my reclining bike - this set off a chain of events that required some of the VA staff to come help us - the two guys that came didn't know the area so took almost 30 minutes to arrive - meanwhile, we waited in the parking lot of George's AG Super Value - after we'd gotten rescued, John wanted to go back on a bike so I was given a regular (two wheeled) bike to accompany him - we headed towards Lebanon - about 15 minutes into our return ride, the battery on John's bike fell on the ground - I tried to fix it but couldn't get the juice back - we continued but John began to get frustrated - fortunately, Jeremy rode the two seat e-bike to our rescue and met us at the US-4 bridge - after getting repaired, we made good time back to where Jenn was waiting - overall, we'd been gone for almost three hours but logged 10 miles under difficult conditions - I left for home just after 1900 and arrived at my condo by 1925 - did some more teleworking before calling it a day]