I’m holding on to Winter! All week, I checked the ski trail reports for Nordic Centers in the Upper Valley, NEK, Whites & Greens - nearly every one had some snow but was fighting the 50+ F temps to preserve it. So, I was taking a Vegas-style gamble when I decided to venture away from home this afternoon. After completing chores around the house until 1115, I was ready to depart for a winter adventure. First, I drove into Hanover to get gas - unfortunately, I found the normal station to be too expensive. I ended up finding a better price at Irving in West Lebanon. Once my tank was filled (1140), I used used VT-14 and US-5 to reach I-91; from there, I headed south. After getting off the Interstate at the Ascutney exit, I took VT-131, VT-106, some back roads to get around Springfield and then got on VT-11. Took that road to Chester - along the way, I got stuck behind some slow drivers but mostly had the roads to myself. Mud Season was in full swing in nearly every town I passed but, in the shadow of Magic and Stratton Mountains, I found a slice of February had survived! And, even better, it seemed that very few other people had any idea that cross country skiing was possible in this area. Score! I arrived at the Viking Nordic Center just before 1300 and, for the next three hours (1300 to 1600), I practically raced around the trail system (about nine miles). I didn’t wear a coat, hat or gloves - some people I met were wearing short sleeved shirts in the balmy weather. There were big hills to climb/descend, farmhouses to admire, muddy roads to cross, a Bigfoot sighting and tough conditions (slush & ice, bare ground, fallen trees) to navigate. Through it all, though, I felt great! I met some nice people but also had the woods to myself at times. Was thinking a lot about if this might be my last ski of the year... It would be a good note to end on but I’ll keep hoping for another storm! Afterwards, visited with some of my new friends and the caretakers - by 1620, though, I was on my way towards home. Before leaving Londonderry, I'd done a quick search on Google Maps and found a place to sample beers (Twisted Horn Brewery) just about a mile away. When I arrived, I found the proprietor and one of his friends were alone inside. This was good for me because I had their full attention as I tried two of their offerings. I discovered that the brewery had just opened recently and was using another brewery's equipment to set up a production line. In the end, I spent about 30 minutes with them, sampling beers and having good conversation - I also ended up buying one of their four packs (Ground Breaker Pale Ale) just as they closed (1700). From Londonderry, I used VT-11 to drive all the way to I-91 - the traffic flow was pretty good. To the west, I got to see a pleasant sunset developing... Once I was on the Interstate, I made even better time and was back at my condo by 1815. Great day!]
