Lyme, NH (USA)

After work today (1645), I drove from my condo up to the Lyme Congregational Church so I could attend a talk by Ben Kilham, of the Kilham Bear Center.  Since I moved to the Upper Valley, I've been hearing about him - glad I finally had a chance to attend one of his presentations tonight!  The parking in Lyme quite limited because the venue was packed - I felt quite privileged to have been able to get inside.  Ben shared great stories, close up photos, unique videos and interesting scientific facts about our ursine neighbors.  Very glad to have been able to have this awesome experience before departing New Hampshire.  Afterwards (1800), I headed south again on NH-10 and stopped at Wilson's Landing for an evening paddle.  The local kids (including some Dartmouth students) were hard at work with their Crew practice - there were a LOT of boats.  Somehow, I found a place to park... My goal this evening was to test out an inflatable kayak that I've had since about 2019.  Some backstory: just before Mollie (my daughter) graduated from high school, she called me one afternoon to ask if I wanted another kayak.  I forget what I actually answered but, a few days later, a big orange bag appeared at my apartment.  This happened not too long before I moved to New Hampshire and the kayak ended up in my storage shed.  I kept seeing it and thinking “I really need to check to see if it’s good for paddling.”  Until today, though, I’d never even looked inside the bag.  Fortunately, my curiosity this evening was rewarded with a successful launch of my Advanced Elements Airframe Inflatable Kayak (1830)!  It was tough going on the rough Connecticut River waters so I only stayed out for about 30 minutes (one mile).  After reaching shore again, I decided that I'll need to learn a bit more about assembling and stowing it.  Regardless, I think this boat could be a more compact alternative to Tequila Sunrise - I should be able to use it when I'm traveling the country without guarantee I'll find parking (i.e., no roof rack needed).  Made it home by 1915 and let Mollie know her acquisition was a success.  Now to figure out how to dry it completely...

Quechee, VT (USA)

The inclement weather that started on Friday night kept me inside yesterday but today's entire forecast seemed promising when I checked it last night.  This morning, though, it seemed that more rain was expected by the afternoon.  To avoid any disappointment, I changed my plans and departed the condo at 0845.  Before getting started with my outdoor fun, I went to Mass at St. Francis Catholic Church in Norwich (VT).  After that, I drove (via US-5 and US-4) towards Quechee, stopping for gas at Cumberland Farms in Wilder (1010) on the way.  Earlier, it had occurred to me that Deweys Pond might be the best place for multiple activities - I arrived there by 1030.  When I first moved to the Upper Valley in 2010, I'd noticed that there were signs for the Ottauquechee Trail on the north side of Quechee Main Street.  Sadly, I'd never had a chance to walk that path before now.  Today, though, I eagerly navigated my way along the town's "greenway", a 1.3-mile path between the Polo Field and the Covered Bridge.  Finding the trail was not easy, though, since there were no blazes to follow, the signs were sporadic and some of it (including boardwalks) appeared to have been mostly "recaptured" by the forest (possibly due to local flooding a few years ago?).  Sometimes, I could see the outlines of well worn trail and it took me by historic homes, through a makeshift driving range (on the Polo Field) for the Quechee Club, up to a community garden managed by the Abenaki Nation, along the pretty Ottauquechee River and through the Covered Bridge.  At one point, I was stopped by a lady and her dog who asked me if I was hiking the Appalachian Trail (!).  I guess I was "in the zone" and it showed... In the end, I managed to log about 2.6 miles (out and back, essentially) under mostly cloudy skies (with occasional sprinkles).  Throughout this walk, it was windy and a bit chilly at times (high 40s) so I doubted it would be fun to kayak after I got done walking.  However, I really didn't want to pass up a chance to paddle in Deweys Pond because I've been deterred during previous visits due to large amounts of algae and lily pads.  Today, though, the water surface looked completely clear.  It was still a bit cool, though, so I donned a long sleeved shirt and my lifejacket.  Between 1145 and 1245, I paddled two circuits (clockwise) of the pond, with one (counterclockwise) circumnavigation of a marshy island in the middle.  It rained a little bit from time to time but I really didn't care - the cold water was much more of a concern.  At a few points, my finger tips started to hurt (from getting wet) and I wondered if any of this was a good idea...  But then I'd remember what makes me enjoy paddling in the first place: as usual, I was surrounded by all kinds of birds (today included many Canada Geese, Eastern Bluebirds, Red-Winged Blackbirds and others).  The island was a mass of reeds and had a beaver lodge and one lone pine tree in the middle.  I heard lots of interesting noises coming from inside the cat-tails!  At times, I really had to fight the wind and the waves got pretty big too!  I passed several people walking on the trail to the Quechee Gorge and they gave me strange looks (for being on the water) and I occasionally thought they might be right.  Once I was finished with my paddling, I loaded up Tequila Sunrise and headed to White River Junction, where I spent 45 minutes (1320 to 1405) swimming at the UVAC (54 lengths).  My arms and legs were already feeling a bit tired from all the exertions but, after getting done in the pool, I returned home (arrived at 1430) and logged three miles on my stationary bike.  Completing four different types of exercise in one actually felt good!  As I wrapped up my active time, I noticed it was raining quite hard.  Really glad I got outside early today!

New London, NH (USA)

First Paddle of the Year!  As I normally do on Fridays, I teleworked all morning.  However, I was also watching the forecast - my weather app said 70s were expected for most of the afternoon but heavy rain was coming by evening.  Figuring I'd miss my chance to enjoy the conditions if I waited until the end of the workday, I loaded "Tequila Sunrise" on top of my car (1300) and drove south (on I-89, NH-11, Otterville Road and Little Sunapee Road) until I found the boat launch for Little Lake Sunapee on the edge of New London.  It didn't take long to get my kayak in the water and I was soon off on a new paddling adventure (1330)!  Following the coastline (counterclockwise direction), I spent the next two hours paddling.  The name of this body of water is only appropriate if you compare it with the nearby Lake Sunapee - otherwise, I'd have called it “Big” because the circumference was at least four miles.  Actually, it seemed like there TWO lakes because there was a huge peninsula in the middle that could only be transited by a narrow (and shallow) channel.  In other words, the lake looked deceptively little and I would never have guessed there was so much paddling available if I just used my eyes at the boat launch...  Along the way, I got rained on (only sprinkles), talked with a pair of loons, was startled repeatedly by fish that were trolling along the surface, scared a painted turtle (into the water) and did the same for multiple pairs of Common Mergansers (out of the water).  It felt good to be out in my kayak - fortunately, the sun wasn't too bright (preserving my pale, Winter skin).  I passed countless fish camps, private swimming beaches and, on the western end of the lake, very fancy summer homes.  At times, I could see the tops of Mount Kearsarge and Mount Sunapee (still has snow!).  This may be the earliest I've ever gotten out on a lake/pond since I moved to the Northeast and it seemed like June weather.  Later (1530), while I was loading the kayak back on my car, a local resident walked down from her nearby house to talk to me.  She said I was the first person she'd seen paddling on the lake this year and asked me lots of questions about my car top J-hooks, Tequila Sunrise and the animals I'd seen.  This was the kind of friendly conversation I'm going to miss when I depart New Hampshire...  By 1600, I was on my way home and I arrived at my condo by 1630.  Long after I was home and had resumed teleworking (to get the rest of my 8 hours), I kept thinking about my paddle - what a great day on the water!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[started teleworking very early in the morning - at 0745, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) - afterwards, I got a car wash at Jake's in Lebanon (0910) and then returned home (arrived at 0930) - I continued teleworking until 1600 - went to Happy Hour with my friends at Jesse's Steakhouse until about 1710 - after that, drove through Hanover (it took almost 30 minutes because of pedestrians and traffic) to reach the King Arthur's Baking Company in Norwich (VT) - while there, participated in Volapalooza 2025 - met up with fellow volunteers from LISTEN Community Center and talked to other folks from UVAC (etc.) - it started to rain just after 1800 so I didn't stay much longer - drove home (through Hanover, with traffic again) and arrived there by 1845]

Thetford, VT (USA)

As usual (for a weekday), I started teleworking very early.  When I went outside for the mail during the lunch hour, I was surprised to find it quite pleasant and warm.  This got me thinking - I should go for a hike today!  I find lots of brochures and maps during my travels and it sometimes helps to find activities on the spur of the moment.  Today was such a moment - it was the first real Spring day we’ve had this year!  After all my meetings were over (1430), I grabbed one of the brochures, made my way through (congested) Hanover and headed across the Connecticut River.  I used I-89 and VT-113 to reach the town of Thetford and then continued (via Five Corners Road) to the Ely Mountain Conservation Area.  This forested land, located just south of the Thetford-Fairlee town line (Vermont), was preserved by the Upper Valley Land Trust a few years ago and features about 2.5 miles of trails.  With temps in the 60s, I worked hills and water hazards (while checking on my heel bursitis was doing) for the next hour.  Saw several wild turkeys and soaring hawks but no people.  The walking surface was mushy/muddy in a few places but I was able to cover the entire trail network before I finished (also walked a bit on the road so I could check out the "old" trailhead)  Once I was finished (1620), I drove east along my earlier outbound route (towards the Interstate).  Instead of using the highway to get home, though, I decided to cross the River to Lyme and then took River Road back to Hanover.  I passed the Dartmouth Crew Teams near the Lyme-Hanover town line - they looked good on the water!  Arrived home by 1700 and resumed my teleworking (finished my day at 1815).

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking from early in the morning - at 1415, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) - afterwards, I returned home (arrived at 1530) and resumed teleworking until 1730]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[began teleworking very early and got a lot done before 0945 - at that, point, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) - I was finished by 1050 and then got ready for a Volunteer Luncheon at the nearby VA Medical Center - between 1130 and 1315, we were treated to a delicious assortment of healthy food and were given awards for our volunteer hours in 2024 - this was the first time I was honored (with a certificate) but there were people who had accumulated over 1000 hours (one person had been working with the VA for more than 15000 hours!) - it was all quite humbling... - I got to talk to Jen S about upcoming bike rides with the Veterans (I'm looking forward to that) and met a lot of other nice people - when the festivities concluded, I checked in for a medical (in-person) appointment - once that was finished (1430), I headed home (arrived at 1500) and continued teleworking until 1730]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworked from early in the morning - at 1435, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) - afterwards (1545), I headed back to Hanover so I could walk the entire trail network in the Greensboro Ridge Natural Area (the system I "adopted" for the Hanover Conservancy) - was out in the woods (it felt good!) for about an hour (done at 1700) - next, I took a water sample from Medical Center Pond so I could do the fourth salt test on this water source of the Winter of 2024-2025 - once I was home (1715), I teleworked some more and later entered the results of my volunteering activities online]

New London, NH (USA)

My sinuses had been acting up during the preceding week and I wondered if it was a good idea to attend my second session of Dive/Scuba training with First Stage Divers.  When I woke up this morning, I felt well enough to try.  Another reason for me to head down to New London (diving or not) was to meet up with one of my genealogy friends, Jerry C (a resident of that town).  He asked me to meet him at 0830 at a local diner called Tucker's for breakfast.  This turned out to be a great venue and I enjoyed one of their signature "Bennies" (Eggs Benedict) dishes - I tried the TJ Irish Benny - and some good conversation.  At about 0945, I drove a short distance to Colby-Sawyer College to meet with Marley for my session in the pool.  The group was small again - Brett was there and another new diver (Shannon) joined us.  This allowed for some good one-on-one with the instructor and some buddy training in gear fitting/use, buddy assist techniques and general comfort under the water.  We spent about two hours together (one hour in the water) and I felt very comfortable.  Afterwards, we all went to Little Brother Burger Company for lunch again.  This time, I had a good gyro sandwich ("You're my Gyro") and some fries.  It was interesting to learn more about the group during our conversation.  I'd thought about doing something else before heading home but the colder and windier weather deterred me from that idea.  Instead, I went home (arrived before 1400) and did some more moving prep.  During the coming week, I'll continue my online NAUI Dive Course - there is a lot more to learn before I get the certification!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[did chores around the house all morning - my landlord set up an Open House (to sell the condo where I live) and that took place between noon and 1400 (I was allowed to stay and do some work while that was going on) - at 1445, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (52 lengths) - this was the first time that I was allowed to use the pool since March 31 (due to repairs on the filtration system) so it felt good to be back in the water - afterwards, I headed home (arrived at 1615)]

New London, NH (USA)

During the last month, I worked with the owner of First Stage Divers (located in Concord, NH) to set up a series of training sessions for me so I could obtain my Scuba/Dive certification.  Today was my first scheduled class!  After taking care of some chores in the morning, I departed my condo (0900).  My route to Colby-Sawyer College in New London started with a drive down I-89.  There was very little snow and the weather was pleasant - I guess Winter is really over...  I made one stop (0935) at the Grantham Irving station where I've always had good luck with gas prices: with discounts, I only paid $2.53 a gallon today!  Continuing on to NH-11, I arrived at the Hogan Center (swimming pool on campus) just before 1000 and managed to find Marley, my instructor.  I also met my fellow classmates: Lisa, Brett and Chris.  For the next hour, we all learned about our gear and how to prep it.  I felt a bit lost at the beginning (I'll get caught up on some online training during the coming weeks) but everyone was very nice.  By 1100, we were ready to get into the pool, which ranged in depth from 4 to 15 feet.  This made for some wonderful training with the regulator, masks, weights and other gear.  Gradually, we did drills and make our way around the shallow end to get used to everything.  Towards the end of our hour, though, we ventured all the way to the deep end.  Even though I had trouble clearing my ears, I was able to do almost everything that the other class members (who'd had one more session than I had) could.  Marley got some good photos of our underwater antics too!  After noon, we started wrapping up the class and learned how to clean and stow the gear.  After getting changed back into my street clothes, I joined everyone else at a nearby restaurant called Little Brother Burger Company.  My burger, called the "Bro Mac", was excellent - we also had some good conversation about the class, life in New Hampshire and Mud Season fun.  Saying goodbye to everyone (1330), I next drove (via back roads) to the eastern edge of Lake Sunapee - I followed NH-103A around the southern end (through Newbury) until I was able to get on NH-103B.  From the base of Mount Sunapee, I then drove a bit north until I reached the Harding Hill Farm.  Mollie and I had visited their Sugar House in early 2021 - since then, the company has become very successful and had even bought a brand new, $60K evaporator during the new season.  I spent some time touring and geeking out on the engineering of everything before buying some syrup and maple sugar candy (1420).  From the farm, I headed north and west on NH-11 until I passed through Newport.  I explored town a little bit but then continued west.  Soon after leaving town, I noticed some activity in an old building that had looked abandoned whenever I've been on NH-11/NH-103 - it was a new Brewery!  During the next 30 minutes, I tried a flight of four delicious beers, all made by the Rockingham West Brewery (departed at around 1500).  During a stretch of due-west driving, I believe I was able to see the snowy slopes of Okemo Mountain!  I continued towards Claremont and eventually reached the Market Basket - I wanted to check the prices there and get some exercise so I stopped for about 45 minutes.  The weather was pretty nice and I was able to walk along the edge of the Sugar River for a bit - all told, I almost walked two miles and learned that my Shaw's and Hannaford stores are better for most items than the vaunted Market Basket...  As I wrapped up my stop, I had a choice: find something else to do to kill another 90 minutes (so I could go to Mass at St. Helena's in Enfield) or head for home immediately.  Feeling tired, I chose the latter option, driving west on NH-103 all the way until it became NH/VT-12 and crossed the Connecticut River.  Getting on I-91 at Asctutney, I drove all the way to Norwich (the I-89 interchange was closed for construction).  I should add that I listened to audiobooks during the nearly 60 hours I drove today.  Arrived in Hanover (and reached my condo) at about 1700.  Felt quite good about how the day had gone and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and getting ready for the upcoming work week.  I'm planning to do some more diving next weekend!