Reunion Trip - Day 5

Morning broke early again (0530) and I met the caterer at 0600 in the lobby of Ryan Hall.  We had a kind of system going so we were able to get set up much more quickly.  As a result, I was eating breakfast at the North Dining Hall just after they opened (0630).  Once again, there were almost no people around and the campus was pretty, quiet and cool under sunny skies.  Returning to my dorm room, I spent some time getting ready before I headed over to the Main Building (under the Golden Dome) for a Military and Veteran Alumni Recognition Ceremony. In addition to getting to spend time with my fellow veterans, the University gave each of us a certificate and challenge coin - very nice.  Afterwards, I milled around nearby to see if the gentleman (Caesar) from the Class of 1950 would happen to stop by the event.  Fortunately, he and his partner (Kae) spotted me and we were able to meet in person for the first time!  The Class photos had just begun at around that point and I was able to get Caesar in both an individual photo and a group photo with the rest of the Golden Domer Club members from the 1950s and 1960s.  Afterwards, I made arrangements to meet up with Caesar and his family later in the day and then headed back to Ryan Hall.  Once I'd checked that everything in the coffee/pastries area was shipshape, I visited the Class of 1990 tent in hopes of meeting up with Maria (hoping to help her with some Reunion planning for next year).  Fortunately, she was there and we started collaborating - just then, though, I heard back from Dominic (Caesar's son) that they wanted to meet up at their family bench at 1500.  Interrupting the 2026 Reunion discussion, I sent a flurry of texts to the University (Alumni and Marketing staff) and other interested parties who might want to attend the gathering with Caesar.  During this window, Maria abruptly informed me that she needed to depart for another event.  As a result, I had some time to wander towards the lunch that I planned to attend at noon.  On the way, I stopped briefly at the Bookstore (saw Muffet McGraw book signing) and the Refreshment Hub (just to scope it out).  Continuing east, I walked towards the Stadium and fell in line with a Golden Domer named Dan (Class of 1969) as we both were trying to locate the Corbett Family Hall (built long after we'd graduated).  We ended up sitting together at the Golden Domer Club Luncheon that was conducted at the Downes Club, which overlooked the football playing field (wow!).  The food was good and I was joined again by Karl (Class of 1954) and his daughter, Mary Beth.  After this delicious meal, I headed to the Jordan Science Hall.  This amazing building (both in architecture and contents) was worth a bunch of exploring (and I did that) but I was really there to visit Caesar's family bench just to the south.  I managed to kill about an hour there and then met up with the ND Marketing Department to get ready for the "main event" of my entire weekend.  When we got started (1500), we ended up with Caesar. Dominic, lots of family members, descendants of other deceased Class of 1950 members and interested friends.  We were there, taking photos, conducting interviews and generally getting to know each other for almost an hour.  What a privilege to be part of that whole event!  Afterwards, I tied up some loose ends at Ryan Hall (close out of coffee/pastries) and "relaxed" briefly in my dorm room.  Before long, though, it was time for the next event: All Class Mass at the Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.  I'd noticed that there were nearly 3000 ND Alums in town for the weekend - I'd guess that more than half were at the Mass.  Along the way, the University acknowledged Caesar and his family and there was an award ceremony.  As this latter part of the service was starting, I exited the Joyce Center (1800) and made my way back to the Class of 1990 tent.  My initial intention was to wait there for about 30-45 minutes before the Golden Domer Dinner at the Morris Inn.  However, the availability of drinks, food and good conversation kept me in place long after dinner time (1900).  During this window, though, the temperatures dropped significantly (I'd estimate we reached about 40) and my short sleeved shirt became uncomfortable.  I ended up layering up more than I'd expected (wish I'd had my coat!).  Maria had promised to meet up with me at the tent before I wanted to go to bed (at 2200) but, despite some attempts (by me) to make it happen sooner) didn't arrive in the area until 2145.  This was a bit frustrating because I was tired and, when I suggested we talk quickly, she then deferred the conversation into my drive home the following day [note - this conversation never happened].  Meanwhile, I continued making the rounds with my ND friends until I was tired enough and wanted to go to bed.  Back in my dorm room in Ryan Hall, I packed up all of my stuff and made sure that I'd be ready to go very early in the morning.  Despite being rather jazzed up from all the social stimuli and impending marathon drive, I somehow settled into bed by 2300.  It's been an amazing weekend but, frankly, I would have needed many more days to ensure I got to take full advantage of what Notre Dame had to offer.  Hopefully, I can return again for this kind of weekend again soon!

Reunion Trip - Day 4

My day volunteering with the Notre Dame Alumni Association began early with a 0530 wakeup (alarm needed).  I met the catering staff (from a bakery in Mishawaka) at the Ryan Hall front door at 0600 and helped them set up the coffee and pastries.  After getting finished with that task, I walked (through dim light and cooler temps) to the North Quad so I could eat breakfast in the North Dining Hall for the first time in over 35 years.  The place was nearly deserted but the food was good.  After getting finished (0700), I walked back (via the Hesburgh Library) to Ryan Hall and checked out the progress of the snack tables.  Things looked good so I headed to my room and got ready for my day.  At 0800, I met other Alumni (most from the Class of 1990) at the Grotto for a Reunion Rosary.  Returning to my dorm room, I teleworked for almost three hours (with intermittent checks on the snacks).  At 1130, I attended the Golden Domer Club Luncheon at the Morris Inn and had a nice conversation with Steve L., a grad of the class of 1873 and resident of Hong Kong.  Finishing up with the delicious buffet, I returned to Ryan Hall and assessed the catering order for the following morning (several communications with the bakery and Alumni Association).  There was then time for a few more hours of telework before I wrapped up for the day (1500).  Once my work week was completed, I took a stroll around the campus, checking out new buildings and the "Refreshment Hub", which has had several iterations since I arrived (I believe it is for Alumni who don't have class dinners or social events).  I also got a drink at the Class of 1990 tent and talked to several more of my NROTC mates.  Making my way to the Sacred Heart Basilica at 1700, I attended Mass with the Golden Domer Club in a packed sanctuary.  The service concluded with everyone singing the Alma Mater - a memorial experience to be sure!  I walked over the Morris Inn afterwards, hoping to find the Class of 1950 Alum and his family, but they later texted me that they'd been behind schedule and would catch up to me the next day.  From there, I went across the street to McKenna Hall and attended the Golden Domer Dinner (1830).  At my table, there were grads from the Class of 1954 and 1959 - each of them was very interested in how I was attending the Reunion as a guest of the Class of 1950.  They also had a lot of good stories to share from their time at ND.  One of the daughters of a deceased member of the Class of '50 (Cathy U.) stopped by to say hello to the other "1950s" and we made plans to meet up the following day.  Once we finished eating (2030), I walked back to the "Refreshment Hub" and noticed that they were getting set up in yet another instantiation - free food and drinks would make attending the Reunion in an "off year" worthwhile, I think...  It felt late but there was still daylight - I decided to make my way back to the Class of 1990 tent before retiring for the evening.  Initially, the venue was mostly empty - however, I learned that this was because everyone had been at a formal dinner.  Once that ended, the party got really going and it was almost too loud to converse.  Since it was already after 2200, I said goodbye to the folks I knew and retired to Ryan Hall.  Before going to bed, I did a bit more cleanup in the coffee area, read some books I'd brought and cleaned up my dorm room.  Went to bed at around 2300 - the earliest evening of this trip.  The Reunion has been a great experience and we've got one more big day left!

Reunion Trip - Day 3

When I woke up this morning, I finally started to feel like normal.  Two days of working and driving had taken a toll but I wasn't very far (only a few hours) from South Bend when I started my day and that was reassuring.  I began teleworking early (0630) and checked in with some of my work colleagues about whether they needed me for additional meetings (none were added).  This gave me some flexibility for working and driving and opened up an opportunity for some miles on the North Country Trail.  At 0815, I drove a short distance from the Rodeway Inn to eat breakfast at the Blue Ribbon Diner.  I had a nice meal and listened to the old timers at the counter talking about life in Wauseon.  When I was finished (0845), I drove south into town (OH-108) and found where the Wabash Cannonball Trail (part of the NCT) crossed Ottokee Road.  I couldn't find a trailhead lot but there was ample street parking.  At 0900, I started walking east and listened to a short telecon with my earbuds.  The weather was very nice and I saw lots of birds and rabbits.  The meeting was over in about 20 minutes but I continued walking all the way to County Road 13.  I met other local people along the way and, after they realized I wasn't a local, they queried me about my reasons for visiting their town.  Reaching my car again after about three miles (1000), I returned to the hotel and did another hour of teleworking in my room.  At 1115, I checked out of the Rodeway and headed south on OH-108 until I reached US-20A.  I drove west to the town of West Unity, paralleling the Wabash Cannonball Trail (NCT) almost all the way.  I parked in a public lot there and conducted another telcon with my work colleagues (1200).  After that ended, I located an NCT trail marker in a park south of the center of town and then started following blue blazes towards the north.  These markings were sporadic and I required an online map to follow the different farm roads.  Along the way, I crossed I-80/90 and eventually reached Territorial Road, which was also the boundary of Indiana and Michigan.  I found a sign that talked about how far NCT took to reach the Wisconsin border (1150 miles - yikes) and checked my odometer - 9.5 new NCT miles.  It seems like cheating but there is no actual walking trail in many places along the overall route.  Satisfied, I dialed into another work telcon and started driving west in earnest.  After following more farm roads, I reach US-20 - from there, the rest of my drive to the Notre Dame was pretty easy.  I'll admit that the two lane highway was a bit frustrating (lots of trucks) as I drove into Indiana but, after I passed Elkhart, the road expanded to four lanes.  I arrived at Ironwood Drive at around 1500 and made my way (via South Bend surface streets) to Campus.  At 1520, I parked at the Hammes Bookstore - very glad to have finished the trip!  From that point, it was a whirlwind of activities: checking in at the Eck Center, getting my room assignment in Ryan Hall (a new dorm), finding my room and unpacking the car, meeting up with a representative of the Alumni Association (Beth), assisting in setting up a drink/snack station for the Golden Domer Club and (finally) getting settled in my room.  Starting at about 1630, I managed to do about two more hours of teleworking - surprising, since I'd thought my day was already done.  A fellow Alum, Maria J. from my Class), had heard I was on campus and wanted to meet up for some planning of our own Class Reunion next year.  I agreed - but first, I tried to check on the person from the Class of 1950 (75th Reunion!) who I'm supposed to support (at the Morris Inn - no luck).  Next, I walked (for the first time ever) to the Eddy Street Commons and got a quick snack at Noodles & Company (1905).  After that, I made my way to where Maria was waiting with her friends (from the Class celebrating their 35th) at their "party tent".  It turned out that I could join the fun by paying some dues - I did that and immediately started getting my money's worth with food and drink.  Along the way, I encountered three members of the ND NROTC I'd known back in the 1980s - it was great to talk to them for the first time in 35 years.  At around 2100, I left to check out the dessert (and, it turned out, drinks) venue on the De Bartolo Quad.  This turned out to be good, since I learned that the Alumni Association has most of the food and drinks covered for the weekend.  I got some good shamrock cookies!  It was cool and dark there - with views of the Golden Dome - and I was going to leave because I didn't know anyone where.  Maria showed up then and we talked through some of the options for our Class Reunion.  Returning to the Class of 1990 tent, I spent another hour visiting and talking with friends of friends of friends.  By 1045, I realized how exhausted I was and said goodnight.  Back in Ryan Hall, I got settled for the night and tried to sleep on my dorm room cot.  It's been interesting so far - my NDAA volunteering begins in the morning!  NCT Today = 11.0 miles (1.5 walking) / NCT Total = 34.2 miles

Reunion Trip - Day 2

After last night's late activities, I slept later than I'd planned - fortunately, I was up and teleworking in my room (at the Hornell Econo Lodge) by 0645.  I took a short break to have breakfast in the hotel lobby and then returned to teleworking.  After two meetings between 0800 and 0930, I quickly loaded up my car and got back on the road (I-86).  Continuing west through intermittent showers, I made good time and was able to participate in a two hour meeting with no loss of phone service.  After passing through some higher elevations, I reached a new watershed area (for the Ohio River) and, from there, the scenery was pretty in the Allegheny River Valley.  I routinely encountered construction and I actually had to leave the closed Interstate at one point (approaching Jamestown).  Eventually, I reached the Pennsylvania border and got on I-90.  The weather cleared up for a little while and I thought it was going to be clear sailing.  Sadly, the rain began again about 30 minutes later.  At 1215, I got off the highway at Erie and parked in a GetGo Gas Station so I could participate in a meeting via Microsoft Teams.  This discussion lasted until 1300 and then I got back on the road.  I snacked in the car and tried to reach Cleveland before the next scheduled meeting but was unsuccessful - weather and traffic slowed me down.  I stopped for gas lunch (McDonalds) and gas (Sheetz) in the town of Madison, OH just after 1400 and set up my computer for a work meeting.  This was supposed to start at 1430 but we really didn't get going until about 30 minutes late (due to other people not joining the conversation).  As a result, we were still online past 1600, when I'd hoped to try to be driving again.  With the delay, I gave up hope of passing through Cleveland before the end of rush hour - this acceptance, however, came with the silver lining that I wasn't in a hurry and could stop.  Just about that time, I noticed a sign for the James A. Garfield National Historic Site and got off of I-90 at the town of Mentor.  I arrived at the park by 1630 (30 minutes before they closed) and had time to walk through a small museum in the visitors center.  I'd just read a biography (by Horatio Alger) on the late president and this visit made that book come alive.  After departing the NPS site, I returned to the Interstate and continued west.  It started raining in earnest as I passed Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport and I was delayed at the "Big Turn" there for about 20 minutes.  Even after I made it through the of the worst traffic jam, there were stop and go delays for the next hour.  Finally, though, I hit a clear area of I-90 and the rain stopped.  This made the next few hours more bearable.  I switched to OH-2 near Sandusky and followed it towards Toledo - the speeds on this highway were very good and it was also a very pretty drive.  Along the way, I passed the ominous looking cooling tower for the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.  I noticed that Google Maps was directing me out on to farm roads (because I still had "no tolls" selected) so I decided to divert to another National Park Unit that was located near Toledo: Fallen Timbers Battlefield.  This required some back roads too but I got to the pretty little town of Maumee with clearer skies and some daylight.  The map app was not good about locating some hiking trails I wanted to see but I found the parking lot OK on my own (1950).  The site is one of the newest in the NPS family but the location had been a city park for many years.  As I was getting ready to hike for a little while, I encountered an older man (Teamster, retired UPS truck driver) and his friendly dog (Riley).  He asked me about my rental car license place (Massachusetts) and we ended up walking the entire trail system together (almost two miles).  Even though the park unit was stuck in between some busy highways, I found it to be very green and quiet.  The temps were good and I didn't notice any bugs - it was a good walk!  As we were finishing, we met up with a Park Ranger and she ended up taking me into the (usually closed) building that might (eventually) be a Visitor Center.  The inside was decorated with historical information and art - she said the venue could be rented for events.  Before I left, she told me that there was another part of the park ("with statues") on the other side of US-24 and suggested I head over there.  I took her advice and found a pretty, tree-lined walk with some interesting monuments to the fallen participants of the 1794 battle.  It was a great way to close out my day of working, driving and exploring!  Before leaving the area (2100), I made reservations at a hotel about 20 miles away - from my starting point, the drive required following a maze of farm roads.  It also started raining again... On the way, I talked to Mollie - it was great to reach her after she's been so busy with work.  I arrived in the town of Wauseon at around 2245 and checked into the Rodeway Inn.  Once in my room, I spent almost an hour online, wrapping up my telework day and doing some reading.  Checking the maps for my location, I realized I'm a town with part of the North Country Trail - I'm hoping to check on that (and do some walking) tomorrow.   What a day!

Reunion Trip - Day 1

In my capacity as a Volunteer Class Secretary for one of the older classes at the University of Notre Dame, I was asked to support the Annual Reunion in South Bend, IN!  During the last few months, I've helped the Alumni Association and the families of several class members to plan events for the Reunion Weekend - all that's left is for me to get to Campus...  In an effort to minimize the leave I'd need to take (since I've got other travel planned during the next year), I decided to drive mostly after working hours.  After a full day of teleworking today, a friendly team member from the Enterprise Rent a Car in White River Junction arrived at my condo to pick me up.  Once all the rental requirements were completed and I'd packed up the car (a Jeep Compass Latitude 4x4), I departed Hanover (1600).  Thus began a long afternoon and evening of driving - I had a vague idea of how far I might be able to travel before I was too tired and it was somewhere west of Albany.  The weather started out OK and I had no issues on I-89, I-91 or VT-11 (through Springfield on side streets) except for an occasional slow driver on the winding mountain roads.  Had a lot of deja vu from Sunday's trip to Londonderry and wished I could stop for dinner and a drink at the nice restaurant where I'd eaten with my friends.  Instead, I ate some snacks in the car.  Before reaching Manchester (VT), I made a quick stop to check out the AT/LT parking lot - it brought back pleasant memories and I was able to stretch my legs there for a little while.  I was also able to resolve a technical issue with my rental car - it's new but has a lot of buttons to choose for customization... After getting on US-7, things continued to be relatively easy and I was able to quickly (despite a huge VT State Trooper presence along the road) reach VT-279 on the outskirts of Bennington.  From there, I weaved my way along VT/NY-7, all the way to Troy.  Actually, I was feeling pretty good by the time I crossed the Hudson River and started to wonder if I couldn't drive much father than initially planned.  I used I-87 and the Adirondack Northway (US-20) to bypass tolls and eventually reached Duanesburg and a chance to get on I-88.  From this point, I enjoyed (as I usually do) the sparse traffic while I drove through the pretty valley.  There was occasional construction but none of it really slowed me down.  I made one (regular now?) stop in Oneonta so I could redeem some cans and bottles (2035) - I used the proceeds to buy another snack.  After getting gas at BJ's (2045), I got back on I-88 and continued west.  It's been a while since I traveled all the way to Binghamton via this route and, this time, I enjoyed watching the moving map graphically depict how far the Susquehanna River followed the Interstate.  This was due to my attendance of the General Clinton Canoe Regatta last year (same time of year) and to reading "The Deerslayer" recently.  The miles ticked away as I continued driving well into the evening.  Later, I started seeing evidence of the Chemung River (a tributary for the Susquehanna).  Beginning at 2200, I listened to a Knights of Columbus Webinar and learned a lot of interesting things.  After passing Corning and Elmira, I started feeling tired.  At about 2320, I stopped in a town at one point and checked for nearby hotels with good deals.  I found one in Hornell and made my way over there.  I arrived at the Econo Lodge at around 2350, well after the front desk closed for the evening.  Sadly, the number provided to get them to check me in was not working correctly - I ended up banging on the door until finally (fortunately) the clerk arrived.  After getting checked into my room, I made sure that my internet was working and then read for a little bit (I was too jazzed up from my driving to sleep immediately).  Eventually headed off to sleep at about 0100.  Only about 10 hours (and 600 miles) to go!

South Londonderry, VT (USA)

My High School friends (Nancy & Rick G, Jane W) told me they'd be visiting Vermont over the long weekend and asked if I could visit with them.  I'd met up with them in the same place (during the same timeframe) in 2024 and found the drive to be pretty easy.  So, after getting some work done at my condo in the morning, I departed Hanover (0915) and headed (via I-89, I-91, VT-131, VT-106, VT-10, VT-103 and VT-11) towards South Londonderry.  Since the weather was relatively good, I'd hoped to do some paddling on the way - unfortunately, there weren't any good ponds of lakes.  As a result, I made it all the way to Nancy & Rick's vacation home without stopping (arrived at 1045).  This ended up being OK because I had more time to visit with my friends.  We talked about old times, current events, news of family and friends and talked about our future plans.  It was, essentially, a mini class reunion.  At lunch time, Jane made us all something to eat - I ended up with a delicious grilled Cabot cheese sandwich (on sourdough bread), potato chips and Nancy's homemade cookies.  The food recharged us and we soon got geared up for a walk on some local trails to visit one of the Thomas Dambo trolls (#117) that was located on a hill nearby.  Actually, the troll was on private land that required permission from the owner (Nancy and Rick had coordinated that) and we took some paved roads to locate the access (dirt) trail on his property.  The resulting climb and slog (through mud, which the dogs loved) was about 1.5 miles and led us to "Lost Finn".  The troll was made of building supplies and creative use of twigs and sticks.  Since a giant hoopla a few years ago (tour busses were parking on the narrow roads so many more Thomas Dambo fanatics could visit), the trails are apparently quiet - more bears than people.  It was quiet and thought-provoking near the troll - I enjoyed this special hike (3 miles total in just under two hours).  We made our way back down to the main road and passed lazy cows (and calves) in the fields along the West River.  We did some more visiting (and dog baths) at Nancy and Rick's until about 1645.  We then drove north on VT-100 into Londonderry so we could have dinner at the New American Grill.  This restaurant was probably the only place to eat for miles around so got quite crowded during our visit.  After some really good food (and yet more reminiscing and good times), we got some group photos before I departed for home (1830).  Instead of retracing my route from the morning, I continued north on VT-100 to Ludlow and then followed VT-103 and VT-131 back to I-91.  After reaching I-89 and crossing the Connecticut River, I arrived at my condo by 1945.  Overall, a nice day away from home - it was great to get together with the friend's I've known the longest on this planet!

Woodstock, VT (USA)

The weather wasn't forecasted to be nice but, then again, it wasn't going to be nasty.  This gave me the idea to volunteer at the Billings Farm for their Annual Family Sheep & Wool Day.  I spent the morning working in my condo and hosting an a "condo showing" (requested by my landlord).  At 1230, I departed Hanover for Woodstock.  I encountered a lot of construction on the way (I-89, US-4) and the drive took longer than I'd hoped.  Regardless, by 1300 I was checking in at my volunteer station.  The day was overcast and cool in Woodstock so I’m sure it inspired at least a few visitors to the Upper Valley to learn more about the process that must be followed to create cozy wool clothing.  I worked at the “Carding Station”, showing families how to take recently sheared wool from course & matted to soft & smooth.  Apparently, little kids had this job in the Nineteenth Century - not an easy task!  During a break, I got to watch a border collie herd his wooly charges, visited the other six stations (skirting, washing, dying, spinning, weaving & knitting) and was rewarded with a cup of Maple ice cream.  As always, the happy faces of the kids, their parents and the staff was a welcome reminder of why I love volunteering at Billings Farm & Museum!  After getting finished (1700), I briefly considered trying to find a place to paddle but it had started sprinkling.  The cooler temps also dissuaded me - instead of doing something outside, I headed back across the Connecticut River and spent the rest of the day in my condo.  Very glad I ventured out for another volunteering session!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking from very early in the morning - at 1415, I drove to White River Junction and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) in the UVAC Pool - afterwards, I went shopping in West Lebanon before returning home (arrived at 1600) - resumed teleworking until 1700]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking from very early in the morning - at 1415, I drove to White River Junction and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) in the UVAC Pool - afterwards, I went shopping in West Lebanon before returning home (arrived at 1615) - resumed teleworking until 1730]

Woodstock, NH (USA)

Dayhike & Dine #24!  Despite not sleeping well last night (and truly wanting to stay in bed), I departed my condo this morning at 0815 so I could drive to Bradford (Vermont) and meet up with my favorite hiking group.  Eight of us (and one dog, Jenna) assembled at the Park & Ride and, by 0915, we were carpooled up (traded 8 cars for 3) for our drive across the New Hampshire mountains and into the Pemigewasset Valley.  This trip (NH-10, NH-116, NH-112, I-93 and US-3) took almost an hour and we arrived at the trailhead (at the north end of The Flume parking lot) by 1015.  Surprisingly, it still wasn't raining - however, we knew we had limited time before the weather turned nasty.  Initially taking the paved entry path for the Pemigewasset Trail, we soon diverted towards the west on another path that took us under US-3 and I-93.  I'd not looked at the map before we started so wasn't sure exactly where we were headed.  I continued following the blue blazes and, fortunately, trail signs soon gave clues about our destination: Indian Head Lookout on Mount Pemigewasset (2.5K feet).  We had an ascent of roughly 1.2K feet, in about 1.6 miles of hiking, and I was quite interested in finding out whether my heel bursitis had improved enough to weather this kind of White Mountain slog.  My other (non-impactful) exercising appeared to have been sufficient for me to quickly regain my trail legs (whew!) and the trip to the top wasn't too painful.  After we arrived at the Indian Head Lookout, we had just enough time to spot distant landmarks - Moosilauke, the Kinsmans, Loon Mountain Resort, the thin ribbon of I-93 as it snaked it's way through Franconia Notch - before the rain hit.  Most of us were prepared for the wet weather but a few hadn't brought gear for it.  As a result, some talk about proceeding farther along Mount Pemigewasset's summit was squelched and we began our descent.  Actually, I should say that we began to make our way *carefully* down the trail.  The walking surface had, by this point, gone from damp to slippery.  Due to everyone's precautions, our group got spread out pretty far apart.  Ultimately, we arrived back at our cars by 1230, with close to four miles of mountain hiking under our belts - not a bad walk!  But our day wasn't through - the "dine" portion was still unfinished.  From The Flume lot, we drove south about five miles and soon arrived at the town of Woodstock (New Hampshire).  Our destination was the Woodstock Inn & Brewery and we were fortunately to get a table in the crowded restaurant.  Along with many great conversations I had today, more were added during the pleasant (late) lunch hour we spent together.  By the time we were finished, the feelings of being drenched and tired had been replaced by one of a full belly and friendship.  Departing Woodstock (1415), we retraced our drive across the mountains.  Along the way, we passed through areas of rain and clear blue sky.  This bouncing ball of weather landed on "rain" when we arrived in Bradford on the Connecticut (1515).  Dang - I'd hoped for another paddle before going home...  To make it back to Hanover, I used US-5, crossed the river and then took US-10 to River Road.  It was rainy all the way so I hung up my paddle after arriving (1600).  Fortunately, my heel (still) feels good.  Very glad to have been able to participate in yet another successful community hike/dine event - special thanks to Jared (the organizer) for setting up a great day in the White Mountains!

Georges Mill, NH (USA)

I woke up this morning with plans to do some volunteering (for The Prouty) in St. Johnsbury.  Unfortunately, the National Weather Service had told the organizers that the weather would be horrible and dangerous - with this news, they canceled the event.  However, when I looked at my Apple Weather app, things didn't look too bad for other parts of the Upper Valley.  Because I was already prepared to leave town, I redirected my course to Lake Sunapee.  Ever since I moved to New Hampshire, I've been hoping for a day of paddling on this famous body of water but the timing has never worked.  I was determined to change that today! Before kayaking, though, I stopped on the outskirts of New London (at the packed Park & Ride lot) to try to do some hiking.  My target was a trail system that led to Clark Lookout.  Between 0845 and 0930, I walked almost two miles (on the main trail and some old road-beds) in mist, fog and drizzle.  Sadly, the view was NOT the highlight.  Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter some American Chestnut seedling trees.  I've been supporting TACF for several years but this was my first time seeing some of the fruits of labor by that organization.  After getting done with my damp walk in the woods, I drove a short distance to the boat launch in the little village of Georges Mills (arrived at 0945).  This spot, located on the northwestern end of Lake Sunapee, gave me a chance to begin paddling in a relatively sheltered area.  Even so, the water was a bit rough due to a stiff wind coming from the southeast.  I made my way carefully towards the southern end of the bay, hugging the shore and trying not to get swamped by the swells.  Most of the pretty boat houses and vacation homes were quiet (I only saw one person fishing) - wildlife was scarce too.  Eventually, I reached a peninsula with a better view of the rest of Sunapee and realized just how little of the entire lake that I had paddled - there was probably another 90% to go!  There definitely wasn't enough time to finish a full circuit so I decided to cross the lake to visit an interesting light house that had just come into view.  Actually, it was around the same time that I realized I was paddling in the same area that I'd seen from Clark Lookout...  The fog and mist had risen just enough to give me good bearings to the lighthouse and I was glad to be able to also see the boating channel.  Bonus: no motor boat (there were two that I could see) came near me while I was out in the middle of the lake.  After checking out the lighthouse, I paddled around into Herrick's Cove (glassy water there) before heading back towards my car.  I followed the northern shoreline (continuing my counterclockwise circuit) - on this side of the lake, I encountered palatial mansions, an old lake tour boat ("MV Kearsarge"), a bald eagle and a friendly hooded merganser.  One danger that I kept having do dodge was the many glacial erratics that my kayak kept bumping - many were just below the surface.  As I approached the boat launch again, I realized I'd been on the water for nearly two hours (!) - meanwhile, the fog, mist and drizzle had again gotten denser.  This meant that I could no longer see any of the landmarks I'd used to navigate and I felt certain that rain was about to arrive at my location.  This motivated me to speed up my tempo and I arrived back at the Georges Mill boat launch by 1145.  As I was loading Tequila Sunrise on my car, I was visited by one of the "New Hampshire Boating Hosts" - she wanted to know where my kayak has been during the last month.  After several years of checking out various ponds and lakes, I'm used to this type of questioning and she seemed excited to log the information.  Once we finished our discussion, I headed home (arrived at 1215).  Very glad that I ventured out this morning - I look forward to returning to Lake Sunapee for another paddle!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking from early in the morning - at 0945, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (56 lengths) in the pool - afterwards (1045), I returned to the North Hartland Dam to see if the boat launch area might be open - the front gate was open but then I couldn't get past another gate for the beach itself - a VERY friendly golden retriever tried to get into my car in a nearby parking lot - I'm not sure where his humans were - after another unsuccessful attempt to paddle, I drove home (arrived at my condo by 1130) and resumed teleworking - knocked off work for the week at 1600]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking from very early in the morning - at 0745, I drove to White River Junction and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) in the UVAC Pool - afterwards, I went shopping in West Lebanon before returning home (arrived at 1000) - resumed teleworking until 1645]

Concord, NH (USA)

I learned on Friday that there would be a First Stage Divers team meeting for training in Concord and that I could attend my third Scuba/Dive "Open Water" Certification session in the YMCA pool there.  Awesome!  When I got up this morning, the weather was so great that I decided to leave immediately - I was on the road by 0815.  The drive down I-89 was quite easy and I got to the outskirts of our Capital City by about 0915.  There seemed to be enough time for me to tackle a short hike/climb in the area so I headed to Hooksett. After passing Pinnacle Park many times over the years, I wanted to finally stop there for a walk on the trails.  The prominent terrain feature, located between I-93 and the Merrimack River, was supposed to have some great views of central New Hampshire.  At 0930, I parked in the lot there and started my walk in the woods.  The Pinnacle itself was only about 0.8 miles from the trailhead but there were plenty of side trails and deer paths that allowed me to get almost two miles in one hour.  I enjoyed the climb and view of the river and then had a pleasant stroll along Pinnacle Pond.  The photos I took from the Pinnacle give the impression that this was a rural area - nothing could be further from the truth but I got lucky in the camera angles.  I would have been glad to paddle but boating was prohibited (it was a town water source).  Very glad I stopped to explore!  At about 1030, I drove a short distance to the YMCA in Concord for my Scuba/Dive training.  The pool venue was just a few blocks from the bright, shiny golden dome of the State House.  While trying to find everyone else, I made a big mistake when I drove into a parking garage.  The roof clearance looked just fine (at the entrance, especially) but then I noticed a "6 feet 10 inch clearance" sign.  With my kayak still on the roof of Nessie, this was a big warning!  I then had to figure out how to turn around and exit again.  I was partially successful - after doing a five-point turn with some "rubbing" sounds above me, I was out of the garage.  The kayak didn't appear damaged when I looked at it later - whew!  Street parking was much easier and safer for Tequila Sunrise...  At 1045, I found my instructor, Marley, and the other students.  Lisa was there (I'd met her during my first dive) and we were joined by two more experienced divers (doing re-cert).  The small group allowed for some good one-on-one with the instructor.  The YMCA pool was much smaller than the one at Colby Sawyer but, fortunately, there wasn't anyone else there.  Our group reviewed all the training we'd previously seen (gear up and gear stowing) and I learned a few new things.  I made a mistake and didn't inflate my BCD properly; this meant it sank to the bottom of the pool and I had to dive down to get it. A good lesson, though.  We did mask & regulator drills, out of air buddy drills, unconscious diver drills, pool side entry (fully geared up) and taking off our BCD while underwater.  We also got to swim around a lot!  That actually made the session much more enjoyable. In the end, I spent about two hours training (one full hour in the water) and I felt very comfortable after the third session.  Afterwards (1300), we put the gear and Marley's truck and then walked to eat lunch at a taco place called Dos Amigos (it was only about two blocks from the YMCA).  I ordered the Chicken Burrito Bowl and a beer called "Forever Buddy".  While I was hanging out with the group (everyone except Lisa, who had left to celebrate Mother's Day with her family), I learned more about each of them and we talked about our diving plans.  After we finished (1345), I walked back to the car and then followed Marley to his Dive Shop, located next to the Concord Airport.  After learning more about his set up and making plans to buy some gear for myself, I departed Concord and drove west.  Using surface streets and US-3, I made my way to Penacook Lake.  I'd hoped to paddle there but never really found a good place to launch the kayak.  And, like this morning, I also saw signs that the lake was a the town water supply - they implied that no one should get in the water but I'm not 100% on that rule.  Anyway, the wind had picked up by this time and I didn't want to get swamped in the water.  As a result, I drove west (using US-202/NH-9 and I-89) towards some other locations (Lake Hopkinton and Kezar Lake in Wadleigh State Park) that seemed promising.  Unfortunately, the wind and waves were bad at both of those places too.  Too bad - the sun was shining and temps were in the 60s.  Oh well...  I headed towards Hanover after that and arrived at my condo by 1545.  Since I've completed the online training, Marley told me I am ready for a dive in a lake or the ocean. It looks like my first Open Water dive will scheduled for early June - wow!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[spent most of the day doing chores in my condo - at 1430, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) in the pool - afterwards (1545), I thought about kayaking at the North Hartland Dam and drove over there to investigate paddling conditions - unfortunately, they'd closed and locked the gates to the access road - disappointed, I drove home (arrived at my condo by 1630) and resumed my move preparations]

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworked in the morning but then took the rest of the day off so I could get a medical procedure done at the VA Medical Center in White River Junction - got a ride from the Veterans Transportation Service at 0900 and, after I was finished with the doctors, got a ride home from them too (arrived by 1330) - this is one of those experiences that makes me glad I live in the Upper Valley]

Quechee, VT (USA)

It’s been raining most of the week and I’d given up on any outdoor fun.  Today, though, I noticed that my Apple Weather app showed one hour without precipitation.  Taking a gamble this forecast might actually be correct, I made a plan to paddle in the afternoon.  I spent all morning teleworking (from very early) and then (1400) drove to White River Junction so I could go swimming at UVAC (spent 45 minutes and did 54 lengths in the pool).  Afterwards (1515), I drove to Quechee with the intent of doing some kayaking in Lake Pinneo, a private body of water located within the Quechee Club Golf Course (a friend had told me I shouldn’t get hassled because the beach hasn’t opened for the season).  I arrived at 1550 and, for the exact hour that the weather guessers had forecasted dry weather, made my way (twice) around the lake’s edge, accompanied by boisterous birds (mostly red winged blackbirds), wild golfers (I could see their lost balls below me), hungry fish and hopeful fishermen.  After I was finished (1650), I loaded Tequila Sunrise back on my car - just then, it started to pour.  My route home (US-4 to I-89) was quite wet and my outdoor adventure was already complete.  Arrived at my condo by 1715 and teleworked until 1945. Very glad to have squeezed in some paddling during a week of rain!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[taking care of chores from early in the morning - at 1330, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) in the pool - afterwards, I did some shopping in West Lebanon before heading home (arrived at 1530) - more work around my condo until late in the day]

Warren, NH (USA)

Nearly two years since heel bursitis changed everything about the way I exercise, I’m still exploring how to get “back to normal”.  With my paddling, skiing, swimming and biking, I get plenty of cardio.  However, I definitely want to resume the peak bagging and long trail hiking that were such a big part of my life prior to 2023… Today, I decided to take a step towards the future I want by spending three hours on the Warren OHRV Trail.  I also hoped to do some paddling but the inclement weather that was forecasted for the area in the afternoon made that possibility uncertain (ultimately, I didn't have the weather for kayaking).  After getting some moving chores done around my condo, I departed Hanover (0945) and drove (via NH-10 and NH-25C) to Warren.  Since I'd hiked part of the trail a few years ago, stopping at the Redstone Rocket, I parked right next to that landmark and started my outdoor adventure (1030).  There were some signs about how the trail was closed for Mud Season but I assumed that didn't apply to pedestrians (I later saw some bikers and local people with their dogs so feel pretty good about this decision).  Using a different approach from most of my recent hikes, I intentionally pushed the limits and tried to ignore the worrisome thoughts about the post-workout cool-down.  Throughout the walk into the Asquamchumauke Valley, I could see glimpses of Mount Moosilauke and the foothills of the White Mountains.  I want to get back up there!  Halfway through, it started pouring rain - that didn’t deter me, though.  I turned around at the Glencliff junction for the Appalachian Trail (I recognized the trailhead) and made my way back to the Redstone Rocket that features prominently in the town of Warren.  In the end (finished at 1330), I logged almost 8.5 miles (a great pace for me) and completed the entire trail (out and back).  That’s one more checked off of the NH Rail Trail Challenge list.  Even better, the 45 minute drive home (via backtrack route except I used River Road to get from Orford to Hanover) didn’t lead to any scary outcomes - my foot still felt good when I arrived at my condo again (1430).  Gonna keep at it until I’m back on the vertical terrain!

White River Junction, VT (USA)

[teleworking from early in the morning - at 0800, I drove to White River Junction (UVAC) and spent 45 minutes swimming (54 lengths) - afterwards, I went shopping in West Lebanon before returning home (arrived at 0930) - resumed teleworking until 1545 - after work, I went to my normal Thursday Happy Hour at Jesse's Steakhouse]