Nomad Life - Day 177

Even though it was Saturday and I'd stayed up late, I still woke up at 0600.  And I was still sick - yaay...  I spent some time reading, doing Duolingo exercises and working on puzzles.  One sobering moment was when I read the news that the USA was at war with Iran.  At 0745, I went to breakfast at the Days Inn (Indiana) - they barely had any food but I was lucky I got some because lots of other people came away empty handed...  Back in my room, I did some more reading, more relaxing and tried (desperately) to recover from my cold.  At 1255, I went to McDonalds (across the parking) to get some sandwiches and a Shamrock Shake for lunch.  While eating (back in my room), I took care of finances, blog, eBird  etc.  With this unusual "down time", I was able to get a lot of work done and didn't feel ready to depart from the hotel until about 1445.  Once I was outside, I was stunned to find that it was 55 F!  Like so many other Nomad Life days I've had, it was also quite sunny.  Before I took advantage of the spectacular outdoor conditions, though, I wanted to explore a bit of history in Downtown Indiana.  From my hotel, I drove a short distance to the Jimmy Stewart Museum, which was located on the third floor of the Indiana Public Library.  There were parking meters on the street but didn't pay, hoping my luck would keep me out of trouble.  I arrived at the ticket booth for the Museum at 1455 and was given a quick overview of the contents by a friendly Docent (lady).  For the next 45 minutes, I wandered through the very good displays, learned about the history of the Stewart family in Indiana and met several friendly people.  Like most Americans, I've always admired Jimmy Stewart and this museum was a great tribute to his life and accomplishments.  I especially enjoyed the Military section (lots of good artifacts).  Afterwards (1540), I left the museum and took photos of some historical markers (including a larger than life size statue of Stewart) in the area.  I also explored a bit of the nearby Philly Street district before returning to the area of the Hoodlebug Trail.  I began where I'd parked the previous day, exploring signage and trying to find the northern terminus for the trail.  In the end, I determined that there was a discrepancy in the maps, local knowledge and other data and gave up on trying to connect any trail dots (more research needed).  While there, though, I walked a little bit on the trail before departing for another section. I drove (via back roads) to Homer City and parked at the Yankeetown Access Area Trailhead.  By this point, tempos had risen to 60 F - whew!  Starting at 1610, I walked back (north) to the Homer City Asphalt Plant (where I'd turned around the day before) and then backtracked towards my car.  Along the way, I saw a family gardening in their yard, accompanied by a well-behaved pet pig!  At around this tame time, I figured out that Mass would be starting at a nearbyt Catholic Church nearby so modified my walk on the Hoodlebug to merge with a walking route (on side streets) to Homer City neighborhood that included the St. Mary's Holy Protection Byzantine Catholic Church.  I arrived at 1650 and Mass began at 1700.  This was the first time I've ever been to one of the "Eastern Rite" Churches and it was a truly special experience.  For one thing, the entire premise of the service was a series of chanting sessions between the Priest and Cantor.  This made it similar to the Orthodox churches I'd encountered in Eastern Europe back in 2024.  For another thing, the Altar was set apart, with gates and mostly "mysterious goings on" behind the "curtain".  The Order of the Mass seemed to be following a little booklet I found in the pew - it matched with the Mass format developed by St. John Chrysostom.  Still, it was hard to follow most of what was happening.  All around me, there were LOTS of pretty icons.  Overall, the service only had a few places regular speech but I got used to the chanting.  There was a lot of standing for prayers (rather than kneeling) and lead up to Communion was very solemn and respectful.  The biggest surprise was when the Eucharist was scooped on to my tongue ("Body soaked in Blood ?") with a little spoon.  The Priest served me, a "Servant of God", and I hoped I wasn't acting too far away from what he expected when I accepted it.  My fellow Parishioners were mostly older and I heard some other languages than English.  Beyond Communion, there was a kind of memorial service for departed church members (a Lenten tradition of the church, apparently).  The whole experience was very moving and I've so glad that I attended.  After Mass (1800), I made my way back (still walking) towards my car at the Hoodlebug Trailhead (arrived at 1815).  Next, I drove north on US-119 until I reached the Levity Brewing Company (1825).  The place was all decked out for a Mardi Gras Party that I'd heard about on the previous day and, when I went inside, almost all seats were reserved or filled with people.  The bartender, Ed (I'd met him yesterday), showed me a spot against the wall and I squeezed in there.  To get food or beer, everyone had to wait in a big line to get food or drink.  When my turn came, I ordered the special gumbo, some King Cake and a beer I hadn't tried the day before.  When the King Cake arrived, the lady who served it showed me that I'd "won" a free beer because I'd gotten the Baby!  I'm feeling quite lucky...  Later, the gumbo arrived and it was so good and had a bit of a kick.  For this reason, I had to get in line for another (this time it was free!) beer.  During that time, a New Orleans Style Jazz band started playing.  When I returned to my seat, I learned that a young man (probably early 20s) sitting next to me was the nephew of the band's Trombonist.  He told me the band members were all faculty of IUP.  My new friend himself was a student at the college and he told me about life on campus.  We had a good conversation while the band wrapped up their first set (and took a break) and I genuinely enjoyed this encounter.  At about 2010, I reluctantly decided I'd had enough fun for the night and closed out my tab.  Saying goodbye to my friend and his uncle, I left the Brewery and returned to my hotel (arrived at 2030.  Back in my room again, I took care of some online stuff before heading down to the Fitness Center (2100) to ride the stationary bike again (this time, I completed 9.3 miles in 20 minutes).  for the rest of the evening, I watched movies.  With my cold seemingly subsiding, I managed to set a deliberate bedtime for once (2330).  What a great day in Indiana, Pennsylvania!

Nomad Life - Day 176

The (common) cold is really taking its toll - case in point, I woke up at 0500 without an alarm - feeling horribly congested...  I managed to start teleworking almost immediately but my heart wasn't really in the work.  I took a break for some reading, Duolingo and puzzles and later (0745) went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Johnstown).  There were some (annoying) loud talkers in the lobby but I managed to ignore them before returned to work.  All morning, I kept fighting the cold (headache and congestion).  When my last meeting was complete (1100), I decided that four hours of work was enough (I balanced out my day with four hours of leave).  After loading up my car (I saw a South Dakota license plate in the parking lot!), I departed the hotel.  It was (again), a marvelous day: sunny and 43 F!  My next destination, the town of Indiana, was located to the northwest of Johnstown so I used PA-65 and PA-403 to drive through the old downtown area.  Several of my friends are from this area and it was very familiar (Mollie and I also visited the nearby Johnstown Flood NPS site in February 2020).  Beyond the edge of town, I followed US-22, PA-65, P-954, US-422 and PA-286 until I reached my new hotel, the Days Inn (Indiana) at 1150.  It was too early to check in, so I went in search of the Hoodlebug Trail, a nearby rail trail that was (at least) 10 miles long.  I located the Hoss' restaurant on Rose Street (see FEB 2020) at 1200 and parked in their lot (I didn't realize there was a trailhead parking area across the street).  With great weather, I headed south on the paved bike trail.  There were plenty of other walkers with similar ideas and I encountered lots of birds too.  In the end, I walked almost three miles and only turned around when I reached an informal trailhead next to the Homer City Asphalt Plant.  It was warm and sunny - it seemed so much like Spring!  During my outbound leg, I'd noticed the Levity Breweing Company and decided to stop their (for lunch) during my backtrack.  Started at 1350, I ordered a flight of beer and a delicious fish sandwich.  Everything was delicious.  The bartender (Ed) invited me to return for the Mardi Gras party the following night - it sounds interesting!  At 1420, I left the Brewery and walked back to my car after nearly 6 miles (3 new miles of the trail) outdoors.  Since it was now possible to check into my hotel room, I drove back to the Days Inn and was settled inside by 1445.  Even though my work day was done, I still checked on work computer to make sure I hadn't missed anything important.  After that, I did some reading and watched movies until I felt tired.  Between 1630 and 2030, I took a nap from 1630 to 2030.  This may not have been the best idea because it screwed up my sleep schedule.  Still, I felt better.  I did some more reading and also ate a late "dinner" (snacks).  At 2200, I went down to the Fitness Center and rode on the stationary (recumbent) bike - I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to get some more miles!  In 20 minutes, I logged 9.4 hours - it felt good to keep up with my fitness goals.  I then returned to room and worked on Blog.  For the rest of the evening, I watched movies and didn't go to bed until about 0045.  Being sick is not pleasant but I must admit that I maximized my body's potential today.  Hopefully, I'll start to feel better soon...

Nomad Life - Day 175

Even though I suspected it might happen, I really hoped I wouldn't succumb to the common cold for the second time this winter...  Unfortunately, the scratchy throat and runny nose caused me trouble overnight and, even though I hadn't set an alarm, I was still up by 0645.  Dang...  Before getting out of bed, I did some reading, completing Duolingo exercises and working on puzzles.  During this time, the birds were singing loudly outside my window and I took advantage of this easy Merlin App capture to start my daily birding statistics.  At 0700, I began my telework day.  About an hour later, I took a break and went to breakfast in the Atrium of the Super 8 (State College).  Once I was finished eating, I went to the Fitness Center and rode their stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes - somehow, I logged 7 miles!  After that, I walked on the treadmill for 1 mile (17 minutes) before returning to my room.  The cold symptoms started to wear on me and, when I reached the four hour mark of work, I'd had enough of the hotel room and computers.  Despairing of being able to get some good outdoor adventures under the circumstances, I left State College at 1200.  The weather was good (sunny, with temps at 38 F) again!  I stopped for a gas fill up at Unimart (cheapest gas around) before getting on US-322, which I used to reach I-99.  I then followed the Interstate until I could switch to US-22.  This road took me from Centre County, through Blair County (1225) and into Cambria County (1255).  Before long, I was on US-219 and was making my way towards Johnstown, my destination for the night.  Upon arriving at the exit for my hotel (1320), I spotted a Primanti Brother's franchise at the Johnstown Galleria (mall).  I'd heard this was a "real Pittsburgh" experience so decided to check out the venue for lunch.  I was fortunate in this decision because the restaurant had a lunch special of a HUGE corned beef sandwich, lots of fries and a drink.  The knife in the soft bread was a good touch and the price was very reasonable.  And, of course, the food was great!  I was finished with my meal at 1345 and started a work call while I drove a short distance to my hotel, the Quality Inn (Johnstown).  Between meetings, I was able to check into my room (1400) and resume teleworking with barely a hiccup.  I stayed online until 1600 and then unloaded the rest of my car before continuing my teleworking.  At 1715, I hit the 7.5 hour mark for my hours and I decided to return to the Primanti's Brothers for their "Half Price Happy Hour".  Unlike what I'd seen during the lunch hour the place was packed! I was pleased to find that they had good deals on large beers and some cheap pizza slices - I got one of the former and two of the latter.  Due to my cold, my enthusiasm level was low and I only lasted until 1810.  Hoping to make it to my 10K step goal, I drove across the parking lot to the main building for the Johnstown Galleria and went walking inside the Mall.  It was warm and spacious and I was easily able to get lots of steps.  Once I was finished, I returned to my car and headed back to my hotel.  In my room, I finished up my last 30 minutes of telework and then worked on eBird and my blog.  For the rest of the evening, I watched movies until it was time for bed (2300).  With the nasty cold progressing, I had a hard time imagining a good night of sleep.  This sucks...

Nomad Life - Day 174

Unlike most of my Nomad Life weeks, it doesn't look like it would be a good idea to stay in one place for a few days.  Instead, I'm going to try to make my way lazily west (in the general direction of Pittsburgh) and see what I can see in short, overnight stays.  This morning, I was up at 0630 (no alarm set) and started teleworking.  I had meetings for most of the morning and spent the rest of the time catching up on lots of work from the preceding Installation trips.  I took one break (0815) for breakfast at the Super 8 Mifflinville.  After that, I kept working until 1130.  The forecast had said that there would be snow overnight but none ever felt where I was.  It was, actually, mostly sunny.  Also, the temps seemed very pleasant (38 F) and it seemed like Spring while I was walking around in the "courtyard" of the hotel.  Once my car was packed (1140), I departed my hotel and drove across the street to get lunch (to go) at Burger King (1140).  I waited to eat and repositioned my car from Miffliville (east side of the Susquehanna River) to South Centre (on the west side).  I parked at Columbia Park and, between 1200 and 1300, I went wandering around on trails near the river.  On such a beautiful day, I found LOTS of birds!  Even better,  I logged two miles of walking.  I encountered a deer carcass during my exploring but I don't think there were any major predators around - the area was residential.  Before departing the area, I finished my lunch and joined a work telcon (1300).  While listening to that, I made my way to I-80 and drove west.  As I entered Montour County (1315), I started to see snow again.  The Susquehanna River paralleled the Interstate in this area and I crossed it more than once. This part of the drive was punctuated by lots of curvy roads, fast trucks and narrow canyons through the hilly country.  I lost signal on my telcon but regained it less than five minutes later.  Signs along the highway warned of a major exit closure (for I-99) so I followed Google Maps' advice and exited I-80 at PA-64.  After following that road for a while (very little traffic), I reached PA-26 - from that intersection, I merged on to I-99.  Before long, I had reached State College and I exited on to US-322 (towards the south).  Soon after that, I got off the Interstate at College Avenue and made my way (via side streets) to my hotel, the Super 8 (State College).  With a conference call still going on at that point, I waited in the parking lot until it finished (1440).  Immediately after that, I checked into my room and resumed teleworking.  I stayed online until 1630 (when I reached my 8 hours).  Next, I went to the Lobby and printed documents at the hotel business center.  By 1700, I was ready for some fun.  Leaving the Super 8, I was stunned to find that the tamps were in the high 40s!  Following recommendations from the clerk at the hotel, I drove to the PSU campus and was able to find parking at the East Deck. (arrived there at 1730).  Next, I walked to the Penn State Berkey Creamery and ordered a Peachy Paterno ice cream (bowl, with cone on top) at 1740. I ate my delicious "dinner" inside the venue - I was surrounded by young ladies in small groups - they all seemed to enjoy the location for its comfort food.  After that, I went walking around the campus and logged another two miles (met my step goal for the day).  Like I've been seeing since Scranton, there were only snow remnants to indicate that Winter was still out there somewhere...  The air was very pleasant and I was treated to a pretty sunset.  I saw some interesting looking ski areas in the distance.  While I was walking, I got photos of football stadium, watched students playing pickleball and lacrosse and got a better feel for PSU.  When I reached my car again, I left the garage (1820) and drove a short distance to the west.  My target was the local Marzoni's Pizza and Brewery.  When I reached the bar, I ordered four of their brews (6 oz each).  A nearby couple, originally from the UK (Northumbria region) engaged me in conversation - it turned out that she was a PSU professor.  We had a good chat before we were all finished with our drinks (1940).  Feeling quote good about my choices this evening, I drove back to my hotel (arrived at 1950).  After quickly changing clothing, I went to workout in the Fitness Center (20 minutes of biking, 6 miles total).  Back in my room, I blogged, logged eBird entries and watched watching movies before going to bed at 2300.  This was my first visit to State College since I'd brought Erin here (see AUG 2015) and I really enjoyed the vibe!

Nomad Life - Day 173

It was finally time to say goodbye to Connecticut and my wonderful friends - I hadn't expected to stay with Kelly & Steve in Glastonbury so long but but it has been wonderful!  This morning, I woke up at 0630 (without alarm) and started teleworking immediately.  Despite the terrible snowstorm, Steve had to drive into Hartford for work - I was able to say goodbye (and "thank you") as he was leaving.  I then took a break from my computer and ate breakfast before quickly returning to work.  Kelly had to run some errands so we made my farewells at about 1030.  For the rest of my time at their home, I teleworked, with only a short break for lunch.  At the seven hour mark for my work day (1345), I logged off of my computer, packed up the car and reluctantly departed Glastonbury.  It was a beautiful, sunny day and temps were in the mid 30s!  Using CT-2, I-91, I-691 and I-84, I headed west.  Along the way, I passed the time by listening to SiriusXM.  After I crossed the New York border (1450), I began to encounter significant traffic.  Fortunately, I kept moving along OK.  While in this area, I saw lots of snow along the side of the road.  I passed through Danbury, my old Appalachian Trail Hiking Zone (near Fishkill) and crossed the Hudson River near Newburgh without incident.  In fact, I made it all the way to the New York / Pennsylvania border without any problems and, for this reason, decided I had time to get off the Interstate for a short visit to visit Montague (Sussex County), New Jersey (1555).  After finding a little park (just off CR-653, south of the gas stations and NJ-23), I took a stretching break and did some birding.  At 1605, I got back on I-84 and crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania.  The drive on the rest of I-84 (to Scranton) went well and I transitioned to I-81 (headed South) at 1655.  I was startled to see that almost all of the snow was gone!  Temps were still in the high 20s but they must have had warmer weather to melt everything...  At this same time, the traffic volume steadily increased significantly (with no warning from Google Maps) until I was almost completely stopped.  With warnings from road signs and (finally) the map app, it was clear that the drive to the I-80 merge was going to take far longer than I'd hoped.  Not wanting to be "trapped" on the Interstate, I exited as I saw an opportunity.  For the first time in all of my years of traveling nearby, I got an amazing view of the Montage Mountain Resort, just to the east of my location.  Ignoring all the map app suggestions, I weaved my way south on back roads (mostly paralleling I-81) until I was able to get on US-11.  The choice I'd made didn't make the trip go faster (lots of traffic, lights and narrow streets) but I felt better because I was still moving.  Google Maps kept trying to get me back on the Interstate, even while reporting that "there is a 12 minute slowdown". I ignored the guidance and kept "feeling my way along" until I accidentally missed a turn for US-11 at Pittston.  This error didn't seem like a big deal at the time but, soon, the four lane road abruptly ended at a stop sign.  From there, I was able to follow (via South Township Road and Main Street) the traffic towards the south and, after cutting north to River Street, I found myself in downtown Wilkes-Barre.  In all my years of traveling along I-81, I don't recall ever being in this immediate area - there were lots of interesting buildings and monuments!  At one intersection, I saw a chance to cross the Susquehanna on Market Street and took it.  After driving a bit west, I rejoined US-11.  Passing through the town of Plymouth, the speeds opened up and I felt like I was home free from the traffic jam.  This route, with took me southwest along the Susquehanna, was very pretty and I got to see a beautiful sunset at the end of the valley.  Also, alongside the road, I noticed lots of signs about the Susquehanna Warrior Trail (bike trail).  While it was still a bit light, I passed a huge Nuclear Power Plant (Susquehanna Stream Electric Station) that was creating the only "clouds" in the sky.  Strangely,. there was still no snow on the ground and the river looked mostly free of ice.  Just after I passed the town of Berwick, I stopped along the side of US-11 (just before the I-80 junction) and was able to locate a hotel within three miles with availability for the night.  Reservation completed, I got on I-80 east for one exit (had to cross Susquehanna River again).  I found my hotel, Super 8 (Mifflinville), on the east side of the river and, after arriving (1855), checked in quickly and found my room. By 1900, I was online for work again and logged one more hour on my computer.  Afterwards (2000), I tried to do some walking near my hotel.  It was cool and brisk and the darkness didn't help - in the end, I didn't reach my step goal.  That's OK, I'm having a good month already...  At 2100, I logged on to one of my entertainment websites and spent the rest of the evening watching movies.  I was awake until 2330 and then went to bed.  Strange to feel that I've "escaped" from the Winter - it seemed so powerful in Connecticut but so tame in Pennsylvania.  We'll see if that continues as I make my way west...

Nomad Life - Day 172

Steve had been very worried about potential loss of power, due to the predicted "wet" snow overnight.  He assured me that he had a generator but I kept wondering whether I'd get to experience an old time power outage in New England like when I was a kid.  When I woke up at 0600 (with alarm), there was already LOTS of snow on my car (probably over a foot).  The power was still good so I started teleworking immediately.  I stayed at it for the whole morning, with only a short break for breakfast (bagel) at Kelly & Steve's home.  Meanwhile, it continued snowing and temps stayed near freezing - added to that, there was lots of wind.  Despite the rather scary conditions, I must admit that I enjoyed pretty views that I got from the window in Kelly's dining room - there were LOTS of birds!  My work day continued, with meetings through the early afternoon.  After that, I took a break to eat a late lunch (turkey sandwich).  Along the way, I could hear Kelly watching news stories about power outages everywhere.  It sounded like it was even worse in Providence and on Cape Cod so I contacted my dad to see how he was doing (power was out and he had over 24 inches of snow).  It occurred to me that I'd really dodged a bullet by having the Installation trip last week rather than this one!  Back to the present, though, I was finished working at 1530.  I'd thought that Steve would want some help with shoveling the driveway but he kept delaying the task, hoping the snow would stop completely.  While waiting, I went upstairs to the guest bedroom and did some reading.  Somehow, I ended up falling asleep!  At 1645, I heard Steve outside with his snow blower and I hurried outside to assist in removing about two feet of new snow.  Unlike most of the snow I encountered in New Hampshire, this stuff shoveled like cheesecake.  It was interesting to see how deeply my car was covered (I got lots of photos).  In the end, it took a LOT of work to get Nessie dislodged from the giant snow bank.  I worked with Steve to clear the driveway for his/Kelly's cars and, eventually, I was able to get mine out to the main street.  At Steve's request, I drove down to the cul-de-sac to further clean the car and was there for nearly 20 minutes - whew!  Meanwhile, Steve finished clearing the driveway.  When I returned, he asked if I'd clean the walkway and front step and I happily obliged.  During this project, I noticed that there might actually have been 36 inches of snow (some from previous storms).  While we were working, it got dark but we continued shoveling by street/driveway light.  Steve also had time to generously assist his neighbors (including letting one borrow the snow blower).  We were finished outside at around 1800 - or, at least, I thought we were.  Steve insisted on clearing the patio in the back of the house while I got warm in the house.  For a little while, I relaxed, watching news and doing some reading.  Before long, Kelly started making dinner (chicken with veggies, rice) and Steve and I joined her at the table at 1930.  As usual, the food was good and we had some nice conversation.  We wrapped up our meal at 2030 and, after I got changed, I went downstairs to complete my 10K step goal for the day (treadmill).  I was finished at 2145 and returned to the main floor to find that Kelly and Steve had already retired for the night.  After getting back up to the guest room, I did some reading until I felt ready for bed (2300).  What a day - it's been a long time since I was "snowed in" but it was great to be surrounded by my friends!

Nomad Life - Day 171

With a huge winter storm inbound and important Winter Olympics coverage on the docket, I had planned to get up early to maximize my outdoor time.  However, I again slept later and wasn't awake until 0715.  Fortunately, I had just enough time to get ready for Mass at a nearby Parish and left Kelly & Steve's house at 0745.  Outside, it was 31 F and overcast, with a light snow falling.  I only had to drive about 1.5 miles (it would have been quicker to walk across Buckingham Park (behind Kelly's neighborhood) to St. Dunstan's Catholic Church.  Mass began at 0800 and, after so many interesting and unusual services that I've seen as part of my Nomad Life, it was kind of bland.  When it was over (0845), I returned to Kelly & Steve's to find them already watching the Olympic Gold Medal Game between the USA and Canada.  The first period had just ended and the USA was leading 1-0.  While the second period was going on, we ate breakfast (Taylor Ham, bagels and cheese sandwich, with a side of hash brown casserole).  All the food was very good and we topped it off with Mimosas.  Megan came by at one point and watched the game with us and was on hand to see Canada tie up the game.  Everyone was feeling a bit apprehensive by that point but the tension was broken when Megan left to get her sister (Maura) at the airport.  The third period ended with the game still tied and I went into the other room to get some work done on my computer.  About five minutes later, Kelly and Steve started cheering loudly - the USA had won the Olympic Gold medal in Overtime!  From that point, the "hockey household" celebrated wildly and there was additional excitement when Megan and Maura returned. From now on, the names of Jack Hughes ("Golden Goal") and Connor Hellebuyck (goalie) will be on most Americans' lips... Apart from hockey, I had time (just before noon) to get some Duolingo exercises completed and read a bit.  In the early afternoon, I also worked more on the 2026 Nashville Thanksgiving Plan (got help from Mollie along the way).  With all this, I got distracted and almost missed my chance to do anything outside!  At about 1500, I started to realize this might be my only chance to get in some skiing while in Connecticut because of the huge storm.  Wrapping up my personal business, I got changed and departed Kelly & Steve's to the north (using CT-83) at 1600.  I stopped for a gas fillup at Gulf in Manchester (1620) and then headed back south (towards Glastonbury) to park at the Manchester Country Club.  Starting at 1625, I took Steve's advice and skied around on the fairways.  It was not very easy due to a combination of deep (unpacked) snow, ice in places and a lack of broken trails.  The cold was a bit of an issue in the beginning but my blood warmed up with the workout and I was feeling fine by the time I got done (1725).  All told, I logged about two miles in one hour.  Not my best ski (even this season) but I'm glad I didn't miss my chance.  Back at Kelly & Steve's (arrived at 1735), I cleaned up and checked caught up on eBird and my blog.  Meanwhile, Steve started making dinner.  At 1830, I joined my friends and we ate a delicious dinner of chicken ranch tacos and rice.  The conversation and food were good and we stayed at the table until 1930.  After that, I went downstairs to use the treadmill so I could reach my step goals for the day.  This effort required less than two miles of walking and I was done by 2045.  Afterwards, I spent time visiting with Kelly and Steve in their living room - we watched lots of Olympic news (Closing Ceremonies) and ominous weather reporting.  I retired at around 2145 and spent some time reading before bedtime (2230).  Very glad to have gotten out on my skis today - bring on the Big Storm!

Nomad Life - Day 170

I actually slept until 0800 this morning!  The bed was comfortable and the (non-hotel) room was quiet - this gave me the rest I needed to "reset" after my work week.  There was also time for texts with all three of my daughters.  While still in my comfy guest bed, I spent time reading, doing puzzles. completing Duolingo exercises and updating my "Nomad Life Fans" on social media.  At about 1000, I got ready and went downstairs to see Kelly and Steve (they were watching TV).  We talked for a bit before Steve left to do errands.  After that, I ate a late breakfast (cereal), caught up on emails and worked some more on Thanksgiving Planning.  Lunch was a delicious panini from Hot Table (a local sandwich shop) and then I had time to complete a treadmill workout (walked 3 miles in just under one hour) in my friends' basement.  At 1400, Kelly and Steve drove me into downtown Hartford so we could attend the UCONN versus BC hockey game.  We arrived (and parked) at the historic Traveler's Insurance Building by 1430 and then had to walk across the middle of Downtown to get to PeoplesBank Arena.  Along the way, we passed the Old State House, the "Gold" Building and lots of little pubs and shopping areas.  We arrived at the UCONN "home ice" venue at 1445 and, once inside, we had to walk to almost the completely opposite side of the arena to find our seats.  The area where we were sitting had a nice view of the ice and I really enjoyed watching the Team Intros at 1500.  Even better, the UCONN Band was located nearby and they made a lot of interesting arm signals ("U" "C" "O", etc.) and they made great sounds through the game.  Behind us, there were three men who spent nearly the whole game talking about their wives, drinking, life-philosophies, etc. - the sounded like a real (sarcastic nod here) "brain trust." For on-ice action, we were treated to a very exciting display of hockey skills and there was great defense, scoring attempts, goalie saves and penalty scenarios.  Overall, the game was very good and stayed close (tied 1 to 1) all the way until overtime.  Sadly (especially for Steve and Kelly), BC ended up scoring only a short time into the Sudden Death and UCONN lost.  Along with many other dejected UCONN fans, we departed the Arena (1730).  Due to these loyal fans watching until the very end of the action, it took a while to get out of the building.  Thinking we were headed to the car, I followed Steve and Kelly in a reverse direction from when we'd arrived in Hartford.  We changed direction near the Traveler's Building, though, and ended up heading towards Bear's Smoke House.  Once inside, I immediately noticed that the venue looked very familiar - I soon realized it was the same chain as I'd visited in Asheville with family in 2023.  The line for service was pretty big and we didn't get our food until about 30 minutes later.  However, my dinner (I got the House Poutine, cornbread and was worth any waiting.  Fortunately, I was able to convince Steve & Kelly to let me treat them to dinner (they've been so generous and had been resisting my efforts to "treat" them for several days).  With my dinner, I also ordered a local beer (NEBCO) from the tap room on site.  We were in the restaurant from about 1745 to 1900 and really enjoyed the meal and conversation.  Afterwards, we walked back to Steve & Kelly's car at the Traveler's Building and left the Downtown area.  To get back to Glastonbury, we drove east, across the Connecticut River and used I-384 and some State highways.  We arrived at Kelly & Steve's home by 1945.  Everyone scattered to their own pursuits and I ended up doing some more work on Thanksgiving documents until around 2100.  Beyond that time, I joined my friends in watching local news and Winter Olympic Coverage and later went to the guest room for some reading before heading to bed (2300).  What an interesting (and fun) day!

Providence Trip - Day 5

With work completed in Providence, it was time to return to my Nomad Life.  The weekend had nearly arrived and some pressure was off - it felt good!  I'd earlier failed in my attempts to plan a get together with family in Massachusetts so had, instead, coordinated with my Notre Dame friends, Kelly and Steve, to meet up in the Hartford area.  Before that, though, I had some more telework to do.  I was awake (without alarm) by 0630.  I spent some time reading, working on Duolingo and doing puzzles before finally starting work at 0730.  An hour later, I took a break and went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Warwick).  After that, I worked out in the Fitness Center (from 0900 to 1015) and got one hour of walking on the treadmill (3 miles) and 15 minutes on the "spinning machine" (3 miles).  The same little boy from yesterday was there and he had lots of news and questions to share.  I might have stayed in the gym a bit longer but my time in the hotel was running short.  This was emphasized when I tried to use my room key after leaving the Fitness Center - it didn't work at first and I had to return to the lobby to reset it.  With one hour of work already completed, two hours allocated for my return travel (post business trip) and a healthily leave balance, I decided to call it a day.  After double checking that I had no open actions on my work computer, I checked out of the hotel (1200).  By then, it was snowing lightly - fortunately, the temps were at 36 F.  To reach Connecticut, I got on I-95 and headed south.  There were some tough driving conditions and I was VERY careful as I drove on the Interstate.  This caution was even more essential when I exited on to RI-102 and followed that road to RI-165.  Before long (1225), I crossed into Rhode Island and transitioned to CT-165.  This road merged with CT-138 and I followed that until I reached Griswold - there, I got on the Griswold Expressway and used it to join I-395.  For a while, I followed the Interstate (fair road conditions)and crossed the Shetucket River at 1245.  At that point, the light snow turned to sleet and temps had dropped to 32 F.  Understandably, there were lots of cops patrolling the roads - the crazy drivers were severely tempting the road conditions!  Somehow, I think I missed an exit because I never saw a lane to transition to CT-2.  The end result was that Apple Maps took me through three-quarters of a full cloverleaf loop at the junction of I-395 and CT-2!  From there, though, I was treated to a nice four lane that continue towards Hartford.  My map app indicated I'd complete the trip in about 90 minutes and I was feeling good - until I suddenly noticed lots of flashing lights in the distance.  I decided to edge over towards an approaching exit lane - this turned out to be fortuitous because I next heard "road closure ahead" from Apple Maps.  By then, though, I had already exited the freeway.  Using a parallel side street, I followed a snow plow around the obstruction (I assume it was an accident because I'd already passed a few of those) and was soon back on CT-2.  The rest of the drive was uneventful and I exited the highway (near the town of Glastonbury) on to CT-83.  From there, I used surface streets to reach Kelly & Steve's home (arrived at 1330).  The last time I was there (August 2025), the weather had been totally different - this time, the roads and yards were covered with a thick layer of snow.  As I was parking, I realized that his was the first time I revisited a friend's home during my Nomad Life.  And, like last time, I felt very welcomed immediately.  Kelly offered me lots of food and drink but I was still full from breakfast.  In the end, I skipped lunch.  With no more work planned, I spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with Kelly.  We shared lots of news because her family isn't really into social media.  Meanwhile, we watched a lot of the "live" Winter Olympics coverage (mostly skiing).  Later, we started watching the USA Men's Hockey team playing Slovakia.  Steve arrived soon after that and immediately got into the game.  There was time for more visiting but our main focus ended up being the ominous weather reports of a big snow storm coming.  The USA won their game, setting up a major match with Canada a few days later - Steve and Kelly were clearly very excited.  At 1900), we ate dinner (Kelly had made delicious pumpkin spice pancakes) and had a nice time talking.  Beyond the evening meal, we spent the rest of the night watching TV and ended up getting deeply involved in a UCONN v BC (Men's) hockey game).  I did my best to keep up with their passionate hockey fan-dom.  However, by 2145, I was feeling tired and said goodnight.  I spent about 30 minutes reading in the guest room and finally went to bed at 2300.  Very glad to have successfully completed my work trip but even happier to have immediately resumed by wonderful Nomad Life!

Providence Trip - Day 4

As the clock struck midnight, I was still working at the T. F. Green International Airport in support of a technology refreshment.  My teammates on the Installation Team appeared to be exhausted and it took all of our eyes and ears to stay on mission.  Working together (and drinking a lot of coffee, something that is VERY rare for me), we successfully resolved all issues and managed to complete our project by 0615.  Paperwork and local acceptance were wrapped 0645 - I was extremely happy to say farewell to site (Adam and Derek, the local reps, seemed pleased).  With seven hours of work already completed for the day, I could afford to relax a little bit.  Outside, the sun had risen (partly cloudy) and the temps had already reached the mid 30s.  Next, I departed (carpool) with Jennings and arrived at the Holiday Inn Express (Warwick) 0700.  Breakfast in the lobby was already in progress and I managed to scarf some food down before 0720 (I was mindful of my "Ash Wednesday Fasting Reset").  Returning to my room, I checked online briefly and then went to bed.  Fortunately, I managed to get more than two hours of rest (0730 to 0945) before I got up again.  Upcoming projects in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic necessitated that I pay attention to some telcons between 1000 and 1145 (well worth missing sleep because it will make that work easier for me, down the line).  When I reached the end of the online meetings (nine hours of total time), I decided to call it a (work) day.  I ended up skipping lunch (although I did have a few snacks) and went back to bed for some more napping.  Luckily, I did actually sleep for a few more hours.  Up for good at 1400, I spent the next two hours working on travel arrangements for the next few weeks and on Thanksgiving Planning.  Colleagues from work attempted to creep into my personal time but I resisted successfully.  Along the way, I ate an early dinner (leftovers from the Quonset Tavern) and then (1700) went outside the hotel for about 30 minutes of walking.  Somehow, i managed to reach 2 miles worth of steps for the day before I felt ready to depart the hotel.  I'd coordinated with Jennings and Joe (Installation Teammates) to meet at Proclamation Ale Company for a drink and I arrived there at 1745.  While waiting for the others, I tried four of beers produced by the Brewery (all pretty good).  The other guys arrived at 1800 and we had a good time talking until the Brewery's Trivia Night began.  After that point, the volume rose tremendously and it became nearly impossible to communicate.  We managed to stay until about 1940 but then gave up on all the noise.  After saying goodbye ("see you later" is more accurate, since we'll be reconvening at other airports in the future), I headed back to my hotel (arrived at 1950).  Before going to my room, I walked around inside and outside for a little bit.  Next, I spent some more time (family and finance) on my computer.  At 2100, I went to the Fitness Center and rode on the stationary bike for 20 minutes (4 miles).  After finishing (2120), I watched movies in my room.  I suppose it was the odd hours and/or the extra napping but I didn't go to bed until 2330.  What a week - I feel very good about having been part of the team that completed this installation but I'm bushed!

Providence Trip - Day 3

Hoping I'd stay in bed longer than normal (in preparation for our overnight Installation), I didn't set an alarm and kept my "white noise" generator on full blast through the night.  Sadly, I only made it to 0730 and couldn't go back to sleep.  After trying to kill time with sleep inducing activities (like reading a boring book), I gave up and went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Warwick) at 0845.  And, since I was already awake, it made sense to do some teleworking (meetings) from 0900 to 1200.  Even if I'd wanted to avoid work, the outdoor conditions (raining, with temps in the high 30s) didn't seem conducive to be a substitute.  One thing that I did do, though, was return to the Fitness Center for another workout.  This time, I did 20 minutes of biking (4 miles) and 40 minutes on the treadmill (2 miles).  During this time, a little boy (with him mom) came by and started using the other equipment.  When he'd gotten bored with what was open, he actually come right up to me and asked if I could get off the treadmill so he could use it.  I wasn't finished so politely told him that he couldn't have the machine yet.  Fortunately, this didn't upset him and he waited rather patiently for me to complete my walking workout.  Along the way, he asked me a LOT of questions and I did my best to answer.  By the end, I showed him how to wipe down equipment and we talked about "Fitness Center Etiquette" - his mom thanked me profusely for entertaining her son while "his dad is at work".  Following my workout, I returned to my room and joined a meeting that was intended to help several of us that were in the field - that turned out to be a great resource.  At 1415, I departed my hotel and drove (via side roads and I-95) to Quonset Point.  The weather was NOT nice and my adaptive cruise control didn't work for most of the drive.  Also, the loud (muffler?) noise continued - that is really bothersome...   Anyway, I'd been hoping to see my dad on Cape Cod during the coming weekend but he demurred, saying that there wasn't any room for my car in the driveway and that there was so much snow it would be hard to enjoy the visit.  Instead, he proposed that we meet up in Rhode Island and suggested somewhere close to the old Naval Air Station (where we'd lived when I was a little kid).  With this goal in mind, I found the Quonset Tavern on the Green in North Kingstown and he agreed to meet me there.  I arrived at 1440 and met my dad and Beth a bit later (1500).  We ended up being the only customers and had a nice, relaxing lunch (lots of food).  Along the way, I (unfortunately) forgot that it was Ash Wednesday and ended up eating some meat.  Oh well - I reset my clock immediately and hope to do better in the future...  We visited and caught up on news until we were finished with our meal (1625).  After saying goodbye, I drove back (via US-1) to my hotel.  During this transit, I ended up on a work call.  Meanwhile, it was still raining...  Just after my arrival at the Holiday Inn Express (1700), I started trying to nap in preparation for my overnight work at the Airport.  Despite my best efforts, I only got about 45 minutes of actual rest in 90 minutes of trying.  Beyond these attempts, I took care of personal admin work and did a bit more telework in preparation for overnight installation.  Since I'd eaten a full breakfast and lunch, I didn't make a special effort to eat dinner.  At 2015, Jennings picked me up and we carpooled to the Airport (arrived at 2030).  Like before, it was raining but I really didn't care.  Not only was I feeling a bit tired but I knew I'd be indoors all night.  Upon arrival, our team convened and we started the testing activities (2100).  There was a lot more "hands on" for me during this day's activities (unlike yesterday) and I had a front row seat when we found our first obstacle.  Somehow, the site had lost connectivity with their "parent" facility and it took more than an hour of troubleshooting with the National Help Desk before we could continue our planned tests.  Fortunately, we got back on track before too long.  Meanwhile, I cracked open the "thermal travel mug" (AKA "insulated tumbler") and drank some coffee that I'd brought from the hotel.  This was my first use of this cool mug - I'd received it from one of The Prouty fundraisers - and it worked great!  During each subsequent hour, I sipped caffeine off and on and managed to keep my focus.  In the same timeframe, I also managed to get my last mile of walking in (and my step goal).  I was still working at midnight (3.5 hours more hours towards my job).  Hope we are able to get this Installation completed before our internal deadline (0500)...

Providence Trip - Day 2

Let the Installation begin!  This morning, I was awake by 0630 (without an alarm) and decided to start teleworking to ensure that I was ready when I arrived at the Airport.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in Lobby of Holiday Inn Express (Warwick) and, after my meal, returned to my room to pack for my day in the field.  Outside, the temps were in the mid-30s and it was partly cloudy.  Jennings (my Prime Contractor counterpart) arrived at the hotel by 0840 because he had asked me to ride with him to the Airport (he doesn't yet have his access badge).  We only had to drive from the west side of T. F. Green International Airport, around the southern end and then along the eastern perimeter until we arrived at the access gate.  Fortunately, my badge worked to get us inside.  A few other folks from the team were waiting nearby because their own badges didn't work.  By 0845, though, we had everyone assembled in the parking lot and we went inside the main building to meet up with our local points of contact.  Officially, our work on-site began at 0900 but, other than meet and greet, I had to wait while other members of the team unloaded the truck and unpacked pallets.  During this time, I took care of other work projects but was feeling quite ready for my tasks when the team informed me it was time to start.  For the next several hours (including lunch time, when I ate a light snack), we went through several testing checklists.  Occasionally, we hit a snag but worked our way through all of them by the time we were finished.  Along the way, I did get some steps (walking around in the buildings).  My team had some familiar people but we also were joined by new ones (including a really good Test Director, Joe V) - the camaraderie seemed really good.  At 1630, we finally wrapped up our testing and, after Jennings verified that his team had already departed, left the Airport (1645).  Like earlier, I was carpooling with him again and he dropped me off at the hotel by 1700.  I did some final wrap up (answered emails) on my work computer before calling it a day.  With some daylight remaining, I went walking (reached 2 miles for the day) and birding nearby.  The conditions were still relatively pleasant (mid 30s and dry).  Without returning to my room, I left the hotel (1750) and drove north towards the area where I'd eaten last night.  I'd noticed another restaurant (across the street from the Iron Works) called El Marinero, which purported to be a "Mexican Seafood" establishment.  Feeling adventurous, I ordered the Camarones Zarandeados, which ended up being a collection of HUGE shrimp that took some effort to eat.  It was combined with a healthy serving of beans and rice.  I washed everything down with some local beer and got VERY sticky/greasy from the food.  Everything was delicious!  I was finished eating at 1840 and, after the short drive, reached my hotel by 1855.  In my room for a short time, I took care of personal admin (bills, emails, etc.) and may have gotten completely distracted by those minor tasks.  Fortunately, I made sure to get dressed in my workout gear along the way and this allowed me to head to the Fitness Center by 2100.  While there, I rode the stationary "bike" (more of a spinning machine) for 40 minutes (8 miles) and reached my step goal for the day.  Feeling good about the exercise but the cycle was VERY uncomfortable, even after I tweaked the seat and handlebars.  Hoping I can keep using it, though.  Back in my room again, I watched videos for the rest of the night.  With the intent of getting on a "mid-shift" schedule, I didn't go to bed until just after midnight (I probably wasn't actually sleeping until 0030).  Excited to get another Airport our updated system tomorrow night!

Providence Trip - Day 1

.This week, I had another work trip that would support our system's hardware installations!  After my good experience last week, I was really looking forward to the trip - this time, to Providence, Rhode Island.  Since it was a holiday, there wasn't going to be anyone online that expected to speak or email with me.  This allowed me some flexibility, since I had approval to work on this unusual travel day.  I took advantage of the situation and slept a bit later than normal - I ended up waking up at 0645 (without an alarm set).  At 0700, I began teleworking.  For the rest of the morning, I only took one short break (0800) for breakfast in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon).  Otherwise, I stayed online until 1115 and completed the first four hours of my work day until it was time to depart from Lebanon (1130).  By then, the temps were 32 F and it was pleasant and sunny outside.  Due to my big breakfast, I skipped lunch and started driving south on I-89.  Not surprisingly, there were Massachusetts license plates everywhere and they blew by me as I mostly followed the speed limit.  After nearly an hour on the Interstate, I exited on to NH-77, which led me to NH-13.  Not only was this the route with the shortest distance, I had noticed several Rail Trails on the map nearby,  With the goal of getting some good outdoor activity, I headed towards the town of Brookline.  Arriving there at 1315, I was met with temps in the mid 30s - I've been so lucky during my Nomad Life journey!  I parked at a lot near Potanipo Lake (near Mason Road) and, after some research online (because there really wasn't any signage), I was able to locate the Brookline Rail Trail.  From my car, I hiked south (through a small covered bridge) until the trail petered out at NH-13.  Reversing course, I started north towards the Lake.  It took some help from locals (walking with their dog) but I eventually realized I was in the southern section of the larger trail.  Without blazes or signs, I tentatively headed into the "Tevye Section", which initially wandered through paved roads of what appeared to be a Jewish Summer Camp.  After this, the trail turned into a forest road that was clearly used by snowmobiles.  There was actually better signage from this point and I was able to hike two miles before I reached North Mason Road.  By that point, I had learned that there was another two mile section of the Brookline Rail Trail located to the north that connected to the Granite Town Rail Trail (total distance of the two sections of trail = 4.5 miles).  I'd also concluded that I didn't want to walk in the slushy snow to reach my car - instead, I walked east to NH-13 and headed south on the pavement.  Fortunately, there was a wide shoulder and I was able to make very good time.  By 1450, I had reached my car after just a bit more than four miles.  Overall, it was a great time on the trail!  Next, I drove south on NH-13 for about 1.5 miles, hoping to find the northwest trailhead of the Potanipo Rail Trail.  I was successful in my search and even had a short time to do some walking.  At this trailhead, there was a map of the trail and I learned that it was about 2.7 miles long, with the northern end (1.5 miles) going from the trailhead I found to the corner Bohanan Bridge Road and Oak Hill Road; another section is about 1.2 miles and connects to the Massachusetts part of the Potanipo Rail Trail.  Sadly, there wasn't enough time to really make progress on this Rail Trail.  However, I felt good about adding to my experience with more trails on the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge list.  Reluctantly, I left the area at 1500 and drove south on NH-13 to the Massachusetts border (crossed at 1505).  The road became MA-13 and I continued south while temps rose to 37 F.  After passing through several small hamlets, I located MA-2 and used it to reach I-190.  Following that road, I made my way to Worcester and then accessed I-290 to cross through the city.  Exiting on to MA-146, I soon reached the Rhode Island border (1610) and continued south on RI-146.  This road had lots of construction and traffic but I eventually made it to I-95.  During this part of the drive, I kept seeing cameras over the road and worried about traffic tickets (later research says they are inactive toll cameras for trucks).  The traffic volume continued increasing and I was relieved to get off the Interstate at the T. F  Green Airport exit.  Shortly after that (1640), I arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Warwick and was able to quickly check into my room.  With the drive completed, I was able to log two more hours of work (transportation to the work site).  Before resuming telework, though, I hosted a telcon with our family's Thanksgiving Planning Team (1700 to 1740).  Beyond that important discussion, I completed my last hour of work online (1740 to 1840).  Pausing my work day again, I left the hotel and went to dinner at the "Iron Works" (a restaurant at the nearby Hilton Hotel).  It was a VERY popular venue and my only choice was to sit at the crowded bar.  The only empty seat was next to one occupied by a Veteran named Greg, who appeared to be a regular, and his service dog (Hope).  It turned out that we had a lot of things in common (military experiences) and even both had family on Cape Cod.  The drinks and dinner (pastrami sandwich) were very good (prices were too!) and I stayed at the bar until 1950.  After saying goodbye to my new friend, I drove back to the hotel and finished my last hour of telework (2000 to 2100).  Because I'd already reached my fitness goals for the day, I didn't feel bad about watching movies until bedtime (2300).  I'll admit that I'm rather excited about the work I'll be doing at the Airport during the next few days!

Nomad Life - Day 169

I woke up at 0700 this morning, still feeling tired.  That sealed the deal for me on whether or not I should drive up to Bradford (VT) to join the latest iteration of the Dayhike & Dine series.  They'd been planning (coincidentally) to climb Mount Willard (in the White Mountains) during one of my days of visiting but I'd never committed.  Still, I had hoped to see all those folks.  With the decision made, though, I lounged around in bed for about an hour (reading and doing Duolingo exercises) before going to breakfast in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon).  Unlike the previous day, it was very crowded and I had to listen to folks from Massachusetts (almost all cars in the parking lot had that plate) complaining about food, accommodations, prices, etc.  SMH....  After that (0815), I returned to my room and did some more reading & puzzles, caught up on communications with friends and relatives and did a few work tasks (travel prep and claims).  I also purchased several items online from Walmart and made plans to pick them up later.  For lunch, I ate leftovers (from Pellegrino's).  Suddenly, I realized that most of the day was over - and I'd not even been outside!  Almost frantically, I left the hotel (1500) and drove to my storage unit.  When I arrived, my odometer said that I'd reached 16K miles since I'd begun my Nomad Life on August 1 - wow!  Because I hadn't been able to access the unit for many months, I ended up spending nearly 90 minutes swapping items, adding things to the storage unit and reorganizing my car.  By the end of these efforts, I realized I barely had enough time for any outdoor activities.  Luckily, I was less than a mile from the Northern Rail Trail and, after parking at the lot near Forward's Garage, I was able to get 2.2 miles of skiing (between 1630 and 1730) between that location and the Bank Street Extension.  It wasn't as formal as I'd hoped, but I also got about an hour of bird watching (again in support of the New Hampshire Audubon Annual Backyard Winter Bird Survey.  Even better, I ended up talking with a lady on the trail about our results (she was doing it too).  Unfortunately, I saw fewer species than I had during the previous day.  But I hadn't forgotten and looked forward to entering my results online, just as I'd done for most of the years I lived in New Hampshire.  Before I was done, I watched kids playing hockey, dodged snowmobiles and marveled at the (stupid? insensitive? careless?) people who had damaged the nearby Packard Covered Bridge.  It's terrible that it can't seem to avoid getting hit by tall vehicles!  When I finished, I noticed that the temps, which had earlier risen to about 30 F, had started to fall quickly with the setting sun.  Realizing that my trip to Cape Cod was not going to happen as I'd expected, I'd earlier coordinated doing some laundry with a friend.  So, at 1745, I visited Jim & Cathy's home in Lebanon.  They were, of course, very gracious and friendly and I ended up visiting with them while the clothing was washing.  At one point, I took a break so I could drive to West Lebanon to pick up my Walmart order (hiking boots, underwear, jeans).  Just after that (1845), I ate dinner inside the Burger King on NH-12A.  At 1900, I drove back to Jim & Cathy's, turned over laundry to dryer and then hurried back to hotel so I could get the large pile of scrap paper I wanted to burn.  This resulted in some adventures with their wood stove - I always forget how to work these but, in my defense, they are all different...  Along the way, I spent time watching the Winter Olympics with Cathy.  Once my laundry was completed, I reluctantly said goodbye and departed from their home (2045).  It was clear that they were sending their well-wishes and prayers along with me - great friends!  Despite further attempts that I'd made to connect with Sarah H earlier in the evening, I never was able to make it work.  Back at my hotel (2100), I watched movies. Sadly, I forgot about getting the rest of my steps so only end up achieving about 85% of my goal.  That's twice in one weekend - dang...  I went to bed at 2300 after another day filled with some great love and happiness.  I'm really looking forward to returning to Hanover/Lebanon again soon!

Nomad Life - Day 168

This morning, I was up much earlier than I'd hoped to be (0430) and did NOT feel rested.  I stayed in bed until about 0700 but never got any quality sleep.  Instead, I did some reading, puzzles and Duolingo exercises before going to breakfast in the Lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon) at 0745.  Strangely, I still didn't feel great - this was probably due to the lack of sleep but maybe also from that one kind of beer I tried at Jesse's the night before...  At 0800, I went outside for the first time - the temps were initially 11 F (brrrr)!  From the hotel, I started my rounds of visits and socializing for the day by driving to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where I joined the Men of St. Joseph Monthly Meeting.  As usual, this fellowship group was very helpful and I saw several friends from our church (and even met new guys).  I stayed with them from just after 0800 until about 0945 and then said goodbye.  At around this time, I started to hear back from my family in Massachusetts (Dad and Katie).  I'll admit that I was surprised and disappointed about how they were bailing on getting together during the upcoming weekend.  Yes, they were legitimate reasons but I hadn't expected not to see them while I was in the Northeast...  Oh well - maybe I'll have better luck when I return in the Summer.  Next, I drove to my old Condo neighborhood and visited my next door neighbor, Monte (arrived at 1000).  He'd graciously offered to host me for a mid day meal and, while I was there, I got to see Beth and Ann too (they stopped by for a short talk).  For the next few hours, we visited, had lunch and caught up on news.  Monte has been helping me with some mail and has been a wonderful friend - it was great to be able to stay at his place for so long.  While at Monte's, I did some birding in support of the NH Audubon Annual Backyard Winter Bird Survey (started at 1200).  From his balcony, I recorded about one of observations and saw several species.  Out side, the temps rose to about 30 F.  Finishing up my visit to Gile Hill at 1300, I tried to visit another neighbor (Sarah H.) but she wasn't home.  After that, I headed back to the hotel (arrived at 1315) and caught up on some admin.  Another reason I was there was to wait to hear back from Jim F., who had said he wanted to meet for a meal.  When he finally called (1430), we tried getting together at The Fort (local diner) but we discovered that it was closed (no explanation).  Instead, we reconvened at Pellegrino's Italian Market, a new place (for me) with a great reputation.  The food (sandwiches) was excellent!  While there, Jim and I had a great conversation and he shared a lot of life/health recommendations (both in a Physician and friend role).  As usual, Jim was very gracious and seemed genuinely happy that I was back in town.  Just before 1600, I suddenly realized what time it was and remembered I'd planned to attend Mass at Sacred Heart. Quickly saying goodbye to Jim, I drove to the nearby Parish, barely making it in time.  During the service, it felt a but strange to be back "home" after more than six months.  Along the way, I got drafted into helping with the offering - that made me glad because I definitely wanted to support the church while I was in town.  After the service was over (1700), I went down into the Parish Hall and again got drafted to help with the Mardi Gras night.  At first, I sold tickets, a job that brought back memories of my recently departed friend, Herman.  During this time, I met a lot of Father Charles' friends and saw many of my old acquaintances from church.  Like the others earlier in the day, everyone seemed very happy to see me.  Feeling very humble but very loved...  Later, I helped Wyktor in the kitchen with dishes, cleanup, etc. and was reminded of all the evenings I'd previously supported our Knights of Columbus Parish and Father Charles.  All told, I spent nearly four hours helping and it felt like old times.  Because "they needed me", I ended up skipping another local skiing event (this one at the Hartland Winter Trails) that I'd tentatively added to my calendar.  But, like last night, I considered this a good trade.  At 2115, I departed Sacred Heart and drove a short distance to my hotel (arrived at 2130).  By then, the temps were in the low 20s but I didn't feel too cold.  I should probably have tried harder to get my 10K daily step count but, instead, decided to watch movies and take a "rest day."  This didn't really improve things, though, because I didn't make a big effort to catch up on my sleep.  I ended up online until almost 2300 and still felt tired from the morning.  Turning out the lights, though, I definitely had a lot of happy thoughts about how great the Upper Valley had been while I lived there - returning today definitely felt like home!

Albany Trip - Day 5

Because of my early bedtime last night, I woke up this morning at 0400, feeling quite rested.  Since it was so early, though, I decided to go back to sleep and, when my alarm rang at 0600, it was VERY hard to get out of bed.  Somehow, though, I began teleworking immediately.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Latham) and then went back to work immediately after that.  For once, I actually had Friday meetings.  Even better, though, I was able to complete the final document sign offs from our Installation Trip.  By 1045, I had reached the 4.5 hour mark of hours for the day and checked out of the hotel.  As I loaded up my car, I was pleased to find that I had another sunny day and that temps were in the low 30s.  This made me feel good about the impending drive towards the Upper Valley and I immediately drove (via NY-7) across the Hudson River to Troy.  Even though it was closed (for renovations ?), I stopped to visit the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.  It was very difficult to access due to traffic patterns, one way streets and snow drifts blocking parking spots.  In the end, though, I found the building and nearby park and took a photo of the site.  Apparently, Kate Mullany was an early (late Nineteenth Century) labor pioneer - the web had some good information on her but it's not clear when the location will be officially open again.  Satisfied that I'd seen all I could, I continued east on NY-7.  There was SO much traffic and I despaired of getting out of Troy.  Along the way, though, I passed some less expensive (than in Latham) fuel - I filled up the gas tank at a Valero at 1130.  From there, the traffic thinned out and I eventually found myself entering Vermont and getting on VT-7, which took me to VT-279 and US-7.  I passed through Bennington at 1200 - by then, it was sunny and temps were in the mid 20s.  I'll admit that the sight of familiar Green Mountain peaks brought a warm feeling to my heart...  During this phase of the drive, I only saw New Jersey plates on the road - each one of those cars tailgated me and passed on double yellow lines.  It wasn't until I finally reached Manchester and turned on to VT-30 that the plates changed to New Hampshire and Vermont.  I did have to follow a lot of them towards the northeast... I got on VT-11 soon after that and followed it all the way to the town of Chester (arrived there at 1300).  Along the way, I climbed over the Appalachian Trail ridge of the Greens but then came down into the Connecticut River Valley to 35 F temps.  I followed VT-103 to I-91 and, after driving north for a while (light traffic, fortunately), reached I-89.  I crossed the Connecticut River at 1350 and was soon exiting the Interstate (very familiar feelings) in Lebanon.  In the end, the drive went very well and I was able to check into the Quality Inn on NH-120 at 1355.  This meant that I was online, from my room, when a Company telcon began.  Once that was over (1430), I did a bit more telework to complete my work week.  Just before 1500, I left my hotel and drove to the Greensboro Ridge Natural Area, where I hiked for an hour (two miles) in the snow.  This outdoor workout was a go-to activity for me when I lived in Hanover and I was able to log an hour of Volunteering for the Hanover Conservancy (train maintainer) simultaneously (and with their blessing).  Feeling very good about my change to resume some familiar tasks in support of local organizations, I returned to my car just before 1600 and drove to Jesse's Steakhouse.  Typically, the group I met there on Thursdays when I lived in Hanover (Ed and Bruce) would not have been there on a Friday - however, they heard I would be in town and I was able to join them for a "do over" Happy Hour.  The beer prices had risen to $4 but the ambiance was still just the way I remembered it.  We had a great time visiting and the party was even better when Jade (bartender) arrived for her shift.  Along the way, we made plans for my next visit (during warmer weather).  It was with a great deal of reluctance when we finished our time together (1815).  As I left Jesse's, my heart was warmed that everyone seemed genuinely happy to see me - I'll need to come back again soon!  This feeling definitely overwhelmed an opposing thought about how I would have liked to attend the Torchlight Snowshoe event at the Billings Farm (scheduled earlier in the evening).  Can't do everything!  When I reached my hotel again (1830), I caught up on a bit more telework and then went to the hotel Fitness Center.  The gym was very limited so I didn't get to bike - however, I did walk just under two miles (in 35 minutes) on the treadmill.  Afterwards, I watched movies and had an unexpected call with Eileen.  Time seemed to go by very quickly and I had to force myself to go to bed at 2300.  It's great to be back in the Upper Valley!

Albany Trip - Day 4

As I'd suspected, the overnight project (Technology Refreshment) at the Albany Airport wasn't completed until nearly 0600.  This was longer than everyone wanted but, fortunately, the end result was that we completed all checklists and tasks, as intended, and the facility was able to take over the new system just when they wanted to have it.  Along the way, I got to watch equipment being installed in the maintenance area, in the radar room and in the tower itself.  While we were up in the cab (at around 0300), I believe I could see where Carolyn lived.  Otherwise, the entire area was nearly a picture - I was reminded of my many years in black & white Navy aircraft simulators.  There were some moments of concern (delays in file downloads, inoperative speakers, etc.) but everyone stayed on mission.  Towards the end, the system was functioning correctly (yaaaay) but I had to wait to sign some documentation as the Oversight Representative.  No matter, though - by then, I'd poured myself a cup of black coffee and the rare caffeine was working its magic...  In the end, we finished our project at 0600 and I carefully drove back to the Holiday Inn Express (Latham).  By this point, temps were in the low 20s.  After arriving at 0615, I was able to join the breakfast buffet (in progress, despite the published start time of 0630) and I got some good food before returning to my room.  Before trying to sleep, I spent some time catching up on admin - I ultimately went to sleep at 0700.  Sadly, this wasn't a restful sleep at all.  If I'm generous on the definition, I managed to get about four hours of rest before I decided to get out of bed.  In reality, though, it was only about two to three hours of dozing.  After making the call to wake up, I caught up on reading, made plans for the upcoming weekend and sorted out items to return to my car.  At noon, I started (resumed ?) teleworking in an attempt to complete the last two hours of my work day.  By this point, the Site Implementation Lead had determined that there was no need for the entire group of Installers to return later in the day - as a result, I stayed at the hotel.  At 1345, I went to the gym and  did 4.6 miles on the stationary (recumbent) bike (20 minutes), 2+ miles on the treadmill (40 minutes) and 0.5 miles of swimming laps (30 minutes).  These activities really made a difference in my lethargy and I felt much more awake.  My workout was done at 1515 and I returned to telework a bit more (until 1630).  By this point, I had started to have some regret about staying inside buildings all day because it was sunny outside (temps in the 30s).  Oh well - work does come first...  At 1645, I departed from my hotel and drove to El Charro Mexican Grill (near the Airport).  After I arrived (just before 1700), my sister Carolyn joined me and we had a nice visit together.  Most of the conversation was about family news and her recent trip  to Nashville and Memphis.  This wasn't our first trip to the restaurant and we were again rewarded with some delicious food.  At 1910, we said goodbye and I returned to my hotel - by this point, I was REALLY starting to feel tired.  Forcing myself to stay awake, I spent the rest of the evening watching movies, finally heading to bed at 2200.  By that point, there had been no calls from Albany Airport about problems with the new equipment so I'm feeling really good about our work this week!

Albany Trip - Day 3

Even though I wanted to sleep well into the morning (and hadn't even set an alarm), I still work up at 0700.  Unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep, even though I tried to tire myself with reading.  Giving up, I worked on puzzles and Duolingo exercises before heading down to breakfast in the Lobby of Holiday Inn Express (Latham) at 0840.  Wide awake by then, I joined meetings online between 0900 and 1100 (2 hours).  Beyond that time, I took a break from work.  Meanwhile, outside, it was snowing lightly (temps in low 30s).  My next task for the day was to get as much active time as I could.  To that end, I began a workout at the Fitness Center that included: 2 miles on treadmill (40 minutes), 4.6 miles on the stationary (recumbent) bike (20 minutes) and 0.5 miles of laps in the pool (30 minutes).  It felt great to have gotten so much exercise for once!  Even though I was finished just after 1230, I skipped lunch and, instead, returned to room to take a 60 minute nap.  Awake again, I resumed teleworking and stayed online (prepping for evening work) from 1430 to 1800 (3.5 hours).  By this point in my strange day, I was annoyed to find that it was raining outside - I sure hope this doesn't mean more ice!  Fortunately, when I went to my car at one point (around dinner time), I found the temps to be very reasonable (30s).  Hoping to avoid a long drive around the traffic-snarled area, I decided to get dinner at the Hotel Restaurant (formerly known as "On Tap").  I sat at the bar there and had a great meal (Chicken Parm and mixed veggies) while watching "Big Trouble in Little China" on the bar TV (campy).  I was done eating at 1845 and then went walking around in the halls to complete my 10K step goal for the day (somehow, all the working out didn't tip the pedometer scales)...  In my room again, I did some Thanksgiving Planning and then watched some videos online until it was time for me to leave the hotel at 2215.  From the Holiday Inn Express, I drove back to Albany Airport (arrived at 2230) and met up with the other members of the Installation Team.  The place was almost deserted (just the way we like it) but we needed this quiet because we had to go through a LOT of tedious checklists to ensure everything was in order and that the new equipment could meet the needs of the facility.  To be honest, there was a lot of "hurry up and wait" but then things started to get hot/busy.  My job was mostly to observe but I was asked (several times) for "Executive Decisions" - fortunately, I was able to make these without much concern and the Installation effort stayed on track.  Throughout the evening, I kept eying the pot of coffee in the break room and wondered if this would be one of the rare nights in my life where I'd need some.  As we rolled through Midnight (I logged the last 2.5 miles of my day), our checklists showed we were less than half way through the overall process so it was sure to be a long night...

Albany Trip - Day 2

Woohoo - it's time for some in-person, on-site work!  With the excitement building, I was awake by 0545 and had started teleworking at 0600.  I took a short break for breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Latham) at 0715 before returning to my telework.  When I knocked off at 0800, I'd already worked one hour for my job.  After that (0815), I got ready to depart for nearby Albany Airport where all the magic will happen this week.  Outside, it was 15 F and partly sunny - not that it mattered, because I'd be inside all day...  Starting at 0830, I met up with the rest of our Installation Team (most had traveled from their home bases in the Mid-Atlantic Region) and we introduced ourselves to the local facility staff.  For most of the morning, our team was validating inventory and preparing for the Main Event (tomorrow night), when we plan to remove the old (2010 timeframe) computer equipment and replace it with new (2023 timeframe) stuff.  This was actually my first time in this kind of role since 2013 so everything felt unfamiliar and interesting.  More nostalgia: I was last in Albany for work when one of my colleagues, Rakesh, was working at the same facility (see FEB 2014).  But, this time, I was responsible for the work...  My colleagues were very patient and also appreciated the extra set of eyes. While walking around inside the buildings at the Airport, I logged almost a full mile!  We kept at our job until about 1430 (six more hours of work).  Feeling prepared for the next day, our team made plans to convene the following afternoon and returned to our hotels.  I arrived at the Holiday Inn Express by 1445 and bought a "cup of noodles" for my (late) lunch from the desk clerk.  After that, I resumed teleworking in my room and completed my work day by 1600.  There was a little time after that for me to catch up on personal stuff (organizing, blogging, reading) before it was time for me to make my way to Troy for my dinner with Scott V.  I came outside of the hotel to find my car covered with a light layer of snow (not in the forecast).  After that (1640), I drove (via NY-7) to Troy and arrived at Dinosaur Bar-B-Q (on the Waterfront) at 1655.  Scott arrived about five minutes later and we sat down and had a delicious dinner (I had meatloaf with two sides and a local beer).  During our meal, we had a great conversation about Scott's life in Troy (since he graduated from RPI) and my Nomad Life.  It was a nice visit!  At 1830, I departed and then had a rather scary drive (via NY-7) back to Latham.  While I'd been eating, the light snow had turned to ice (temps in the high 20s) and there was freezing rain falling all around.  I must say that I was VERY relieved to make it to the hotel...  In my warm and cozy room again, I took care of blog and eBird entries and was tempted to lay down.  Instead, though, I went to the Fitness Center to workout again.  To complete my 10K step goal. I first walked on the treadmill for two miles (40 minutes) and then rode a stationary (recumbent) bike for 4.4 miles (20 minutes).  With my fitness goals completed, I headed back to my room and figured I had some time to watch movies.  Once again, I got carried away and didn't go to bed until after midnight (0015).  Since I'll be working "Mid Shift" tomorrow, I'm hoping I don't regret this decision...

Albany Trip - Day 1

After nearly seven years of work on my project, today is the first day of my oversight role in the field!  Normally, I'm relegated to paperwork and meetings but, instead, this phase of my career will involve hands-on, quality assurance involvement in the deployment of new equipment.  I'm very excited.  Despite my best efforts to make today easier, however, I still had to drive to Albany before I could begin.  Probably for this reason, I was up at 0530 (before alarm) and had started teleworking at 0600.  No breakfast was offered at the hotel (Red Roof Inn, Erie) so I didn't take any breaks except to do minimal packing and and loading of my car (parked right in front of the door).  As a result, I was able to telework until 0915 (3 hours of my work day completed before departing the hotel.  Fortunately, my drive also counts as work for the day!  I stopped for breakfast at McDonalds (located right next door to the hotel) and took the food on the road with me.  Outside, the weather mostly pleasant (sunny) but very cold (1 F).  The hotel had been located right next to the Interstate so I was on I-90 again very quickly and headed east soon afterwards.  Sadly, my Subaru's TPMS was annoyed with colder temps...  After less than 30 minutes, I switched to I-86 and crossed into New York State (0940).  I reached the town of Findley Lake at 0945 and then encountered some construction as I made my way towards the bridge that crosses Chautauqua Lake.  Shortly after reaching the east side of that body of water, I passed through Jamestown (1000) and entered the Seneca Reservation.  At some point near here, I also found myself within the boundary of Allegany State Park.  Almost every road sign was bilingual, with equivalents to English in the Seneca Language.  In a couple of places, I noticed that the term "ohi-yo" was used in place of the Allegany and realized that it must be the source name for the "Ohio Country!  At 1030, I arrived in Salamanca and got gas at a Native American station.  It seemed to be warming up (at least higher than single digits) by the time I got back on I-86.  Next, I passed through Angelica (1120) and then the terrain started to climb.  As I crossed the ridge on I-86 west of Almond (elevation just over 2K feet), the temps dipped to 10 F - brrr...  I reached Hornellsville at 1135 and marveled at the large number of windmills on the hills in this area; for some reason, though, there was no wind.  I was in Corning at 1215 and Barton at 1245 - this area had lots of cops - and finally arrived in Binghamton by 1325.  Temps had settled at 20 F and I briefly thought about getting some steps nearby (Finger Lakes Trail = NCT nearby).  However, I had a meeting scheduled at 1330 and needed to stay on task for my drive...  Along the way, I skipped lunch.  At 1300, I joined a work meeting on my laptop from the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel (just west of I-81) in Binghamton.  Fortunately, I was able to connect with my iPhone as a HotSpot and was able to participate in a productive discussion.  With that meeting finished (1430), I resumed my drive, using surface streets to pass through town until I reached I-88.  From there, I passed through Afton (1500) and Sidney (1510) as I dodged more cops.  Wen I reached Oneonta (1525), I didn't stop - this is usually a good rest/gas/food place but I was all set today.  The rest of my drive on I-88 included Richmondville (1550) and Duanesburg (1610).  At the latter town, I got off the Interstate and used US-20 (no tolls) to reach Albany at 1640.  Next, I used I-87, NY-7, US-9 and NY-9D to reach the Holiday Inn Express (my lodging for the week) in Latham, NY at 1645.  Luckily, I was able to quickly check into my room and resumed teleworking until 1800.  After work, I joined a KofC Council Meeting and spent time with them for the next 45 minutes.  As that meeting ended, I ordered dinner at a nearby Panera and drove to pick it up at 1855.  On the way, I heard a (new) funny noise from car (muffler?) - dang...  After getting my food and eating inside the restaurant (1910), I walked around the aisles of a nearby Home Depot.  Fortunately, there were almost no customers and it was very warm.  Along the way, I met the Manager (nice lady) and we ended up talking to her for a while - she had lots of ideas for my (non-existent) home projects but I didn't stop her.  By the time I finally finished my walk, I managed to reach two miles worth of steps for the day.  With my "exercise" completed (2000), I drove back to my hotel and quickly changed into workout gear.  After locating the Fitness Center, I spent 40 minutes (2020 to 2100) on the recumbent bike and logged 8.8 miles.  I would have liked to do more (and, maybe, even swim) but there were lots of kids (some kind of big school group) roaming around everywhere I went.  Instead, I headed back to my room and spent the rest of the evening catching up on blogging, Duolingo, etc. before finally heading off to bed at 2300.  It was a whirlwind day of telework and driving but I'm in position for my Big Day tomorrow!

Nomad Life - Day 167

Despite my late bedtime, I still woke up at 0600 this morning.  I took advantage of the extra time by reading, working on Duolingo exercises and completing puzzles on my phone.  At 0730, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of Red Roof Inn (Clyde).  Back in my room about 20 minutes later, I spent time working on my blog and eBird records.  There was also some time for me to research lodging options for later in the day.  Next, I started packing up my car - I was able to check out of my room by 1015.  The temps were 14 F but it seemed MUCH colder.  Before I could leave the parking lot, I had to clear a lot of ice in my wheel wells.  When I was able to depart Clyde, I backtracked (via US-20) to Fremont and went to Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church (1030).  The inside of the building was very pretty and it was warm - however, I had the misfortune of sitting immediately in front of a woman who sang and prayed about as loudly as anyone - it was distracting!  When the service was over (1115), I drove (about a mile) to Spiegel Grove, which was the home of President Rutherford B. Hayes (they also had a Museum and Library there too).  Because it wasn't yet open to the public, I started walking around the property (1125).  The estate was pretty big and had lots of trails - I later read that former President used to have a goal of six miles of walking every day.  Despite the cold, I still encountered lots of people with dogs.  After about 30 minutes on the trails, I went inside the (now open) building and got a ticket for the Presidential Museum (1200).  Actually, I could have toured the home but skipped that due to time constraints.  Instead, I toured the exhibits, which were very good.  I learned more about the 19th President and the hotly contested Election of 1876, which was decided by only 1 Electoral Vote after months of wrangling.  I believe I saw everything they had on display but I never saw a single mention of why Hayes left office after only one term - a docent told me that he'd indicated he thought he'd accomplished all his goals and didn't need to be reelected...  I departed from Freemont at 1305 - by then, it was a chilly 20 F.  These temps didn't seem to agree with my Subaru, unfortunately, because I'd started to get the "TPMS" failure light on my dash again - fortunately, it's intermittent and the tire pressures seem good.  To continued my drive towards the East Coast, I got back on US-20, which was a nice four lane highway - unfortunately, I had really bad luck with the few traffic signals I encountered and spent the next 30 minutes stopping and starting with no traffic around me.  I passed through Monroeville at 1335 and changed to OH-18 about 10 minutes later.  After that, it was Clarksfield (1400), Penfield (1415), Litchfield (1420) before I exited the highway on to side streets that took me to the town of Medina by 1430.  After that, I used OH-3, CR-37, I-271 and OH -303 to reached the town of Peninsula.  My goal, all along, had been to check out Cuyahoga National Park - I arrived at the park Visitor Center at Boston Mill by 1500.  The park property was located very close to some busy ski areas (Boston Mills Resort and Brandywine Resort) and I watched lots of people having a blast on the slopes.  Even with temps in the teens and 20s, I managed to log some time outdoors and I had fun exploring the little (reconstructed) "village" at Boston Mill Station, a stop along the Ohio & Erie Canal Tow Path and Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.  In addition to logging some more distance on the Buckeye Trail (it crossed the Park), I also walked on the Ohio & Erie Canal Tow Path.  During this stop, I also talked with the staff in the Visitor Center and helped them with a survey.  Next, I drove north on OH-9 until I reached the village of Brecksville (part of Cuyahoga County!) at 1545.  From there, I continued to the east and south until I reached Brandywine Falls five minutes later.  Once I was parked at the lot there, I carefully navigated slippery stairways and got some spectacular views of the completely frozen Brandywine Falls.  This stop was even better than the last one had been - I logged a second mile of walking for the day (reaching two since I woke up).  It's always good when I can make progress on my step goals while also making good time in my drive...  Finished with the sightseeing, I departed the National Park at 1615 and took back roads (towards the northeast) until I reached OH-91.  This part of the drive was intended to take me through the town of Twinsburg and I arrived there at 1630.  During my visit, I explored the town square, the Middle School & nearby Chamberlain Park, which is apparently the scene of the Annual Twins Day Festival (each August).  In our family, this place has been famous for years; my girls and I were thinking this was a town completely devoted to Twins but it turned out to be a rather normal Midwestern Village.  I'll admit that I felt a bit cheated but, at least, I learned about the (twin) founders, Moses and Aaron Wilcox before I gave up my search.  Instead, I stopped at the local Dairy Queen to eat a late lunch / early dinner (1700).  Even though I ate in the restaurant, I was on the road again less than 20 minutes later.  It didn't seem intuitive, but Google Maps suggested I take I-480 to the west so I could intercept I-271 again.  I didn't argue and was soon headed north.  The progression of towns and routes from this point included: Mayfield (1735), I-90, Mentor (1745), Madison (1800) and the Pennsylvania Border (1830).  Meanwhile, the temps dropped to 5 F and I began to get tired.  I stopped briefly at a rest area and made a hotel reservation.  Otherwise, I passed the time by listening to Super Bowl LX on SiriusXM.  At 1900, I arrived at my hotel, the Red Roof Inn near the Interstate in Erie, PA.  Once I'd checked into my room, I turned on the TV (rare for me to ever do when I'm traveling) and watched Super Bowl.  Because of this choice, I stayed up until about 2300 and then had lots of trouble getting to sleep because of the loud neighbors.  Hopefully, I'll still get some quality sleep because I need to be in Albany tomorrow night!

Nomad Life - Day 166

For some reason, the sleeping conditions overnight were so good that I wasn't awake until 0800!  That may be the best amount of uninterrupted rest I've gotten since beginning the Nomad Life.   With the late start, though, I had to hurry to make sure I got breakfast in Lobby of Baymont (South Bend), catch up on traveling admin and pack up the car in time to get my drive started as soon as possible.  Somehow, I was able to depart South Bend at 1045 - I definitely felt rushed, though...  Outside, it was 25 F and overcast but I was hoping for better conditions to the east.  Because I was avoiding the Indiana Toll Road, I initially used city streets to depart the city.  Later, I got on IN-23, which used to be a road I often used to get around the area.  After a while, I crossed into Michigan (MI-62) and then transitioned to Redfield Street.  At around this time, I started to encounter pretty steady snow flurries and the road conditions were poor (unplowed areas).  By 1115, I passed through Mason Township and soon got on MI-205, which took me to US-12 - I followed this route for several hours afterwards.  As I'd hoped, the sun came out at around this time, although the temps stabilized in the high teens.  More towns I encountered during this phase of the drive: Mottville (1125), Bronson (1155), Quincy (1220) and Janesville (1240).  At the latter point, I transitioned to the Deal Parkway and started looking for the North Country Trail, which crossed through Hillsdale County near this point.  I found it when turned on to Industrial Parkway and continued following it even after I reached MI-99.  This section (2.8 miles) was coincident with the highway until it joined some bike trails in Hillsdale.  Knowing this, I stopped briefly to fill up my gas tank at the local Meijer (1250).  After that, I continued following the NCT in my car until I found the trailhead at Wicker Place.  Noticing a steep, paved trail that joined city sidewalks there, I took a break from trail hunting and made my way to the nearby campus of Hillsdale College.  I've supported them financially ever since my friend, Don T (a professor there), passed away in 2018.  They have good online courses (Adult Continuing Education) and send out a stimulating newsletters each month.  In any case, there wasn't much to the place - they had some amazing examples of Midwestern Architecture and statues of the Founding Fathers but, for a school almost as old as Notre Dame, I was a bit underwhelmed.  One point of hope, though, was evidence for large building projects nearby.  I'll keep an eye on the institution...  From the campus, I resumed my search for the NCT, finding it again at the corner of West Street and Monroe Street.  I thought maybe I could count some of the trail here while driving but then noticed that the route intersected the start of the Baw Beese (Rail) Trail.  I did park and walk around in the area for a little while here and got some good photos as the weather conditions continued to improve (1315).  Hoping to find some more drivable sections, I got back on MI-99 and headed east.  The rail trail paralleled my route for a while, although it was nearly inaccessible as it passed through marshes and lakes to the north.  Eventually, I was able to access it by driving down roads that were perpendicular to the State Highway and later found a trailhead (near the Baptist Church on Beecher Street in Osseo) where the Baw Beese ended.  From that point, I started driving another NCT section from there.  The trail continued to the south for 1.5 hours until it crossed MI-34 - there was a trailhead just east of the Otto Drain where the NCT went south into the woods and I gave up trying to follow it.  Instead, I drove east to the town of Pittsford (arrived at 1410) and started searching for the place where the NCT came back out of the woods.  I located this spot on Pittsford Road, just north of Losey Road.  From there, I started counting the miles on my odometer again.  However, this time the trail followed a series of snowy dirt roads across the prairie.  I'll admit to some trepidation about reaching a dead end or drift I couldn't navigate but I was impressed by the signage in this area; several times, I stopped to get photos of blue blazes and signs that indicated I was going the correct way.  Before long, I reached Squawfield Road, a place I'd noted on the map when I was last in the area (MAY 2025).  Soon after that, I located the last road (Tuttle) that would take me to the place where I last followed the NCT in Michigan.  My project concluded when I reached 10.2 miles on the odometer at Territorial Road (1445).  Overall, I logged 14.5 new NCT miles in Michigan today (a negligible amount was on foot) and learned a lot more about its routing through the State.  Noting the late time of day, I gave up on the NCT for a little while and started following roads that paralleled the MI/OH border.  By 1455, I entered Lenawee County 1455 - turned south on Meyerholtz Highway, which turned into OH-23 when I arrived in Fulton County, Ohio (1500).  I didn't realize it at the time, but I stayed in that county for more than an hour after that point.  A bit later, I got on US-20 and headed east.  I continued until I reached the town of Oakshade and then took OH-108.  My driving target was Wauseon, a place where I knew I'd again find the North Country Trail.  Once I was near the Wabash Cannonball Trail and knew I could resume my trail search, I stopped for late lunch at Arby's and ate in the restaurant (1530).  With my meal completed, I drove a short distance and found the turnaround spot from my last visit (MAY 2025).  After reaching the NCT/WCT trailhead on CR-13 (1545), I followed CR-F, which paralleled the bike trail.  To continue my pursuit of trailheads and drivable NCT section, I had to use CR-5 and CR-EF for a while.  At one point(1605), I was able to do some hiking on the NCT/WCT near the Fraker Mill (Covered) Bridge.  I found it interesting that the trail was mostly plowed and wished I had more time to log some actual distance on foot.  However, my eastward progression required me to resume my drive...  After that, I was off and on CR-F and CR-EF for several miles.  Just after I saw signs that indicated I was entering Lucas County (1620), I finally discovered that the NCT disconnected from the Wabash Cannonball (North Fork) on Waterville-Swanton Road in Oak Openings Preserve Metropark.  To find it again, I used a map I located during a stop at the park and, with some creative divining, I located a trailhead on the corner of OH-64 and Berridge Road.  From there, I drove 0.8 miles until I located the Wabash Cannonball Trail South Fork.  Strangely, the NCT then headed east on this rail trail - towards the town of Whitehouse.  I took some more back roads to find this place and arrived there at 1655.  Unlike some of the other stops this afternoon, I didn't even stop and continued driving on back roads and OH-64 until I reached the next trailhead, which was where the WCT (South Fork) crossed Flinzel Street in Whitehouse.  From there, the NCT required a road walk (or drive, in my case) and I followed the route (all OH-64) until I reached the parking area for the Farnsworth Roche de Bout Shelter, located on the banks of the Maumee River.  By then, I'd logged 4.3 new miles of NCT for the section and reached 5.1 miles of NCT in Ohio today.  When I consulted my trail log later in the evening, I found I'd just passed 100 miles for the entire trail (out of 4730).  I did feel pretty good about my efforts at the time!  Starting at 1705, I walked on Maumee River Tow Path and encountered lots of birds.  Sadly, I also (unintentionally) got to watch hunters killing geese - they shot them right out of the sky while they were walking around on the frozen river surface!  Feeling a bit shaken about observing that event, I departed the park at 1730.  Using OH-64 and OH-65, I made my way to US-20 (entered Wood County at 1735) and passed through Hessville at 1755.  With the sun setting and temps dropping rapidly, I decided it might be a good idea to make lodging arrangements.  To this end, I stopped on the side of road (just before the US-20 Bypass Split for the town of Fremont) and made a reservation online.  Next, I drove on the Bypass (this allowed for really good speeds and avoided downtown Fremont).  At 1845, I arrived at my hotel, the Red Roof Inn in Clyde.  At the desk, I found that I had a room but the clerk was unable to confirm whether I'd paid already.  Hopefully, there won't be too much of a problem down the line.  During this encountered, the clerk reactivated my dormant Red Roof Inn loyalty account (it did have Nicky's name but my email address).  After getting to my room, I worked on getting organized and then headed to the gym for a workout.  Ultimately, I completed 8 miles of biking (40 minutes) and tried out the elliptical.  With only two miles worth of steps completed for the day, I walked around in the hotel to achieve my 10K goal.  I also planned to go swimming but, when I was changing in my room (2100), Kerith called.  We ended up talking for nearly two hours!  Afterwards, I gave up the idea of any more workouts so, instead, got to reading.  Perhaps I might have gone to bed but there were some VERY loud people in the hallway until well past midnight.  Because of them, I couldn't sleep, even after I turned out the light (2330).  Ultimately, I probably wasn't asleep until at least 0030.  What a day - lots of driving and interesting NCT encounters!  Hope I can be as productive/efficient tomorrow...  North Country Trail Today = 19.6 miles / Grand Total NCT = 100.3 miles