A new direction

Or much of the same... Either way, documents have been transferred to http://finedeposits.wordpress.com/

Dark and Dirty Trail Run 2011

6.66 miles of hundreds of runners funneling through a single file trail at night...
I convinced Chitlin to join me for this event in Reading last evening. Conditions ended up being perfect for a trail run; rainy, muddy, and lots of wackos. -> We ran with a teletubby for a few miles until he had to take his head mask off to avoid overheating.

Mile 5ish came to a clearing out of the trees where the blinding red lights of the pagoda became muffled in the fog like a space ship was beaming us up for probing. Instead it was a beer station serving America's oldest brewery's finest lager. We decided to take 5 and enjoy a few.

Post race entertainment involved hot dogs and kraut, beer, soft pretzels, and plenty of candy. Plus entertainment in the form of a dirty old man singing drunken songs about titties and beer with the help of his accordion. He happened to do a great cover of "country roads" accompanied by an uptempo drum track.

The Whippin' Post: Paw Paw, WV

A couple weeks ago I attended the Association of Mid Atlantic Aquatic Biologists 2011 conference in Cacapon State Park, WV. As Chitlin and I have been in a frolf frenzy, I searched for courses in the vicinity. The Whippin’ Post was listed on dgcoursereview stating "The Paw Paw courses in rural West Virginia are without a doubt one of the top disc golf destinations in the US. Not only is the disc golf fantastic but beautiful scenery and wildlife abounds."



Absolutely out there- Not the easiest to get to, but well worth it, driving on winding dirt roads over ridges with steep drop offs. The plot of land itself is a gem. A "Paw Paw" sign on the barn and two greeting dogs told me that my google directions had lead me to the right destination. I explored the barn a bit to find a sign pointing to sodas in the refrigerator, a lounging couch, and a coffee can for course fees. I dropped my $5 in the can and headed for the first tee to be greeted by the owner- a wonderfully generous woman, who ran in to copy a map for me... The map shows both courses. I was fortunate to have the course to myself, as I expect it to be most days, being so far from anything. Not a sound to be heard other than a few early spring birds.

The course itself was more challenging than Buchmiller Park's layout. LONG holes, many trees, deep valleys, and water hazards... I intend to return for a weekend of camping, swimming, and frisbee.

In honor of last week's 115th Boston Marathon

Photo of my post race shirt/bib in the 2010 Adirondack Marathon

one year on the AT (on repeat)

Pictures taken between March 2009 and March 2010. More frequent during seasonal transitions, and harder to get to this location in the snow. My camera was perched upon a gate post with a paint chip marking the centerline.

I was surprised to see only two hikers while taking my routine pictures. Although, it is understandable, as most thru-hikers do stay at the Doyle (6 miles south). A 4:30 occurrence would mean one of two scenarios: A. hangover or B. not a thru-hiker... Choice A would also constitute not being a thru-hiker because the metabolism of a thru-hiker destroys those toxins. Otherwise the hiker would be a yellowblazer with a weak metabolism.

Trail Run: Swatara State Park

I stopped over at Swatara State Park for a trail run last week with the opportunity to try a phone app I just downloaded. "My Tracks" recorded my path along the A.T. (south), tracked elevation, speed, distance, and time. A graph output shows double y-axis variables elevation and speed vs. distance for an interesting graphic. I could easily pick out the creek where I wandered, looking for some rocks to hop across before I decided to pull up my pants and run through.
The best part of the app is that can be shared to google my maps, complete with a selectable finish point with an elevation graph.

View 2011-03-04 16:46 in a larger map

Fun with Delorme Topo Maps 5.0

Slightly outdated, but I recently explored the use of this mapping program essential for outdoor enthusiasts. As a test run, I examined the Mahoosuc Notch/Arm area of the A.T.'s lower Maine. What stands out about this program's contents is the info about Mountain ascent/descent/prominence, etc.- also the many trails and trail names given. The East map set includes everything from Maine to Florida, as well as the Upper Midwest, meaning I should get as much use out of it while I am still East of the Mississippi.



The image displays the 3D window to the left, and the highlighted section of the A.T. that runs through the Mahoosuc Notch (hardest scramble/squeeze/crawl) of the trail, then heads up the Mahoosuc Arm. The profile is shown below, and although illegible in the image, trail accent/descent, milage, and grade is provided to the right. For more info: http://www.delorme.com/

12,500 miles in one year

Samuel Gardner is attempting this feat. Paraphrasing his "tweet"- "if only this blog app would work on my phone". Seems to care too much about who is watching him. I'm not sure of this guy yet, intentions or character, but I will be sure to follow his google lat/lon occasionally.

Channeling Ned Smith

Snow shoe'd my mountain (peter's) this afternoon. Probably the last day snow shoes will suffice until the next snow. Following some tracks I was able to make out a few squirrels, deer, cross-country skis, keens -womens size 8, and Asolos size 11. Watched a red-headed woodpecker much like the one above, although I didn't have the means to get a picture.

Deer Leap trail, VT

Took a long weekend to get into the woods and ski a bit. After snowboarding 2 days Big Bird and I needed a rest, so we hiked. From the intersection of Rt. 4 at the Inn at the Long Trail, take the blue blaze up towards the A.T. Deer Leap Trail is a side trail to a vista above the Inn (about 1.5 mi one way). Tested out my recent Craigslist snow shoe purchase.

In the picture, Rt.4 is below with Pico ski resort on the far side of the valley. A good day involves the trail across the street from the Inn. Hike in with your board up to meet a Pico slope for a free ride. One can also attempt it on Killington, though the hike is much farther.

trail mapping

ExplorePAtrails was launched by DCNR within the last year or so. When last checked, it contained 320 trail names and 7,205 miles of trails to be searched by location or name using the interactive Google maps platform. Recommendations and pictures can be sent to add to the growing list of trails-> descriptions and links are also provided. I find the site useful for learning new trail locations within a short driving distance. The more suggestions they receive, the better it will be...