WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...
4.5 Mile Snowshoe at Five Rivers EEC
Sunday, February 28, 2010
... the not-so-tough wonder why the heck they're doing this to themselves.
Last week I set out for Five Rivers and ended up going to Thacher instead. Today I thought about going to Thacher and ended up at Five Rivers. Sometimes even I wonder how I end up in the places I do... though given how sluggish I felt all during today's snowshoe, it's probably a good thing I opted for Five River's gentler terrain and lighter snow cover.
Unfortunately I left my camera at home, so I actually had to concentrate on running... still ended up taking a lot of breaks. I was tired and it was pretty difficult going, with 6 to 9 inches of wet, mushy snow on the ground (plus a few patches of bare ground.) There was also a layer of water under the snow... wet going all around.
I started out doing the loop around the Beaver Pond, and discovered that the Five Rivers crew have been busy since I was last there - they've built a new platform to float at the far end of the pond, near the spillway. From there I headed back across the road and along the Vlomankill trail up on the ridge overlooking the stream. No surprise, the water was fairly high. Followed the stream all the way over to the intersection with the North Loop, then made my way back through the woods and along the field to the Wild Turkey trail. I was a bit surprised that there was very little wildlife in evidence... even the birds didn't seem very active.
That changed later in the run, first when I spotted a couple of downy woodpeckers in the woods along the Wild Turkey trail. Then, as I made my way down toward the visitors center, I disturbed a group of juncos out looking for food, and passed through an area where a large flock of robins were foraging. With all the snow on the ground they were as amusing to watch as last weekend at Schodack Island, but I still spent a while watching them wing around and search for food down in one of the wetter areas where some of the snow was gone.
From there I looped around the old orchard (more robins, but no deer) and then down to the access road, before climbing the hill behind the visitors center. At the top I made my way to the butterfly garden and sat watching the bird feeders for a while. All the usual suspects were present - chickadees, sparrows, a couple of cardinals, mourning doves, and downy woodpeckers, but I also spotted a red-bellied woodpecker and a bit later as I was walking back to the parking lot, a northern mockingbird. I was a bit bummed at that point that I'd left my camera at home, because I could have gotten some nice bird photos.
The sun peeked out from behind the clouds as I was making my way back to the car, and I noticed several people over by the orchard - looked like the deer had put in an appearance. Another photo op missed.
In the end I didn't go as far as I'd been hoping to when I left the house, but I think I went plenty far for how I was feeling today. I didn't push all that hard at the race yesterday, but it sure felt like I did! Of course, it has been a long week marked by a definite lack of sleep and exercise - I'm sure that didn't help. With luck I can get outdoors more often this week, and I am definitely going to try to get a few good nights of sleep before the end of the week and Nationals on Saturday. Hopefully the snow at Highland Park will be better for running than the mushy slop we have around here!
JMH
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
SNOWY AFTERNOON (MIS)ADVENTURES
2 Mile Snowshoe at Thacher Park
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Only two miles? When I had the whole day off from school and could have conceivably spent as much time and distance as I wanted to out in the snow? As always, there's a story behind it all...
We had under well under a foot of snow on the ground and it was raining lightly when I left the house to go snowshoeing; after debating between Five Rivers and Thacher I decided on the latter because I need to work on hills and I would be in the woods most of the time, so it wouldn't matter much if it kept raining. What I wasn't expecting to find - 6 foot tall piles of snow along the road and around the Hop Field parking lot, and 2 1/2 feet of snow on the ground. Fortunately, there were folks on snowshoes and skis coming off the trails, so at least I wouldn't be breaking trail the whole time I was out there...
While I was getting ready another car pulled up and a man and his young daughter got out and got ready to do some snowshoeing as well. We got to talking, I got distracted, and before I knew it my keys were locked in the car. Fortunately, the fellow had a cell phone and called the park office, who sent a very nice NYS Park Police Officer down to help. She didn't have anything to get the door unlocked... but she did phone a local towing company and waited around until they arrived. We talked on and off while waiting and I found out that a lot of folks up that way were still stuck at home because of the huge snowbanks blocking their driveways, and that other than the park HQ Hop Field was the only area they managed to plow that morning. I know some people knock the NYS Rangers and Park Police, but I've always been impressed whenever I've dealt with them, and today was no exception.
Once the towing company arrived they got the door open pretty quickly and I was finally able to get snowshoeing... of course, I only had about an hour before the park workers would be showing up to lock the gates. So I headed out on the somewhat packed loop... it was pretty incredible how much snow was out there. The picnic tables were totally buried, and any time I stepped off the path I sank past my knees, with my 25" snowshoes on! I ran when I could but mostly I just walked quickly... the trail was a bit narrower than was comfortable for me, and periodically I'd end up whacking the inside of my ankle with the opposite snowshoe... should have a nice bruise tomorrow.
The path followed the stream over to the field above the park maintainance area, then up the hill and onto a trail I don't think I've ever taken before. I passed the fellow and his daughter, a couple XC skiing (they'd gone out while I was waiting to get my car unlocked) and two more people snowshoeing. All to quickly I found myself at the top of the hill back down to the Hop Field picnic area, for a loop of about a mile. So I decided to do it again, but this time check out some tracks that broke away and headed over toward the Paint Mine area trails... I figured if someone had gone over that way I could always cut down to the road, take off my snowshoes, and run down the road to get back to the car.
What I ended up doing instead was breaking trail for a ways, in a short loop over to the bridge leading to the Paint Mine area and then back to the 1 mile loop. That was incredibly hard work and I am really, really impressed by the folks who broke the loop trail this morning; I doubt I would have kept going for a mile. The snow was wet and heavy and I had to lift my feet high to take each step, running the risk of losing my balance and falling (I did fall once and discovered that getting back up in snow that deep with no poles is not easy at all!) I ended up stopping every 6 feet or so to take a break, and I was very glad when I finally made it back to the packed loop.
The XC skiers were coming through as I was rejoining the loop, so I followed them back and we talked a bit about the park, snowshoeing and XC skiing, and some of the efforts of the Friends of Thacher Park to raise awareness and gain support for keeping the park open. I think I'm going to end up joining that organization - I just have to get up to the Nature Center to get the forms, or maybe I can get them mailed to me. I may also help them with their fledgling web site (not that I know that much about building web sites, but I know plenty of people I can ask for help!)
So while I didn't get much snowshoeing done and I had to deal with being an idiot and locking my keys in the car, I did get out in some of the deepest snow I've ever stomped around in and I may end up joining an organization that I know is going to work hard to do everything they can to support Thacher Park and keep it open. Definitely a positive afternoon, when all is said and done.
And best of all, we finally have some "real" winter around here... let's hope it sticks around for a while, despite the rain we're supposed to get on and off for the next few days.
JMH
2 Mile Snowshoe at Thacher Park
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Only two miles? When I had the whole day off from school and could have conceivably spent as much time and distance as I wanted to out in the snow? As always, there's a story behind it all...
We had under well under a foot of snow on the ground and it was raining lightly when I left the house to go snowshoeing; after debating between Five Rivers and Thacher I decided on the latter because I need to work on hills and I would be in the woods most of the time, so it wouldn't matter much if it kept raining. What I wasn't expecting to find - 6 foot tall piles of snow along the road and around the Hop Field parking lot, and 2 1/2 feet of snow on the ground. Fortunately, there were folks on snowshoes and skis coming off the trails, so at least I wouldn't be breaking trail the whole time I was out there...
While I was getting ready another car pulled up and a man and his young daughter got out and got ready to do some snowshoeing as well. We got to talking, I got distracted, and before I knew it my keys were locked in the car. Fortunately, the fellow had a cell phone and called the park office, who sent a very nice NYS Park Police Officer down to help. She didn't have anything to get the door unlocked... but she did phone a local towing company and waited around until they arrived. We talked on and off while waiting and I found out that a lot of folks up that way were still stuck at home because of the huge snowbanks blocking their driveways, and that other than the park HQ Hop Field was the only area they managed to plow that morning. I know some people knock the NYS Rangers and Park Police, but I've always been impressed whenever I've dealt with them, and today was no exception.
Once the towing company arrived they got the door open pretty quickly and I was finally able to get snowshoeing... of course, I only had about an hour before the park workers would be showing up to lock the gates. So I headed out on the somewhat packed loop... it was pretty incredible how much snow was out there. The picnic tables were totally buried, and any time I stepped off the path I sank past my knees, with my 25" snowshoes on! I ran when I could but mostly I just walked quickly... the trail was a bit narrower than was comfortable for me, and periodically I'd end up whacking the inside of my ankle with the opposite snowshoe... should have a nice bruise tomorrow.
The path followed the stream over to the field above the park maintainance area, then up the hill and onto a trail I don't think I've ever taken before. I passed the fellow and his daughter, a couple XC skiing (they'd gone out while I was waiting to get my car unlocked) and two more people snowshoeing. All to quickly I found myself at the top of the hill back down to the Hop Field picnic area, for a loop of about a mile. So I decided to do it again, but this time check out some tracks that broke away and headed over toward the Paint Mine area trails... I figured if someone had gone over that way I could always cut down to the road, take off my snowshoes, and run down the road to get back to the car.
What I ended up doing instead was breaking trail for a ways, in a short loop over to the bridge leading to the Paint Mine area and then back to the 1 mile loop. That was incredibly hard work and I am really, really impressed by the folks who broke the loop trail this morning; I doubt I would have kept going for a mile. The snow was wet and heavy and I had to lift my feet high to take each step, running the risk of losing my balance and falling (I did fall once and discovered that getting back up in snow that deep with no poles is not easy at all!) I ended up stopping every 6 feet or so to take a break, and I was very glad when I finally made it back to the packed loop.
The XC skiers were coming through as I was rejoining the loop, so I followed them back and we talked a bit about the park, snowshoeing and XC skiing, and some of the efforts of the Friends of Thacher Park to raise awareness and gain support for keeping the park open. I think I'm going to end up joining that organization - I just have to get up to the Nature Center to get the forms, or maybe I can get them mailed to me. I may also help them with their fledgling web site (not that I know that much about building web sites, but I know plenty of people I can ask for help!)
So while I didn't get much snowshoeing done and I had to deal with being an idiot and locking my keys in the car, I did get out in some of the deepest snow I've ever stomped around in and I may end up joining an organization that I know is going to work hard to do everything they can to support Thacher Park and keep it open. Definitely a positive afternoon, when all is said and done.
And best of all, we finally have some "real" winter around here... let's hope it sticks around for a while, despite the rain we're supposed to get on and off for the next few days.
JMH
Sunday, February 21, 2010
6.4 Mile Run at Schodack Island State Park
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Headed to Schodack Island State Park just down the Hudson River before going home, hoping to get in some more snowshoeing... alas, all I found was mud and lots of ice, so I ended up running instead. It was cold and windy in the parking lot and down at the boat launch, but not so bad most of the time on the trails. Passed a decent number of folks walking dogs (a popular activity there, from what I've seen in the past) and one fellow with a birding scope on his shoulder (though how he expected to hear birds is beyond me, given that he had earphones on.)
Along the way I saw an old brick chimney that I missed the last time I was there, right on the banks of the Hudson... I suspect the remnant of one of the many ice houses that used to line the banks of the river. (See the map on page 3 of Daniel Calandro's Hudson River Valley Ice Houses and Ice Industry... there are ice houses marked on what it now the state park, between New Baltimore and Castleton on the map. Calandro notes that there were 13 ice house complexes on the islands that have since been combined to form the park.) Commerical ice cutting, storage, and shipping was a major industry in the upper Hudson Valley in the 1800's, with Hudson River ice shipped all over the world. The industry died out in the early 1900's with the advent of refrigeration/freezer technology and man-made ice. Calandro's paper is well worth a look for anyone interested in local history, as it not only discusses the ice houses and the industry as a whole but also describes in detail the techniques that were used to harvest, store, and transport the ice... the ingenuity of our forefathers was really quite impressive! The paper is part of the Hudson River Valley Institute library, which contains a lot of cool info about the history of the Hudson River Valley. Well worth checking out! The second time I passed the chimney I tried to bushwhack down to it to get better photos, but it was surrounded by brambles and after getting jabbed numerous times I gave up... running gear is not the clothing to brave a thicket of thorn bushes.
I'd been hoping to go onto the southern portion of the island which was restricted when I was there last time (eagles nest there; it may also be where the heron rookery is.) I vaguely remembered something about that part being open in the winter, but unfortunately, access is only allowed from Oct 15-Dec 31, so I turned around. No eagle sightings today, sigh.
I did spot chickadees, titmouses (titmice?), and downy woodpeckers... also heard a nuthatch and I think cardinals, and I may have seen some juncos at the very end (they were zipping from one bush to another.) There were crows and gulls by the river; when I finished up, a group of crows went over heading upriver, followed by a group of gulls. Spotted two pileated woodpeckers very briefly, flying deeper into the woods. But the sight of the day was a large group (several dozen) of robins digging around in the leaves along and off the trail looking for food. The racket they made was incredible, as was their persistance... they would be tearing through a section of leaves, then fly up the trail 100 yds when I came along and start all over again. They repeated this several times until finally they got tired of me interrupting them and headed off further into the woods.
Schodack Island is one of the parks on the chopping block if the current NYS budget proposal goes through; hopefully a way will be found to keep it open and I can get back there this summer to perhaps see the herons on the Schodack Creek mud flats again...
JMH
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Headed to Schodack Island State Park just down the Hudson River before going home, hoping to get in some more snowshoeing... alas, all I found was mud and lots of ice, so I ended up running instead. It was cold and windy in the parking lot and down at the boat launch, but not so bad most of the time on the trails. Passed a decent number of folks walking dogs (a popular activity there, from what I've seen in the past) and one fellow with a birding scope on his shoulder (though how he expected to hear birds is beyond me, given that he had earphones on.)
Along the way I saw an old brick chimney that I missed the last time I was there, right on the banks of the Hudson... I suspect the remnant of one of the many ice houses that used to line the banks of the river. (See the map on page 3 of Daniel Calandro's Hudson River Valley Ice Houses and Ice Industry... there are ice houses marked on what it now the state park, between New Baltimore and Castleton on the map. Calandro notes that there were 13 ice house complexes on the islands that have since been combined to form the park.) Commerical ice cutting, storage, and shipping was a major industry in the upper Hudson Valley in the 1800's, with Hudson River ice shipped all over the world. The industry died out in the early 1900's with the advent of refrigeration/freezer technology and man-made ice. Calandro's paper is well worth a look for anyone interested in local history, as it not only discusses the ice houses and the industry as a whole but also describes in detail the techniques that were used to harvest, store, and transport the ice... the ingenuity of our forefathers was really quite impressive! The paper is part of the Hudson River Valley Institute library, which contains a lot of cool info about the history of the Hudson River Valley. Well worth checking out! The second time I passed the chimney I tried to bushwhack down to it to get better photos, but it was surrounded by brambles and after getting jabbed numerous times I gave up... running gear is not the clothing to brave a thicket of thorn bushes.
I'd been hoping to go onto the southern portion of the island which was restricted when I was there last time (eagles nest there; it may also be where the heron rookery is.) I vaguely remembered something about that part being open in the winter, but unfortunately, access is only allowed from Oct 15-Dec 31, so I turned around. No eagle sightings today, sigh.
I did spot chickadees, titmouses (titmice?), and downy woodpeckers... also heard a nuthatch and I think cardinals, and I may have seen some juncos at the very end (they were zipping from one bush to another.) There were crows and gulls by the river; when I finished up, a group of crows went over heading upriver, followed by a group of gulls. Spotted two pileated woodpeckers very briefly, flying deeper into the woods. But the sight of the day was a large group (several dozen) of robins digging around in the leaves along and off the trail looking for food. The racket they made was incredible, as was their persistance... they would be tearing through a section of leaves, then fly up the trail 100 yds when I came along and start all over again. They repeated this several times until finally they got tired of me interrupting them and headed off further into the woods.
Schodack Island is one of the parks on the chopping block if the current NYS budget proposal goes through; hopefully a way will be found to keep it open and I can get back there this summer to perhaps see the herons on the Schodack Creek mud flats again...
JMH
Season of the SnōShū 2010 - Race #12
Hallockville Orchard 3.8mi Snowshoe Race
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Today's race was a welcome break in two ways - the course was short and relatively easy, consisting of mostly packed snowmobile trails, and we actually had a building to hang out in before and after the race, an old CCC camp which is now the headquarters for the MA Student Conservation Association - Americorps. After mainly grey skies over Greylock yesterday, today we were greeted by blue skies and sunshine - another welcome break!
Surprisingly, after yesterday's trek I was feeling pretty good - I suspect the beautiful weather and the company of 80+ like-minded crazy people helped that a lot. Or maybe I was just glad today would go a lot quicker than yesterday... in any case, early on I decided to push this one fairly hard (for me, at least) since the course played to my strengths - rolling terrain with no long, steep hills, and well-packed snow.
The run out to the orchard was tough mainly because there's a lot of uphill along the way, but that meant I could look forward to running downhill on the way back. The loop around the orchard was tough because the snow was a bit deeper - not something I've really had much of a chance to get used to this winter! But once I was back on the snowmobile trail I cruised in, running as best I could and walking where I had to. I have to admit, it felt good to finish a snowshoe race in well under an hour (43 min 36 sec.)
It was a gorgeous day to be outside, between the bright blue skies and the sunshine sparkling off the snow. I especially enjoyed the contrast between all the white birch trees and the hemlocks, but I think my favorite section is the hemlock grove just before the lowest point on the course - shady downhill on the way out and shady uphill on the way back, a bit of a break going both ways!
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 55.1 mi, 13 hr 48 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Hallockville Orchard 3.8mi Snowshoe Race
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Today's race was a welcome break in two ways - the course was short and relatively easy, consisting of mostly packed snowmobile trails, and we actually had a building to hang out in before and after the race, an old CCC camp which is now the headquarters for the MA Student Conservation Association - Americorps. After mainly grey skies over Greylock yesterday, today we were greeted by blue skies and sunshine - another welcome break!
Surprisingly, after yesterday's trek I was feeling pretty good - I suspect the beautiful weather and the company of 80+ like-minded crazy people helped that a lot. Or maybe I was just glad today would go a lot quicker than yesterday... in any case, early on I decided to push this one fairly hard (for me, at least) since the course played to my strengths - rolling terrain with no long, steep hills, and well-packed snow.
The run out to the orchard was tough mainly because there's a lot of uphill along the way, but that meant I could look forward to running downhill on the way back. The loop around the orchard was tough because the snow was a bit deeper - not something I've really had much of a chance to get used to this winter! But once I was back on the snowmobile trail I cruised in, running as best I could and walking where I had to. I have to admit, it felt good to finish a snowshoe race in well under an hour (43 min 36 sec.)
It was a gorgeous day to be outside, between the bright blue skies and the sunshine sparkling off the snow. I especially enjoyed the contrast between all the white birch trees and the hemlocks, but I think my favorite section is the hemlock grove just before the lowest point on the course - shady downhill on the way out and shady uphill on the way back, a bit of a break going both ways!
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 55.1 mi, 13 hr 48 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Season of the SnōShū 2010 - Race #11
Moby Dick 7.3mi Snowshoe Race
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Ordinarily we'd be running out of Greylock Glen this weekend, typically a double-header consisting of a short but at times steep Hoxie-Thunderbolt course and then a longer Covered Bridge loop (which last year brought the total distance to just under a half marathon.) This year we were displaced by the 75th anniversary Thunderbolt Ski Race, and the decision was made to revive an old tradition - the Moby Dick run out of the Greylock Visitors Center in Lanesboro. While the original Moby Dick's were run on the snow-covered road all the way to the top of the mountain (and in some cases, down the other side and then back up and down to the Visitors Center) we would be treated to a shorter course on some of the trails that parallel the road in the area.
Why Moby Dick? Apparently Herman Melville could see Greylock from his home in Pittsfield, MA, and the profile of the snow-covered mountain reminded him of the back of a white sperm whale breaking through the ocean's surface, inspiring him write what is probably his most famous novel.
I eagerly looked forward to this week's snowshoe race for several reasons. First, it was being held at a section of Greylock where I've only been once or twice before (the visitors center in Lanesboro), so I'd get to explore some new trails. Second, the longer distance meant it would be a challenge. And third, Ed assured us that there would be plenty of snow on the southern slopes of Greylock, a welcome change from the races over the last few weeks.
The trip to the Visitors Center took me over roads I've never been on before, so I was able to see some new sights during my drive through eastern NY's hills and valleys. Best of all, it turned out to be half an hour closer to Albany than Greylock Glen - I'm going to have to come back during the summer and check out the trails in warmer weather. The parking lot was filling up when I got there, but I had no trouble finding a place to park, after which I checked in and tried to figure out what to wear. In the end, I decided to err on the side of caution, given the length of the race and the fact that we'd be heading up the mountain for the first half of the run. I dropped off some homemade soup and salt potatoes for after the race, then waited for the fun to begin. Ed had a few words for us regarding the course, in particular warnings about a narrow bridge early on and a steep descent off the Rounds Rock trail, and then - off we went.
The first 3 miles or so climbed pretty consistently along the southeastern slope of the mountain. Nothing too steep for the most part, but still unlrelenting up. The snow was a welcome change - the trail was packed but we were clearly snowshoeing and my knees were grateful for the cushioning.
I think the thing that impressed me the most was how wooded the area was. From the mid 1700's to mid-1800's, Greylock was a farming area, as hard as that is to imagine, and much of the land we ran through was cleared. Many of the trail and place names come from those farming families - Northrup (trail), Rounds (Rock) and Jones (Nose) are three that are easily identifiable. While most of the spots we snowshoed today were wooded, there were many subtle clues to the past use - occasional stone walls, the general lack of any really large trees, and old orchards were a few. Asd we struggled up the mountain I wondered about how difficult it must have been for those long-ago farmers. We drove up in warm vehicles on a paved road; they would have been pretty much cut off from the valley during the winter and would have had to be self-sufficient, relying on their neighbors on the mountain for help if they needed it. We struggled to run/hike the climb up the Woodason Spring trail to snow-covered Rockwell Road, so we could cross over Rounds Rock and head back down toward the finish; this time of year they would have been struggling to survive the winter.
After a nifty climb up and over a rocky outcropping, we crossed the road and headed across Rounds Rock. After hearing about how Brad Herder got turned around up there a few days before while scouting out the route, I was glad we had well-defined tracks to follow. The clearing we ran through must be gorgeous in the summer, and it looked like there were short side-trails to overlooks, but I didn't think adding extra mileage to today's trek was a good idea.
The drop off of Rounds Rock was just as Ed described, and enough snow had been worn away that I didn't see any point in trying to walk down it, so I sat down and scooted down the trail on my backside. That would have been a lot of fun except for the fellow who did the same thing right behind me; I found having someone's pointy snowshoe cleats aimed at my head to be more than a bit distracting. Brad was at the bottom taking photos the entire time (and it turns out shooting video as well!) My knees made getting back to my feet a bit of a challenge, but I finally managed it and - hurrah - launched into a gently downward sloping trail where I could actually run! I even managed to catch up with Bill and Konrad, who had pulled ahead while I was sliding downhill on my backside.
I think I enjoyed that section of the Northrup trail the most - the snow was deep but not too deep, and it was mostly downhill but not particularly steep. We ran through some beautiful evergreen groves and even another old orchard, before finally coming out on Rockwell Road for the 1.5 mile run to the finish. The road was snow-covered but pretty well packed by snowmobiles, so I pushed and made decent time while simultaneously trying not to overextend and blow out a knee. Those were pretty sore by the time I reached the turnoff through the woods to the finish - I like packed trails because I can run them faster, but my knees really like the cushioning deeper snow provides. Finally crossed the finish in a little over 2 hr 13 min... slow going for a little over 7 miles, but not bad considering all the climbing in the first half.
As always, the views from Greylock were incredible, from the mountains and valleys to the south from the visitors center to the glimpses through the trees over toward Cheshire and Adams as we were climbing the Woodason Spring trail. I definitely want to visit this part of Greylock again in warmer weather! As always we owe Ed a huge thank you for all the work he put into our morning of fun in the snow - from marking the trails to keeping food warm for us to cleaning up after us and keeping the staff of the visitors center happy, plus who knows what else behind the scenes. Brad and Beth Herder also did their usual stellar job of both making us look good through photos and video and handling the long task of timing the finishers - almost 90 minutes elapsed between the first and last runners to cross the finish, but Beth greeted everyone with a smile and tons of encouragement. Thanks, guys - we couldn't do it without you!
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 51.3 mi, 13 hr 5 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Moby Dick 7.3mi Snowshoe Race
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Ordinarily we'd be running out of Greylock Glen this weekend, typically a double-header consisting of a short but at times steep Hoxie-Thunderbolt course and then a longer Covered Bridge loop (which last year brought the total distance to just under a half marathon.) This year we were displaced by the 75th anniversary Thunderbolt Ski Race, and the decision was made to revive an old tradition - the Moby Dick run out of the Greylock Visitors Center in Lanesboro. While the original Moby Dick's were run on the snow-covered road all the way to the top of the mountain (and in some cases, down the other side and then back up and down to the Visitors Center) we would be treated to a shorter course on some of the trails that parallel the road in the area.
Why Moby Dick? Apparently Herman Melville could see Greylock from his home in Pittsfield, MA, and the profile of the snow-covered mountain reminded him of the back of a white sperm whale breaking through the ocean's surface, inspiring him write what is probably his most famous novel.
I eagerly looked forward to this week's snowshoe race for several reasons. First, it was being held at a section of Greylock where I've only been once or twice before (the visitors center in Lanesboro), so I'd get to explore some new trails. Second, the longer distance meant it would be a challenge. And third, Ed assured us that there would be plenty of snow on the southern slopes of Greylock, a welcome change from the races over the last few weeks.
The trip to the Visitors Center took me over roads I've never been on before, so I was able to see some new sights during my drive through eastern NY's hills and valleys. Best of all, it turned out to be half an hour closer to Albany than Greylock Glen - I'm going to have to come back during the summer and check out the trails in warmer weather. The parking lot was filling up when I got there, but I had no trouble finding a place to park, after which I checked in and tried to figure out what to wear. In the end, I decided to err on the side of caution, given the length of the race and the fact that we'd be heading up the mountain for the first half of the run. I dropped off some homemade soup and salt potatoes for after the race, then waited for the fun to begin. Ed had a few words for us regarding the course, in particular warnings about a narrow bridge early on and a steep descent off the Rounds Rock trail, and then - off we went.
The first 3 miles or so climbed pretty consistently along the southeastern slope of the mountain. Nothing too steep for the most part, but still unlrelenting up. The snow was a welcome change - the trail was packed but we were clearly snowshoeing and my knees were grateful for the cushioning.
I think the thing that impressed me the most was how wooded the area was. From the mid 1700's to mid-1800's, Greylock was a farming area, as hard as that is to imagine, and much of the land we ran through was cleared. Many of the trail and place names come from those farming families - Northrup (trail), Rounds (Rock) and Jones (Nose) are three that are easily identifiable. While most of the spots we snowshoed today were wooded, there were many subtle clues to the past use - occasional stone walls, the general lack of any really large trees, and old orchards were a few. Asd we struggled up the mountain I wondered about how difficult it must have been for those long-ago farmers. We drove up in warm vehicles on a paved road; they would have been pretty much cut off from the valley during the winter and would have had to be self-sufficient, relying on their neighbors on the mountain for help if they needed it. We struggled to run/hike the climb up the Woodason Spring trail to snow-covered Rockwell Road, so we could cross over Rounds Rock and head back down toward the finish; this time of year they would have been struggling to survive the winter.
After a nifty climb up and over a rocky outcropping, we crossed the road and headed across Rounds Rock. After hearing about how Brad Herder got turned around up there a few days before while scouting out the route, I was glad we had well-defined tracks to follow. The clearing we ran through must be gorgeous in the summer, and it looked like there were short side-trails to overlooks, but I didn't think adding extra mileage to today's trek was a good idea.
The drop off of Rounds Rock was just as Ed described, and enough snow had been worn away that I didn't see any point in trying to walk down it, so I sat down and scooted down the trail on my backside. That would have been a lot of fun except for the fellow who did the same thing right behind me; I found having someone's pointy snowshoe cleats aimed at my head to be more than a bit distracting. Brad was at the bottom taking photos the entire time (and it turns out shooting video as well!) My knees made getting back to my feet a bit of a challenge, but I finally managed it and - hurrah - launched into a gently downward sloping trail where I could actually run! I even managed to catch up with Bill and Konrad, who had pulled ahead while I was sliding downhill on my backside.
I think I enjoyed that section of the Northrup trail the most - the snow was deep but not too deep, and it was mostly downhill but not particularly steep. We ran through some beautiful evergreen groves and even another old orchard, before finally coming out on Rockwell Road for the 1.5 mile run to the finish. The road was snow-covered but pretty well packed by snowmobiles, so I pushed and made decent time while simultaneously trying not to overextend and blow out a knee. Those were pretty sore by the time I reached the turnoff through the woods to the finish - I like packed trails because I can run them faster, but my knees really like the cushioning deeper snow provides. Finally crossed the finish in a little over 2 hr 13 min... slow going for a little over 7 miles, but not bad considering all the climbing in the first half.
As always, the views from Greylock were incredible, from the mountains and valleys to the south from the visitors center to the glimpses through the trees over toward Cheshire and Adams as we were climbing the Woodason Spring trail. I definitely want to visit this part of Greylock again in warmer weather! As always we owe Ed a huge thank you for all the work he put into our morning of fun in the snow - from marking the trails to keeping food warm for us to cleaning up after us and keeping the staff of the visitors center happy, plus who knows what else behind the scenes. Brad and Beth Herder also did their usual stellar job of both making us look good through photos and video and handling the long task of timing the finishers - almost 90 minutes elapsed between the first and last runners to cross the finish, but Beth greeted everyone with a smile and tons of encouragement. Thanks, guys - we couldn't do it without you!
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 51.3 mi, 13 hr 5 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow...
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
At last, some fresh snow! Not a lot around here - maybe 6" - but combined with what was already on the trails up at Thacher yesterday, I'm finally foreseeing some decent snowshoeing tomorrow night after work... and some good race conditions this weekend!
JMH
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
At last, some fresh snow! Not a lot around here - maybe 6" - but combined with what was already on the trails up at Thacher yesterday, I'm finally foreseeing some decent snowshoeing tomorrow night after work... and some good race conditions this weekend!
JMH
Monday, February 15, 2010
3.7 Mile Hike at John Boyd Thacher State Park
Monday, February 15, 2010
I spent a good deal of time waffling about where to go today... I had planned to head to the Berkshires for some snowshoeing but in the end my legs were tired and sore enough that I decided it wasn't worth 2+ hours of driving there and back. Since I haven't been up to Thacher in a while, I finally decided to head there for some walking, which turned out to be a good choice.
I got off to a late start and didn't want to risk getting locked in, so I parked up on Beaver Dam Road and walked down the old Paint Mine road to the picnice areas on the escarpment. The first surprise was the amount of snow on the trails - I could have easily been snowshoeing, though it was packed enough that I didn't need to snowshoes. The sun put in an appearance so I had a really pleasant walk down the hill with blue skies overhead and birds calling in the trees... mostly I suspect brown creepers (I managed to get some photos of one) though I also heard chickadees and nuthatches in the mix.
The fields along the top of the escarpment were very icy... I had to be pretty careful even with my screwshoes. I started out heading east, past the fenced-off descent to the lower Indian Ladder trail, and ended up at surprise #2 - a fantastic view of Mine Lot Falls, encased in ice. I had seen a few photos previously, and years ago Ann and I visited there in April and saw the remains of the huge mass of ice at the base of the falls - but this is the first time I've seen the "ice falls" in person, and they are pretty spectacular.
After that I headed west along the escarpment, to just past the other entrance to the lower trail. Along the way I had a pretty good view of the area below the cliffs, and noticed the snow clearly marking the route of the old Indian Ladder Road that ran to the top of the escarpment (the cut that is currently used as the western trailhead to the lower path was the final bit of that road.) The old road was built in 1828 and last used sometime in the early 1900's. I know there have been plans to add a trail along its route to the Tory Cave (a cave where, in 1777, British Loyalist and spy Jacob Salisbury hid from the locals after leading raids against farms in the valley; searchers apparently saw smoke from the cave and discovered him hiding there, after which he was hanged) but with the state budget in the condition it's in and further cuts anticipated to the already meager parks budget, I don't expect to see that happen anytime soon.
I briefly considered walking the trail along the escarpment around the Horseshoe Loop, but decided that it was going to be sufficiently difficult going that it probably wasn't worth it today, especially since it was getting late and I had over a mile of walking to get back to the car. So instead I headed back across the fields and through the stand of huge evergreens to cross the road and head back up Paint Mine Road. While the walk back up the hill wasn't nearly as effortless as the walk down, the gorgeous surroundings provided ample distraction... and I've walked and run up that hill enough times now that it really doesn't seem all that far. Along the way I spotted a downy woodpecker and heard a barred owl calling off somewhere in the woods. Best of all, there was still plenty of light to see by when I got back to the car... as I've said before, I love the longer hours of daylight, even if they signal the approaching end of snowshoe season (only a month left... it seems like the season just started!)
I'm glad I went up there today... sometimes I forget how much I love Thacher Park. Between memories of all the races I've run there (including my first ever trail race, way back in 1998), all the fantastic scenic spots that make up the park, and the fact that it's one of the few places that's local (within a half hour's drive) where I can go and enjoy some respite from all the sounds of so-called civilization (everywhere else, there's always traffic, train, or airplane noise... not at Thacher, unless you're near one of the roads - though the picnic areas can get noisy on summer weekends) while enjoying some beautiful natural surroundings - it's just a wonderful place to be.
JMH
Monday, February 15, 2010
I spent a good deal of time waffling about where to go today... I had planned to head to the Berkshires for some snowshoeing but in the end my legs were tired and sore enough that I decided it wasn't worth 2+ hours of driving there and back. Since I haven't been up to Thacher in a while, I finally decided to head there for some walking, which turned out to be a good choice.
I got off to a late start and didn't want to risk getting locked in, so I parked up on Beaver Dam Road and walked down the old Paint Mine road to the picnice areas on the escarpment. The first surprise was the amount of snow on the trails - I could have easily been snowshoeing, though it was packed enough that I didn't need to snowshoes. The sun put in an appearance so I had a really pleasant walk down the hill with blue skies overhead and birds calling in the trees... mostly I suspect brown creepers (I managed to get some photos of one) though I also heard chickadees and nuthatches in the mix.
The fields along the top of the escarpment were very icy... I had to be pretty careful even with my screwshoes. I started out heading east, past the fenced-off descent to the lower Indian Ladder trail, and ended up at surprise #2 - a fantastic view of Mine Lot Falls, encased in ice. I had seen a few photos previously, and years ago Ann and I visited there in April and saw the remains of the huge mass of ice at the base of the falls - but this is the first time I've seen the "ice falls" in person, and they are pretty spectacular.
After that I headed west along the escarpment, to just past the other entrance to the lower trail. Along the way I had a pretty good view of the area below the cliffs, and noticed the snow clearly marking the route of the old Indian Ladder Road that ran to the top of the escarpment (the cut that is currently used as the western trailhead to the lower path was the final bit of that road.) The old road was built in 1828 and last used sometime in the early 1900's. I know there have been plans to add a trail along its route to the Tory Cave (a cave where, in 1777, British Loyalist and spy Jacob Salisbury hid from the locals after leading raids against farms in the valley; searchers apparently saw smoke from the cave and discovered him hiding there, after which he was hanged) but with the state budget in the condition it's in and further cuts anticipated to the already meager parks budget, I don't expect to see that happen anytime soon.
I briefly considered walking the trail along the escarpment around the Horseshoe Loop, but decided that it was going to be sufficiently difficult going that it probably wasn't worth it today, especially since it was getting late and I had over a mile of walking to get back to the car. So instead I headed back across the fields and through the stand of huge evergreens to cross the road and head back up Paint Mine Road. While the walk back up the hill wasn't nearly as effortless as the walk down, the gorgeous surroundings provided ample distraction... and I've walked and run up that hill enough times now that it really doesn't seem all that far. Along the way I spotted a downy woodpecker and heard a barred owl calling off somewhere in the woods. Best of all, there was still plenty of light to see by when I got back to the car... as I've said before, I love the longer hours of daylight, even if they signal the approaching end of snowshoe season (only a month left... it seems like the season just started!)
I'm glad I went up there today... sometimes I forget how much I love Thacher Park. Between memories of all the races I've run there (including my first ever trail race, way back in 1998), all the fantastic scenic spots that make up the park, and the fact that it's one of the few places that's local (within a half hour's drive) where I can go and enjoy some respite from all the sounds of so-called civilization (everywhere else, there's always traffic, train, or airplane noise... not at Thacher, unless you're near one of the roads - though the picnic areas can get noisy on summer weekends) while enjoying some beautiful natural surroundings - it's just a wonderful place to be.
JMH
Sunday, February 14, 2010
ICE!
15.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The weather today called for clouds, seasonable chill, and gusty winds... so naturally I decided to take a break from running and rode my bike. Fortunately, the winds were blowing east, so it was only tough riding one way (out from Lock 8 to Scrafford Lane, and then back from SCCC to Lock 7.) But when the wind was blowing it was very tough... while today was a break from running, I don't think it could be called a rest day.
The bike path was mostly clear, with a few stretches of snow and ice, and most of those were rideable with some care. The buildup of huge slabs of ice along the sides of the river was even more impressive than over in Niskayuna, and in some spots it was clear the water levels rose high enough to flood sections of the path, since there are now huge chunks of ice sitting out in the middle of the grass, like erratic boulders left behind after a glacier. I wonder how long it's going to take all that ice to melt come spring.
I spotted two deer while I was out today - or rather, the remains of two deer. The first still looked pretty fresh and was down in the section of the old canal between Rotterdam Kiwanis Park and Route 5; if I had to guess I'd say it was hit by a car. The second was just bones, out on the ice on the old canal near Scrafford Lane.
Heard more than a few birds but didn't really spot any until the 2nd half of the ride down to SCCC, when a downy woodpecker landed right near where I was stopped to take some pictures at the old Erie Canal Lock 23. She didn't hang around long enough for me to get more than one photo. Down at Schenectady Gateway Landing Park I stopped to take a look at the damage the ice did to the viewing platform and spotted a group of ducks over in the open water off the river. When I zoomed in to take some closeups I discovered that there was a common merganser in with them... and a few minutes later five more dropped down out of the sky to join them. By that time it was getting too dark for me to get good shots of them, but it was still very cool to see them.
I'm also liking the ever-increasing hours of daylight. I didn't get back to the car until after 5:30, and I could still see everything well enough that pack up without an extra light. Before long I'll once again be able to run in the evening without a headlamp...
JMH
15.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The weather today called for clouds, seasonable chill, and gusty winds... so naturally I decided to take a break from running and rode my bike. Fortunately, the winds were blowing east, so it was only tough riding one way (out from Lock 8 to Scrafford Lane, and then back from SCCC to Lock 7.) But when the wind was blowing it was very tough... while today was a break from running, I don't think it could be called a rest day.
The bike path was mostly clear, with a few stretches of snow and ice, and most of those were rideable with some care. The buildup of huge slabs of ice along the sides of the river was even more impressive than over in Niskayuna, and in some spots it was clear the water levels rose high enough to flood sections of the path, since there are now huge chunks of ice sitting out in the middle of the grass, like erratic boulders left behind after a glacier. I wonder how long it's going to take all that ice to melt come spring.
I spotted two deer while I was out today - or rather, the remains of two deer. The first still looked pretty fresh and was down in the section of the old canal between Rotterdam Kiwanis Park and Route 5; if I had to guess I'd say it was hit by a car. The second was just bones, out on the ice on the old canal near Scrafford Lane.
Heard more than a few birds but didn't really spot any until the 2nd half of the ride down to SCCC, when a downy woodpecker landed right near where I was stopped to take some pictures at the old Erie Canal Lock 23. She didn't hang around long enough for me to get more than one photo. Down at Schenectady Gateway Landing Park I stopped to take a look at the damage the ice did to the viewing platform and spotted a group of ducks over in the open water off the river. When I zoomed in to take some closeups I discovered that there was a common merganser in with them... and a few minutes later five more dropped down out of the sky to join them. By that time it was getting too dark for me to get good shots of them, but it was still very cool to see them.
I'm also liking the ever-increasing hours of daylight. I didn't get back to the car until after 5:30, and I could still see everything well enough that pack up without an extra light. Before long I'll once again be able to run in the evening without a headlamp...
JMH
Saturday, February 13, 2010
4 Mile Run Along the Bog Meadow Brook Nature Trail
Saturday, February 13, 2010
I checked my trail guides for places to go after the race today and briefly considered heading over to the Saratoga Spa State Park, possibly to run some variation of the Winterfest course I missed last week. In the end I decided that relatively flat terrain was called for instead, and the best option seemed to be a spot I XC skiied at last year after the Saratoga Winterfest race, the Bog Meadow Brook Nature Trail. The path follows the bed of the Saratoga & Schuylerville Railroad that ran between Saratoga Springs and Schulerville (probably no great surprise, given the name!) The rail line was built in the late 1880's and was part of a plan to create a line from Boston to Buffalo. In 1956 the line was closed down and almost 40 years later in 1993 this 2 mile section was converted into a nature trail, as one of the earliest accomplishments of the Open Space Project (now Saratoga PLAN.) The trail runs through a variety of wetlands and when I was there last year I hoped I would get back there again (though at the time I was thinking more of seeing it in another season rather than going there again after a snowshoe race!)
It was very slow going to the far end of the trail and back... my legs were pretty tired from my run last night and especially from the race this morning, and I had no wish to overdo it and end up limping arounf for the next few weeks. Besides, I had the excuse of stopping to take pictures. Much of the trail was covered by a packed layer of snow - I probably could have used my snowshoes if I wanted, but I went with screw shoes instead. Passed a few other folks out walking, but it was a grey chilly day... not much incentive for most folks to be outdoors.
Since the snow cover was lighter than last year I could see many of the railroad ties that still cross the path - I would imagine those could make the going a bit rougher in spring, summer, and fall. I spotted two woodpeckers and heard chickadees and another woodpecker; there were also plenty of signs of beavers, both at Bog Meadow Brook (where there were two beaver dams) and along the boardwalk over a beaver pond at the far end of the path, where there were both chewed stumps and a very obvious lodge.
The run out wasn't too bad, but the trip back got tougher and tougher the further I went... good thing it was only 2 miles. It's a bit depressing to think that right now 9 miles is a tough day for me, but with steady work and no injuries that should improve...
JMH
Saturday, February 13, 2010
I checked my trail guides for places to go after the race today and briefly considered heading over to the Saratoga Spa State Park, possibly to run some variation of the Winterfest course I missed last week. In the end I decided that relatively flat terrain was called for instead, and the best option seemed to be a spot I XC skiied at last year after the Saratoga Winterfest race, the Bog Meadow Brook Nature Trail. The path follows the bed of the Saratoga & Schuylerville Railroad that ran between Saratoga Springs and Schulerville (probably no great surprise, given the name!) The rail line was built in the late 1880's and was part of a plan to create a line from Boston to Buffalo. In 1956 the line was closed down and almost 40 years later in 1993 this 2 mile section was converted into a nature trail, as one of the earliest accomplishments of the Open Space Project (now Saratoga PLAN.) The trail runs through a variety of wetlands and when I was there last year I hoped I would get back there again (though at the time I was thinking more of seeing it in another season rather than going there again after a snowshoe race!)
It was very slow going to the far end of the trail and back... my legs were pretty tired from my run last night and especially from the race this morning, and I had no wish to overdo it and end up limping arounf for the next few weeks. Besides, I had the excuse of stopping to take pictures. Much of the trail was covered by a packed layer of snow - I probably could have used my snowshoes if I wanted, but I went with screw shoes instead. Passed a few other folks out walking, but it was a grey chilly day... not much incentive for most folks to be outdoors.
Since the snow cover was lighter than last year I could see many of the railroad ties that still cross the path - I would imagine those could make the going a bit rougher in spring, summer, and fall. I spotted two woodpeckers and heard chickadees and another woodpecker; there were also plenty of signs of beavers, both at Bog Meadow Brook (where there were two beaver dams) and along the boardwalk over a beaver pond at the far end of the path, where there were both chewed stumps and a very obvious lodge.
The run out wasn't too bad, but the trip back got tougher and tougher the further I went... good thing it was only 2 miles. It's a bit depressing to think that right now 9 miles is a tough day for me, but with steady work and no injuries that should improve...
JMH
Season of the SnōShū 2010 - Race #10
Camp Saratoga 8k Snowshoe Race
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Another opportunity to exercise a lot of faith in our RDs, in this case Jeff & Laura Clark, who sent word mid-week that there was actually a decent amount of snow at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and we would indeed have a snowshoe race. Between what I heard were extremely poor conditions at Saratoga Winterfest last week and the utter lack of snow all around the Albany area it was a bit hard to believe, but I showed up at the Camp Saratoga parking lot and lo and behold - there was snow. Not a lot, and it was pretty crunchy, but still more snow than I've seen anywhere else around here in the last week. Pretty darn cool, really.
Since this was a USSSA Nationals qualifier and Nationals are in Syracuse this year, I expected a larger turnout than we actually had, but it was still a good sized group running the trails in Wilton, and one where I would not have made the list if I were still trying to qualify - good thing I made to trek to Vermont last weekend! Race HQ was once again inside one of the old cabins from back when Camp Saratoga was a Boy Scout camp (from 1930 to 2001, I believe.) It was pretty crowded and warm in there, and I was happy to get back outside. I went through several combinations of gear trying to decide how best to deal with the chilly breeze that was blowing, before finally settling on a double layer of shirts and the possibility of being cold - not that that's happened very often during a snowshoe race, I'm much more likely to overdress and end up cooking...
We started in a different spot this year, in part because of the anticipated larger group and I suspect in part because the path we usually start on was very icy. Jeff had a few words about the course and welcomed not only the usual suspects from NY and New England but also some folks from Virginia (someone quipped that they were up here to get away from the snow) and a group from the Army's 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum who were running with us. And then, without much ado, it was time to run.
Maybe I'm getting used to this course, because other years it seemed like it went on forever and this year it didn't seem as bad... of course, the relatively easy running conditions probably helped. The first time I ran this race the snow was deep and loose, making for some of the toughest racing conditions I'd ever faced, and about 2 miles in I found myself wondering if I'd be able to finish. This year I cruised through the first couple of miles without too much trouble, walking the hills and running the downhills and flats. The course wasn't as pretty as it has been sometimes - one year all the trees in one section were coated with ice crystals and the sunlight made it look like we were surrounded by thousands of sparkling diamonds - but this is a really nice place to run, with lots of evergreens and a few stretches through fields to help you appreciate being in the woods. No really long hills, just a lot of rolling terrain. A cool old barn along one edge of the preserve serves as a reminder that part of the preserve was farmland at one point - more specifically, from 1936 to 1972. Thanks to to Opdahl family donating the land in 1997, these days we're fortunate to have it as part of nature preserve.
You can't tell when we run it in the winter, but the much of the soil is very sandy, a reminder that roughly 10000 years ago the area was under the waters of Glacial Lake Albany, with the sand deposited on the bottom of the lake. Now it's an important area in the attempt to restore the population of the endangered Karner Blue butterfly, because the butterfly larvae feed on the leaves of blue lupine plants, which only grow in areas like the sandy open fields of the preserve (the Albany Pine Bush, home to the annual Brave the Blizzard snowshoe race, is another local area vital to the restoration of Karner Blues.) Some scientists believe that Wilton has the most viable population of Karner Blues in the northeast.
More woods after the water stop by the church, and a lot more hills. My knees were starting to grumble about all the pounding, and having to go down hills with little snow cover didn't help. I'm always glad when I reach the ridge above the pond, since that means the end is near... but also always a little apprehensive, because the toughest part of the course is still to come. Some bare patches made for slow going as I came out by the pond, but it was still nice to see the finish - even if I did have to run past it to get to the final mile or on the hills overlooking the finish.
That last mile is easily the toughest part of the whole course, with seemingly non-stop hills to climb and descend... and climb and descend. Going down them can be fun when the snow is deep, but today it was tricky, and I was very glad to finally hit the relatively flat loop around the field. Of course, that left one more steep descent, which this year was pretty much devoid of snow - not a good place to take a tumble, so I inched down it and did my best to turn on the speed (or what passes for speed for me) with a final sprint to the finish, crossing the line in 59 min 10 sec - and very happy to beat an hour! I pushed hard today but in the end it was worth it, though I suspect my knees and legs will be letting me know about it tomorrow.
After that I waited to watch a few friends cross the finish line, including Konrad and Rich, who had apparently stayed together for most of the course. Changed into dry clothes, grabbed some food and waited around for the raffle (no luck there) then got ready to head out for a few more miles at the Bog Meadow Brook Nature Trail, where I went XC skiing last year after the Winterfest race. While I was getting things ready at the car, I heard a hawk call and looked up to see one circling high overhead... managed to get a few photos of him, though I don't know that any of them will be all that spectacular. All in all, a good day up in Wilton, on a course that was in much better shape for snowshoeing than I anticipated. Jeff and Laura and their small army of volunteers all deserve a big round of applause for putting on a pretty darn good race in the midst of one of the most snow-free winters we've had in a few years. We're pretty darn lucky we have folks who work as hard as they do so that the rest of us can just show up and have a good time... thanks, guys!
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 44.0 mi, 10 hr 51 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Camp Saratoga 8k Snowshoe Race
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Another opportunity to exercise a lot of faith in our RDs, in this case Jeff & Laura Clark, who sent word mid-week that there was actually a decent amount of snow at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and we would indeed have a snowshoe race. Between what I heard were extremely poor conditions at Saratoga Winterfest last week and the utter lack of snow all around the Albany area it was a bit hard to believe, but I showed up at the Camp Saratoga parking lot and lo and behold - there was snow. Not a lot, and it was pretty crunchy, but still more snow than I've seen anywhere else around here in the last week. Pretty darn cool, really.
Since this was a USSSA Nationals qualifier and Nationals are in Syracuse this year, I expected a larger turnout than we actually had, but it was still a good sized group running the trails in Wilton, and one where I would not have made the list if I were still trying to qualify - good thing I made to trek to Vermont last weekend! Race HQ was once again inside one of the old cabins from back when Camp Saratoga was a Boy Scout camp (from 1930 to 2001, I believe.) It was pretty crowded and warm in there, and I was happy to get back outside. I went through several combinations of gear trying to decide how best to deal with the chilly breeze that was blowing, before finally settling on a double layer of shirts and the possibility of being cold - not that that's happened very often during a snowshoe race, I'm much more likely to overdress and end up cooking...
We started in a different spot this year, in part because of the anticipated larger group and I suspect in part because the path we usually start on was very icy. Jeff had a few words about the course and welcomed not only the usual suspects from NY and New England but also some folks from Virginia (someone quipped that they were up here to get away from the snow) and a group from the Army's 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum who were running with us. And then, without much ado, it was time to run.
Maybe I'm getting used to this course, because other years it seemed like it went on forever and this year it didn't seem as bad... of course, the relatively easy running conditions probably helped. The first time I ran this race the snow was deep and loose, making for some of the toughest racing conditions I'd ever faced, and about 2 miles in I found myself wondering if I'd be able to finish. This year I cruised through the first couple of miles without too much trouble, walking the hills and running the downhills and flats. The course wasn't as pretty as it has been sometimes - one year all the trees in one section were coated with ice crystals and the sunlight made it look like we were surrounded by thousands of sparkling diamonds - but this is a really nice place to run, with lots of evergreens and a few stretches through fields to help you appreciate being in the woods. No really long hills, just a lot of rolling terrain. A cool old barn along one edge of the preserve serves as a reminder that part of the preserve was farmland at one point - more specifically, from 1936 to 1972. Thanks to to Opdahl family donating the land in 1997, these days we're fortunate to have it as part of nature preserve.
You can't tell when we run it in the winter, but the much of the soil is very sandy, a reminder that roughly 10000 years ago the area was under the waters of Glacial Lake Albany, with the sand deposited on the bottom of the lake. Now it's an important area in the attempt to restore the population of the endangered Karner Blue butterfly, because the butterfly larvae feed on the leaves of blue lupine plants, which only grow in areas like the sandy open fields of the preserve (the Albany Pine Bush, home to the annual Brave the Blizzard snowshoe race, is another local area vital to the restoration of Karner Blues.) Some scientists believe that Wilton has the most viable population of Karner Blues in the northeast.
More woods after the water stop by the church, and a lot more hills. My knees were starting to grumble about all the pounding, and having to go down hills with little snow cover didn't help. I'm always glad when I reach the ridge above the pond, since that means the end is near... but also always a little apprehensive, because the toughest part of the course is still to come. Some bare patches made for slow going as I came out by the pond, but it was still nice to see the finish - even if I did have to run past it to get to the final mile or on the hills overlooking the finish.
That last mile is easily the toughest part of the whole course, with seemingly non-stop hills to climb and descend... and climb and descend. Going down them can be fun when the snow is deep, but today it was tricky, and I was very glad to finally hit the relatively flat loop around the field. Of course, that left one more steep descent, which this year was pretty much devoid of snow - not a good place to take a tumble, so I inched down it and did my best to turn on the speed (or what passes for speed for me) with a final sprint to the finish, crossing the line in 59 min 10 sec - and very happy to beat an hour! I pushed hard today but in the end it was worth it, though I suspect my knees and legs will be letting me know about it tomorrow.
After that I waited to watch a few friends cross the finish line, including Konrad and Rich, who had apparently stayed together for most of the course. Changed into dry clothes, grabbed some food and waited around for the raffle (no luck there) then got ready to head out for a few more miles at the Bog Meadow Brook Nature Trail, where I went XC skiing last year after the Winterfest race. While I was getting things ready at the car, I heard a hawk call and looked up to see one circling high overhead... managed to get a few photos of him, though I don't know that any of them will be all that spectacular. All in all, a good day up in Wilton, on a course that was in much better shape for snowshoeing than I anticipated. Jeff and Laura and their small army of volunteers all deserve a big round of applause for putting on a pretty darn good race in the midst of one of the most snow-free winters we've had in a few years. We're pretty darn lucky we have folks who work as hard as they do so that the rest of us can just show up and have a good time... thanks, guys!
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 44.0 mi, 10 hr 51 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Friday, February 12, 2010
5.1 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Friday, February 12, 2010
Finally managed to get my backside out the door for a run... kept it short since I have the Camp Saratoga snowshoe race tomorrow (and I'm hoping to do a bit of running after the race as well.) It would have been much smarter for me to wear my screw shoes tonight - there were some very slick patches of ice out there, mostly under a thin layer of snow. Fortunately I only slipped and fell once, and I was walking at the time...
Once again I heard an owl while I was running, but this one sounded different than last time... I suspect it was a barred owl, both from the descriptions of their calls I've read and the recording on www.whatbird.com. That makes two fairly definite different owls and possibly a third that I've heard in there this winter... cool.
Tonight was a cold, clear night... chillier than I expected but oh the stars were glorious...
JMH
Friday, February 12, 2010
Finally managed to get my backside out the door for a run... kept it short since I have the Camp Saratoga snowshoe race tomorrow (and I'm hoping to do a bit of running after the race as well.) It would have been much smarter for me to wear my screw shoes tonight - there were some very slick patches of ice out there, mostly under a thin layer of snow. Fortunately I only slipped and fell once, and I was walking at the time...
Once again I heard an owl while I was running, but this one sounded different than last time... I suspect it was a barred owl, both from the descriptions of their calls I've read and the recording on www.whatbird.com. That makes two fairly definite different owls and possibly a third that I've heard in there this winter... cool.
Tonight was a cold, clear night... chillier than I expected but oh the stars were glorious...
JMH
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Monday, February 08, 2010
0.4 Mile Walk at Ann Lee Pond
Monday, February 8, 2010
I wasn't going to go to Ann Lee Pond today, between the cold and what would probably be a decided lack of wildlife at the frozen pond... but I was practically there already, so in the end I decided to stop and take a few pictures of the pond in the winter.
The area by the pond is fairly open, with a wide clear corridor that runs down toward the airport, and the wind was whipping through. I ended up wishing I'd worn thicker gloves fairly quickly - my fingers were aching in moments.
Not much to see at the pond itself, and it was too cold for me to walk back to the crazy bridge and see if any critters were out and about in the swamp. But I did spot a hawk in one of the trees a ways off, and as I was trying to sneak over toward him to get some better photos, another one came soaring in and they both took off. They flew back over a couple of times, at first using thw wind to gain some altitude and circle the area overhead, but then they caught some good gusts and took off like rockets. It must be pretty incredible to be a hawk soaring on a windy day.
JMH
Monday, February 8, 2010
I wasn't going to go to Ann Lee Pond today, between the cold and what would probably be a decided lack of wildlife at the frozen pond... but I was practically there already, so in the end I decided to stop and take a few pictures of the pond in the winter.
The area by the pond is fairly open, with a wide clear corridor that runs down toward the airport, and the wind was whipping through. I ended up wishing I'd worn thicker gloves fairly quickly - my fingers were aching in moments.
Not much to see at the pond itself, and it was too cold for me to walk back to the crazy bridge and see if any critters were out and about in the swamp. But I did spot a hawk in one of the trees a ways off, and as I was trying to sneak over toward him to get some better photos, another one came soaring in and they both took off. They flew back over a couple of times, at first using thw wind to gain some altitude and circle the area overhead, but then they caught some good gusts and took off like rockets. It must be pretty incredible to be a hawk soaring on a windy day.
JMH
1 Mile Walk at Bauer Environmental Park
Monday, February 8, 2010
Last fall I first encountered a reference to Bauer Environmental Park in the Hudson Mohawk Bird Club's guidebook, Birding New York's Hudson-Mohawk Region, while checking out the pages on Ann Lee Pond. I was a bit surprised - the only other place I've seen it mentioned is in ECOS's Natural Areas of Albany County; on-line references are very few, and no mention is made on the Colonie Parks & Recreation page. The directions in the birding guide were pretty vague, and the road the park is off of is a fairly busy one, so I missed the trailhead parking area the first few times I went looking for it... I even began wondering if maybe it had been developed into housing or some other use since the guidebook had been published. During a couple of recent drives down that road I thought I might have glimpsed the trailhead, so today I decided to head over there and see if it was where I thought it was.
Success! And no other cars in the small lot (not that great a surprise on a cold Monday afternoon) so I had no difficulty parking. Before long I was heading out on the boardwalk, expecting to make a short trip into the woods and then come back... but I was in for a pleasant surprise. A short way into the park the boardwalk branched off in two directions - more trails to explore! Along the way I spotted several chickadees (I really need to keep a bag of sunflower seeds in the car...) and a nuthatch.
This is definitely a cool little park. All the trails are boardwalked; from the looks of them they're probably pretty wet in the spring and summer. The paths go through a variety of environments. There's a lot of hardwood forest, but also a large hemlock grove and some wetlands as well, with a couple of bridges that go over a small stream that winds its way through the park. At the far side of the loop another spur took me out to a second parking area and a service building for the nearby power lines. I wandered briefly over to the power line right-of-way to see if there was anything worth seeing, and caught sight of a hawk winging off further into the woods. There was also a small flock of juncos that zipped off into the bushes as I approached; I tried getting photos of some of them but they refused to sit still long enough for me to do so.
After that I followed the other half of the loop through more woods , some of which ran right alongside what looked like a small apartment complex (bleah... but then again I was right in the middle of Colonie.) More hemlocks and hardwoods and yet another crossing of the stream, pretty nice. This wouldn't make a good place to run, but it's a nice short walk and today it was just right, I got back to the car not long after my hands really started getting cold.
JMH
Monday, February 8, 2010
Last fall I first encountered a reference to Bauer Environmental Park in the Hudson Mohawk Bird Club's guidebook, Birding New York's Hudson-Mohawk Region, while checking out the pages on Ann Lee Pond. I was a bit surprised - the only other place I've seen it mentioned is in ECOS's Natural Areas of Albany County; on-line references are very few, and no mention is made on the Colonie Parks & Recreation page. The directions in the birding guide were pretty vague, and the road the park is off of is a fairly busy one, so I missed the trailhead parking area the first few times I went looking for it... I even began wondering if maybe it had been developed into housing or some other use since the guidebook had been published. During a couple of recent drives down that road I thought I might have glimpsed the trailhead, so today I decided to head over there and see if it was where I thought it was.
Success! And no other cars in the small lot (not that great a surprise on a cold Monday afternoon) so I had no difficulty parking. Before long I was heading out on the boardwalk, expecting to make a short trip into the woods and then come back... but I was in for a pleasant surprise. A short way into the park the boardwalk branched off in two directions - more trails to explore! Along the way I spotted several chickadees (I really need to keep a bag of sunflower seeds in the car...) and a nuthatch.
This is definitely a cool little park. All the trails are boardwalked; from the looks of them they're probably pretty wet in the spring and summer. The paths go through a variety of environments. There's a lot of hardwood forest, but also a large hemlock grove and some wetlands as well, with a couple of bridges that go over a small stream that winds its way through the park. At the far side of the loop another spur took me out to a second parking area and a service building for the nearby power lines. I wandered briefly over to the power line right-of-way to see if there was anything worth seeing, and caught sight of a hawk winging off further into the woods. There was also a small flock of juncos that zipped off into the bushes as I approached; I tried getting photos of some of them but they refused to sit still long enough for me to do so.
After that I followed the other half of the loop through more woods , some of which ran right alongside what looked like a small apartment complex (bleah... but then again I was right in the middle of Colonie.) More hemlocks and hardwoods and yet another crossing of the stream, pretty nice. This wouldn't make a good place to run, but it's a nice short walk and today it was just right, I got back to the car not long after my hands really started getting cold.
JMH
It's Official!
Monday, February 8, 2010
I'm on the list, so I have officially qualified to run in the Powersox United States National Championship 10k snowshoe race at Highland Forest on March 6.
Woo hoo!
JMH
Monday, February 8, 2010
I'm on the list, so I have officially qualified to run in the Powersox United States National Championship 10k snowshoe race at Highland Forest on March 6.
Woo hoo!
JMH
Sunday, February 07, 2010
GREEN MOUNTAIN TURTLE, Part 8 -
The Burning Question...
Sunday, February 7, 2010
... well, maybe not a burning question, but I did launch this somewhat crazy weekend travelling all over Vermont (and a bit of MA and NY too!) in hopes of qualifying for Nationals at today's race. Even if I did have a really good time seeing some cool new places, meeting some fantastic new people, and even finding the time to finally get a haircut.
The tentative result is... yes. Actually, the field was small enough that something like over half the male runners would have had to have been in my age group for me not to qualify.
BUT... after jumping the gun post-Mendon I think I'll wait until the official results are on the USSSA website before I celebrate. Stay tuned...
JMH
The Burning Question...
Sunday, February 7, 2010
... well, maybe not a burning question, but I did launch this somewhat crazy weekend travelling all over Vermont (and a bit of MA and NY too!) in hopes of qualifying for Nationals at today's race. Even if I did have a really good time seeing some cool new places, meeting some fantastic new people, and even finding the time to finally get a haircut.
The tentative result is... yes. Actually, the field was small enough that something like over half the male runners would have had to have been in my age group for me not to qualify.
BUT... after jumping the gun post-Mendon I think I'll wait until the official results are on the USSSA website before I celebrate. Stay tuned...
JMH
GREEN MOUNTAIN TURTLE, Part 7 -
Back to the Empire State
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The first part of the drive was quite pretty, as I followed the shore of Lake Champlain with the sun setting behind the mountains across the lake in New York. Of course, eventually it was completely dark, and then it was just drive, drive, drive through the dark Vermont countryside. Most of the time I had no idea where I was, all I knew was that I was heading south following the directions on my TomTom. I don't know if it was the particular places I went today or what, but I was amazed at how few signs of so-called civilization there were... I think I was mostly passing through farm country. I wish I could have seen it in the daylight...
Once I was back in New York I followed some roads I've driven before and a few I haven't, and eventually found myself back on the Northway heading south the Albany. There's no question it was a long haul - about 3 hours of driving from Button Bay State Park to home - and it definitely felt good to get out of the car, even if that meant I had to lug all my stuff up to the house.
All in all, this was a good weekend, despite all the driving. I saw more of Vermont (and now find myself wanting to explore it even more) and visited some cool places (and some downright cold places.) Ran a fun race (with actual snow, no less) and met some great people. While I wish I'd had time to see even more, I think this qualifies as a successful weekend trip.
JMH
Back to the Empire State
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The first part of the drive was quite pretty, as I followed the shore of Lake Champlain with the sun setting behind the mountains across the lake in New York. Of course, eventually it was completely dark, and then it was just drive, drive, drive through the dark Vermont countryside. Most of the time I had no idea where I was, all I knew was that I was heading south following the directions on my TomTom. I don't know if it was the particular places I went today or what, but I was amazed at how few signs of so-called civilization there were... I think I was mostly passing through farm country. I wish I could have seen it in the daylight...
Once I was back in New York I followed some roads I've driven before and a few I haven't, and eventually found myself back on the Northway heading south the Albany. There's no question it was a long haul - about 3 hours of driving from Button Bay State Park to home - and it definitely felt good to get out of the car, even if that meant I had to lug all my stuff up to the house.
All in all, this was a good weekend, despite all the driving. I saw more of Vermont (and now find myself wanting to explore it even more) and visited some cool places (and some downright cold places.) Ran a fun race (with actual snow, no less) and met some great people. While I wish I'd had time to see even more, I think this qualifies as a successful weekend trip.
JMH
GREEN MOUNTAIN TURTLE, Part 6 -
A VERY Brief Visit to Button Bay State Park
Sunday, February 7, 2010
I definitely wanted to visit the Lake Champlain shoreline before heading back to New York, so I chose two places in my trail guides that were somewhat along the route home - Kingsland Bay State Park and Button Bay State Park, both in Ferrisburg. Kingsland Bay apparently is home to part of Vermont's small population of loons, and Button Bay boasts rocks rich in fossils as well as the remains of one of the oldest coral reefs in the world. Unfortunately, by the time I reached the Ferrisburg area it was getting near sunset, so I decided not to drive out to Kingsland Bay (about a half an hour round trip) and headed straight to Button Bay instead. I arrived at the park entrance to find only one gate open and decided that it would probably be best not to linger, just in case someone arrived to lock the gate for the night and didn't bother to check if anyone was parked down at the picnic area on the lakeshore.
Once I got out of the car I discovered another reason to make the visit brief - it was really freakin' cold! The wind was blowing off the lake and I wasn't wearing my windblocker gloves which meant my hands were aching in a matter of moments. The view of the mountains across the lake in NY was well worth it, though, and the sun sinking down behind them only made it even more beautiful. I doubt the photos I took will do the scene justice.
Jumped back in the car, turned the heater on full blast, and headed back out of the park through the still open gate, then down the road toward home. A short distance down the road I passed the Button Bay boat launch, which promised more views of the lake and the mountains, so I pulled in and once again froze snapping photos. But after that it really was time to make the 3 hour drive back to Albany.
JMH
A VERY Brief Visit to Button Bay State Park
Sunday, February 7, 2010
I definitely wanted to visit the Lake Champlain shoreline before heading back to New York, so I chose two places in my trail guides that were somewhat along the route home - Kingsland Bay State Park and Button Bay State Park, both in Ferrisburg. Kingsland Bay apparently is home to part of Vermont's small population of loons, and Button Bay boasts rocks rich in fossils as well as the remains of one of the oldest coral reefs in the world. Unfortunately, by the time I reached the Ferrisburg area it was getting near sunset, so I decided not to drive out to Kingsland Bay (about a half an hour round trip) and headed straight to Button Bay instead. I arrived at the park entrance to find only one gate open and decided that it would probably be best not to linger, just in case someone arrived to lock the gate for the night and didn't bother to check if anyone was parked down at the picnic area on the lakeshore.
Once I got out of the car I discovered another reason to make the visit brief - it was really freakin' cold! The wind was blowing off the lake and I wasn't wearing my windblocker gloves which meant my hands were aching in a matter of moments. The view of the mountains across the lake in NY was well worth it, though, and the sun sinking down behind them only made it even more beautiful. I doubt the photos I took will do the scene justice.
Jumped back in the car, turned the heater on full blast, and headed back out of the park through the still open gate, then down the road toward home. A short distance down the road I passed the Button Bay boat launch, which promised more views of the lake and the mountains, so I pulled in and once again froze snapping photos. But after that it really was time to make the 3 hour drive back to Albany.
JMH
Saturday, February 06, 2010
GREEN MOUNTAIN TURTLE, Part 2 -
Go Northwest, Old Turtle...
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Headed northwest from Northfield and made my way over to I91, which I took north into Vermont. Actually, the first stretch of highway driving took me about halfway up the Green Mountain State, roughly paralleling VT's eastern border and the Connecticut River, after which I headed northwest on I89 to the Burlington area.
Two things impressed me the most about my drive through VT. The first - mountains, mountains, and more mountains. I absolutely loved being surrounded by mountains for much of the ride. Yes, I know by some standards they aren't all that impressive; they're old, worn down, New England mountains rather than the rugged peaks out west. Regardless, I enjoy being surrounded by mountains, and today gave me lots of them to enjoy. I just wish I'd had more time to stop and see them. I had thought to make a side trip to Woodstock to hike up to one of the summits of Mt Tom (where I ran the inaugural Road to the Pogue trail race back in 2007) but decided to skip that - it was simply too far out of my way and would have probably meant arriving in Burlington after sunset, and I had places I wanted to visit out there.
The second thing I really liked about driving through VT was the lack of major development along the highway. When I drive across NY or MA, there are some wonderful stretches of countryside, but there are also plenty of cities and towns. What I saw in VT was mostly countryside. Looking at a map I realized after the fact that I had driven right past the state capitol, Montpelier... but I never would have guessed that from my surroundings.
I've often thought about taking time in the summer to visit some of the New England states for a couple of days... my idea is the essentially make a loop around whatever state I visit and each day spend my time running, hiking, or riding in as many cool parks and outdoor places as I can. If I ever manage to do that I'll probably start with Connecticut, both because I have friends there and because I'm more familiar with CT from my time going to school there... but there's no question that Vermont is now on my list as well.
JMH
Go Northwest, Old Turtle...
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Headed northwest from Northfield and made my way over to I91, which I took north into Vermont. Actually, the first stretch of highway driving took me about halfway up the Green Mountain State, roughly paralleling VT's eastern border and the Connecticut River, after which I headed northwest on I89 to the Burlington area.
Two things impressed me the most about my drive through VT. The first - mountains, mountains, and more mountains. I absolutely loved being surrounded by mountains for much of the ride. Yes, I know by some standards they aren't all that impressive; they're old, worn down, New England mountains rather than the rugged peaks out west. Regardless, I enjoy being surrounded by mountains, and today gave me lots of them to enjoy. I just wish I'd had more time to stop and see them. I had thought to make a side trip to Woodstock to hike up to one of the summits of Mt Tom (where I ran the inaugural Road to the Pogue trail race back in 2007) but decided to skip that - it was simply too far out of my way and would have probably meant arriving in Burlington after sunset, and I had places I wanted to visit out there.
The second thing I really liked about driving through VT was the lack of major development along the highway. When I drive across NY or MA, there are some wonderful stretches of countryside, but there are also plenty of cities and towns. What I saw in VT was mostly countryside. Looking at a map I realized after the fact that I had driven right past the state capitol, Montpelier... but I never would have guessed that from my surroundings.
I've often thought about taking time in the summer to visit some of the New England states for a couple of days... my idea is the essentially make a loop around whatever state I visit and each day spend my time running, hiking, or riding in as many cool parks and outdoor places as I can. If I ever manage to do that I'll probably start with Connecticut, both because I have friends there and because I'm more familiar with CT from my time going to school there... but there's no question that Vermont is now on my list as well.
JMH
GREEN MOUNTAIN TURTLE, Part 1 -
Season of the SnōShū 2010 - Race #8
Northfield Mountain 5.3mi Snowshoe Race
Saturday, February 6, 2010
If there's one thing I've learned from 5 seasons of snowshoeing it's to have faith in the race directors... if there's a way to hold a race (either with a modified course, at another site, or as a trail race) they'll do what needs to be done. Northfield was an excellent example of that. Ed was checking out possible backup sites if the race needed to move, but word came down late in the week that Northfield would definitely be a snowshoe race at Northfield Mountain. Good thing too, because during most of the ride there I saw nothing but brown and grey... the TomTom Ann gave me for Christmas more than proved its worth, plotting out a route that took me over roads I've never been on before and knocking 10 minutes off the driving time to boot!
It was colder at Northfield than in Albany, which left me wondering how to dress... in the end I threw on a windbreaker over my shirts, which may have been a mistake - I probably would have been plenty warm with all the climbing we did for the first two miles or so. We found out before the race that we'd be running primarily on the wide ski trails, since the snow was fairly thin in the woods (and even in a few spots on the trails) and that the course would end up being a little over 5 miles long.
As I've already mentioned, the first part of the course involved a lot of climbing to reach the top of the mountain... and gave me a few clues that it wasn't going to be a strong day for me. My legs felt sluggish all the way and something I'd eaten over the last day or so definitely wasn't sitting quite right. With the Vermont qualifier still to come tomorrow, I just took it easy, both on the hike to the top and the long, long descent back down to the bottom.
Often when we run at Northfield the course includes a short side-trip down to the observation platform above the reservoir. Northfield is a pumped storage hydroelectric facility, which means that when there's surplus electricity it's used to pump water into the reservoir on top of the mountain, and when more electricity is needed that water is released to power the generators. I don't know anything about FirstLight Power Resources as a power company, but they have definitely created some beautiful areas for outdoor recreation in conjunction with their power plants.
This year's course skipped the trip to the platform and simply took us down the road that we would usually find ourselves climbing... easy going for most folks, I suspect, but hard pounding on my legs and especially my knees. I was glad when we finally had a bit of singletrack, even with the sparse snow cover, though all too quickly we were back on the packed ski trails and heading down, down, down. No fault of RD Dave Dunham, that's simply what nature offered us this year.
One plus to not feeling at that great and taking it easy - I had a lot more time to look around and take in the sights on the descents (usually I'm trying to make up lost time from being a slow climber.) And Northfield has a lot of scenery to appreciate. Huge boulders and rocky outcroppings, evergreen forests with chickadees sounding like their laughing off in the trees, masses of icicles crawling down the rocks alongside the trails... on a sunny day it would have been breathtakingly gorgeous, with today's clouds it was merely an awesome place for a run.
One plus to the modified course - that one last hill before the final dash didn't make the cut this year, though there was a bare/icy patch that called for some caution on the long final downhill stretch. And at the very end I managed to find enough juice in my legs to make a convincing run for the finish... at least in my own mind.
After that we had the rare luxury of a heated building to stand around and visit in, before it was time to head back out on the road and begin my trek to northwestern VT in pursuit of the possibility of qualifying for Nationals. As always, it was great to spend time with my crazy friends, and this time around we owe a big thank you to Dave Dunham and his crew of volunteers who helped with everything from marking the course to registration to timing to making sure we had food to munch after the race. The weather has been uncooperative enough that I was convinced we'd be cancelling some events around now, but as always Dave and his helpers pulled out all the stops to show us a good (albeit for me a slow and knee-jarringly torturous) time.
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 34.0 mi, 8 hr 35 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Season of the SnōShū 2010 - Race #8
Northfield Mountain 5.3mi Snowshoe Race
Saturday, February 6, 2010
If there's one thing I've learned from 5 seasons of snowshoeing it's to have faith in the race directors... if there's a way to hold a race (either with a modified course, at another site, or as a trail race) they'll do what needs to be done. Northfield was an excellent example of that. Ed was checking out possible backup sites if the race needed to move, but word came down late in the week that Northfield would definitely be a snowshoe race at Northfield Mountain. Good thing too, because during most of the ride there I saw nothing but brown and grey... the TomTom Ann gave me for Christmas more than proved its worth, plotting out a route that took me over roads I've never been on before and knocking 10 minutes off the driving time to boot!
It was colder at Northfield than in Albany, which left me wondering how to dress... in the end I threw on a windbreaker over my shirts, which may have been a mistake - I probably would have been plenty warm with all the climbing we did for the first two miles or so. We found out before the race that we'd be running primarily on the wide ski trails, since the snow was fairly thin in the woods (and even in a few spots on the trails) and that the course would end up being a little over 5 miles long.
As I've already mentioned, the first part of the course involved a lot of climbing to reach the top of the mountain... and gave me a few clues that it wasn't going to be a strong day for me. My legs felt sluggish all the way and something I'd eaten over the last day or so definitely wasn't sitting quite right. With the Vermont qualifier still to come tomorrow, I just took it easy, both on the hike to the top and the long, long descent back down to the bottom.
Often when we run at Northfield the course includes a short side-trip down to the observation platform above the reservoir. Northfield is a pumped storage hydroelectric facility, which means that when there's surplus electricity it's used to pump water into the reservoir on top of the mountain, and when more electricity is needed that water is released to power the generators. I don't know anything about FirstLight Power Resources as a power company, but they have definitely created some beautiful areas for outdoor recreation in conjunction with their power plants.
This year's course skipped the trip to the platform and simply took us down the road that we would usually find ourselves climbing... easy going for most folks, I suspect, but hard pounding on my legs and especially my knees. I was glad when we finally had a bit of singletrack, even with the sparse snow cover, though all too quickly we were back on the packed ski trails and heading down, down, down. No fault of RD Dave Dunham, that's simply what nature offered us this year.
One plus to not feeling at that great and taking it easy - I had a lot more time to look around and take in the sights on the descents (usually I'm trying to make up lost time from being a slow climber.) And Northfield has a lot of scenery to appreciate. Huge boulders and rocky outcroppings, evergreen forests with chickadees sounding like their laughing off in the trees, masses of icicles crawling down the rocks alongside the trails... on a sunny day it would have been breathtakingly gorgeous, with today's clouds it was merely an awesome place for a run.
One plus to the modified course - that one last hill before the final dash didn't make the cut this year, though there was a bare/icy patch that called for some caution on the long final downhill stretch. And at the very end I managed to find enough juice in my legs to make a convincing run for the finish... at least in my own mind.
After that we had the rare luxury of a heated building to stand around and visit in, before it was time to head back out on the road and begin my trek to northwestern VT in pursuit of the possibility of qualifying for Nationals. As always, it was great to spend time with my crazy friends, and this time around we owe a big thank you to Dave Dunham and his crew of volunteers who helped with everything from marking the course to registration to timing to making sure we had food to munch after the race. The weather has been uncooperative enough that I was convinced we'd be cancelling some events around now, but as always Dave and his helpers pulled out all the stops to show us a good (albeit for me a slow and knee-jarringly torturous) time.
JMH
2010 Event Totals
Run
Bike
Snowshoe 34.0 mi, 8 hr 35 min
states visited: MA, NY, VT
Friday, February 05, 2010
FIRST RIDE OF 2010
11.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, February 5, 2010
My original plan was to go for a walk after work, but then I got to thinking about how clear the bike path was... and next thing I knew I was pulling on riding gear and loading my mountain bike on the car.
Good thing I chose the ATB, because the minor storm we had mid-week left a thin layer of snow and ice in spots along the path, but nothing knobby tires couldn't handle with a little care.
I rode out to Lock 7 and then over to the waste water treatment plant. Passed a few folks walking and one fellow riding, but since it was a grey chilly day there weren't too many people out and about. I heard the usual suspects - robins, chickadees, and cardinals - but didn't spot any, they were doing a pretty good job keeping under cover. A raft of ducks flew overhead while I was at the lock, and a couple of times I saw bunnies and a red squirrel go scampering off into the bushes as I approached.
I took it pretty easy overall, between having a race tomorrow and not having been on a bike for two months... but I definitely need to start putting in more time pedaling, what with my first du of the year coming almost a month earlier than usual...
JMH
11.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, February 5, 2010
My original plan was to go for a walk after work, but then I got to thinking about how clear the bike path was... and next thing I knew I was pulling on riding gear and loading my mountain bike on the car.
Good thing I chose the ATB, because the minor storm we had mid-week left a thin layer of snow and ice in spots along the path, but nothing knobby tires couldn't handle with a little care.
I rode out to Lock 7 and then over to the waste water treatment plant. Passed a few folks walking and one fellow riding, but since it was a grey chilly day there weren't too many people out and about. I heard the usual suspects - robins, chickadees, and cardinals - but didn't spot any, they were doing a pretty good job keeping under cover. A raft of ducks flew overhead while I was at the lock, and a couple of times I saw bunnies and a red squirrel go scampering off into the bushes as I approached.
I took it pretty easy overall, between having a race tomorrow and not having been on a bike for two months... but I definitely need to start putting in more time pedaling, what with my first du of the year coming almost a month earlier than usual...
JMH
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Sigh... More "Habitat Restoration"...
5 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Headed over to the Blueberry Hills (aka Columbia Circle) section of the Pine Bush for some running this evening, and managed to get in a mile or so before it got dark enough that I needed the headlamp. Definitely a nice change!
Unfortunately, when I got to the Blueberry Hills West trails there were signs warning of trail closures, so I knew what was probably ahead - more Pine Bush "habitat restoration", which typically consists of huge swathes of trees being cut down and the ground cleared of all but a few native trees, in an attempt to get rid of invasive species (black locust seems to be the main target) and eventually return the area to a more native habitat. I understand and can even support the principle - the Pine Bush habitat is environmentally unique and under 20% remains "wild", with the existing sections fragmented by roads and development. So I can see the need to preserve the original habitat as much as possible.
At the same time, I lament the loss of some beautiful woods, even if they consisted primarily of non-native species. And in this case, not only have the woods been razed, but doing so has removed the trees blocking the view of a large industrial complex adjacent to the Pine Bush. Another section that I have loved running through because it was filled with an abundance of twisted, ganrly little trees looking like something out of a fantasy novel is now being cleared, leaving behind bare slopes. The Pine Bush Commission has really stepped up its efforts in "habitat restoration" over the last few years, including a recent "thinning" of a section of native pines (almost all of the trees were removed) and I sometimes find myself wondering - in a few more years will there be any woods at all to visit there, or will it all be open dunes?
Oh, well, I guess I should be grateful there are plenty of other wooded areas for me to run and walk in around here and appreciate the fact that the Pine Bush is there at all (and open to recreational use.) And I am... but there are times when I really miss the woods I've been running in for almost 10 years now.
No critter sightings tonight, though I did see more than a few tracks in the light layer of snow that covered a lot of the areas I ran.
My legs are definitely feeling the effects of over 12 miles in two evenings... I had hoped to do one more short run tomorrow night but instead I think it will be a rest day, since I have a fairly active weekend coming up.
JMH
5 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Headed over to the Blueberry Hills (aka Columbia Circle) section of the Pine Bush for some running this evening, and managed to get in a mile or so before it got dark enough that I needed the headlamp. Definitely a nice change!
Unfortunately, when I got to the Blueberry Hills West trails there were signs warning of trail closures, so I knew what was probably ahead - more Pine Bush "habitat restoration", which typically consists of huge swathes of trees being cut down and the ground cleared of all but a few native trees, in an attempt to get rid of invasive species (black locust seems to be the main target) and eventually return the area to a more native habitat. I understand and can even support the principle - the Pine Bush habitat is environmentally unique and under 20% remains "wild", with the existing sections fragmented by roads and development. So I can see the need to preserve the original habitat as much as possible.
At the same time, I lament the loss of some beautiful woods, even if they consisted primarily of non-native species. And in this case, not only have the woods been razed, but doing so has removed the trees blocking the view of a large industrial complex adjacent to the Pine Bush. Another section that I have loved running through because it was filled with an abundance of twisted, ganrly little trees looking like something out of a fantasy novel is now being cleared, leaving behind bare slopes. The Pine Bush Commission has really stepped up its efforts in "habitat restoration" over the last few years, including a recent "thinning" of a section of native pines (almost all of the trees were removed) and I sometimes find myself wondering - in a few more years will there be any woods at all to visit there, or will it all be open dunes?
Oh, well, I guess I should be grateful there are plenty of other wooded areas for me to run and walk in around here and appreciate the fact that the Pine Bush is there at all (and open to recreational use.) And I am... but there are times when I really miss the woods I've been running in for almost 10 years now.
No critter sightings tonight, though I did see more than a few tracks in the light layer of snow that covered a lot of the areas I ran.
My legs are definitely feeling the effects of over 12 miles in two evenings... I had hoped to do one more short run tomorrow night but instead I think it will be a rest day, since I have a fairly active weekend coming up.
JMH
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
7.6 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
It was surprisingly damp and chilly during my run on the bike path this evening... must have been a precursor to the storm that moved in as I was driving home. The clouds also made it quite a bit darker than it has been the last few times I was over there, and at times I was glad I brought a light with me.
I ran west from the Niskayuna Lions Park to Blatnick Park at the top of the old landfill. The path was clear over to Lock 7 Rd and then had a mix of a few very icy spots - so much so that I thought I'd have to turn back and finish my run in the other direction - and a light layer of snow. I kept my light on most of the time through the stretch between Lock 7 Rd and Blatnick Park just to make sure I avoided the ice, but for the most part the footing was fine and the snow was a nice break from pounding along the pavement.
The view from the top of the landfill was nice, with the frozen river stretching off into the darkness, light occasionally by lights of nearby houses, Lock 7, and the power plant. It was a much quieter night than last Wednesday - the ice and water have basically settled, so all the crunching and cracking noises weren't there. No beavers at the start, but I did hear one out on the ice gnawing away when I got back... unfortunately my light wasn't strong enough for me to see him.
Best of all, I upped my distance a bit again, without any bad aftereffects. I don't know if I'll be running any marathons this year, but I should definitely be able to be ready for half marathon distances by the end of March... a good thing, since I'm already signed up for one in April!
JMH
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
It was surprisingly damp and chilly during my run on the bike path this evening... must have been a precursor to the storm that moved in as I was driving home. The clouds also made it quite a bit darker than it has been the last few times I was over there, and at times I was glad I brought a light with me.
I ran west from the Niskayuna Lions Park to Blatnick Park at the top of the old landfill. The path was clear over to Lock 7 Rd and then had a mix of a few very icy spots - so much so that I thought I'd have to turn back and finish my run in the other direction - and a light layer of snow. I kept my light on most of the time through the stretch between Lock 7 Rd and Blatnick Park just to make sure I avoided the ice, but for the most part the footing was fine and the snow was a nice break from pounding along the pavement.
The view from the top of the landfill was nice, with the frozen river stretching off into the darkness, light occasionally by lights of nearby houses, Lock 7, and the power plant. It was a much quieter night than last Wednesday - the ice and water have basically settled, so all the crunching and cracking noises weren't there. No beavers at the start, but I did hear one out on the ice gnawing away when I got back... unfortunately my light wasn't strong enough for me to see him.
Best of all, I upped my distance a bit again, without any bad aftereffects. I don't know if I'll be running any marathons this year, but I should definitely be able to be ready for half marathon distances by the end of March... a good thing, since I'm already signed up for one in April!
JMH
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