the Way of the Turtle

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