Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Friday, October 26, 2018
12.6 Mile Ride Through the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Friday, October 26, 2018
This morning would have been perfect weather for a fall ride. Chilly but sunny. By afternoon a lot of the sun had disappeared behind clouds, so it was colder - but still a decent day for a ride. Between the time of day and the weather traffic on the path was sparse, which is always a plus.
Friday, October 26, 2018
This morning would have been perfect weather for a fall ride. Chilly but sunny. By afternoon a lot of the sun had disappeared behind clouds, so it was colder - but still a decent day for a ride. Between the time of day and the weather traffic on the path was sparse, which is always a plus.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon Trail Race
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Because who am I kidding? What I thought was going to be a year where I maintained and extended the distances I was running - hasn't been. The good news is, I've run enough half's that I can finish one even when I'm really not in shape for the distance. But it isn't pretty and the recovery afterwards isn't especially fun.
It's never really clear what HGH will throw at us. One year we had so much snow that the park required the race to be cancelled, and there have been others where it was a perfect fall morning. The main thing I'll remember about this year is the wind and the cold. The temperatures weren't anything especially traumatic - right around 40 degrees at the start - but the windchill was brutal, and the temperature actually dropped while we were running.
But, thanks to the 45 minute early start I was given (thanks guys you're the best!) I was able to officially finish the entire race... with my slowest time yet, but I did finish.
I do miss the older courses, though... one of the things I enjoyed the most about this race is that it followed trails that aren't used in any other races at Thacher, and only had a couple of short stretches where we ran back on the same trail we ran out on. The current course is essentially two lollipops, with a lot of overlap with the Indian Ladder 15k, and I miss running on the trails we no longer use. I still visit them on my own - but it would also be nice to still have that variety during the race too.
2018 Event Totals
Run 262.7 mi, 70 hr 44 minBike 62.4 mi, 5 hr 5 min
Snowshoe 17.5 mi, 5 hr 12 min
Kayak 0 mi, 0 hr 0 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
Saturday, October 20, 2018
SOMETIMES IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS...
Saturday, October 20, 2018
... like finding out this afternoon that I can have a 45 minute early start for the Hairy Gorilla Trail Half Marathon tomorrow morning.
The last time I ran this race, I darn near killed myself to make the time cutoff at the 5.75 mi mark, and then was dragging for the remaining 7.5 miles. This time I should have plenty of time and might even manage a more consistent pace.
Happy, happy, happy!
JMH
Saturday, October 20, 2018
... like finding out this afternoon that I can have a 45 minute early start for the Hairy Gorilla Trail Half Marathon tomorrow morning.
The last time I ran this race, I darn near killed myself to make the time cutoff at the 5.75 mi mark, and then was dragging for the remaining 7.5 miles. This time I should have plenty of time and might even manage a more consistent pace.
Happy, happy, happy!
JMH
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Sunday, October 14, 2018
DEFINITELY FALL...
30.4 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path, the Erie Canalway Trail, the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook, & Through Riverlink Park
Sunday, October 14, 2018
I had been planning to either head to Monroe State Forest to run the Monroe Dunbar Brook course or to South Egremont to run the AT between there and Sheffield. Unfortunately today was expected to be the best (and most importantly, warmest) weather for the next week, so I ditched that plan and decided to put in miles on the bike instead.
The new section of trail between Pattersonville and Amsterdam was just as sweet now that it's officially open. I briefly thought about how cool it would be to go all the way to Fort Hunter but then did the math in my head - no way I have a 44 mile ride in my legs at this time (and probably not until after spring 2019, since we're heading into that part of the year where it is increasingly difficult to do longer rides.) But I did get to the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook park & Riverlink park before heading back east.
JMH
30.4 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path, the Erie Canalway Trail, the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook, & Through Riverlink Park
Sunday, October 14, 2018
I had been planning to either head to Monroe State Forest to run the Monroe Dunbar Brook course or to South Egremont to run the AT between there and Sheffield. Unfortunately today was expected to be the best (and most importantly, warmest) weather for the next week, so I ditched that plan and decided to put in miles on the bike instead.
The new section of trail between Pattersonville and Amsterdam was just as sweet now that it's officially open. I briefly thought about how cool it would be to go all the way to Fort Hunter but then did the math in my head - no way I have a 44 mile ride in my legs at this time (and probably not until after spring 2019, since we're heading into that part of the year where it is increasingly difficult to do longer rides.) But I did get to the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook park & Riverlink park before heading back east.
JMH
Saturday, October 13, 2018
GOING THE DISTANCE 2018 - Race #43
The Great Pumpkin Chase 10k Road Race
(plus 2.3 miles to the start & back afterwards)
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Bike 62.4 mi, 5 hr 5 min
Snowshoe 17.5 mi, 5 hr 12 min
Kayak 0 mi, 0 hr 0 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
The Great Pumpkin Chase 10k Road Race
(plus 2.3 miles to the start & back afterwards)
Saturday, October 13, 2018
2018 Event Totals
Run 249.6 mi, 67 hr 14 minBike 62.4 mi, 5 hr 5 min
Snowshoe 17.5 mi, 5 hr 12 min
Kayak 0 mi, 0 hr 0 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
Friday, October 12, 2018
6.1 Mile Run Through Saratoga Spa State Park
Friday, October 12, 2018
Stopped at Saratoga Bridges this afternoon to pick up my race packet and took the opportunity to head over to the park for some easy running on mostly the 5 Mile Loop trails. Wonderful fall weather, one of my favorite times of the year to run. Lots of people out and about in the park, especially XC teams getting ready for tomorrow's big meet.
For some reason my Garmin wouldn't pick up the satellites for quite a while - I was about 1.4 miles in before it started working as more than just a watch. So that's missing from the map of today's route - climbing Ferndell and looping through the woods on top of the ridge before heading back down on the trail along the SPAC fenceline and past the geyser and environmental education center before crossing the creek on the 1st footbridge.
Tomorrow it's back to the park for a 10k entirely on roads and paved paths.
JMH
Friday, October 12, 2018
Stopped at Saratoga Bridges this afternoon to pick up my race packet and took the opportunity to head over to the park for some easy running on mostly the 5 Mile Loop trails. Wonderful fall weather, one of my favorite times of the year to run. Lots of people out and about in the park, especially XC teams getting ready for tomorrow's big meet.
For some reason my Garmin wouldn't pick up the satellites for quite a while - I was about 1.4 miles in before it started working as more than just a watch. So that's missing from the map of today's route - climbing Ferndell and looping through the woods on top of the ridge before heading back down on the trail along the SPAC fenceline and past the geyser and environmental education center before crossing the creek on the 1st footbridge.
Tomorrow it's back to the park for a 10k entirely on roads and paved paths.
JMH
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
15 Mile Ride on the Albany County Rail Trail
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Tons of traffic on the rail trail tonight, including multiple bikes with annoying ultra-bright lights - why these people think they need a freakin' spotlight to ride at dusk is beyond me, and it makes it very difficult to ride toward them because you end up blinded by their light as you get close enough to go by them.
Looks like it's going to be a little bit more challenging to access the trail for the next month - there's a sign up indicating there's going to be construction at the Slingerlands parking lot. At a guess they're going to pave it.
JMH
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Tons of traffic on the rail trail tonight, including multiple bikes with annoying ultra-bright lights - why these people think they need a freakin' spotlight to ride at dusk is beyond me, and it makes it very difficult to ride toward them because you end up blinded by their light as you get close enough to go by them.
Looks like it's going to be a little bit more challenging to access the trail for the next month - there's a sign up indicating there's going to be construction at the Slingerlands parking lot. At a guess they're going to pave it.
JMH
Monday, October 08, 2018
STRANGE AND BIZARRE... IN A GOOD WAY
Monday, October 8, 2018
I moved to my current apartment just about 19 years ago, and for much of that time I did my laundry at the Playdium Laudromat just two blocks away, next to the somewhat historic Playdium Bowling Center. The place was big, clean, and if I picked my times to go there carefully (weekday mornings were best) I could use as many washers and dryers as I wanted, which was handy since I'd wait a couple of months and do a huge laundry run (supplemented when I visit Rochester by Ann's washer and dryer, where I would do a bag or two of laundry per visit.)
Except when I went by there late this spring, there were signs up saying the place was closed. And a little while later I found out that the property had been sold to a developer to build a trio of fancy apartment buildings along with some commercial space. (More info can be found here.)
I tried one other local laundromat over the summer but wasn't thrilled with the results, so I'd been planning to check out a few others. Then for some reason Facebook gave me an ad for an "apartment sized" washer-dryer combo that someone was selling. I actually have the hookups down in my dungeon of a basement but couldn't see any way to get the actual appliances down the very narrow stairs, which conveniently have a 90 degree turn halfway down (as an example, I've found that it's easier to take the wheels off my fat bike when I bring it upstairs for the winter and downstairs for the spring, summer, and fall - and even then it's very difficult to get the frame up and down the steps.) But a few weeks ago curiosity got the better of me again, and I did a little searching and discovered that there are some very reasonably priced small washers and dryers out there. And for approximately the same cost as my most recent pair of glasses, I now have a washer and dryer in the basement after 30 years of mainly using laundromats.
It's very strange after all these years to walk down to the basement and put clothes in a washer and dryer... but it's a good strange, and I'm really looking forward to not spending 2-3 hours in a laundromat every few months, now that I can easily do the same chore a couple of times a week.
Monday, October 8, 2018
I moved to my current apartment just about 19 years ago, and for much of that time I did my laundry at the Playdium Laudromat just two blocks away, next to the somewhat historic Playdium Bowling Center. The place was big, clean, and if I picked my times to go there carefully (weekday mornings were best) I could use as many washers and dryers as I wanted, which was handy since I'd wait a couple of months and do a huge laundry run (supplemented when I visit Rochester by Ann's washer and dryer, where I would do a bag or two of laundry per visit.)
Except when I went by there late this spring, there were signs up saying the place was closed. And a little while later I found out that the property had been sold to a developer to build a trio of fancy apartment buildings along with some commercial space. (More info can be found here.)
I tried one other local laundromat over the summer but wasn't thrilled with the results, so I'd been planning to check out a few others. Then for some reason Facebook gave me an ad for an "apartment sized" washer-dryer combo that someone was selling. I actually have the hookups down in my dungeon of a basement but couldn't see any way to get the actual appliances down the very narrow stairs, which conveniently have a 90 degree turn halfway down (as an example, I've found that it's easier to take the wheels off my fat bike when I bring it upstairs for the winter and downstairs for the spring, summer, and fall - and even then it's very difficult to get the frame up and down the steps.) But a few weeks ago curiosity got the better of me again, and I did a little searching and discovered that there are some very reasonably priced small washers and dryers out there. And for approximately the same cost as my most recent pair of glasses, I now have a washer and dryer in the basement after 30 years of mainly using laundromats.
It's very strange after all these years to walk down to the basement and put clothes in a washer and dryer... but it's a good strange, and I'm really looking forward to not spending 2-3 hours in a laundromat every few months, now that I can easily do the same chore a couple of times a week.
JMH
Sunday, October 07, 2018
Saturday, October 06, 2018
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
