19.5 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
FEATHERED FRIENDS
A Bad Morning for Starlings
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A little bit over a year ago I put a bird feeder in the tree outside Ann's front window so that we could watch the birds that came to feed throughout the winter. I'd put one in the back yard years ago, but sitting on the unheated back porch in the winter isn't an option, and because of its distance from the house she rarely filled it in any case. Last winter we saw a great variety of birds - chickadees, finches, blue jays, juncos, nuthatches, cardinals, mourning doves, and woodpeckers. This winter hasn't been quite as interesting - fewer chickadees (for some reason those little guys always amuse me), finches, and juncos, with a rather large flock of sparrows spending the most time chowing down on the seed we'd bought.
This visit I started seeing starlings in her yard again - another bird that often amuses me, as they strut around looking for food. Today I noticed a group foraging under a tree at the end of Ann's driveway, so I reached for my camera to snap some pictures... and was very surprised when a grey bird about the size of a large pigeon appeared in the midst of the starlings, who promptly blasted away as quick as they could. The newcomer didn't stick around for long, but he did pause long enough for me to see that he was some kind of small raptor, probably a sharp-shinned hawk or cooper's hawk (what can I say, I love http://www.whatbird.com/ !) that was looking to make a meal of a starling. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera ready, nor did I think to check under the tree for starling feathers, so I don't know if the hawk reduced the starling population by one or not. I do know the starlings didn't come back the rest of the time I was there this morning!
JMH
A Bad Morning for Starlings
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A little bit over a year ago I put a bird feeder in the tree outside Ann's front window so that we could watch the birds that came to feed throughout the winter. I'd put one in the back yard years ago, but sitting on the unheated back porch in the winter isn't an option, and because of its distance from the house she rarely filled it in any case. Last winter we saw a great variety of birds - chickadees, finches, blue jays, juncos, nuthatches, cardinals, mourning doves, and woodpeckers. This winter hasn't been quite as interesting - fewer chickadees (for some reason those little guys always amuse me), finches, and juncos, with a rather large flock of sparrows spending the most time chowing down on the seed we'd bought.
This visit I started seeing starlings in her yard again - another bird that often amuses me, as they strut around looking for food. Today I noticed a group foraging under a tree at the end of Ann's driveway, so I reached for my camera to snap some pictures... and was very surprised when a grey bird about the size of a large pigeon appeared in the midst of the starlings, who promptly blasted away as quick as they could. The newcomer didn't stick around for long, but he did pause long enough for me to see that he was some kind of small raptor, probably a sharp-shinned hawk or cooper's hawk (what can I say, I love http://www.whatbird.com/ !) that was looking to make a meal of a starling. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera ready, nor did I think to check under the tree for starling feathers, so I don't know if the hawk reduced the starling population by one or not. I do know the starlings didn't come back the rest of the time I was there this morning!
JMH
Monday, March 16, 2009
LOOKING FOR OWLS & HAWKS
1.5 Mile Walk at Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center & Braddock Bay Park
Monday, March 16, 2009
Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center site
West of Rochester along the Lake Ontario shoreline, Braddock Bay is a natural stopover point for migrating hawks, eagles, owls, and vultures, as they head north to their breeding grounds in the spring. Raptors use thermal air currents to conserve energy and glide as they fly, and since thermals are unreliable over the lake, they tend to fly along the shoreline rather than directly across the water. In a typical year over 100,000 raptors will pass through the area.
The Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center maintains a nature preserve for protecting and studying raptors as they migrate, including a hawk banding blind where visitors can actually watch hawks being captured, banded, and released. Ann and I headed up there this evening in hopes of seeing some hawks and owls. We heard owls hooting when we first entered the woods, but didn't actually see any as we followed the trail through the evergreen groves. We then headed through the woods toward the lakeshore, but unfortunately the path got too wet and we ended up turning back. Sadly, no hawks or owls were in sight on the trip back either.
On our way home we stopped at nearby Braddock Bay Park to see what we could see. No hawks or owls, but we did see lots of red-winged blackbirds in the wetlands along the shore, a few mallards, and a huge flock of birds that gathered in several trees as the sun was getting low in the sky. Quite the racket they made! It was especially interesting to watch them fly from one tree to another... first a few birds would take off, then the bulk of the flock with follow, almost moving like a single organism... pretty cool.
So no hawks or owls this evening... but at least we got to see a nice sunset as we were leaving.
As a side note, the BBRRC runs a number of informative programs for those interested in raptors... for more info, check out their upcoming events page.
JMH
1.5 Mile Walk at Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center & Braddock Bay Park
Monday, March 16, 2009
Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center site
West of Rochester along the Lake Ontario shoreline, Braddock Bay is a natural stopover point for migrating hawks, eagles, owls, and vultures, as they head north to their breeding grounds in the spring. Raptors use thermal air currents to conserve energy and glide as they fly, and since thermals are unreliable over the lake, they tend to fly along the shoreline rather than directly across the water. In a typical year over 100,000 raptors will pass through the area.
The Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center maintains a nature preserve for protecting and studying raptors as they migrate, including a hawk banding blind where visitors can actually watch hawks being captured, banded, and released. Ann and I headed up there this evening in hopes of seeing some hawks and owls. We heard owls hooting when we first entered the woods, but didn't actually see any as we followed the trail through the evergreen groves. We then headed through the woods toward the lakeshore, but unfortunately the path got too wet and we ended up turning back. Sadly, no hawks or owls were in sight on the trip back either.
On our way home we stopped at nearby Braddock Bay Park to see what we could see. No hawks or owls, but we did see lots of red-winged blackbirds in the wetlands along the shore, a few mallards, and a huge flock of birds that gathered in several trees as the sun was getting low in the sky. Quite the racket they made! It was especially interesting to watch them fly from one tree to another... first a few birds would take off, then the bulk of the flock with follow, almost moving like a single organism... pretty cool.
So no hawks or owls this evening... but at least we got to see a nice sunset as we were leaving.
As a side note, the BBRRC runs a number of informative programs for those interested in raptors... for more info, check out their upcoming events page.
JMH
4 Mile Run in Genesee Valley Park
Monday, March 16, 2009
Yesterday I wasn't sure I'd be going for a run today, but lots of sleep and a bit of cold medicine seemed to have my cold on its way out (or at least moving down into my chest) so I tried a short easy run at Genesee Valley Park this afternoon before picking Ann up after work. While my lack of speed was frustrating (I remember running the same loop years ago in about 40 minutes... I used to run it twice during Ann's softball games in the park) it was a good day for a run, and I'm hopeful I'll be able to do a longer (8-10 miles) one tomorrow on my way back to Albany.
JMH
Monday, March 16, 2009
Yesterday I wasn't sure I'd be going for a run today, but lots of sleep and a bit of cold medicine seemed to have my cold on its way out (or at least moving down into my chest) so I tried a short easy run at Genesee Valley Park this afternoon before picking Ann up after work. While my lack of speed was frustrating (I remember running the same loop years ago in about 40 minutes... I used to run it twice during Ann's softball games in the park) it was a good day for a run, and I'm hopeful I'll be able to do a longer (8-10 miles) one tomorrow on my way back to Albany.
JMH
Sunday, March 15, 2009
3.2 Mile Walk Along the Genesee Riverway at Turning Point Park & Ontario Beach Park
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Not the best start to the day - woke up with a cold (sneezing, sniffles, tired... bleah) which made the drive out to Rochester seem much longer than usual. But when I got there it was another gorgeous warm, sunny afternoon, so Ann and I decided to go over the Turning Point Park and Ontario Beach Park for a bit of walking.
Turning Point was packed with people - there were only a couple of parking spots left when we arrived, and there were walkers, runners, riders, and fishing people there pretty much the entire time. Guess everyone enjoys a nice March afternoon! We walked almost to the other side of the boardwalk. Not as much wildlife when we were there in February... we spotted a few mallards, gulls, red-winged backbirds, and two swans (one of whom looked like she had nesting in mind.) The mergansers flew by once, but we didn't see any swimming. The wind blowing along the river also cooled things down quite a bit, so I was glad I'd brought a heavier jacket that I could change into at Ontario Beach.
No surprise, lots of people at Ontario Beach Park too. We walked out on the long concrete jetty and checked out the numerous gulls and mallards. Further out along the jetty there was a flock of birds in the water that we first thought were gulls, but then they started diving underwater and the zoom on my camera showed that they were some kind of duck. Spent a while watching them and listening to their call, which led us to refer to them as "barking ducks" for the rest of the time we were there. (Checking my field guide and www.whatbird.com revealed that they are actually called Long-tailed ducks, mostly due to the long pinfeathers that extend out behind the males.)
Walked out to the light at the end of the jetty, and I spent a while figuring out how to use the timer on my camera so we could get a picture together. On the way back to shore we passed a fellow with a bag of bread who incited a feeding frenzy with the gulls, and I contributed with some potato chips I brought to throw to the birds. Got some neat photos of the gulls swooping around, though the lack of a viewfinder makes it really tough to get a zoomed photo of a flying bird... maybe I'll get better at that in time. (Or I'll just keep using my old camera for shots like that.) Watched the ducks for a little while longer (it's a trip watching them dive under and pop back up a little while later) and then headed back to the car for the drive home and some dinner.
JMH
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Not the best start to the day - woke up with a cold (sneezing, sniffles, tired... bleah) which made the drive out to Rochester seem much longer than usual. But when I got there it was another gorgeous warm, sunny afternoon, so Ann and I decided to go over the Turning Point Park and Ontario Beach Park for a bit of walking.
Turning Point was packed with people - there were only a couple of parking spots left when we arrived, and there were walkers, runners, riders, and fishing people there pretty much the entire time. Guess everyone enjoys a nice March afternoon! We walked almost to the other side of the boardwalk. Not as much wildlife when we were there in February... we spotted a few mallards, gulls, red-winged backbirds, and two swans (one of whom looked like she had nesting in mind.) The mergansers flew by once, but we didn't see any swimming. The wind blowing along the river also cooled things down quite a bit, so I was glad I'd brought a heavier jacket that I could change into at Ontario Beach.
No surprise, lots of people at Ontario Beach Park too. We walked out on the long concrete jetty and checked out the numerous gulls and mallards. Further out along the jetty there was a flock of birds in the water that we first thought were gulls, but then they started diving underwater and the zoom on my camera showed that they were some kind of duck. Spent a while watching them and listening to their call, which led us to refer to them as "barking ducks" for the rest of the time we were there. (Checking my field guide and www.whatbird.com revealed that they are actually called Long-tailed ducks, mostly due to the long pinfeathers that extend out behind the males.)
Walked out to the light at the end of the jetty, and I spent a while figuring out how to use the timer on my camera so we could get a picture together. On the way back to shore we passed a fellow with a bag of bread who incited a feeding frenzy with the gulls, and I contributed with some potato chips I brought to throw to the birds. Got some neat photos of the gulls swooping around, though the lack of a viewfinder makes it really tough to get a zoomed photo of a flying bird... maybe I'll get better at that in time. (Or I'll just keep using my old camera for shots like that.) Watched the ducks for a little while longer (it's a trip watching them dive under and pop back up a little while later) and then headed back to the car for the drive home and some dinner.
JMH
Hawks, Hawks, & More Hawks
Sunday, March 15, 2009
One of the signs that spring is on its way is the return of the hawks to our neck of the woods. While they can be found year-round in the northeast, their numbers definitely seem to drop in the winter (I'm assuming they head to warmer areas where food is more readily available) so that their population seems to explode as they migrate back in the spring. Yesterday I saw at least half a dozen during my drive to and from Northfield; today as I was driving to Rochester, I saw easily double that along the Thruway, including this fellow who was perched in a tree near the Schuyler rest stop parking lot, a few miles east of exit 31.
Unfortunately, after a minute or so of my taking pictures he decided he'd had enough and flew off across a nearby field. But at least I managed to get a few photos before he took off, unlike all the hawks I passed while driving - even I'm not crazy enough to pull over to the shoulder on the Thruway just to snap pictures!
JMH
Sunday, March 15, 2009
One of the signs that spring is on its way is the return of the hawks to our neck of the woods. While they can be found year-round in the northeast, their numbers definitely seem to drop in the winter (I'm assuming they head to warmer areas where food is more readily available) so that their population seems to explode as they migrate back in the spring. Yesterday I saw at least half a dozen during my drive to and from Northfield; today as I was driving to Rochester, I saw easily double that along the Thruway, including this fellow who was perched in a tree near the Schuyler rest stop parking lot, a few miles east of exit 31.
Unfortunately, after a minute or so of my taking pictures he decided he'd had enough and flew off across a nearby field. But at least I managed to get a few photos before he took off, unlike all the hawks I passed while driving - even I'm not crazy enough to pull over to the shoulder on the Thruway just to snap pictures!
JMH
Saturday, March 14, 2009
4.6 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Saturday, March 14, 2009
A short run, but then I did run a 4 mile snowshoe race up and down Northfield Mountain this morning...
Since I wanted to get in a few more realtively easy miles, I headed over to Rensselaer Lake Park and ran the trails around the lake and into the Pine Bush. Today was another gorgeous sunny day, warm enough to run in shorts and a shirt. I'm definitely looking forward to these days outnumbering the cold ones...
There were a decent number of limbs down in the park, but the Pine Bush trails were mostly clear. It felt good to be out on the trails again... that section of the Pine Bush always brings back memories of the 2005 Dodge the Deer 5k, the first race I did when I got back to running regularly again.
Left the cameras at home because I wanted to concentrate on running, so of course right after I got out of the car I saw a pair of nuthatches looking for food. Over by the lake I spent a little while watching the antics of a group of mallards... they're good in the water, but pretty comical hustling across the ice... guess I should have brought a camera after all.
JMH
Saturday, March 14, 2009
A short run, but then I did run a 4 mile snowshoe race up and down Northfield Mountain this morning...
Since I wanted to get in a few more realtively easy miles, I headed over to Rensselaer Lake Park and ran the trails around the lake and into the Pine Bush. Today was another gorgeous sunny day, warm enough to run in shorts and a shirt. I'm definitely looking forward to these days outnumbering the cold ones...
There were a decent number of limbs down in the park, but the Pine Bush trails were mostly clear. It felt good to be out on the trails again... that section of the Pine Bush always brings back memories of the 2005 Dodge the Deer 5k, the first race I did when I got back to running regularly again.
Left the cameras at home because I wanted to concentrate on running, so of course right after I got out of the car I saw a pair of nuthatches looking for food. Over by the lake I spent a little while watching the antics of a group of mallards... they're good in the water, but pretty comical hustling across the ice... guess I should have brought a camera after all.
JMH
Season of the SnōShū 2009 - Race #14
MA State Championships 4.1 Mile Snowshoe Race
Saturday, March 14, 2009
2009 MA State Championships results
I considered skipping this week's race at Northfield Mountain... it's a longish drive there, and I'd run there once already this season, plus this weekend is the start of my two-week spring break and I want to get out to Rochester to spend some time with Ann. But in the end the chance to do another snowshoe race won out, and the pre-dawn hours this morning found me racing to Northfield, MA, in time to register and change into my running gear.
Crowd was a little smaller than many of the races this winter, but lots of familiar faces. Chatted with a couple of folks before hand, then Dave D. gave us a few instructions about the course (mainly that some of the downhill stretches were icy) and off we went.
Today's run was different from the race a little over a month ago in that we ran almost exclusively on the groomed ski trails, which are wide enough that in most spots you could easily drive a truck down them, and while we did a lot of climbing we didn't go all the way to the reservoir at the top of the mountain. As with many of the WMAC races, we started with a long climb, followed by a nice gentle downhill... unfortunately, that just meant we had even more climbing to do before reaching the highest point on the course.
One effect of the small race field - not too many of us at the back of the pack. There was one fellow who I saw ahead of me on most of the climbs, and three runners not too far behind me, but for much of the 4 miles I was effectively alone on the trails. After hitting the top of the last climb, it was a pretty consistent downhill the rest of the way, some of it fairly steep. As Dave warned there were some very icy spots, but I had my ice cleats on and took my time, so no problems there (the gal who came in a minute after me apparently took a tumble and ended up with a good scrape on her knee.) There were a couple of bare spots, but none too large.
Running downhill was tough for me, between my knees and the fact that the snow was packed hard enough that it didn't provide much cushioning, but the 2nd half of the run postively flew by (especially after the long hike to the top!) and before I knew it I was rounding the last curve and being greeted by Rich Busa, who was providing moral support today instead of running. Finished in 55:12, not a bad time with all the initial climbing. And then all that was left was to change clothes, briefly shoot the breeze with some of my friends, and hit the road back to Albany...
So in the end, despite the driving, I'm glad I came out for the race today. It was a gorgeous day for a run, and I got to see some parts of Northfield that I hadn't before, which has me even more determined to head over that way sometime this summer.
On a totally unrelated note, as I was getting ready to leave Farmer Ed mentioned the Northern Nipmuck course, which I'm planning to run in about a month... he was wondering if I'd GPS'd it yet, because he used to do a fun run along that trail and remembered it being 18 miles rather than the 16 miles the race is listed at. So now I'm both curious and a bit intimidated... that course was a tough run both times I did it previously, so it would be reassuring if it was actually longer than I thought - but the idea of running 16 miles over rugged hiking trails a month from now is daunting enough!
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 51.8 mi, 12 hr 21 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: MA, ME, NY, VT
MA State Championships 4.1 Mile Snowshoe Race
Saturday, March 14, 2009
2009 MA State Championships results
I considered skipping this week's race at Northfield Mountain... it's a longish drive there, and I'd run there once already this season, plus this weekend is the start of my two-week spring break and I want to get out to Rochester to spend some time with Ann. But in the end the chance to do another snowshoe race won out, and the pre-dawn hours this morning found me racing to Northfield, MA, in time to register and change into my running gear.
Crowd was a little smaller than many of the races this winter, but lots of familiar faces. Chatted with a couple of folks before hand, then Dave D. gave us a few instructions about the course (mainly that some of the downhill stretches were icy) and off we went.
Today's run was different from the race a little over a month ago in that we ran almost exclusively on the groomed ski trails, which are wide enough that in most spots you could easily drive a truck down them, and while we did a lot of climbing we didn't go all the way to the reservoir at the top of the mountain. As with many of the WMAC races, we started with a long climb, followed by a nice gentle downhill... unfortunately, that just meant we had even more climbing to do before reaching the highest point on the course.
One effect of the small race field - not too many of us at the back of the pack. There was one fellow who I saw ahead of me on most of the climbs, and three runners not too far behind me, but for much of the 4 miles I was effectively alone on the trails. After hitting the top of the last climb, it was a pretty consistent downhill the rest of the way, some of it fairly steep. As Dave warned there were some very icy spots, but I had my ice cleats on and took my time, so no problems there (the gal who came in a minute after me apparently took a tumble and ended up with a good scrape on her knee.) There were a couple of bare spots, but none too large.
Running downhill was tough for me, between my knees and the fact that the snow was packed hard enough that it didn't provide much cushioning, but the 2nd half of the run postively flew by (especially after the long hike to the top!) and before I knew it I was rounding the last curve and being greeted by Rich Busa, who was providing moral support today instead of running. Finished in 55:12, not a bad time with all the initial climbing. And then all that was left was to change clothes, briefly shoot the breeze with some of my friends, and hit the road back to Albany...
So in the end, despite the driving, I'm glad I came out for the race today. It was a gorgeous day for a run, and I got to see some parts of Northfield that I hadn't before, which has me even more determined to head over that way sometime this summer.
On a totally unrelated note, as I was getting ready to leave Farmer Ed mentioned the Northern Nipmuck course, which I'm planning to run in about a month... he was wondering if I'd GPS'd it yet, because he used to do a fun run along that trail and remembered it being 18 miles rather than the 16 miles the race is listed at. So now I'm both curious and a bit intimidated... that course was a tough run both times I did it previously, so it would be reassuring if it was actually longer than I thought - but the idea of running 16 miles over rugged hiking trails a month from now is daunting enough!
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 51.8 mi, 12 hr 21 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: MA, ME, NY, VT
Friday, March 13, 2009
2.8 Mile Walk at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Friday, March 13, 2009
With my first snowshoe race in two weeks tomorrow morning (and up and down Northfield Mountain, no less) I decided to take it easy tonight... but it was too nice to stay indoors, so I headed over to Five Rivers to wander around a bit and see what critters were around.
As is often the case, a lot of the trails and fields were wet and muddy, with a few spots still under a thick layer of ice. But I still had a nice wander, first around the Beaver Pond, then along the Vlomankill, and finally through the fields back to the parking lot.
Along the way I saw a variety of birds, and heard an unbelievable number of red-winged blackbirds. There were geese and ducks down in the ponds, and apparently someone has been feeding the geese; when I went out on the floating observation platform, they swam right over and hung around hoping for a handout. But the biggest surprise was the two muskrats I spotted swimming along the sunny edge of Beaver Pond. And best of all, with my new camera I was able to get some pretty nice shots of them all...
JMH
Friday, March 13, 2009
With my first snowshoe race in two weeks tomorrow morning (and up and down Northfield Mountain, no less) I decided to take it easy tonight... but it was too nice to stay indoors, so I headed over to Five Rivers to wander around a bit and see what critters were around.
As is often the case, a lot of the trails and fields were wet and muddy, with a few spots still under a thick layer of ice. But I still had a nice wander, first around the Beaver Pond, then along the Vlomankill, and finally through the fields back to the parking lot.
Along the way I saw a variety of birds, and heard an unbelievable number of red-winged blackbirds. There were geese and ducks down in the ponds, and apparently someone has been feeding the geese; when I went out on the floating observation platform, they swam right over and hung around hoping for a handout. But the biggest surprise was the two muskrats I spotted swimming along the sunny edge of Beaver Pond. And best of all, with my new camera I was able to get some pretty nice shots of them all...
JMH
Thursday, March 12, 2009
9.4 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A cold evening for a ride, but I suppose it could have been worse. I headed down to the Corning Preserve again because (1) it's close, (2) I know the path is essentially clear, and (3) there was a good chance I'd see some wildlife and get a chance to test the capabilities of my new camera.
The ride was easy and uneventful, other than my stops to check out birds and deer. Initially I thought tonight might be a bust - too early for deer, and there were no birds in sight on the river besides the usual ring-billed gulls - but in the end I saw deer, gulls, hawks, red-winged blackbirds, robins, a titmouse, a kingfisher, and both a common and a pair of hooded mergansers. In the end I may have spent almost as much time trying out the camera as I did riding!
I love the better zoom on the camera... I was able to get some great shots that I never would have pulled off with my older one. But I do miss the viewfinder... it can be tough to find what I'm trying to shoot when the zoom is up around 20x or 30x.
All in all, a good trip along the Hudson (if a bit short.) I definitely looking forward to using this camera a lot more!
JMH
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A cold evening for a ride, but I suppose it could have been worse. I headed down to the Corning Preserve again because (1) it's close, (2) I know the path is essentially clear, and (3) there was a good chance I'd see some wildlife and get a chance to test the capabilities of my new camera.
The ride was easy and uneventful, other than my stops to check out birds and deer. Initially I thought tonight might be a bust - too early for deer, and there were no birds in sight on the river besides the usual ring-billed gulls - but in the end I saw deer, gulls, hawks, red-winged blackbirds, robins, a titmouse, a kingfisher, and both a common and a pair of hooded mergansers. In the end I may have spent almost as much time trying out the camera as I did riding!
I love the better zoom on the camera... I was able to get some great shots that I never would have pulled off with my older one. But I do miss the viewfinder... it can be tough to find what I'm trying to shoot when the zoom is up around 20x or 30x.
All in all, a good trip along the Hudson (if a bit short.) I definitely looking forward to using this camera a lot more!
JMH
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
6.2 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
It's more than a bit ironic that here we are the first week into Daylight Savings Time (hurray!) and both my runs have ended up happening after dark...
Tonight I hit the trails over in the Karner Barrens sections of the Pine Bush. I used the run to start breaking in a new pair of Adidas Supernova Trail shoes... right now the plan is to use my Vasque Blurs for rugged trails (they have great traction!) and the Adidas' on easier trails, like the ones in the Pine Bush. The shoes felt fine right out of the box, though there was enough ice in spots that I found myself wishing I'd worn my screw shoes instead...
Toward the end of the run the moon was rising... much of the time it was behind the clouds, but once or twice I had a great view of a gorgeous yellow moon shining brightly over the Pine Bush...
Legs are definitely feeling the effects of 20k in two nights, so I think tomorrow I'll put in a few miles on one of my bikes instead.
JMH
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
It's more than a bit ironic that here we are the first week into Daylight Savings Time (hurray!) and both my runs have ended up happening after dark...
Tonight I hit the trails over in the Karner Barrens sections of the Pine Bush. I used the run to start breaking in a new pair of Adidas Supernova Trail shoes... right now the plan is to use my Vasque Blurs for rugged trails (they have great traction!) and the Adidas' on easier trails, like the ones in the Pine Bush. The shoes felt fine right out of the box, though there was enough ice in spots that I found myself wishing I'd worn my screw shoes instead...
Toward the end of the run the moon was rising... much of the time it was behind the clouds, but once or twice I had a great view of a gorgeous yellow moon shining brightly over the Pine Bush...
Legs are definitely feeling the effects of 20k in two nights, so I think tomorrow I'll put in a few miles on one of my bikes instead.
JMH
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
6.2 Mile Run Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Finally made it out to the bike path at around 8:30... unfortunately after it had started to drizzle, so I ended up with a wet 10k in the dark... needless to say I'm glad I packed a rain jacket!
Started out dragging a bit but once I got warmed up things felt pretty good, even with the chill and the rain. I considered taking another night off when I walked out of the karate school and saw that the weather had changed - but I'm definitely glad I didn't.
Tomorrow it's time to hit some trails over in the Pine Bush...
JMH
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Finally made it out to the bike path at around 8:30... unfortunately after it had started to drizzle, so I ended up with a wet 10k in the dark... needless to say I'm glad I packed a rain jacket!
Started out dragging a bit but once I got warmed up things felt pretty good, even with the chill and the rain. I considered taking another night off when I walked out of the karate school and saw that the weather had changed - but I'm definitely glad I didn't.
Tomorrow it's time to hit some trails over in the Pine Bush...
JMH
Sunday, March 08, 2009
3 Mile Walk Along the Irondequoit Lakeside Trail
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Ann and I headed up to Durand Eastman Park figuring if the trails were too muddy we could always walk along the paved Irondequoit Lakeside Trail. As usual, we started out with a quick trip down to the beach, which had tons of built up ice and snow between the sand and the open water. Ann speculated about how stable that was and of course decided to walk out on it... unfortunately she get the answer to her question when she broke through and ended up in very cold water up to mid-calf on one leg. Brrr...
After she changed into dry socks and shoes, she decided she didn't want to risk wet trails so we walked down the paved path almost to the end of the new section... that brought back memories of running there back in November for the RT Turkey 5 miler, though today was a little nicer in that it wasn't as windy. Along the way we saw two hawks off in the distance and heard a few red-winged blackbirds off in the wetlands... a nice precursor to the coming warmer weather.
My camera continued to act up today; I suspect it's the LCD screen that's problematic, since the pictures are coming out fine. No big surprise, between 40000 pictures and the beating I've put that camera through. I'm going to order a better model with a stronger optical zoom (woo hoo!) and keep using this one for primarily riskier conditions - wet, cold, etc.
JMH
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Ann and I headed up to Durand Eastman Park figuring if the trails were too muddy we could always walk along the paved Irondequoit Lakeside Trail. As usual, we started out with a quick trip down to the beach, which had tons of built up ice and snow between the sand and the open water. Ann speculated about how stable that was and of course decided to walk out on it... unfortunately she get the answer to her question when she broke through and ended up in very cold water up to mid-calf on one leg. Brrr...
After she changed into dry socks and shoes, she decided she didn't want to risk wet trails so we walked down the paved path almost to the end of the new section... that brought back memories of running there back in November for the RT Turkey 5 miler, though today was a little nicer in that it wasn't as windy. Along the way we saw two hawks off in the distance and heard a few red-winged blackbirds off in the wetlands... a nice precursor to the coming warmer weather.
My camera continued to act up today; I suspect it's the LCD screen that's problematic, since the pictures are coming out fine. No big surprise, between 40000 pictures and the beating I've put that camera through. I'm going to order a better model with a stronger optical zoom (woo hoo!) and keep using this one for primarily riskier conditions - wet, cold, etc.
JMH
Saturday, March 07, 2009
8.7 Mile Run Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path & River Rd
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A great day for a run... even had some bits of sunshine for part of the time! And best of all - no tights! I have to admit, I'm looking forward to getting outdoors in warmer weather...
Planned on an easy run, about 6-7 miles, along the bike path in Niskayuna... ran the Gerbil Wheel section over to Lock 7, and then along the path from Lock 7 to the base of the old landfill (which was all iced over, but runnable.) Headed up the hill planning to turn around at the top and retrace my steps back to the car, and ended up instead heading out to River Road and running along the roads back to the point where the bike path crosses Lock 7 Road. That ended up being both longer than I had originally intended and contrary to what I remembered from the one or two times I biked that route, the road from Blatnick Park to just before the intersection was mostly uphill!
Along the way I saw more than a few birds, including a pair of hawks... pretty cool. Lots of evidence of the beavers in the wetlands along the bike path... maybe I'll get lucky and actually see them this year.
JMH
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A great day for a run... even had some bits of sunshine for part of the time! And best of all - no tights! I have to admit, I'm looking forward to getting outdoors in warmer weather...
Planned on an easy run, about 6-7 miles, along the bike path in Niskayuna... ran the Gerbil Wheel section over to Lock 7, and then along the path from Lock 7 to the base of the old landfill (which was all iced over, but runnable.) Headed up the hill planning to turn around at the top and retrace my steps back to the car, and ended up instead heading out to River Road and running along the roads back to the point where the bike path crosses Lock 7 Road. That ended up being both longer than I had originally intended and contrary to what I remembered from the one or two times I biked that route, the road from Blatnick Park to just before the intersection was mostly uphill!
Along the way I saw more than a few birds, including a pair of hawks... pretty cool. Lots of evidence of the beavers in the wetlands along the bike path... maybe I'll get lucky and actually see them this year.
JMH
Friday, March 06, 2009
12 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve and Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Friday, March 6, 2009
Walked out of work tonight to warm air and sunshine... I had hoped to take my bike over to the bike path along the Mohawk River and ride for a bit, but the travel time was just too much, because I wanted to be back at the school in time for tonight's performance of the spring musical. So instead I headed down to the Corning Preserve and rode along the Hudson.
One of the things I like about the warmer weather - more birds around. Last week when I rode down there, I saw crows, gulls, and mallards. Today I saw robins and red-winged blackbirds, a couple of kinds of gulls, canada geese, and best of all - mergansers. It was getting dark when I finally made it back to the parking lot, but I could still see a huge flock of gulls and an even bigger flock of crows out on the ice... wow.
Only two deer tonight, and they took off pretty quickly when I stopped. But it was still a great day for a ride... I've enjoyed winter immensely, but I'm ready for some warmer weather.
Only minus to tonight's ride is my camera started acting up... pictures came out OK but the screen did some funky things at times when I was using it. Of course, I'm approaching 40,000 (or is it 50,000?) pictures, and it has definitely taken a beating from all I've put it through. Guess I'll see what it does over the weekend, but I may have to decide in the not-too-distant future if I want to pick up the latest model of the same camera (for about $80 less than I paid for this one) or upgrade to a slightly larger one with a better optical zoom (a very attractive option) but no viewfinder (that could be inconvenient.)
JMH
Friday, March 6, 2009
Walked out of work tonight to warm air and sunshine... I had hoped to take my bike over to the bike path along the Mohawk River and ride for a bit, but the travel time was just too much, because I wanted to be back at the school in time for tonight's performance of the spring musical. So instead I headed down to the Corning Preserve and rode along the Hudson.
One of the things I like about the warmer weather - more birds around. Last week when I rode down there, I saw crows, gulls, and mallards. Today I saw robins and red-winged blackbirds, a couple of kinds of gulls, canada geese, and best of all - mergansers. It was getting dark when I finally made it back to the parking lot, but I could still see a huge flock of gulls and an even bigger flock of crows out on the ice... wow.
Only two deer tonight, and they took off pretty quickly when I stopped. But it was still a great day for a ride... I've enjoyed winter immensely, but I'm ready for some warmer weather.
Only minus to tonight's ride is my camera started acting up... pictures came out OK but the screen did some funky things at times when I was using it. Of course, I'm approaching 40,000 (or is it 50,000?) pictures, and it has definitely taken a beating from all I've put it through. Guess I'll see what it does over the weekend, but I may have to decide in the not-too-distant future if I want to pick up the latest model of the same camera (for about $80 less than I paid for this one) or upgrade to a slightly larger one with a better optical zoom (a very attractive option) but no viewfinder (that could be inconvenient.)
JMH
Thursday, March 05, 2009
COYOTES HOWL
3.3 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I almost didn't go for a run tonight, but in the end I convinced myself to get in a few miles on my way to classes at the karate school. I planned to hit the trails near the Pine Bush Discovery Center, but in the end headed over to the Blueberry Hill sections instead. Caught some glimpses of a really pretty sunset... I really wish I'd brought my camera along!
I haven't been there since doing a night snowshoe run back in December... it was helpful to see all the "habitat restoration" work they've done there in the daylight. Enormous sections have been stripped down to bare soil... as always, I understand the reasoning (to restore a unique environment) but I sure do miss the trees.
As I was heading back to the trailhead I heard coyotes howling off in the woods somewhere... first one and then several. I hoped I'd catch a glimpse of them, but no such luck.
In the end I hiked to the top of two of the tallest hills around (the only real advantage of so many trees and bushes being removed - no need to bushwhack!) The view was a small consolation for the loss of so many trees... but it was definitely worth the hike to the top of each hill.
JMH
3.3 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I almost didn't go for a run tonight, but in the end I convinced myself to get in a few miles on my way to classes at the karate school. I planned to hit the trails near the Pine Bush Discovery Center, but in the end headed over to the Blueberry Hill sections instead. Caught some glimpses of a really pretty sunset... I really wish I'd brought my camera along!
I haven't been there since doing a night snowshoe run back in December... it was helpful to see all the "habitat restoration" work they've done there in the daylight. Enormous sections have been stripped down to bare soil... as always, I understand the reasoning (to restore a unique environment) but I sure do miss the trees.
As I was heading back to the trailhead I heard coyotes howling off in the woods somewhere... first one and then several. I hoped I'd catch a glimpse of them, but no such luck.
In the end I hiked to the top of two of the tallest hills around (the only real advantage of so many trees and bushes being removed - no need to bushwhack!) The view was a small consolation for the loss of so many trees... but it was definitely worth the hike to the top of each hill.
JMH
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Sunday, March 01, 2009
TRAVELLIN' TURTLE, Part 7 -
The Long(ish) Road Home...
Sunday, March 1, 2009
One of the pluses to today's race being held at Pineland Farms - I was able to use the locker room at the YMCA to change into street clothes for the drive back to Albany. Unlike the trip out, the drive back was almost entirely on highways... easy driving, but not terribly interesting...
A storm was making its way up the east coast, so I hoped to get back inland before it hit ME, NH, or eastern MA... no such luck, I had snow showers for much of the drive through Maine and New Hampshire, though I drove out of the storm as I headed across MA. Nothing much was sticking to the roads, though that didn't stop half a dozen cars from going off the road or ending up in fender-benders.
Historically, bandits and brigands used to lurk along secluded sections of the trails and roads between cities and towns and waylay travellers, giving rise to the term "highway robbery." I think I came across a new definition of the term today... almost $15 for two turkey sandwiches and an ice cream cone at the first rest stop I came to in Maine. Sigh...
Once I finally got home, I had to deal with the other reason I was hoping to beat the storm... my bike was covered with road salt and needed an heavy-duty cleaning. So I manhandled it into the shower, gave it a good dousing, and then wiped it down before rinsing it a second time. Not the most convenient method of cleaning it, but it beat taking it to a self-service car wash and paying to hose it down.
JMH
The Long(ish) Road Home...
Sunday, March 1, 2009
One of the pluses to today's race being held at Pineland Farms - I was able to use the locker room at the YMCA to change into street clothes for the drive back to Albany. Unlike the trip out, the drive back was almost entirely on highways... easy driving, but not terribly interesting...
A storm was making its way up the east coast, so I hoped to get back inland before it hit ME, NH, or eastern MA... no such luck, I had snow showers for much of the drive through Maine and New Hampshire, though I drove out of the storm as I headed across MA. Nothing much was sticking to the roads, though that didn't stop half a dozen cars from going off the road or ending up in fender-benders.
Historically, bandits and brigands used to lurk along secluded sections of the trails and roads between cities and towns and waylay travellers, giving rise to the term "highway robbery." I think I came across a new definition of the term today... almost $15 for two turkey sandwiches and an ice cream cone at the first rest stop I came to in Maine. Sigh...
Once I finally got home, I had to deal with the other reason I was hoping to beat the storm... my bike was covered with road salt and needed an heavy-duty cleaning. So I manhandled it into the shower, gave it a good dousing, and then wiped it down before rinsing it a second time. Not the most convenient method of cleaning it, but it beat taking it to a self-service car wash and paying to hose it down.
JMH
TRAVELLIN' TURTLE, Part 6 -
Season of the SnōShū 2009 - Race #13
Pineland Farms Winter Triathlon
4 km snowshoe/ 10 km bike / 6 km XC ski
Sunday, March 1, 2009
2009 Pineland Farms Winter Tri results
The drive from Freeport to Pineland Farms started out on a nerve-wracking note when the directions I downloaded didn't seem to be taking me to the road I needed to be on... in the end I found my way to the road I needed and had a pretty uneventful drive. Ended up really happy I'd picked up my race packet the day before, because that meant I could go right to the race site and get one of the rapidly disappearing parking spots.
Made several trips to get my gear over to my spot in the transition area, then spent half an hour or so wandering back and forth, trying to stay warm (it was grey, cold, and breezy... not nearly as nice as yesterday's weather!) The snow was fairly deep but had a hard icy crust on top - for the most part I was able to walk around on it without breaking through. Gave a few tips about racking bikes and so on to some multisport newbies (scary thought, that I'm becoming a grizzled veteran of the race scene...) and then finally the RD called us all together for the pre-race briefing. Looking around and listening to the chatter, it was clear I was one of the most experienced snowshoe runners there.
And finally - it was time to run! The 4k snowshoe leg took us out on a groomed intermediate XC ski trail... overall some of the easiest snowshoe running I've done this season, and if not for the fact that I had two more legs to do, I probably would have really pushed it and come in with a phenomenal (for me) time. As it was, I pushed but tried to make sure I'd having something left in my legs for the rest of the race. After crossing the field that the transition area was in, we headed down a long hill on the main Pineland Farms campus; I passed a couple of runners on the downhill, mainly because my Dion snowshoes are well designed for running downhill. Of course, the problem with a downhill early on in a loop course is all the climbing that's sure to come later, and this was no exception... headed back up with a mix of walking and running, gradually making my way back through the edge of the campus and then across the field back to transition in 29 min 33 sec.
Transition was slow going, between changing from snowshoes to riding shoes and making sure I had warm enough clothes for the ride ahead. I think it was a good 5 minutes before I finally made it out to the road and got on my bike to start riding... definitely something to work on if I do this race again. The bike leg started out easy, with a nice downhill, but then got considerably tougher - lots of climbing, with the last two miles almost entirely uphill and heading into the wind. Aargh. I'm sure it didn't help that I haven't put in more than 30 miles since November and I haven't done any real climbing in an even longer time. So the ride went slower than I'd hoped - about 38 min before I was back on the dirt road to transition.
Another slow transition, as I changed into my ski gear and walked my skis out of the transition area where I could clip in and head on out... very slowly. The trail initially reminded me of skiing over at canoe meadows a few weeks ago - it was tough staying on track because the groomed surface was frozen over. But once I turned into the woods I hopped into the traditional nordic tracks alongside the trail and crawled along as the skate skiers (and even a few nordic skiers) blasted by me.
The ski leg had two parts - a novice trail with a loop off onto an intermediate trail about halfway along the way. It became clear very quickly that I'm a pretty poor skier even for a novice... downhills and curves are my downfall, quite literally in the case of curving downhills! I fell four or five times in the first mile, including a couple of spots where I ditched because I was going down a hill and got going too fast. I ended up glad I'd worn a pair of windpants over my tights - they gave a little extra cushioning whenever I hit the ground.
I briefly considered DNFing when I came to the turnoff for the intermediate loop - but then I decided I'd come too far to quit, but that I also wasn't risking my neck any more than I already had. So whenever I hit a downhill that I thought was beyond my abilities (ie. pretty much all downhills) I unclipped and walked to the bottom. I did force myself to stay on the skis for all the climbs, even though I crept up some of the hills at a snail's pace. But eventually I found my way back to the novice trail, and a last slow mile or so through the woods and back to the field. A short jaunt across the field and I was crossing the finish line, after about 62 minutes of skiing (I later found out that the fast folks did the skiing loop in 16-17 minutes... I really suck on skis.) My total time for the race - 2 hrs 19 minutes. Better than I expected (I thought it would take me 2 1/2 hours) but with a lot of room for improvement if I ever do this one again.
They had everything pretty much broken down by the time I came in - only my gear and bike and one other racer's gear was still there. As I was walking from the finish to my car I tripped on a rut and ended up in the mud... bleah. Brushed myself off, then made several trips back and forth to get my gear to the car. Packed everything away and then headed over to the YMCA to change clothes in the locker room - a definite plus when faced with a 5 hour drive home.
All in all, I had a pretty good time at this one... I enjoyed the snowshoe running and riding, though I could probably do better if I actually prepared for it. The skiing was a bit demoralizing, since I showed how much my skills in that area suck - if I do this one again, some lessons may be in order. And I would definitely consider doing it again... other than the long haul to get there and back, a little multisport was a nice change of pace from a primarily snowshoeing winter.
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 47.7 mi, 11 hr 26 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: MA, ME, NY, VT
Season of the SnōShū 2009 - Race #13
Pineland Farms Winter Triathlon
4 km snowshoe/ 10 km bike / 6 km XC ski
Sunday, March 1, 2009
2009 Pineland Farms Winter Tri results
The drive from Freeport to Pineland Farms started out on a nerve-wracking note when the directions I downloaded didn't seem to be taking me to the road I needed to be on... in the end I found my way to the road I needed and had a pretty uneventful drive. Ended up really happy I'd picked up my race packet the day before, because that meant I could go right to the race site and get one of the rapidly disappearing parking spots.
Made several trips to get my gear over to my spot in the transition area, then spent half an hour or so wandering back and forth, trying to stay warm (it was grey, cold, and breezy... not nearly as nice as yesterday's weather!) The snow was fairly deep but had a hard icy crust on top - for the most part I was able to walk around on it without breaking through. Gave a few tips about racking bikes and so on to some multisport newbies (scary thought, that I'm becoming a grizzled veteran of the race scene...) and then finally the RD called us all together for the pre-race briefing. Looking around and listening to the chatter, it was clear I was one of the most experienced snowshoe runners there.
And finally - it was time to run! The 4k snowshoe leg took us out on a groomed intermediate XC ski trail... overall some of the easiest snowshoe running I've done this season, and if not for the fact that I had two more legs to do, I probably would have really pushed it and come in with a phenomenal (for me) time. As it was, I pushed but tried to make sure I'd having something left in my legs for the rest of the race. After crossing the field that the transition area was in, we headed down a long hill on the main Pineland Farms campus; I passed a couple of runners on the downhill, mainly because my Dion snowshoes are well designed for running downhill. Of course, the problem with a downhill early on in a loop course is all the climbing that's sure to come later, and this was no exception... headed back up with a mix of walking and running, gradually making my way back through the edge of the campus and then across the field back to transition in 29 min 33 sec.
Transition was slow going, between changing from snowshoes to riding shoes and making sure I had warm enough clothes for the ride ahead. I think it was a good 5 minutes before I finally made it out to the road and got on my bike to start riding... definitely something to work on if I do this race again. The bike leg started out easy, with a nice downhill, but then got considerably tougher - lots of climbing, with the last two miles almost entirely uphill and heading into the wind. Aargh. I'm sure it didn't help that I haven't put in more than 30 miles since November and I haven't done any real climbing in an even longer time. So the ride went slower than I'd hoped - about 38 min before I was back on the dirt road to transition.
Another slow transition, as I changed into my ski gear and walked my skis out of the transition area where I could clip in and head on out... very slowly. The trail initially reminded me of skiing over at canoe meadows a few weeks ago - it was tough staying on track because the groomed surface was frozen over. But once I turned into the woods I hopped into the traditional nordic tracks alongside the trail and crawled along as the skate skiers (and even a few nordic skiers) blasted by me.
The ski leg had two parts - a novice trail with a loop off onto an intermediate trail about halfway along the way. It became clear very quickly that I'm a pretty poor skier even for a novice... downhills and curves are my downfall, quite literally in the case of curving downhills! I fell four or five times in the first mile, including a couple of spots where I ditched because I was going down a hill and got going too fast. I ended up glad I'd worn a pair of windpants over my tights - they gave a little extra cushioning whenever I hit the ground.
I briefly considered DNFing when I came to the turnoff for the intermediate loop - but then I decided I'd come too far to quit, but that I also wasn't risking my neck any more than I already had. So whenever I hit a downhill that I thought was beyond my abilities (ie. pretty much all downhills) I unclipped and walked to the bottom. I did force myself to stay on the skis for all the climbs, even though I crept up some of the hills at a snail's pace. But eventually I found my way back to the novice trail, and a last slow mile or so through the woods and back to the field. A short jaunt across the field and I was crossing the finish line, after about 62 minutes of skiing (I later found out that the fast folks did the skiing loop in 16-17 minutes... I really suck on skis.) My total time for the race - 2 hrs 19 minutes. Better than I expected (I thought it would take me 2 1/2 hours) but with a lot of room for improvement if I ever do this one again.
They had everything pretty much broken down by the time I came in - only my gear and bike and one other racer's gear was still there. As I was walking from the finish to my car I tripped on a rut and ended up in the mud... bleah. Brushed myself off, then made several trips back and forth to get my gear to the car. Packed everything away and then headed over to the YMCA to change clothes in the locker room - a definite plus when faced with a 5 hour drive home.
All in all, I had a pretty good time at this one... I enjoyed the snowshoe running and riding, though I could probably do better if I actually prepared for it. The skiing was a bit demoralizing, since I showed how much my skills in that area suck - if I do this one again, some lessons may be in order. And I would definitely consider doing it again... other than the long haul to get there and back, a little multisport was a nice change of pace from a primarily snowshoeing winter.
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 47.7 mi, 11 hr 26 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: MA, ME, NY, VT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
