Training Log Archive: bl

Rest day by default. Drive to Mystic, CT for OCC luncheon at the seaport & then to Cathy's for night. Weeks ago had considered this a weekend for O visit to Harriman or similar but then all the snow so plans simplified.

Mystic Seaport






Whaling ship CHARLES W. MORGAN



built 1841 in nine months in New Bedford, MA, went on 37 whaling voyages over 80 years, was in the mud flats of New Bedford in the late 1920's & was resurrected. Has had several partial rebuilds over the last 80 or so years. As a youngster, I was inadvertently locked below for a very short period of time in the mid-1950s at closing hour.

C • Sounds like it was the start of a lifelong passion 5

C • Boat 2

AM DP to beaver slough, powder on top of crust & narrow SM track. Sun just peeking over treetops.

Little Pond-Fisk, ccw, felt springlike which led to choosing this route & to
decent energy. Nice to know it still exists. Close to a PR tho not quite
comparable due to snowbanks at end.

Mandatory visit to the Big Biceps Club.

TGIF

Mouse chronicles...

0300 today, in a dream, a whirring, as in someone cleaning something. But
it persisted, waking my light-sleeper self up. Then louder with a raspy
addition. Not a dream - coming from kitchen area which is basically at the
foot of the bed. Not a familiar sound but on the list of possibilities, it
dawns that it must be the mice running circles - on a wheel heretofore so
quiet I wondered if they used it. Even put a piece of rolled TP on top one
day last week - paper was on the counter in the AM, telling me they'd turned it. One former wheel was so squeaky, I oiled it with cooking oil, later banishing the nocturnal beasties to a room with a closed door. Last eve, they were running up a storm & the wheel had changed position with the wall a fraction of an inch away, brushing, then hitting the wall, explaining the noise.

Mice are fit - not sure they have it within themselves to be fat given an abundance of food - only in a lab perhaps. Bit fussy, too. Refuse bird seed! OK=cucumber, carrot, chocolate, apple but not green apple, peanut butter, bread & chocolate and, especially, proper PetCo food....

Obviously same-sexed mice, not a fruitful cohabitation as there are no
babies. Too bad, would have been interesting.

Comfort Inn, v.6



v.5

Skate at SPS, out of wind (a windy NW day - kind of day, if a run, start by running south into n'borhoods & then back, warmed up some & with shelter).
Very nice, freshly groomed, no one there.

The north wind blew "smoke" from the snow banks to the north of Clinton causing cars to slow down. How the wind can blow water, sand & snow....

Arrived at Mem'l fld intending to ski - all set until looking down & no ski
boots!...and not in car. Good recovery to disappointing realization in driving to CH & run/walk up Winant Hill. Woods filled w/ human tracks: SS, ski & boots, going every which way. Not in frame of mind to take any unknowns risking time loss & returned the way I came w/ 1:30 mtg. Balmy in hi teens.

PM DP, plowed all the way to the PL & then some, most generous. Also, groomed SM trails but no skis. Never expected it to be so ridiculously convenient. More snow tonight - a sooty sky.

BOS mtg this eve: in part discussion re conservation/land trust/stewardship...and who might be willing to give a damn in this town. So far, too few.

C • Give a damn 5

Usual cold, not really noticed. Tried fresh trails but dogs lost some enthusiasm, returning on tried & true which need to be 2' width - but when we don't take the same route on a regular basis, what's to expect. Big flakes floating down in the open.

Basic Luti, gray, gloomy. Go the distance (LSD abbreviated), not much
inspiration and not enough miles recorded recently. Fair amount of packed snow in the loop (Silk Farm). Am fed up with Clinton traffic in the tight quarters of winter conditions and will try not to return til spring.

At White park after work. Surprised myself as last thing I wanted to do was change clothes again - so why go.... AM: put on something warm for SS DP - after shower, dress for work; at noon undress, dress in running gear, after undress/45" shower, dress back for work; then come home, undress work clothes & dress casual etc. ad nauseum it seems if I think about it. So not to do that once again but drove over the Mem'l field parking lot for look-see. Could see considerable nordic activity as CHS trains there. It's flat, well-groomed and links to some 5k around fields. Put on ski boots, skied in work clothes. Was very nice, especially since gray gloom had dissipated to be replaced by blue dome, even if fast disappearing. Beth says it never got above 16F which no longer seems cold, at least if calm. By my definition, spring will be here in a month.

AM DP, -8F, needed a scarf, calm anyway. Zoe stopped 100m in, held up her paw, bent at the wrist, as if "it hurts." But then seemed to forget for the most part, tho' later some drops of blood. Got to sun's rays (w/ 2/3rds moon looking back) which brightened up the moment. Sparkling snow crystals and January blue, soon forgotten.

Noon mtg & after it was not motivated for a run. Was not motivated at 4:15 either tho it was very pretty: same blue with late day sun - but a few minutes of 8F squelched that noble impulse. Gym it was which wasn't so very exciting a proposition...crowded Monday etc but turned out to be fine. Parking space tight enough to tuck in mirror.

Looked up European summer meets yesterday:
WMOC, Hungary
Austrian 6 days
Oringen, Sweden
Swiss 6 days
Scottish 6 days (S&S both begin on same day)
WOC & accompanying meet, France

A virtual O'aholic's smorgasbord!

Faraway series, photos from elsewhere, #50
"Far from cold": San Blas Islands, Panama, 1985

AM DP to PL on packed, groomed SM snow, very nice. 3rd time outdoor this am>10F felt like 30F.

Wander in Nottingcook on waxless, mostly packed snowmobile, a bit in the woods - had to remove skis at one point. Left dogs home thinking of snowmobiles speeding around corners but only saw two and that was at start. Skied on bog, right by beaver lodge with animal tracks passing over it - a general perusal of the shoreline in search of a meal, then the lodge and finally back to shore. Lodge shows up on sat view interestingly. Nice outing.

These tracks were most curious



Over the lodge



A favorite vantage of Bog Meadow