Training Log Archive: PG

Went to visit Alex and Ed at their new (to them) home up near Stratton, with a stop on the way in Montague to pick up their weekly selection of veggies from Red Fire Farm. Some of them were things I had never seen (black radishes?), let alone consumed. I tend not to be adventurous when it comes to food, not adventurous at all. These veggies were for them, so not to worry, except it seemed the plan for dinner up there was to see what could be made out of these very same veggies. I was not optimistic.

Got there just as the sky was starting to darken. The place is beautiful, both inside and out. Ed was there, and he seemed delighted with the selection of veggies. Alex arrived in a little while, a bit of shopping after her coaching day was over to get a few essentials -- the only one I remember was ice cream, said to go well with any dessert they might conjure up.

So they set to work cooking, something they love, and the kitchen is a fabulous space. So we hung out there and they worked and seemed happy as can be, and we spectated and drank wine and were happy as can be, because Ed and Alex are just fun to be around, especially now that they never stop smiling. Because they seem to have managed a major upgrade in their lives. Like, for starters, getting out of Boston traffic.

And they kept cooking. The main course was a beet pie, and though I like beets I really had my doubts about the whole concoction. And a side dish of Brussel sprouts that were getting roasted and looked like they could be quite good. And a salad with some grains and some veggies and various unknown things, and I had my doubts here too. Would dinner be Brussel sprouts and ice cream?

After a while the bottle of wine had been finished and the cooking was done (for now), and we settled down to eat. And the beet pie was fabulous, surprise, as were the sprouts, expected, as was the salad, another surprise. Well, Alex has cooked up wonderful things in our house often enough that I shouldn't have worried. But I can't help it.

The main course done, talk turned to dessert. After some discussion, Crepes Suzette was decided on, even though we seemed to be missing several ingredients. Not to worry. Ed whipped up the batter for the crepes, and pretty soon they were a reality. The question was what to do for a sauce,

It calls for butter and sugar and lots of orangey things -- orange zest, orange juice, orange liqueur. We had the butter and sugar. No orange zest or juice, but Ed had a jug of concentrated apple cider. No orange liqueur, but Ed had a bit left in a bottle of scotch whisky.

The sauce was made, the crepes were immersed in it, the whisky added, and then Ed lit the whole thing up with his blowtorch (this being a totally professional operation and this is what all top maitre-d's do, though perhaps not using a blowtorch).

And then things were topped off with ice cream. And then more ice cream, because the very sour apple cider concentrate and the very peaty whisky were not really the desired flavors. But when you add enough ice cream....

And we have a better idea of what not to do next time.

I'll be clear that my role in all of this was to video the highlights of the dessert production, especially Ed with the blowtorch. If I can just figure out how to upload it....

A wonderful dinner, ditto for the visit at a whole, which in the morning included a tour of the barn by Ed (after Alex had already left for work, work in this case being a long mountain bike ride). A lot to be done to the barn, but it looks like it will be a very cool space.

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We headed off mid-morning, stopped on the way home for a hike up Bald Mountain in Townsend. About a 4-mile round-trip, climbed about 1,200' to a summit with limited views (better than nothing). Quite rocky at times plus a couple of stream crossings that were not trivial for a elderly couple. Gail came close to falling in but was saved by some fancy footwork. I tweaked my ankle again. She gave every appearance it being a day with little energy. But we made it up and down without having to call 911. That will surely come, but not today.

And then home, just delighted with our Vermont visit.

C • Video 8

Up Bald Mountain in Townsend, VT.

Took yesterday off, and tomorrow is supposed to rain all day, so I figured I need to get out. A modest effort, but no more was needed, or desired.

Hawks Road in Deerfield.

North to the power canal and back. Felt tired when I started and that didn't change much. Nice afternoon, about 60 and sunny but windy more or less from the west. So a crosswind most of the time, hurting a little on the way out, helping a little on the way back.

From this morning's wanderings, a couple of beavers and a snapping turtle. --

Northfield Mountain, up to the upper reservoir.

From Northfield Mountain to home, but went north first up to the route 10 bridge and then home through Gill and Montague. Good steady effort.

Was at Northfield Mountain for a hike with Gail up to the top and back. I'd told her it should be about 2 miles each way, but I missed a turn (and didn't feel like going back downhill to take it) and it ended up being about 2.7 going up. Ooops. Sort of like my orienteering this weekend, finding controls OK but some shaky routes getting there.

Actually, part of the problem on the weekend was (now that I'm walking) not really having figured out my relative speeds through the woods compared to on trails, also how much hills slowed me down. I think I used to just have a gut feeling for what the best route was. This weekend I was struggling. I suppose to would help to practice a little, get a little data, but I don't think that's going to happen.

Anyway, a good hike with Gail, no falls for either of us, and the ankle seems a little better.

Feeling a little battered after the weekend, worst being my right ankle which is hurting some but I don't think too bad. Otherwise it's just a mish-mash of minor soreness, including one thing that I haven't managed to do for a while -- sunburn on the top of my head. Usually I'm really good about always wearing a hat (and a cap under my helmet when I'm biking) but this weekend I guess I was having such a good time that I completely forgot.

Tried out the bike this afternoon and it seemed fine, clipped onto the pedal keeps the ankle nice and stable. The only problem was unclipping. Fortunately I'd put new cleats on my shoes a couple of weeks ago and they are much easier to unclip. Still didn't like doing it, but only had to twice.

Next orienteering? Maybe the event at Ansonia in early November? And then maybe a little next year?

We drove down to Durham yesterday afternoon after the fine day at Gunstock to visit some cousins. Their daughter was also visiting along with two grandkids (ages 3.5 and 1.5), so it was a busy place. Lots of fun and laughs. The highlight -- even if it was 5 days after the fact (which doesn't matter because we rarely celebrate things on the correct date) -- was the cake.

It was magnificent, both in design and in taste. And Rory, the 3.5 year old, sang a rather good rendition of Happy Birthday.

Day 2 at the Older Dash, Brown X, 3.1 km.

I felt a little stiff this morning, but actually rather good considering that I had been orienteering yesterday, and so there was certainly no sufficient reason not to go out orienteering again, even though it was all but guaranteed that it would again be a rather rough forest. And so I did.

My orienteering skills must be a little rusty, or just permanently impaired, because I again left a little time out there by taking inferior routes. But my effort was good.

The forest did beat me up a bit. One header going down a steepish hill, the foot going forward snagged on something, the rest of me kept going. Fortunately I landed on a soft spot. Took a quick inventory as I got up and the back seemed none the worse. And I rolled my right ankle a few minutes before the end, not trivial but not real serious.

At that point most of what was left of the course was down a ski slope and into the finish. I managed to run much of that, helped along perhaps by finding myself in a rather good balance of pain -- that in my left butt calling for attention but getting drowned out by the right ankle calling for attention, and vice versa.

It is nice when your body is in good harmony.... :-)

Otherwise, another wonderful day socially. So glad I came. And Gail hiked up to the top of Gunstock yesterday, and much of the way up today, and seems no worse off fo the experience, so that is pretty cool.

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I was sitting at one of the tables chatting with Steve Tarry, and John Rogers showed up, having just finished his course. John orienteered a bunch in the late 70s and early 80s, and for much of the time he was known to run a lot faster than he could think. But sometimes he got it together.

And as I was sitting there I thought -- Steve's here, and John, and Gail, and also Sharon, and, well, we just have to get a photo. Because a long time ago, in 1982 in the sand hills of Manitoba at the second edition of the Björn Kjellström Cup, those four won the Cup for the USA.

Canada had won the first edition, and then after 1982 Canada won the next gazillion editions in a row, so for a long time Steve and John and Gail and Sharon were our only moment of glory. We've won a few times recently, but it will take quite a few more years to make up the deficit.

C • Sand hills of Manitoba 1

Brown X Sunday - Splits