Training Log Archive: PG

Rainy all day, and seemed like a fine idea to pass on the daily ride. Though it was no reason not to spend some time outside...

Perhaps Gail's favorite, at least for its voice. We used to have Wood Thrushes singing regularly when we lived in Amherst, but not now. If I could figure out a way to round up a few... Wouldn't have to go far, this guy was just across the river.



And then there is this guy, not the best-looking, plus he sounds a bit like a buzzing insect, but still, does he need to go through life called a Worm-eating Warbler?

Low 70s, NW 10 mph, up to Turners Falls and back. Heart rate kept saying I wasn't working very hard but the legs seemed tired the whole time. Whatever...

One of the things I've done since more free time became available is get back involved in town affairs. Sunderland is a small town, maybe 3,500 people, but it's got a good government. Many years ago I'd had a couple of significant involvements, running the Finance Committee for half a dozen years in the '90s and then on the committee building a new library in the early '00s.

But for the last decade, zip.

Last fall a space opened up on the elementary school committee. They hadn't recruited anyone else, so I stuck my hand up. That was December. The position I was filling was the last few months of a three-year term, and then there would be an election for the next term. That was today.

The good news (or maybe it's bad news?) is that I won. The disclaimer is I was unopposed. People aren't exactly lining up to be on the school committee.

I think I'm not the usual candidate. No kids in the school, nor grandkids. And maybe 30-40 years older than the average age?

But so far I've both enjoyed it, and I think it's a good fit. I know how the town works, and how the town's finances work. I've known a lot of the folks who run the town for 20 or 30 years. So far this has been very beneficial, but we'll see what the future brings.

So last Friday, after a fine day working with the Florida kids, and then putting out a few controls at Mt. Tom, I had to pass on the group dinner and head off to Sunderland's annual town meeting. The budget for the school got approved, but MA law called for the needed modest override question to be decided at the ballot box. At some point I got up to speak for about 10 minutes, about how we really do have a good town, about the things that still need to be done and what progress is being made on them, and how that continuing that progress depended on the override question. Just stuff I thought needed to be said.

Today it passed, 55% to 45%. More progress will be work, but the odds just got better that it will be done.

A very good day. Thinking about it on my ride, there was a smile the whole way.

Low 80s and a bit humid, SW 15 mph or so. Not feeling much zip, so just went along at whatever pace seemed comfortable, and after a while I was done. Certainly seems easier to do a ride with no zip than a run with no zip.

Was feeling quite lethargic, I'd been on my feet for about four hours this morning, long (and slow) walk, but managed to get myself out the door. And then the ride progressed just fine. Low 80s, SW 10-15. Mostly flat, just a few little hills that I managed with only a modest effort, just as intended... :-)

Went down to CT yesterday to get a new pair of binoculars, pretty much went from terrible (what I had) to terrific. And the new ones are a real pleasure. Sort of like when I got a new bike last June -- within one day you knew it was worth it.

At some point I still need to get a decent camera. So much more is possible than what I manage now --



This one (Great Egret and a Little Blue Heron) and the previous one (Greater Yellowlegs) were both along the coast, where lots of people were going to the beach --



A Brown Thrasher singing away from the treetops; his mate was down below in the bushes --



And a Louisiana Waterthrush, photo taken about 10 steps from our front door --



And the flowers are finally coming out, red trillium in this case --

C • Louisiana Waterthrush 5

From March to June in a couple of days. Upper 80s, WSW 10-15. Just a short loop on the flats south of town, mellow pace. Just what I needed.

Perfect day, upper 60s and minimal wind, time to start stretching out the distance a little. Up to Northfield via Millers Falls, back via Gill and Turners Falls.

I told Phil yesterday that I'd be happy to pick up some more controls, so yesterday evening he sent me a map with 9 controls on it. I proposed he add a few more that I could do if the spirit moved me, and the map got 4 more points added, no controls there, they had been picked up, but the water stops there had to be cleaned up.

Headed out a little before 7 this morning. Overcast, chilly, a little rain. Perfectly fine in other words. Worked my way from Lake Bray SW along the lower slopes picking up the first 6, then over in the direction of the ski area where the first of the water stops was.

Except it wasn't. The spot, a little dot knoll, looked as clean and tidy as could be. Did one circle just to be sure I was where I thought I was, and then moved on.

It seemed to me that just because one of the four had actually been cleaned up, that didn't necessarily mean that all 4 had been cleaned up. Because may Greg had been strong enough to carry all the controls plus one set of bottles and cups, but maybe not all four.

Went to water stop #2. Clean as could be.

Interesting. Was I pissed to be on what was seeming to be a fool's errand? Not at all. I looked at it as a choice where I was clearly getting the better option -- the choice being do you want to pick up the mess and carry it all the way back to the car, or would you rather not? See, pretty easy what the preferred option was.

On to water stop #3. Greg is a strong young man. :-)

On to water stop #4. I'm bracing myself for all the stuff from all four stops being here, maybe Greg figured he could collect it all in one place, make it easier for someone to come and pick stuff up. Nope, nothing here either. :-)

I headed back in the direction of my car, NE along the I-91 ridge. Collected the last three controls. Then back to the car, look, there's another control. Picked it up too. Then figured I might as well see if the model controls were still out, they were, so I grabbed three of them.

Which made me feel much better about things, because I'd been sent out to fetch things from 13 control sites, and now in fact I had things from 13 control sites, just not quite what was expected.

And, yes, Greg is a strong young man.

C • Oops! 6