Training Log Archive: jima

Very windy, rather chilly.
Got my feet wet a couple of times. Found some new sections of bike trails at Ahern - need to get them onto the map.

Gilford Hills, got chased by only one dog - "don't worry, he doesn't bite..."
Yeah, but he slobbers and I almost tripped over the damn thing as he's nipping at my ankles from the sides and front.

Buncha maroons.... as Bugs Bunny would say

After school program 5K race, a nice excuse for a leisurely run around town with some friends. Had a bunch of kids from the Middle school XC team running also - a few flashed and fizzled, but there were a couple who are fairly fleet of foot.

At least I didn't get my picture in the paper like a schoold board member did - a middle aged guy running after a cute little middle school girl... could have some fun with that headline.

Dusk run at Ahern.

Some of the bike trails were getting a bit harder to see and follow towards the end. Managed not to trip and break somehting in the middle of the woods.

Saw a large flock of geese overhead as I was cooling down. They were heading over towards Winnisquam. A perfect vee of 25-20 birds with another 5 following about 150 meters behind. Honking up a storm - probably mostly the back seat drivers giving directions to the poor one in front.

Mt Cardigan with Tim and Jon.
A beautiful day - mid-60s, clear skies, gentle breeze.
Up Holt Trail, even knowing how steep it was at the end from when Jon and I did it back in early July. Would have preferred a more gentle approach, but young studs need their challenges...
Came down over Firescrew on the Manning Trail, a more moderate descent, but my knees still felt it.
Just under 3 hours. Not bad for a trip the guide book says takes 4 1/2.
A lot of folks on top, many with fairly small kids - next year need to try from a different trailhead.

Maybe Ryan will be up for it, he'll be walking by then. 25 lbs of squirming grandson would make any day more interesting.

On Opeche, warm and beautiful. Almost no wind, so the water was very clear - could see the bottom in many areas. Saw an eel and a salmon close together. Salmon must have been 24", eel looked to be twice that. Saw a pair of loons several times, they actually got quite close to me, <50 feet. A monarch buttefly was working its way across the middle of the lake, offered it a place to set a spell and rest, but it kept on trucking.
Other wildlife sighted: heron coming in for a landing just below the dam, the normal bunch of vultures hanging out in the same area, a couple of mallards, 3 unspecified almost all black ducks, a large bunch of Canada geese up in the far north end,
plus a few sub-morons out on their jet skis. All in all, the lake was pretty quiet - a wonderful time on the water.

Maybe the last time this year?
My arms will feel it tomorrow.

Woods behind the Taylor home. Didn't realize how much the trail looped back until the new construction - the trail is just past the disturbed area. Got twisted around a bit, ended up east of the water treatment plant.

GPS had terrible reception - there's some pretty thick hemlock groves in there. GPS track is flaky, wish there was a way to go in and erase what I know are spurious points and celan it up a bit.