Off the mountain and into the City News
February 1 (Wednesday): Met up with Flatlander and Phazergirl at Magalloway Cabins this am for my first ride of the season....we tried to beat the freezing rain but it caught up with us somewhere between Perry Stream and Indian Stream...but I didn't care....I was in my glory and could've riden off into the sunset, never to be seen again...Ha! - Thanks Scott & Chris for letting me indulge in my passion for motorized trail riding!
February 2 (Thursday): Apt. 7 is now rented out to a couple from Colebrook and the Cribbage Cohorts had to wait past their 6:30 'sharp' play-off's...we were all running late last night!...I went into game 9 with 11 points and the potential of placing in the top three but got skunked....Oh well....It's fun playing and a lot better than sitting home!
February 3 (Friday): Great hearing from Woodman again!...Hey Steve, send us the link for 'Looking towards Portugal' so we can get caught up on your stories, ok?...Some stuff got lost in the transition down here.
The Pittsburg Panthers lost tonight to Gorham....
....and don't forget the vintage snowmobile races tomorrow in Pittsburg....races start at 10:00am....
February 6 (Monday): Monadnock Mountain really does have a tower...the photos are in order from the gravel pit up....I GPS'ed it and the trail is actually 2.25 (one way)....so that 4.5 miles is round-trip (sure felt like 8 with a full pack & skis)....
Where the Red Squirrels 'Yard-Up'
Looking back at the view
Incredible beauty!
So it didn't blow over after all....
The Actual Summit Marker
From the first platform on the tower
Treetops pointing east
Taken on the trip down - Looking at VT 102 and Rt. 3 in the backdrop
February 7 (Tuesday): Woodman was kind enough to send along the url to his blog....Thanks Steve!....and I was digging through the myriads of photos looking for the picture of you on my ZL by Ramblewoods....
Just read 'The Man of the Hour'...and I could strongly identify with you....Dad's aren't supposed to die...(or Mom's)....And the preacher (MtnGoat) said: 'If you have a good husband or wife, hang on tightly and don't let go - be satisfied with what you have - don't look for more.... because lonliness is the ultimate poverty that cuts away at your soul and no one is there for you through your blackest times...'
Going to John and Linda's for a moonlight snowshoe hike at the Country Club....sub-zero temperatures settling in the the region tonight so it may end up a very short hike....
Our hike was awesome....never put on the snowshoes....just walked up to the base of Round Mountain via the snowmobile trail to Errol and traced out some coyote tracks that were on to a deer.....
February 8 (Wednesday): In training for the North Country Endurance Challenge....back to Monadnock Mtn....
February 9 (Thursday): The shower head blew apart at 4:30ish (to heck with coffee as an eye-opener!)...and I knew immediately that the best thing to do was to go back to bed and start over again but I had to get to work.....got out at noon then GPS'ed and mapped out probable routes for the triathalon...
Lost our furnace at the apartments just before the first cribbage hand was dealt...and luckily I hadn't left home yet, strongly suspecting there was a problem somewhere....Chris (from Rhymes) came all the way from Groveton and gave me a refresher course on 'burner maintainence 101'.....got the heat back on and up to temp before anyone knew there was a problem!
February 10 (Friday): Back at work until noon then went to Wentworth Location - Umbagog Wildlife Refuge over on Rt. 16 (N) to scout out the tamarack forests for sheds....lots of sign, but no luck as usual.....
The Magalloway River alongside Rt. 16 - in New Hampshire
The Umbagog Wildlife Refuge - Rt. 16
One of several deer beds
The Magalloway River
Plenty of sign....
Tamarack Boulevard
Beaver....doing what they do best!
Trails.Com- I like the 'Common Sense Hiking Tips' at the bottom of the page- (never hike alone') - Ha! -- Why can't you eat snow? I always do...
If you find yourself bored with nothing better to do, try making your own 'firestarters'.... Here's how to do it: Next time you're grocery shopping, pick up some boxes of wax crystals or whatever they're called....Northland puts some out as well as other brands for sealing jams & jellies....Follow the directions on the box for melting then pour hot liquid into eggless cardboard egg cartons which you already have filled with dryer lint or spruce needles....When the wax has cooled, cut into sections and store in airtight freezer bags.
John sent along this link to some awesome photos taken of a Lynx in Pittsburg....
and Jonathan Howe sent along a clip on 'YouTube' - 'Snowshoeing The CT' GREAT STUFF!!!!!!
February 11 (Saturday): I ended up going on a trip I wasn't going to go on and I'm glad I did!....the trails were awesome and we had a good time....Covered most everything east of Route 3 north of Diamond Pond and west of Maine....
Smith Brook Camps
Tom and Gayle
You guessed it! - Jct. 143 & 137
My Sled for the Day
Awesome trails!
Riding with Scott tomorrow afternoon then it's on to PWMA (The Portland Jetport) Monday so this has been a busy and fun weekend....Thanks to my good friends!!!!
Well, I finally found it - permanently cut into a CD....
Woodman on the "Good Sled"
February 12 (Sunday): Met Scott and Chris up at Lopstick's Magalloway Cabins and after layering up, Scott and I hit the trails.....Took Indian Stream to the connector over to Hall's Stream - then south to Shatney Mtn....crossed Rt. 3 in the village then rode out Cedar Stream to Deadwater, back to Cedar stream to Trl. 5 - to Young's Store, then back to the cabin across West Bay, 1st Connecticut Lake....approximately 65 miles and the trails were awesome!....
Chris had supper all cooked for when we got back and even made cakes for dessert.... Had an awesome time as usual! Thanks guys!
Hall's Stream
Hall's Stream - An old schoolhouse?
Nearing Sugar Camp Acres
Scott a/k/a Flatlander a/k/a Ol Thumper
February 13 (Monday): Brought Lauri to the Portland Jetport (in her Malibu) to see her off to her hometown in Indiana and took a trip down memory lane....hardly recognized the Jetport since they've expanded the terminal and the ramp going to the FedEx depot has disappeared and I would assume, rerouted....Amazing how much has changed since I worked there....Seeing I wasn't in my own vehicle I didn't feel at liberty to poke around too much but it was nice to get away for awhile....Grafton Notch was beautiful, of course!...
February 14 (Tuesday): Was invited to John and Linda's for a pot roast supper and they're really sweet.... I got the first valentines card and chocolates since my girls were in grade school....I can honestly say, I've got the nicest, caring friends!....Thanks!
Happy Valentine's Day to my little girls....
February 15 (Wednesday): Went to Howard's this am and they're having a dance at the American Legion in Canaan VT for Richard & Rachel Lapoint's daughter, Shelley, on Feb. 25th.... Richard is Pittsburg's Police Chief and has been very instrumental in my move to Stewartstown - Rachel is a long-term waitress at Howard's and a supurb person so if there's anything beneficial to support, this is it! Shelley has cancer, is winging it on her own, with two kids and no insurance....
As I was searching for the ZL/Woodman photo I ran across some old-time pics I thought would be fun to run again....so here they are....
Bob from Union CT - East Inlet - Pittsburg
Bob's Other Awesome Half - Carol
Three Coyotes on the Moose Carcass - MtnGoat Game Cam photo
Northwoods Stewardship Center - W. Charleston, VT - Shed Meet
VTJeepers Shed Tree at Spruce Cone Pittsburg
Lizzie and her great 'Finds' - Diamond Pond Area
Treasures from the High Hills
Hydiseka & Mrs. Hood - On top of 'ole smokie
A Festive Woodman
Scott & Chris
Unruly crowd at Cabela's Open House - Bob, Joy & Carol
Hydiseka
Pooey - Out on a Limb
February 16 (Thursday): Just got news that I'll be working in The Forks, Maine - June 19th through the 24th for Untamed New England and this quote was included in the intro-material '........if you are assigned the top of a mountain, don't expect a pizza delivery.......' - Ha!... 50 teams from around the world have already signed up (Pittsburg's race in 2010 had 42) and the race is sold out! (sorry Dave L.).....
The "Average Joes" from Augusta are game again and here's a list of teams. A lot of familiar names from 2010....
Playing cribbage tonight...so got to run...
February 17 (Friday): Came in 1st place last night - what a surprise!....
Carol sent along this fabulous photo of Dave L. trying to ignore the camera.....Ha Ha - didn't work, did it? (I like that little smirk!)
Where's the photo of Joy with the cow moose? Anyone have a copy of that?.....
Had an interview at UCVH today and I'm exhausting my imagination on the employment scene... 12 hours a week at Dube's just doesn't cut it and I'll be raiding dumpsters with the alley cats out back if this keeps up....Ha!
What an amazing picture that is! Thanks Carol and Dave!
John's been getting a lot of photos of the lynx on his home-made game cameras and if you ever get the opportunity to see one of his cameras, I think you'd be amazed...he does a real nice job with the camo!...got any photos John?
Scott and Chris got a lot of riding in this week and posted the photos on SledNH. Lots of snow in Pittsburg in the northern region...
February 18 (Saturday): Took a ride up to Deer Mtn. this am and got some photos before heading down to Errol for the 3rd race of the vintage series...
Chef at Deer Mtn. Warming Hut
Pittsburg's Rescue - Open For Display
Whirly Gigs visable from the Cohos Trail in Dixville Notch
Umbagog's Food Booth
Vintage Snowmobile Race
3rd Race of the Series - Errol, NH
MtnGoat got a tour of the grounds on this Polaris
Pit crews
February 19 (Sunday): Registration for the North Country Endurance Challenge has opened, so Check out our website and make plans to join in on the fun!
February 20 (Monday): Getting writers cramp! - Sending out my second article to Women Outdoors Magazine and putting together material for the February issue of the Cohos Trekker...
Great hearing from Heidi..... I miss our walks and talks on the mountain....and the great hunting trips with Bob (Heidi's Dad) and Dean (Heidi's other half)....and Julia, Ed & Melissa....maybe Dean will let me move into the Taj Mahal - the eighth wonder of the world? (I wonder why in the world you would need a tree stand that big? - Ha!)---I really miss everyone incredibly but I'm glad you're back on board with Mtn. News...
February 21 (Tuesday): Inside and out photos of Hydiseka's Home Brew Game Cameras....(thanks John)...
...and an updated photo of VTJeepers two 'shed trees'.....
