CSU Camp Day 5

Day 5's highlight was our annual run/hike on the Wapack Trail.  For this event we split the group in two with one group going North to South, starting at Windblown Ski Touring Center and ending at Rte. 119 just south of Mt. Watatic, while the other group starts at the south end and heads north.  That means leaving dry clothes, food and water in the other end's vans so you have it at the end.  Always a complicated venture, hiding the keys of the vans, etc.   It was another magnificent summer day, athough warmer than the last few.  Our group was the South to North group and after only several hundred meters of flat we climbed steeply up the side of Mt. Watatic and then headed north, running all the more level or downhill stretches and walking only the steeper uphills.  At one point we had to climb around a tree in the trail that it turns out was there for a reason..... the trail was closed.  Most of us had missed any signs that the trail had been closed and rerouted for a short stretch due to a lumbering operation.  We ran down what used to be a dirt road and now was a re-graded road that must have been 3-4 inches deep in soft dirt/dust.  The dust cloud we kicked up stuck nicely to our sweaty legs and I tried running with my mouth closed, which is difficult!   After scrambling through some slash and around the operating grapple lifting logs we ran into a truck coming up the road.  The driver asked if we'd seen the signs and I said no, but said we'd warn the other group.  The North to South group did find the re-routed trail and got successfully around the logging. 

We stopped briefly at the overlook above Binney Pond, had some delicious wild blueberries and continued on to Windblown after a short stop as we met the other group heading south.  By the end, coming down through a now wide-open forest with a carpet of ferns as the understory coming down Barret Mt. at Windblown that resulted from the horrendous ice storm a few years ago we were all getting pretty hot and most everyone had used up their water.  

South to North Group high above Binney Pond

After everyone made it back to the vans, a change of clothes and lots of Gatorade off we headed to Kimballs Ice Cream in Jaffrey for a well-deserved lunch and ice-cream break.  We had a very leisurely lunch before heading back to the school and saying good bye to Alex, who is now winging her way to Switzerland for the World Orienteering Championships. 

After a very refreshing swim and some rest we had another core session.  A soccer game warmup was followed by Maddy's diabolical core workout of 40 min. of one exercise followed by another in something like 6 sets.  For this old coach it pretty clearly highlighted every weakness I have!  Ouch! 

Tonight will be smores by the bonfire.  Camp is drawing to a close and the last act will be a skate interval timetrial in the morning.