FIRST TRACKS!!!!

Jonathan Shefftz wins again. First on, last off every year it seems. It ain't long now! Mt. Washington got several inches of snow over the last few days. Life is good!

A Step Way Back In Time

I've got gazillions of photos stored away in boxes around here. Lots of good stuff. I found a few to scan and put up while we wait for winter. Watch out, I'll probably dig out more incriminating photos of others while I watch the Red Sox march through the playoffs.

The first two are Rob Bradlee at the March 1987 Bogburn, which Bob Haydock used to hold in March, thus the gorgeous weather. Check out that mustache and those Peltonen ski tips! Those things would cut you if you fell on them, the tips were so sharp. Bob used to hold both a 10km skate and a 10km classic race in the same day and give awards to the ironperson in addition to the individual race winners. And, the course was harder in those days than it is now! Can you say "exhausted"?

The third picture is of me at the 1987 National Masters Championships on an off day skiing at Lone Mt. Ranch at Big Sky, MT, where the 30km was held. Check out the skating equipment, in particular the boots! I got so exhausted skiing around at 6,000 - 8,000 feet chasing Jody Newton, Keith Woodard and Vince O'Connell that I was completely useless for the next two races. However, that was some totally awesome skiing! What a beautiful place. Then we had a 5 star dinner at Lone Mt. Ranch that evening. I can still remember the salmon I had. Lone Mt. Ranch has just been sold and has been turned into a private retreat, which is truly a shame.

CSU Juniors Get Busy!

A big crowd turned out last Sunday for the CSU Junior workout in Concord. Here is a picture of part of the group.






































Heather working on V2

Awesome Day at Waterville

What constitutes a perfect summer day of training? For those who came up to Waterville Valley today for a training day hosted by the Riches, they found out. A perfect day consists of bright sunny weather with low humidity and warm temperatures, a great group of friends getting together, a 2 hour rollerski, lots of stuff to eat for lunch to fuel up, a great hike of Dickey and Welch mountains with great views up and down the valley followed by perhaps the best part....a bracing but totally revitalizing swim in the Mad River complete with some tubing.

A few photos of the day:

A Beautiful Morning on the Water!

It hasn't been the best weather lately so when today dawned clear and with no chance of rain for a change I tossed the kayak on the car for a little kayak cross training paddle around Crane's Beach. This is a great little paddle, just over 10 miles and on a day like this how could you go wrong! I took the pictures in calm areas but with the wind out of the west and the incoming tide it made for interesting conditions and choppy waves. FUN!

Lots and lots of boat traffic though with the nice weather. Got to watch out. 2nd photo shows some of the ones anchored on the backside of Crane's.
A great day with some hard paddling.

King Ravine Hike

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. Here's a photo I took on vacation last week from King Ravine on the north side of Mt. Adams, one of the very best hikes in the White Mountains. Sarah and Evan love it. You haven't hiked the Whites until you do King Ravine and Huntington's Ravine! One of the really fun things is to take the Subway down under all those giant boulders you see at the bottom of the ravine. Click on the photo to get the full size version.

Haad Coah Skias

Mari, Alex and Luke after a wet roll finishing in the dark.
Photo by Alex.