Midweek Moose
One day this week I took the opportunity of a gap between my US workday and my Asia workday to get out for a late afternoon weekday hike up Three Ponds Trail.
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April showers may bring road walks
Heavy rain over the past couple of days inspired me to make the most of the drier but colder day of the weekend. Rain on Spring trails makes mud, and when you add hikers to that mix you end up with accelerated trail erosion, so I decided to keep to the old logging road that doubles as a winter cross country ski highway and a 3-season hiking trail.
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I take it all back
April snow is not an alien phenomenon in New England, but that doesn’t mean it’s welcome.
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What springs eternal?
Mud season arrived early in the North Country this year. March brought heavy rains, high wind, and the early removal of bird feeders as hungry bears emerged from hibernation. April is a cruel month for hikers, with spring meltwater and muddy trails in the valleys and an icy monorail or deep snow higher up. This weekend finds me further south, shaking off the grey in my own neighborhood in the city.
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Breaking trail
I’ll get this out of the way upfront: I’m not a big fan of snowshoes. They’re awkward to wear, cumbersome to carry, and my natural gait places one foot in front of the other, so the side by side snowshoe waddle feels particularly awkward and trip-prone. Nonetheless, I set out with my snowshoes for a hike up Smart’s Brook, and was glad to have them!
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Big pines & sculptured rocks
It doesn’t take an epic hike to visit outdoor splendors. On recent cold, clear days I’ve taken some shorter walks to replenish my vitamin D, get some fresh air, and admire the woods and waters.
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Ghosts of Decembers past
For the past several years it’s been my habit and my pleasure to take advantage of the long holiday shutdown to travel. This year the Covid-19 pandemic is still raging, and travel is unwise.
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Opting outside
The Covid-19 pandemic has upended a lot of cherished traditions in 2020, but I’m happy to report that this year I was able to keep my longstanding tradition of not participating in Black Friday shopping. Taking a page from REI, I spent the day after Thanksgiving on a hike up and back down Sabbaday Brook trail.
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Shoulder Season
The leaves have fallen, the days are short, and frost on the ridge lines is keeping casual hikers at home. I’ll refrain from the quip about cold shoulders, because temperatures have been wild this year.
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Pictures of trees
This week took me to the edge of the Assabett River National Wildlife Refuge, where the Sudbury river feeds ~3 square miles of wetlands and forest set aside as habitat for migratory birds.
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