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The Trip Not Taken
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The Trip Not Taken

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Spring, like Winter, has brought a seemingly endless string of uncooperative weather and commitments at home which have combined to prevent me from getting out for more than day hikes. This pic is from the one time I was able to get out for a few nights back in February which explains the load out. Note the thermos which was filled with boiled water in the morning that I’d pour into the water bottle to melt the ice throughout the day. It was a few degrees above zero in the morning and around 20°F during the day.

Not being able to get out there has been a challenge, both mentally and physically.  Day hiking can only do so much good on either account. Being on trail for several days or longer puts a person in a different state of mind that day hiking just can’t, at least for me. Not carrying the load of a full pack also tempts the legs into getting lazy. Breaking in the new Limmers has helped on that account as it takes a surprising amount of leg muscles, but that isn’t the same as the workout of hoisting a winter pack.

With this lack of opportunities to get out on trail the past few months I was very temped when a friend suggested I might join him for a Shenandoah traverse this week. It seemed a great chance to get the scoot out on the road and spend some time exploring a new area with a buddy. Having driven through that area on a family trip last year I was curious about climbing the ridges on foot rather than just speeding past in a car.

In the end, looking at the logistics of travel, shuttle and the family calendar I had to send my regrets. As much as the call of the trail pulled at me it seemed wiser to not push things. With the lack of time in the saddle of late I might have been a liability on a 100+ mile ridge line hike.  Banking some more family time before my busy summer trail schedule starts also factored into my decision. As things have turned out by staying home I missed trying to ride my scoot down to VA in a snowstorm and the weather looks pretty nasty down that way today.

So after a long Winter of trips not taken I’ll add this one to the list and try to be philosophical about it. Maybe there are trips we’re not meant to take. Forcing the issue rather than accepting that fact has probably led more than one adventurer to regret it. For now I’ll keep working on those Limmers and wait for my chance. Looks like a possible break in the weather late next week…

Hillsound Trail Crampon Review
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Hillsound Trail Crampon Review

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Hillsound Trail Crampon

Another update for the Gear Reviews page. A Winter that gave us a lot more ice than snow on the trails gave me plenty of opportunities to appreciate the size and strength of these cleats. Check out the full review at Trailspace via the link above for the full story and lots more pics. Wondering about those boots you can see peeking out from behind the gaiters and spikes? Keep your eyes open for a complete review of those coming soon!

Ternua Loughor Hooded Technical Jacket Review
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Ternua Loughor Hooded Technical Jacket Review

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Ternua Loughor Jacket

This was an interesting jacket made by an interesting company in the Basque region of Spain. It incorporates post consumer down that has been cleaned, sterilized and reconditioned into a light, breathable jacket that was made for active use. Check out the full review at Trailspace via the link above for details on both the jacket and the company as well as a bunch more pictures.

1.5oz and 2.5oz Tube Reviews
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1.5oz and 2.5oz Tube Reviews

Updating the Gear Review page with links to recent stuff published on Trailspace. These little things are great for carrying fuel, oil, soap or whatever other liquids you need in small quantities. Check out the detailed reviews via the links below. Look for more soon as I have boot and jacket reviews I’ll be adding here in the next few days.

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Easy Traveler Extra Squeeze Tubes 1.5oz Set

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Easy Traveler Extra Squeeze Tubes 2.5oz Set

A Visit to the Footbinder
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A Visit to the Footbinder

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An investment in my future on many levels; I began the break in process yesterday. It will be a while before they are ready for the trail as they will take quite some effort to break in. Just wearing them around the house is painful right now. The cobbler who fitted me at their shop in NH said they probably won’t be finished breaking in by the time I wear the first set of soles off, but I’m hoping to have them trail ready by April, at least for day hiking.  If they keep getting more comfortable that’s fine because I have a lot of miles to cover this year.

New pack, new boots and some new trails to explore along with a few old ones I’m sure. Hope to see you out there!

Snowshoeing With My Sweetie
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Snowshoeing With My Sweetie

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Sneaking out for a morning snowshoe together after dropping our daughter off at preschool has become a wonderful guilty pleasure this Winter. Seemed a mistake for her to buy these shoes when we had no snow until recently. Now it seems like the best idea ever!

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Birches in snow always look nice, but add in some sunshine and it tends to put a smile on a person’s face. We have several different spots we like to go wandering in the snow, but this town woodlot has become a favorite. There are some good hills to get a workout climbing and though we see some tracks we’ve yet to meet anyone out there since the snow fell.

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There are several of these old stone walls in this forest. They used to mark property lines and as one of my favorite Frost poems goes; Good fences make good neighbors.

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The sight of a broken trail and the sound of crunching snowshoes is lovely of course, but there is just something about the sight of unbroken snow laying in the Winter sun that makes the world seem a peaceful place. I’ve been suffering greatly with the lack of opportunities for Winter camping this year. Thankfully these wonderful hikes in the woods are keeping me from feeling too bad. Getting the chance to take some of them with my wife has made it all the more special. Even I’m willing to share my paths less traveled sometimes!

Winter?
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Winter?

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Open water on the Androscoggin in January? Despite a few bursts of chilly weather the river has remained unfrozen this year. Considering there is a dam just a couple miles downstream and the channel is deep keeping the current relatively gentle this is very unusual!

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Thankfully we finally have some snow that didn’t melt within a few days. Last weekend there were quite a few folks out on the golf course taking advantage of the opportunity to do some skiing or snowshoeing. My wife has been waiting for months to try out her new snowshoes so she has been sneaking out whenever she gets a chance.

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With the unseasonal weather my Winter camping plans have not been given a chance to be implemented. I’d been working on a gear sled, but haven’t bothered to finish it. I did get a chance to test out parts of the system by giving my daughter a ride around the golf course on it. She makes a great testing load and didn’t even complain when we lost control on a steep downhill tossing her into the snow. Actually I think she liked that part best!

Hope you folks are enjoying whatever your Winter is bringing you. As much as I love getting out into it this time of year I’ve sort of given up on this season and have started thinking about what comes next. I do have a few cold weather gear items in testing right now so hopefully Spring doesn’t come too soon, but either way I’ll be out there!

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Two Year Blogiversary

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Well, that year certainly went fast! Lots of great adventures, alone, with family and with friends. I’m usually focused on what comes next, but sometimes it is good to turn around and look where you’ve been.

Last year we had plenty of snow by this point, so there were lots of day hikes and even a few overnight trips on snowshoes. With the lack of snow this year I’ve been limited to remembering rather than doing. Still, that is why we stockpile those memories; They keep us going when things aren’t as great. This winter weekend trip to New Hampshire has been on my mind while working on the pulk I’ve been building. I’d expected to be making regular trips to the Whites by this point, but snow has been sparse there as well.

There were a few Spring trips last year that straddled the mud season’s worst. A trip up the back side of the Hancocks on snowshoes in early May was followed up with a snow free trip up the back side of Carrigain late in the month.

The Summer started with a trip to the Bonds for the solstice. Captured an amazing sunset video that I turned into a time lapse I find very relaxing to watch. There were family trips to Baxter with wife and daughter as well as the annual visit from the Texas boys. There also was a second attempt at the 70 mile loop down the length of BSP and back up via the International Appalachian Trail, this time successfully, albeit quite wet.

With my Long Trail plans delayed for another year the Fall was spent working on redlining the Pemigewasset Wilderness including finally doing a traditional Pemi Loop.

I’m still a bit behind on my Fall trip reports, but there were a few more trips to the Whites and a very relaxing week up in Baxter for a late season trip with some new friends. Of course I did my annual failed attempt at doing the Grafton Loop clockwise and even managed to get up to the Bay of Fundy for the Winter solstice (sunrise video).

If you’ve been reading here since the start you may have noticed I’ve been a bit quieter this year than last. What I haven’t been doing is writing opinion pieces or waxing philosophical. Even gear reviews have been sparse this year, though I have several items in the pipeline currently.  Partially that is because the more time I spend in the woods the less important words seem to be to me. I still passionately desire to inspire others to get out into the world and experience it, so I try to post reports on my adventures that both make people want to go themselves and be realistic about the difficulties and dangers of back country adventuring.

Some of the opinions I’m not expressing here are pretty dang cranky too as I’m not too keen on some of the things I see on trail or in online backpacking communities. That also accounts for some of the quiet as I’m not sure my ranting would do any good and I hesitate to engage in pointless bickering when I could be happier forgetting it all and going for a walk in the woods. We’ll see what this next year brings though. Might be time to go on a rant or two 🙂

Definitely some adventuring on the agenda though! Once again the Long Trail is back in the plans, hopefully in late September/early October. Still hoping to try out my crazy, three week, unsupported attempt. To that end I have a two week, 200 mile, practice trip planned for June that would take me from Stratton to Katahdin. With those big adventures bookending the Summer that still leaves a lot of time on either side and in between for shorter trips. It is good to look back sometimes, but as usually I’m looking forward to what comes next.

Hope you have enjoyed reading here over the last year and that you’ll stop by from time to time again this year to see what I’ve been up to.  It might inspire you to get out there in search of your own path less traveled!