7th Annual Brave the Blizzard 3.9-Mile Snowshoe  Race
Guilderland Elementary School
January 16th, 2011 - Guilderland, NY

Snow once again in Guilderland!  I didn't make the event, but 207 finishers did!  This is a new record for snowshoers at a WMAC Dion Series Race!  The previous high was Saratoga Spa Winterfest with 196 to the finish line in 2009.

Closer to home, the Old Goat and I rambled along the Metacomet for 4-miles, with Tippi romping along as well.

12th Annual Greylock Glen Snowshoe Race
January 15th, 2011 - Adams,  Massachusetts

Race Directing duties at another Greylock Glen Snowshoe Race at the Mount Greylock State Reservation, in the Adams Glen...

78 total finishers, with a 78th for me as I counted my flagging/marking time from early in the morning.  I wrote a bit about this one as follows:

"... We had our first Greylock Glen Snowshoe Race in ‘99. It was unofficial, as many of them were back then. We have held snowshoe races in the Glen each year since.

This one was special for me, because PH came out to visit us for a while. PH, my dad and I have spent hundreds of hours in the Glen and on Greylock together through the years. although PH isn’t able to get out as he once did, but there wouldn’t be Greylock Snowshoe Races if it weren’t for him.

He directed all the early events here, and the current course is what he had come up with a few years back after the beaver had taken over the north side.  I want to thank everyone for participating; I am honored to have shared this day with all of you, your spirit made it worthy!"

Once it was over, Tippi and I had 6.5-miles of snowshoeing on our legs.

A visit to Adams, including 4-miles in Greylock Glen marking and flagging for tomorrow's race.  Enjoyable day for Tips and I.

Metacomet Trail via Sunrise Park with Tippi for 4-miles.

3rd Annual Turner Trail Snowshoe Race
January 8th, 2011 - Pittsfield State Forest - Pittsfield, MA

Missed another, 62 finishers.

4th Annual Massachusetts State Championship
2010 Mass State Championship
(make up from March 2010 & December 2010)
North Pond / South Pond 3.0-Mile Snowshoe Race
January 2nd, 2011 - Florida & Savoy,  Massachusetts

Race Directing duties.

Long story behind this one, my friend LC said it best in an article about the event...  Here is how the story unravels:

"... the Massachusetts State Snowshoe Championship, originally scheduled for March 2010 in Northfield, was postponed to December because of lack of snow cover.

December fared no better, with December 25 being the only day that showed promise. Needless to say, Santa holds exclusive rights, so the 2010 date stealthily tiptoed across the border to January 2, 2011, hoping no one would notice. Hardly anyone did.

A fireworks meltdown over the New Year’s holiday left our race director (incidentally from CT and standing in for official MA representative DD) hunkered down with his email list. “Here is what I suggest,” he cautiously typed, “– stay home and skip the race if you have any doubts or want to avoid potentially poor snowshoe conditions. Truthfully, most of you should avoid our race tomorrow. Do something else…”

Well, conditions were as advertised.  The snow was minimal and roots were showing for much of it.

I managed 25th of 25 participants, using my time from marking the course early on.

Out to Savoy Mountain State Forest to mark the upcoming snowshoe event.  I managed 3.5-miles of snowshoeing.

Lewis Farm Bird Sanctuary for 3.5-miles of snowshoeing with Tippi early on New Year's eve.

Lewis Farm Bird Sanctuary for 3-miles of snowshoeing with Tippi.  

The site is almost 90 acres of former farmland that has been reverting to woodland for four or five decades. Mostly wooded, traversed by a stream emerging from a wetland and with a small pond in another low area, it lies at about 150 ft elevation in central Suffield, CT.

Academy Fields with Tips for 2.5-miles of snowshoeing.

9th Annual "I Love Woodford" 3.3-Mile Snowshoe Race
December 26th, 2010 - Woodford State Park - Woodford, VT

"I Love Woodford" 3.3-Mile Snowshoe Race kicked off our 2010 Series;  I finished 18th of 77.

Running with Tippi at the McLean Game Refuge along the Westledge section.

McLean Game Refuge along the Firetown Trail section with Tippi.

Savoy Mountain State Forest with Tippi, an attempt at a Spruce Hill Climb.  Poor conditions, so we only managed 2.5-miles for the day.

Outside to run a few loops around Stony Brook Park with Tippi.