In Memory...  

Rest in Peace Dusty
(August 28, 1986 - September 25, 2000).

"Dusty" at Old Sturbridge Village, 1998

DL brought Dusty home at Christmas 1986, when we lived at Old Mill Pond in Arlington, Texas.  He was a cocker-spaniel, and a really great dog.

Once we made the move to Connecticut in 1989, we began hiking and backpacking.  Dusty loved the trail, and camping out in a tent.  As a spaniel, he also loved water, and even in December's winters, if the water was open, he was going in.

We began running in Shenipsit State Forest around 1992, after building up with the years of hiking.  We ran on the Metacomet three or four days a week, right up to a week before his passing.

I have been extremely lucky with the dogs I've had.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of them.  As I still ramble through the woods, I encounter hints and reminders constantly.  Those first explorations throughout Connecticut and Western Massachusetts were with Dusty,.  Rest easy, boy.

Drove to the site of the once mighty Sprague Electric in North Adams, MA with DL, Bill and an Englishman to attend the Patti Smith show at Mass MoCa. 

Here is a approximation of the setlist for this awesome show!

• One Voice
• Beneath the Southern Cross
• Boy Cried Wolf
• Dancing Barefoot
• Lo and Beholden
• Spell
• Dead City
• Don’t Say Nothing
• Because the Night
• Pissing in a River
• Gone Pie
• Strange Messengers
• Be My Baby
• Glitter In Their Eyes
• Be My Baby
• Free Money
• Land/Machine Gun/Gloria

1st Annual Moody Spring Snowshoe Race
March 4th, 2000 - Dubuque State Forest, West Hawley, MA

The 1st Annual Moody Spring Snowshoe Race took place under my direction.

44 finishers on the course, most ended the event with a visit to South Face Farm Sugarhouse for an included "brunch", wrapping up our season.

3rd Annual Hawley Kiln Snowshoe Races
February 19th, 2000 - Dubuque State Forest, Hawley, MA

The 3rd Annual Hawley Kiln Klassic took place again under my direction.

More than plenty of snow, 45 finishers on a very tough conditions day.

1st Annual Saratoga Spa Winterfest 5km Snowshoe Race

February 6th, 2000 - Saratoga Springs, NY

Participated in another of our snowshoe series events, the first official Saratoga Spa Winterfest 5km Snowshoe Race at Spa Park in Saratoga Springs, NY.

The event had 66 starters and finishers, and I completed the race in 9th position.  This event was organized by my very good friends, JC & LC.

1st Annual Greylock Glen 3.5-Mile Snowshoe Race

January 22nd, 2000 - Adams,  Massachusetts

Assisted my fantastic friend PH with Race Directing duties at the first official Greylock Glen Snowshoe Race at the Mount Greylock State Reservation, in the Adams Glen...  part of the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Series!

The event had 35 starters and finishers, despite -8 temperatures and 20 mph - 40 mph wind gusts.  Somehow, despite the weather reports being very accurate, about a dozen people showed up "day-of" to register and race.  I managed a 6th place during the event.

8:00 p.m., PH and I decided to snowshoe tomorrow's Greylock Glen race-course under the moonlight.  This was an experience that I doubt I will ever forget…  wind blowing snow so hard we could barely see in spots…  everything lit up so brightly we thought it was snowmobile traffic (yet only the moon)…  and the cold like I have never felt before (40 below with the wind chill)…

3rd Annual South Pond Shuffle 4-Mile Snowshoe Race

January 15th, 2000 - Florida & Savoy,  Massachusetts

Race Directing duties at the third South Pond Shuffle Snowshoe Race at Savoy Mountain State Forest...  part of the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Series!

The event had 59 starters and finishers, circling North Pond, South Pond, and Tyler Swamp.

Watery Hill 6-Hour Run

November 6, 1999 - Somewhere in MA or RI

I completed 30-miles during the Watery Hill Six-Hour Race today, with Johnny Bandit.  I called it a day at 5:35:00.

Pisgah Marathon

September 14, 1999 - Winchester & Chesterfield, NH

I raced and completed the Pisgah Marathon today (50km), in 5:47:30.  Ran the majority with the Bandit, throughout a beautiful park in New Hampshire.  This was my 22nd finished marathon.

1st Mountain Goat Snowshoe Race
February 28th, 1999 - Mt Prospect, Woodford, Vermont

A snowshoe event was held in Woodford, Vermont at the Mount Prospect Ski Area.  15 participants covered the 2.9-mile course.

Going forward over the next twenty years, this event would morph into both the Woodford Snowshoe Race and additional Prospect Mountain Events, including United States Snowshoe Association National Championship Events.

2nd Annual Hawley Kiln Snowshoe Races
February 20th, 1999 - Dubuque State Forest, Hawley, MA

The 2nd Annual Hawley Kiln Klassic took place under my direction.  This was the third and final race of the 1999 Southern New England Snowshoe Series.  We would soon become the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Series,

Dubuque State Forest was the setting, and we offered a 7-mile and a 4-mile option.  The courses shared an opening section before splitting, making the event "fun" for everyone.

Plenty of snow, 45 finishers in the long event, 5 in the short.  Two men broke under an hour for the 7-miler, which was pretty awesome.

1st Frigid Figure Eight 5KM (Lack of Snow) Shoe Race
February 13th, 1999 - Union, Connecticut

I directed the second event of the 1999 Southern New England Snowshoe Series (which became the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Series).  This time it was in Bigelow Hollow State Park, Union, Connecticut.  There was not enough snow to use our snowshoes, but a 5km running event did take place with 26 starters and finishers!

Thanks to the Old Goat for setting up the alternative course on race day, it's good to have friends!

2nd Annual South Pond Shuffle 4-Mile Snowshoe Race

January 16th, 1999 - Florida & Savoy,  Massachusetts

I directed the second South Pond Shuffle Snowshoe Race at Savoy Mountain State Forest...  part of the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Series!

The event had 49 starters and finishers, circling North Pond, South Pond, and Tyler Swamp in two-feet of powder covered by an inch of icy crust.

3rd Spruce Hill Climb Snowshoe Race
December 6th, 1998 - Florida/Savoy, Massachusetts

A final Spruce Hill (non) Snowshoe Adventure was held in Savoy Mountain State Forest.  We had thee-finishers all named "Ed" on this day!