6th Annual Woodford 3.5-Mile Snowshoe Race
December 30th, 2007 - Woodford State Park - Woodford, VT

"I Love Woodford" 3.5-Mile Snowshoe Race kicked off our 2008 Series;  I finished 17th out of 96. 

Another tirp to Ashfield with Tippi (back to back days), this time extending our network from Baily Road over Mary Lyon Hill and down to Route 112.

Deep snow made the travel difficult from the "bottom" back up the saddle from Martin Road.  Didn't have the complete track recorded with gps through this area.

Completed 6.5-miles in around 2-hours.

 

Took Tippi out to Ashfield to explore snowmobile trails on snowshoes.

Managed 5.5-miles in 1:28:00, wonderful area.

With such great snowshoeing conditions, I drove back out to Dubuque State Forest with Tippi to have an additional go at it.

I parked on Stetson Road, near and old abandon farm house.  It was basically turned into a cul-de-sac, as that is as far as the road was plowed.

Tippi and I hit the drifts into the old apple orchard, passed Starks Cemetery, turned east up Horton Road, turned north onto the Old Fox Trail and rambled down to Hawley Road and Savoy Road with the Chickley River frozen below.  Then it was the harsh hairpin turn southerly up along the R Willis Trail back to our junction with Horton in the clearing.

Ended the day with roughly 6.5-miles in 1:44:00.  Exhausted!

1st Snowshoe of the season, at Dubuque State Forest from the Kiln Area Parking (Firestation).

Rambled through the Snowshoe Trail, to Notch Trail, and wound back along the Roots and Rocks Trail for a rough total of 5-miles in 1:18:14.  Great conditions, with Tippi for company.

Notchview Marathon - September 10th, 2007
Windsor, Plainfield, Hawley & Savoy, Massachusetts

Tippi and I finished the Notchview Marathon.  We ran from Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Massachusetts into Dubuque State Forest in Hawley, then to Savoy Mountain State Forest in Savoy.  We got crushed by a heavy rainstorm for the last 3-miles.

This was my 37th completed marathon, and Tippi's 11th.  All in all, I was not in fantastic shape but the year was winding down, and the run was incredibly enjoyable.  Missing a turn shortly after Windsor Jambs, continuing on the dirt road for a bit, didn't count as a positive.

Looking at the map, we passed Windsor Pond, Crooked Neck Pond, and Hallockville Pond along the journey.  

Meadow at Notchview 

Tippi on the Jambs Trail.

Windsor Jambs.

Alert, as always.

Jambs, with Tippi on the ledge, upper right,

 

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period  August 1st through August 31st, 2007:

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period  July 1st through July 31st, 2007:

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period June 1st through June 30th, 2007:

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period May1st through May 31st, 2007:

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period April 1st through April 30th, 2007:

Attended an incredible show at the Unitarian Meeting House in Amherst.

1 Gown

2 Kohoutek

3 Alasehir

4 GHQ

5 Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice

Brilliant performance all the way around, great venue, less than $10 entry, only a couple dozen spectators unfortunately.

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period March 1st through March 31st, 2007:

Last snowshoe of the season, figured on exploring Florida Mountain from our property.

Tippi and I rambled into Vermont, totally no idea where the route was taking us.

Once into "civilization" again (a plowed dirt road), we stuck to it and then Tilda Hill Road later on for a total of 8.5-miles in 2:49:00 (1:49 snowshoe and another hour on dirt and Tilda Hill Road.

Snowshoed Dwyer Road to Barrus, and to Spruce Corner, and "round".

Total of 8.2-miles in 1:42:05 (50:24/26:58 for 1:17:22; and 24:43 for a grand total of 1:42:05).