Day 4 – Into the Wilderness

Ah, when to the heart of man…* October 4, 2019 12:00pm Outdoors is so much more than fun. This ethic I share with a friend who first wrote these words. It guides me daily, today more than ever. I am writing this at the Sucker Brook Shelter on the Long Trail, my journey’s end for this trek. Yup, I schlepped up my laptop, knowing … Continue Reading →

Day 3 – Moosalamoo Mountain

Miles to go before I sleep…* October 3, 2019 I’m sitting here at the Moosalamoo Campground off of Forest Road 32 in the Green Mountain National Forest, Moosalamoo National Recreation Area. I am drinking the up and down beer, a Chinooker’d. It is the one I packed up in case of an emergency but did not drink on the trail. It was a two-beer … Continue Reading →

Day 2 – Walking the TAM

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…..* October 2, 2019 And, I only got lost twice. Only because I was not paying attention well enough as the Trails Around Middlebury (TAM) are well maintained and well maintained. Once again, I am grateful to the folks at Middlebury Area Land Trust (MALT ) for providing me with a shuttle ride and some guidance along the … Continue Reading →

Day 1 – Lake Champlain to Weybridge Hill

Nature’s first green is gold….* October 1, 2019 Well, the first day turned out to be quite all right. I arrived early at the rendezvous location, the Weybridge Hill Church, unloaded my bike and began packing my backpack with the necessities that I would need for the three legs of the days tour. John Derick arrived in his pickup and greeted me with a … Continue Reading →

Champlain Valley Reconnaissance

Out through the fields and the woods…* September 23, 2019 Last Saturday, I completed another reconnaissance for my upcoming adventure to traverse the Vermont section of the nation’s longest National Scenic Trail – the North Country Trail (NCT) on October 1 through the 4. It is never a trip wasted to visit one of the most interesting parts of Vermont, the Champlain Valley. So, … Continue Reading →

Moosalamoo Reconnaissance

Yet knowing how way leads on to way….* September 16, 2019 Today, I made my first visit to the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area in Vermont. This is the gateway to the Long Trail (LT) as designated by the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT). Perhaps you recall the story of my discovery of the NCT in western Pennsylvania while on tour this summer if … Continue Reading →

Fruits of My Labor, Fruits of the Valley

August 31, 2019 As I am in my sixty-fifth year, I have begun to enjoy the fruits of my labor and have semi-retired. In Vermont, that means I only have seven sources of income this year. Of course, I am not really idle, managing one remaining sidewalk project as Municipal Project Manager. I also teach skiing in the winter, coach high school golf in … Continue Reading →

Back Along the Mill Brook

Two days of traveling home to Vermont on Sunday morning following DCI World Championships and a myriad of other things have kept me from keeping you posted. In other words, I have been slacking in the writing department again. I did take some time to amend previous posts with more depth and interest, and I finally posted my write-up on Finals Day before the … Continue Reading →

Finals Day Anticipation

August 10, 2019 Today will be the final competition for DCI this season. Yesterday’s Semi Finals competition has resulted in a close race within the ranks of the top 12 corps. The top scoring corps was once again the Blue Devils from Concord, CA, the perennial champions having won eighteen since their founding in 1957, the most of any corps. Their mission statement says … Continue Reading →