Mags
05-24-2006, 15:27
Those who don't want t read non-AT reports, skip the clearly labeled #1 and #3. :-) Some of #2 is also a RI report. Those who want to go to the pics, see links at bottom.
Trip report #1: Triple Course Challenge in Boulder
A classic hike where you hike three prominent peaks in
Boulder. Green, Bear and S. Bouder. 13 miles and
~4500' elev gain. My friends and I do a twist: we have
an appetizer course on Green, a lunch course on Bear
and a dessert course on S. Boulder. Lots of fun! Drier
year than last year, so not as many wildflowers as
last year.
Was a fun hike. My friend Marni was part of the "baby
brigade". Two people hiked up with their babies to
meet us on one of the peaks for alittle while. Marni
did it too..'cept she in 6 mos pregnant! Hard core! :D
Trip Report #2: Franconica Ridge, NH!
So I flew into Boston for 5:30 AM. :O My buddy Tim, my
brother Steven and our friend Waddie (no one calls him
Dan!) met me at Logan. We drove up to NH...where it
was SUNNY!. As most of you know, there was a deluge in
southern New England for a good chunk of two weeks.
Northern New England was nice.
Anyway, we all did the classic Old Bridle Path -->
Franconia Ridge ---> Falling Waters loop. Almost 4000'
elev gain. Wotta classic hike! The ridge was
foggy..but no matter. Was great to be on Franconia
Ridge and the AT! Saw the white blazes and was quite
happy!
Still lots of snow in places..and I forgot how steep
the Eastern trails can be! Switchbacks??! Ha! Stumps
and roots in the middle of the trail? Sounds good!
Steep down Fallings Waters because of a freeze/thaw
cycle? Always wanted to do a luge run! :-)
Very nice day hike, though. Good to be back in
northern New England, if only for a day. We also
sprawled out in th parking lot and enjoyed the sun.
We drove back to RI..and hit the rain - LOTS OF IT!
My purpose of my RI visit was to see my little brother
off. Steven is medic in the Air National Guard and is
about to be deployed to Iraq (Balad AB to be precise).
Mom was told that week. She was not happy to say the
least. As she put it "I have one son about to get
eaten by bears, another son off to Iraq. Joseph YOU
ARE NOT LEAVING RHODE ISLAND!" (Joey is the middle
brother. Only our Mom and our two grandmothers call
Joey "Joseph"). Intellectually I know he is in a
(relatively) safe place..but always concerned he will
be safe. Can't stop being the "big brother". (The
little bro is almost 27!).
Anyway, a BUNCH of us met one night for a reunion.
Saw people we went to Catholic school with, old
friends from the neighborhood, people we worked with
back in high school, etc. Needless to say, I think I
had my share of "adult beverage" that night.
Being back in RI reminded me of just how much of my
roots are there. Almost all my cousins are still there
(16 of us!), my two grandmothers and parents live
there..and I can look at places and know my
GREAT-grandparents lived there. You still here
conversations peppered with dialect forms of
Italian..even by people who have no Italian ethnic
background! And the food...I forgot how much I miss
the mismash of New England favorites mixed in with
southern Italian dervied ethnic food with a smattering
of Portugese food as well (Del's Lemonade! Clam cakes
and Chowda! Sweet bread! ). I may be in Colorado...but
the RIer part of me is too intrinsic to my character
to get rid of it! :D
TRIP REPORT #3: Sunrise hike to Tremont
Another annual tradition! Bushwhack to a 10k peak and
watch the sunrise over the plains and shine on the
snow covered dividie. Then cook breakfast! Beautiful!
Who needs sleep? :-)
PICS:
New England (warning: RI pics show various states of
er..fun!): http://snipurl.com/qwi5
Colorado: http://snipurl.com/qwj9
Trip report #1: Triple Course Challenge in Boulder
A classic hike where you hike three prominent peaks in
Boulder. Green, Bear and S. Bouder. 13 miles and
~4500' elev gain. My friends and I do a twist: we have
an appetizer course on Green, a lunch course on Bear
and a dessert course on S. Boulder. Lots of fun! Drier
year than last year, so not as many wildflowers as
last year.
Was a fun hike. My friend Marni was part of the "baby
brigade". Two people hiked up with their babies to
meet us on one of the peaks for alittle while. Marni
did it too..'cept she in 6 mos pregnant! Hard core! :D
Trip Report #2: Franconica Ridge, NH!
So I flew into Boston for 5:30 AM. :O My buddy Tim, my
brother Steven and our friend Waddie (no one calls him
Dan!) met me at Logan. We drove up to NH...where it
was SUNNY!. As most of you know, there was a deluge in
southern New England for a good chunk of two weeks.
Northern New England was nice.
Anyway, we all did the classic Old Bridle Path -->
Franconia Ridge ---> Falling Waters loop. Almost 4000'
elev gain. Wotta classic hike! The ridge was
foggy..but no matter. Was great to be on Franconia
Ridge and the AT! Saw the white blazes and was quite
happy!
Still lots of snow in places..and I forgot how steep
the Eastern trails can be! Switchbacks??! Ha! Stumps
and roots in the middle of the trail? Sounds good!
Steep down Fallings Waters because of a freeze/thaw
cycle? Always wanted to do a luge run! :-)
Very nice day hike, though. Good to be back in
northern New England, if only for a day. We also
sprawled out in th parking lot and enjoyed the sun.
We drove back to RI..and hit the rain - LOTS OF IT!
My purpose of my RI visit was to see my little brother
off. Steven is medic in the Air National Guard and is
about to be deployed to Iraq (Balad AB to be precise).
Mom was told that week. She was not happy to say the
least. As she put it "I have one son about to get
eaten by bears, another son off to Iraq. Joseph YOU
ARE NOT LEAVING RHODE ISLAND!" (Joey is the middle
brother. Only our Mom and our two grandmothers call
Joey "Joseph"). Intellectually I know he is in a
(relatively) safe place..but always concerned he will
be safe. Can't stop being the "big brother". (The
little bro is almost 27!).
Anyway, a BUNCH of us met one night for a reunion.
Saw people we went to Catholic school with, old
friends from the neighborhood, people we worked with
back in high school, etc. Needless to say, I think I
had my share of "adult beverage" that night.
Being back in RI reminded me of just how much of my
roots are there. Almost all my cousins are still there
(16 of us!), my two grandmothers and parents live
there..and I can look at places and know my
GREAT-grandparents lived there. You still here
conversations peppered with dialect forms of
Italian..even by people who have no Italian ethnic
background! And the food...I forgot how much I miss
the mismash of New England favorites mixed in with
southern Italian dervied ethnic food with a smattering
of Portugese food as well (Del's Lemonade! Clam cakes
and Chowda! Sweet bread! ). I may be in Colorado...but
the RIer part of me is too intrinsic to my character
to get rid of it! :D
TRIP REPORT #3: Sunrise hike to Tremont
Another annual tradition! Bushwhack to a 10k peak and
watch the sunrise over the plains and shine on the
snow covered dividie. Then cook breakfast! Beautiful!
Who needs sleep? :-)
PICS:
New England (warning: RI pics show various states of
er..fun!): http://snipurl.com/qwi5
Colorado: http://snipurl.com/qwj9