Before the Wally Man triathlon, the race directors had only participated in races of various types. From a racer’s point of view, it is clear that there’s lots of organizing and coordinating to be done. Things such as road closures; water stops; staging area; lifeguarding; pre and post race festivities; awards; timing services, etc. With their racing experience, the trio thought they were well equipped to start an event of their own. However, as Matt, Jarrett and Jesse discovered, there are many behind-the-scenes things that need to be organized, including sponsorships; township permitting; volunteer coordination; numerous meetings; USAT certifications; course permitting/marking; marketing; community outreach; website and graphic design, and more! They would never admit to biting off more than they could chew, but here are a few of their trials and tribulations:
A blog about two girls who are not getting their masters degree, but are doing some other things instead.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Triathlon season is here! (Part 2 of 2)
The Wally Man Triathlon: the
Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Before the Wally Man triathlon, the race directors had only participated in races of various types. From a racer’s point of view, it is clear that there’s lots of organizing and coordinating to be done. Things such as road closures; water stops; staging area; lifeguarding; pre and post race festivities; awards; timing services, etc. With their racing experience, the trio thought they were well equipped to start an event of their own. However, as Matt, Jarrett and Jesse discovered, there are many behind-the-scenes things that need to be organized, including sponsorships; township permitting; volunteer coordination; numerous meetings; USAT certifications; course permitting/marking; marketing; community outreach; website and graphic design, and more! They would never admit to biting off more than they could chew, but here are a few of their trials and tribulations:
Before the Wally Man triathlon, the race directors had only participated in races of various types. From a racer’s point of view, it is clear that there’s lots of organizing and coordinating to be done. Things such as road closures; water stops; staging area; lifeguarding; pre and post race festivities; awards; timing services, etc. With their racing experience, the trio thought they were well equipped to start an event of their own. However, as Matt, Jarrett and Jesse discovered, there are many behind-the-scenes things that need to be organized, including sponsorships; township permitting; volunteer coordination; numerous meetings; USAT certifications; course permitting/marking; marketing; community outreach; website and graphic design, and more! They would never admit to biting off more than they could chew, but here are a few of their trials and tribulations:
Monday, May 26, 2014
Summer Storm: Hail
There's a saying attributed to Mark Twain: "If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes." Yesterday afternoon was no exception.
In the late afternoon, the clouds began to assemble, rolling in from the west. The sun still managed to peak through the few remaining patches of blue sky. The western sky darkened and a distant rumble of thunder was heard, but above us there was no sign of the stormy weather.
The sun was sinking low; its golden light covered the lake and reflected off the surface of the water, illuminating the eastern shore with its warm glow.
It began to rain, lightly at first. The drizzle quickly turned into a downpour. The rain drummed steadily on the roof. And then it grew louder, more of a distinct ping-ping sound than the constant muted rhythms of the rain. Hail plummeted down; large chunks of ice the size of dimes bounced off the dock below, scattering in every direction.
It began to rain, lightly at first. The drizzle quickly turned into a downpour. The rain drummed steadily on the roof. And then it grew louder, more of a distinct ping-ping sound than the constant muted rhythms of the rain. Hail plummeted down; large chunks of ice the size of dimes bounced off the dock below, scattering in every direction.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
A Quiet Moment
A loon slips below the surface of Heart Lake.
I watch the ripples he left behind fade back into unbroken surface. I am reclining in the curve of a cedar branch overhanging the water, cooling off after a hike. The bark is still warm enough from the afternoon sun to envelope me in the sweet perfume of juniper in the still air. Here at the base of the mountain painted trillium dots the forest floor, but up on the summit we found them still wrapped up in their buds, contentedly unaware of the strength of the season below them. The peak, now reflected in the water below me, prefers to wait for true summer to display her colors. My gaze wanders between these two worlds, both caught in the spell that is the seasons, both on the brink of some undeniable change.
The loon surfaces.
I watch the ripples he left behind fade back into unbroken surface. I am reclining in the curve of a cedar branch overhanging the water, cooling off after a hike. The bark is still warm enough from the afternoon sun to envelope me in the sweet perfume of juniper in the still air. Here at the base of the mountain painted trillium dots the forest floor, but up on the summit we found them still wrapped up in their buds, contentedly unaware of the strength of the season below them. The peak, now reflected in the water below me, prefers to wait for true summer to display her colors. My gaze wanders between these two worlds, both caught in the spell that is the seasons, both on the brink of some undeniable change.
The loon surfaces.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Give it a tri! (Part 1 of 2)
This past week, I got in the pool and swam. I also took my bike off its roller in the basement, pumped up my tires, and got out for the first ride of the season. Folks, this is very good news considering I'm signed up for a triathlon and it's in less than a month. I have called myself a runner since sophomore year of high school, when I joined the cross country team and was instantly hooked. An event like a triathlon offers me a new challenge and gets me out of my comfort zone.
This is not a pool; this is the ocean. |
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Azure: The Magic Mountain
Last Saturday I began my foray into the Adirondack Mountains with a short but sweet hike up Azure Mountain. Azure sits in the northern part of the park where the mountains glide into the foothills, and holds a special place in my heart. A friend once referred to it as 'Magic Mountain' because you can hike it, ski it, rock or ice climb it, love it...the list goes on. It's where I learned how to ice climb, but I had yet to actually hike to the summit and climb the 93-year-old fire tower that sits up there, and so it felt like the perfect place to kick off the summer.
The trail head lies at the end of Blue Mountain Road in Waverly. We parked next a pile of fist-sized rocks bearing a sign urging hikers to take a few to the top to help fight erosion. For a mountain that gives so much it was an easy decision to stuff some rocks into our backpack and pockets. It was really the least we could do to give back.
Evan fighting erosion at the summit |
The High Peaks from the Azure Mountain Fire Tower |
Sneaky Woodpeckers |
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Friday, May 16, 2014
Treading Lightly
Avalanche Pass, ADK |
Now, I have packed up and moved my life a couple of times, and I try to pack light, but this time I decided to take on a special challenge. I had read once about a minimalist who lives with only 100 personal objects in his possession. 100 sounds like a lot of stuff at first, but that includes clothes, technology, books, jewelry, even his wallet. He did not count items he shares with his family-forks, TV, bed, etc. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to take on that challenge for myself this summer.
Signs of Spring
These photos are from an afternoon hike with my Dad at the Pound Ridge Ward Reservation from a few weeks ago. Life has been a bit busy lately (in the best of ways) so although I am just posting them now I think we all still have spring on the mind anyway. It's a rainy day in the North Country for me today, and looking back at an afternoon of sun is a welcome sight. Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
To the mountains for Mother's Day
I'm not sure what most people do for Mother's Day. I usually just get my mom some flowers and chocolate. This year, however, I thought outside the box. A few weeks ago, I casually floated the idea of a Mother's Day hike. No one seemed to object. With this past Sunday forecasted to be gorgeous, the parents and I thought we might as well get outside and enjoy it.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Weekend Wanderings: Madame Sherri Forest
Earlier this week, I had suggested to my boyfriend that we go hiking this weekend with his dad as a belated birthday present. I had picked out a small hike (~3 miles) in western New Hampshire and having never done it before, I was very excited to explore a new area. Well, explore we did!
Madame Sherri's Castle Ruins |
For starters, there are the ruins of a burnt down castle that once belonged to an eccentric Parisian lady with its massive staircase to nowhere. The foundation is still there, along with some large pillars, the fireplace and several more (though not quite as impressive) staircases.
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