Off-season Solitude

I love the beach in wintertime when there's not a soul in sight.

I love the beach when the chunks of ice carried by the water rest haphazardly at the high tide line.

I love the beach when the salty foam stiffens like beaten egg whites, creating whimsical wind-blown shapes.

I love the beach when the sands shift and the dunes bend to the wind.

Bald Mountain Round 2

This past October, my friend, Katie, and I hiked Bald Mountain in Westmore, VT. Unfortunately for us, the weather was not very favorable for a summit with a fire tower with supposed sprawling views.

Looking out from the rickety firetower.

Luckily for me, I headed back up to the Northeast Kingdom with my family for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. My family loves to ski, but due to unseasonably warm weather the trails at Burke Mountain weren't in the greatest shape. So instead of hitting the slopes, I got to share one of my favorite hikes in the area with my Mom.

The cabin at the summit: Cozy!

Looking South: The distant ski slopes of Burke Mountain can be seen in the center.

Looking West from the firetower. 

Starting 2015 off on the right foot!

January 1st, 2015: My friend, Emily, and I met up in Salisbury, MA to run the Winner's Circle Hangover Classic, a New Year's Day race with both a 5k and a 10k route. Needless to say, it was freezing cold and quite windy. I’m sure it didn’t help that the race was held a stone’s throw away from the ocean.

The most memorable part of the day was without a doubt the post-race polar plunge. After the race, we got our towels and multiple warm layers from the car, and then walked out onto the beach. There were quite a few brave souls who decided to take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean in January. With the help of our awesome support crew, Emily’s parents, we took off a couple layers and our shoes, and made a beeline for the water. (Prior to the plunge, I did overhear someone saying that the water temperature was 42°F. A wee bit chilly, even by hearty New England standards.)

Yes, the water was shockingly cold. But even colder was the wind that instantly sucked all the warmth out of me. It felt as though my entire body was stinging. The towel crew was soon upon us, and within minutes we were warm and dry, relatively speaking. All in all, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the year!