The end of 2019 was not good for Nordic skiing in Maine. Snowstorms were invariably followed by warm weather, rain, or mixed precipitation. Suffering from ski envy, a group of Maine seniors resolved to search for an alternative. Fortunately, a skiing paradise is located just a few hours north in Canada. Eight of us decided […]
Being semi-retired has benefits. Old age is not one of them. Perhaps the most significant advantage is time flexibility, at least what little is left. I try to write and operate my tax consulting business on bad weather days and play on nice ones. In short, my goal is to work a little and play […]
A modest peak, Rumford Whitecap was a test. Old age had delivered another surprise visit in the form of a new knee problem. Where do these aggravations come from? I’d been taking all the recommended supplements. Reluctant to depress readers with the gruesome details; suffice to say it was a few days after my latest […]
How do you pronounce Chocorua? Possessing a distinct Mainer’s accent, I say “sha-core-ah.” I’ve heard other variations. Anyway you say it Mount Chocorua in New Hampshire is an outstanding hike. My friend Suzanne and I had arrived at Chocorua’s alpine-like summit and were basking in remarkably hospitable conditions. Sitting atop a cliff, a clear sunny […]
Commencing the sport in 2002, sea kayaking is a relatively new activity for me. When you’re in your seventies, anything less than twenty years seems like last week. Already eligible for AARP membership when I began, I lacked the risk taking mentality of younger paddlers. Late fall and winter kayaking on the ocean has never […]
On the first full day of the Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society fall outdoor weekend on Mount Desert Island I was scheduled to lead a bike trip on the Carriage Trails. The problem was rain, fog, and wind. No one was interested in biking in those conditions except one truculent hold out, me. Someone mentioned […]
What’s the most spectacular mountain hike in Maine? I suspect most people believe Mount Katahdin claims that distinction. In my opinion, a close second is the peaks of Tumbledown and Little Jackson Mountains. While the ragged, alpine summits and sheer cliffs of Tumbledown dominate the skyline northwest of Webb Lake near Weld, nearby taller more […]
Traversing Ball Mountain Dam on the West River in southeastern Vermont is a serious workout. Carrying a canoe or kayak doubles the fun. Starting at a parking area below the massive dirt and gravel gravity dam, paddlers load boats on their shoulders and ascend abruptly for several hundred feet to the top. The climb is […]
We were luxuriating with one of the most impressive views in the State of Maine. Sitting atop Hancock County’s Schoodic Mountain on a clear, calm morning, Frenchman Bay and the majestic peaks of Mount Desert Island provided an enthralling panorama. First on the mountain, John and I had departed our campsite on Schoodic Beach immediately […]
Contrary to its name, Canada Falls is not located in Canada. However, it’s not far away situated northeast of Jackman in a remote area just a few miles east of the Canadian border. Actually a 3.5 mile section of the South Branch of the Penobscot River, virtually everyone in the paddling community refers to it […]
