Skiing

Growing up I always lived right next to Okemo, a ski resort. When my brother and I were in elementary school there was a program where once a week for about 6 or 9 week period kids could ski on the mountain during school time. We would get passes, rentals, and ski instructors to help us learn to ski. The program started at 1st grade, so when I was 6 I started to learn how to ski. We would be bussed to the mountain and dropped off for the afternoon. I remember learning to ski with my friends as a highlight of my elementary school days. Not many other kids can say that their elementary school let them go skiing once a week. Why the mountain did this, I really don't know. There's the nice answer of that they wanted to give back the community, which they do on a periodic basis (one year they gave the high school a rock climbing wall, another year a drama program), there's another part of me that wants to say that they were conditioning us to work on the mountain as ski instructors, burger flippers and parking attendants later on in life. I feel that it was a mix of both. I would have never learned to ski without this program and I also would have never been an instructor as a teenager, I work there now and the perk that I use the most is the free seasons pass.

I loved skiing all through high school, I became a much better skier as an instructor than I did as a student. I spent every single weekend up on the hill with my friends, both at work and at play. By the time I left for college skiing was almost like walking. My cousin once went skiing with me and he said that it was the only time he'd ever seen me be graceful. It made sense and was a part of who I was. Then I went to college and didn't get out on the hill too much due to time away from home and there being nobody to go with. After college I lived in West Africa for two years. Not too much skiing there.

Yesterday I wanted to use my seasons pass. I took my day off and decided to get my ski legs back. I was a little apprehensive, I knew how good I had been, there hadn't been a trial on the mountain I couldn't ski. I knew the theory behind it, but I was worried that my body wouldn't respond how I wanted. That I'd end up on the side of some trail wrapped around a tree because I'd crossed the tips of my skis while doing a snow plow. As I walked to the trail, my feet getting used to my boots, I looked at the magic carpet, which is basically a conveyor belt built for the truly novice skiers. I really did consider starting there. 6 years is a long time to go without doing something. I was glad I was alone and not with my old friends that I used to woods ski on a daily basis with. They would have been waiting for me to catch up at the bottom of every trail.

My plan was if I put on my skis and they felt right I would skip the magic carpet and go straight to the lift. I dug my poles into the snow and put my skis down, I popped my boots into my bindings. I took my poles in my hands and they did feel right more so than I had hoped for, I skated up to the lift, and got in line. The first person I road the lift with, was a ski instructor at the same place I had once been. He was out with a couple of 5 year olds. I talked to him and the child and remembered how fun it had been as a instructor, the kids were never the reason why I left. I paced myself, I got off the lift, and actually did exactly what I meant to. I pulled off to the side and put my goggles down, which equally felt right. I then skied down to the end of the base, and thought I'd challenge what my perceptions of my own abilities. I took the chair to the top of the mountain, knowing there were no novice trials all the way down (they just weren't open yet). Anyone who skis Okemo knows that it's an easier mountain. When people ask if you went 'all the way to the top' they think that that's where the nastiest hardest trails are, that you are an expert skier to go all the way up there. No so with Okemo, you can with all trails open ski from top to bottom on extremely easy trails. If you find one that's too hard, you can easily find a connector trail to another easier level. The first trail I skied down it had just been opened that day. I was probably the first to ski it. It was great, the conditions were amazing and my skis were freshly waxed and sharpened. I can't really explain how skiing makes me feel. It makes me feel good. The only way I can describe skiing is freedom. I felt free, and unhinged. Everything gets quiet, and it's a form of meditation. There is no thinking, only reacting. You see something and react to it. There is no thinking 'I need to slow down, I need to turn around this ice chuck or I should go straight'. Skiing was like walking. When I got down off the mountain I felt like I did after any day of skiing, good.

Opening Day

Sorry to those who do actually check my blog, I've been a bit preoccupied in the past couple of days. Because I'm not too sure how to summarize my past few weeks I'll put it in a list:

Got a job at Okemo answering phones and making condo reservations

Got WFR certified

Realized working the phones at Okemo was not a life long goal so I applied to another job for the summer.

Got my first paycheck since August, realized work wasn't so bad.

Visited my brother and best friend down in NC.

Got an interview for summer job (wilderness trekking with teens/ community service)

Yesterday was opening day at Okemo. The snowmakers were making snow like crazy the days before. They were even blowing snow at the base with the hopes of having people be able to ski from one life to another to get to the top where the trails were open. But unfortunately the day finally arrived at a foggy 50 degrees at my house, which is pretty much what it is on the mountain. No snow at the base, as I didn't take a run I can't tell you if there was any at the top either, but people were arriving. Now snowmakers can't just make snow at any darn temperature they want, they can't even do it at any darn humidity level they want. It just isn't worth it to make snow and then have it melt 2 hours later. I applaud the snowmakers, it's tough job. They don't get to sit in cushy little cabins and watch snow pile up, no they have to be right out in the thick of it. They are basically cold all the time. They work through the night, and during the day, snow making is a 24 hour a day job. Without them I wouldn't have a job, it's true.

But opening day is another matter. There are only about 4 or 5 trails open, making a loop on the upper part of the mountain, all expert skiing regardless of what the map says, even though it's labeled a green circle (the easiest) it is actually more likely a black diamond, because it's mostly ice. Everyone who has skied or lived near a ski resort knows that opening day is probably the worst day to go skiing, except for the last day. Opening day is for two groups of people, it is for die hard skiers who really just can't wait one more week to get out on the trail, normally these people have purchased a seasons pass already and are only looking to go up a few times, they probably have gone down to the ski shop and gotten their skis freshly sharpened. There are also the people who just happen to be around and think to themselves 'oh hey the mountain is open today for the first time this season it means it must be special lets go!' These people are probably going to rent skis, they may have skied a maximum of 3 times and they just think it would be cool to say 'I was there opening day'. There are unfortunately more of these people than the fanatics, which just adds a whole new level of danger when there are people who really don't know what they're doing out there. It's like driving down the interstate with sleet and freezing rain, and black ice might be involved along with a pot hole every 100 yards and everyone else on the road just got their license that day.

But this is the reality of opening day on any mountain. Everyone I saw coming down only spent about a half day because I'm sure by then the snow was pretty well gone. As I was leaving I heard the snow making generators going and knew that the season had finally begun, my first winter in two years.

WFR

The last couple of weeks I've been getting Wilderness First Responder certification. I spent two weeks living and studying with an amazing group of people. I know this may sound a little bias but the environmental field attracts some amazing people. Yea, there are always a few bad apples in the bushel, but overall it's a really good group.

Some things I learned to do while there:

Make a kick ass splint

Correct a broken femur

Check a persons spine

Make a litter (one of those things that rescue crews use to haul people out of the woods) out of things found in our packs

Treat hypothermia

CPR

I am now a certified WFR with the card to prove it, along with a CPR card! WFR is standard in the field of outdoor environmental education/ adventure education. Many places won't hire you without WFR. Glad that I finally do have it. Next on my list is taking the GREs.

Pico Peak

Yesterday Mom, Buster and I hiked up Pico Peak, a full day hike. We'd been talking about hiking Pico for weeks now and it was becoming one those plans that just stays a plan rather than becomes a reality. Unfortunately these sort of plans become more daunting the more you talk about them. But we were determined to hike Pico.

It rained 6 inches on Friday. Saturday was a great day but instead mom and I washed windows, curtains and got the house a bit more winterized. We also did a bunch of outside chores too. We worked all day. We also made apple butter. At the end of the day Mom and I decided it might be a good idea to pick an alternative hike. In case we got up and had zero motivation to hike Pico. We chose our alternate, both hoping that we would feel up to hiking Pico.

On Sunday we got up ready to go! I packed a lunch of peanut butter and apple butter sandwiches, using the apple butter we had made the day before. And we got the dog ready to go and we left the house around 9:30 in the morning after having a good breakfast of eggs and toast. We started a bit later than what we planned on, but it was because we couldn't find a map that was up to our standards. We ended up just taking a slightly less than stellar topo map with us.

The hike overall was easy. The incline was quite gradual. But due to all the rain the trail was pretty wet in parts. Big puddles and the fallen wet leaves made the trail a little slippery, but nothing was too over the top.

We then got to an old cabin that had been on the Long Trail before it was moved. The cabin was well worn and cozy. If I was camping out this would be an alright place to stay. Apparently there had been previous problems with critters getting in because others didn't lock the doors. It was also possible that the cabin leaked, but it seemed dry after the big rain storm the day before. At the cabin there was a 3 way intersection, the trail coming from route 4 (the one we had taken up) a spur trail going to the Long Trail, and then the Pico Peak trail going to the summit. Mom and I took the last trail to get to the top.

Little did we know that this part of the trail was straight up. the last .4 miles of this trail were brutal. It was a bit like rock climbing. I then remembered that hiking Okemo was much like this the whole way up. I counted myself lucky that Pico wasn't like Okemo. There was a part of the trail where we could have hiked up a ski trail instead of going to the cabin, but we decided against it. Ski trails don't look so steep when skiing down them, but I hiked down Okemo once going on the ski trails and it's a lot steeper than it looks, even on the easy trails.
Once reaching the top there were great views! Much better than Okemo. Easier to hike up and better views, I vote Pico being the better of the two hikes. You could walk all over the peak. There were places that were wide open viewing all around. A ski lift and radio tower were also on the top. I know this interests some people, but I was there for the views. We ate lunch on the top of the mountain and enjoyed the fall weather. Lunch is best served after a hike.
On the way down my mom and I commented on how it was worth it and how we were glad that we took a day for ourselves and got to spend some time hiking, a thing that we both love to do. Even though we were sore and tired when we got to the car, it was a great day. Sometimes it's nice to hike solo, and other times the experience is better shared. In this particular instance it was better because I got to share it with my mom.
Overall Pico was a great hike and I highly recommend it.

Trails I've hiked this summer so far:

Pico Peak

Little Rock Pond (twice)

White Rocks

Clarendon Gorge/ Overlook

Okemo

Coolidge State Park

Others on the List:

Baker Peak

Bromley

Prospect Rock

Mount Tom

Haystack

Clarendon Gorge and Airport Overlook

Woody dog and I went for a hike today. Normally I just bring Buster. Woody is getting up there in age and he hurt his shoulder attempting to play soccer. He's yet to go hiking with me this season. But because he had to go to the vet to get a few shots I figured that he could go for a hike. I left Buster at home and went directly to the trail head after the vets. This is why Buster stayed home.

Clarendon Gorge is south of Rutland on 103. There's a pretty big parking lot where the Long Trail crosses the road, this crossing unlike the one at the base of Bromley, is well marked and visible from the road. I had read that there was an overlook just south of the gorge. So Woody and I went to investigate.
We got to the gorge and there is a suspension bridge. Woody wasn't too sure about crossing the bridge as it kind of swayed back and forth with each step but he made it across.

We then continued to go up an incline. The trail was pretty well marked, I could see the next white blaze ahead from the blaze I was next to. This has proven to be the case for most Long Trail/ Appalachian Trail hikes I've been on. Well marked and maintained. It was only a mile in from the parking lot but the incline was pretty steep. The higher you go the better your view is. I didn't realize how steep it was until I started going down. the trail doesn't switchback at all, and basically goes straight down a steep hill. Overall, not bad though. The view was great. It was windy and definitely acting like fall which is what I've missed living in West Africa.

I had a clear view of the airport from the lookout. there are actually two. There's a lower on that shows the view more on the northern side of things and then there's the higher view to the west. Unfortunately there were no planes flying in when I was up there, but maybe another time. Round trip it was 2 miles.

I've been having a great time exploring the trails that surround my house. I always have a hiking companion in my dogs and I like the solitude and peacefulness that is in every hike. It really is a form of meditation. I was reading On the Wild Edge and the author asked his wife 'what do you think about when you walk' her answer, 'nothing and everything.' That's how it is for me too. I think of nothing and everything at the same time. Going into the woods and walking around is an extended release of endorphins (fyi: endorphins are the chemical in your brain which make you feel happy). Because of this feeling that I get when I hike, I feel that I'm pursuing a career path which is right for me. Hiking and being outside make me happy, I think I'll try doing that for awhile.

Hiking

I've been on a few more hikes since I last posted. I first went over to White Rocks. I remember White Rocks and the Ice Beds being a great thing to do as a kid. I went back and frankly the trail was poorly marked and maintained. I decided I didn't need to get lost that day and decided to hike out. I've been lost in the woods a few times, which can be fun, but I had two dogs one with a bum shoulder. I unfortunately forgot to bring my camera for this hike, so there are no pictures of the overlook we did make it to.

The next hike I went on went much smoother. My mom and I had decided that we wanted to hike Pico Peak just north of Rutland. But because I had to work I got back too late to really give this hike the time that it deserved. By the time we got back to the house it would have been pushing 6pm, if the hike had taken longer than anticipated we would have been hiking out in the dark, not something that I enjoy. Instead we went over to Little Rock Pond. I had already been before, but the last time I went it was threatening rain the whole time, this time it was beautiful weather. We hiked a little further out around the pond to get to a rock overlooking the pond, great place for lunch.

Little Rock Pond is a favorite spot along the AT andLong Trail. I believe this is because it's easy to get to, well maintained and also peaceful. You can also take a round trip 4 mile hike to the pond, 5 mile hike to the rock, or 7 mile hike around the pond. We got home in good time and still felt accomplished.

Yesterday I got my hands on a new map of the Long Trail showing all the little day hikes I could do! I looked at the weather report and decided that I should go for a hike. I then picked Bromley Mountain as my destination. The trail looked easy enough to find, the AT/ Long Trail cut across Route 11 where there was apparently parking and that was where the trail started up Bromley. Figured this couldn't be too hard. I get to the area around 9:30, after going back and forth on route 11 looking for the trail I got frustrated and gave up. There were no clear signs, I went down numerous dirt roads, no trail head postings. Normally there is a big brown sign posting a topo map, trail conditions, and a sign in log. There was nothing. Not even a small sign to show where the AT/ Long Trail ran across the road. Seriously, if anyone know exactly where this is (note I was south of Bromley not north) please let me know. I headed back feeling a little defeated. My poor dog was in the back of my car with his hiking harness on, waiting patiently to go for a stroll in the woods and here I was ready to give up, I hadn't gotten him into his harness for nothing. I began to think of a few places we could go as a back. Little Rock Pond came up, we could have gone into it the back way as we saw where one of the roads intersected with Route 11. I've done that twice this summer though. I then thought about Haystack in Pawlet or Mount Tom in Woodstock. These seemed a little far. Thought about Clarendon Gorge, once again it was a little far from my present location. I considered Okemo because it's so close. This seemed a little long of a hike to start at 11:00. I then remembered as a kid I had gone to the Coolidge State Park in Plymouth. We had taken a field trip there and I had hiked some trial. I couldn't remember how long it was or why we where there but I did remember walking through the woods. I figured it was worth a shot.

I got out there and drove in a little ways to find a round trip 3 mile hike to a vista and back. Perfect.

The trail went along the side of a hill the whole time one side was open enough to see the scenery beyond it and to realize how high you really were. The trail was well marked and maintained, was nice to be off the AT/ Long Trail, the trail clearly had less traffic. The AT/Long Trail hikes I've been on have been wider, this trail was much slimmer. Lesson in Leave-No-Trace (LNT) hiking: the more people that hike a trail the wider it normally gets. When there is an obstacle in the trail (like a puddle or log) people tend to go around it. If enough people do this the trail is effectively re-routed or widened. So if you're on a trail and see a puddle in the middle or a log it is better to walk through it/ over it if possible to preserve the areas surrounding the trail, after all everyone is there because they enjoy spending time in nature. I got back to the car and ended up back at my house at 1:30. It was a short round trip 2 miles, but it was good to get out and hike.

Next time I try Bromley I'm thinking I should start from just north of Bromley and hike south to the peak rather than try to find the trail head again.

Other hikes on the to-do list:

Pico Peak

Baker Peak

Haystack Mountain

Mount Tom

Book I just finished and highly recommend if you like Edward Abbey/ Aldo Leopold: On The Wild Edge by David Petersen

Breaking in New Boots!

After hiking Little Rock Pond, an easy 4 mile round trip hike that's as flat as you're going to get in the Green Mountains, I realized that I needed new hiking boots. The ankle supports were shot and there wasn't really any padding left in the foot bed. I also questioned the integrity of the stitching along the sides. Before I left for Benin I knew that I wanted new boots but didn't want to invest a bunch of money on boots that were going to get Africa'd. This was a good choice, everything that I brought to Benin Africa'd in some way shape or form.

Along with my new boots I purchased water bottles and a new harness for my dog that wasn't going to strain him too much. I was going to go on Friday but the weather didn't really cooperate. I knew the trail was steep in parts and going down on the slick rocks wasn't my idea of a good time. Buster and I packed up and left today. It was real funny, when I got my boots on and my bag packed Buster knew what was going on and was real excited to go. He hoped right in my car and looked at me with the 'I can't wait! Lets go!' expression. I got to the trail and remember that it was pretty tough last time I did it but also reminded myself that I was in much better shape than I was last time (during college) believe it or not studying isn't an aerobic activity. I got to the trail head, looked at the topo map, found the direction I needed to go if I got lost, and then looked at the mileage. I read online that this trail was 1.5 miles up, making it a 3 mile trip in total. This is about how many miles I've been running/ walking everyday. When I looked at the trail head, a more reliable source than the internet, it stated that it was 3 miles up, totaling a 6 mile hike, oops. I knew that this wasn't going to be a problem for me, but I'd brought my little dog with me. I considered getting back in the car and heading over to white rocks or little rock pond, but he was pointed up the trail looking back at me with the expression that said 'hurry up, we've got a mountain to climb!' I figured that if he got tired only part way up we could go down from there. My dog pulled me all the way up the mountain. It was as if a constant helping hand was encouraging me. He had expended so much energy pulling me up the mountain that by the time we ate lunch and got back on the trail he didn't pull me back down the mountain. I wondered how he did it, a little dog dragging a person 4 or 5 times his weight up a mountain, without stopping. I asked my dad once why dogs can go so fast and he said 'it's because he's got two more legs that you do.' I think that this also applies in this situation.

We made it! safe and sound, and buster is now passed out next to me. I think that I can't bring him on a longer than 6/7 mile hike in the future. But for now that leaves quite a few left to do in Vermont!

Rose Water and Honey Skin Toner

OK everyone, you may or may not know that I absolutely LOVE natural cleaners/ cosmetics. I honestly feel a little bit better about life in general knowing that at least some things don't contain harsh chemicals. Before going to Africa I've made lib balm, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, my favorite thing to make is soap.

Since coming back from Benin I've noticed that I'm prone to breakouts. I kind of actually feel like a 16 year old sometimes with the amount of zits on my face. Today I thought I'd do something about that. Looked through a few books on natural body care and found a great toner that I thought I'd share with my Internet readers.

Rose/ Honey Toner:
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Rose Water (found at health food stores near to essential oils)
2 Tablespoons witch hazel/ vodka.
drop or two of tea tree oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients and then apply to face using a cotton ball/ bath tissue.

Personally I used witch hazel because I'd rather smell a bit like a cleaner rather than a drunk. I put it on and it was awesome. I highly reccomend you try it. I left it on for a few minutes and then rinsed my face with cold water to get rid of the sticky feeling.

For more information on what honey can do for your skin click here

Little Rock Pond with Buster

A few days ago I signed up for a Wilderness First Responder(WRF) course. Once completed, I will be WFR certified. Now some of you may be wondering why I'm going to be spending my hard earned Peace Corps readjustment allowance on 10 intensive days of WFR training. The answer is to be a professional environmental educator who leads kids in the woods on a regular basis, this certification is pretty much standard. Also people won't take you very seriously if you don't invest your time and money into this course. So I signed up and received some pre course information. Within this pre-course information it was stated that you should be able to carry a quarter of your body weight, over rough terrain, in the day or night, 4 miles in 4 hours. I realize that 4 miles in 4 hours is not difficult, and defiantly something that I can do. But if this 4 miles is straight up a mountain, I could do it, but I would be very uncomfortable. So my goal for the next month is to get in shape so that carrying a quarter of my weight 4 miles isn't that big a deal. I also don't want to be the last one of the bunch dragging ass up the mountain with everyone else already done.

I figured that I'd start the day after I found this out. So I found an easy hike, 4 miles in fact and put weight in my pack to equal a quarter of my body weight. As I was preparing the night before, my mom suggested that I take our dog Buster. I woke up the next morning and I put everything in the car, including dog stuff. I located the trail head on the map and was off! With my trusty dog beside me, I was ready for a hike. I got a little mixed up getting there, believe it or not random dirt roads aren't marked very well by their forest road numbers. We finally arrived and it looked like it was going to rain any second. But I wasn't going to turn back. If it had poured and it was just me I would have gone, but I couldn't see taking my little boston terrier on a 4 mile hike through the rain. I figured that I would go as far I could until it started to rain and then turn around so that my dog didn't get too cold.

I did end up making it to the pond and back again without it raining in under 3 hours, this included stopping at the shelter out of curiosity and then going down the pond to eat my lunch. I only met 5 other hikers on a relatively nice day on a trail that's heavily used. I figured that this was pretty good. Overall I thought while hiking that this is really a good fit for me, leading kids into the woods. With my backpack on, and my dog walking through the woods I felt like I belonged. It was good to get back and remember why I love the woods so much.

Other hikes on my list: white rocks, okemo, baker peak, killington, and along the Long Trail.

Logistical Nitty-Gritty, then Caspian

The past month I've been living at my families cabin (camp) located in Caspian Lake. This is really my favorite place in the whole world. I've yet to find another place that can conjure up such warm fuzzy feelings as when I think of camp. I knew that I was going to do this so I figured that I should probably get all the little important things done before I left.

In one week I went to a wedding, got a car, car insurance, health insurance, went shopping for a new wardrobe, got my hair cut, cleaned out my room of unnecessary junk, organized my student loan information, applied for a job, contacted former employees, unpacked my things, worked on my african fabric quilt some more, and gave away some gifts that I had brought back.

I felt pretty darn productive!

I came home during that month I was up at camp for probably a total of 4 days. But during those 4 days I had a job interview, did chores (like laundry), signed up for a wilderness first responder course, bought some books for GRE prep, and gave a presentation about my Peace Corps experience to some members of the community.

Now on my list:

Study for GREs

research grad schools for a masters in environmental education.

The Plane I Flew In On

So when Peace Corps asked which airport I'd like to fly into I said Rutland, Vermont because it's the closest airport to my house. So I flew from Boston to Rutland in style on this gem.

I'm Sorry I Speak English

There are certain expressions in french that describe an emotion or situation better than their english equivalents. For example, in english if you bumped into someone you would say 'i'm sorry' or 'my bad', if someone stubbed their toe you might say 'watch out' or 'you ok?' if a friend is doing something risky you might tell them to 'be careful' or 'watch out'. In Benin there is one expression that wraps it all together. 'faire doucement' directly translated 'make/ do sweetly.' Much easier and a better description of the emotion you're trying to convey. Of course not everyone speaks franglais here in Vermont. In fact, nobody does except me. So when I tell people to 'faire doucement' it only leaves them confused. Even if they spoke french, in France to 'faire doucement' is bedroom talk, so they might actually be offended.

Other phrases that have popped out of my mouth are 'ou bien' directly translated 'or well' is a phrase that is used to emphasize a statement, sort of an add on at the end, 'you know what i mean' or 'isn't it'.

'en va voir' we shall see.

And the cream de la cream of all language problems I've been having. I walked into the general store down the road with a friend of mine, and keep in mind this is a place where people know me and see me on a regular basis. I then went up to the deli and asked for a boneless chicken breast. The guy behind the deli asked me to repeat myself, which I thought was odd because I thought that I hadn't been mumbling. So I did and he went about his business and then my friend turns to me and says 'You know you were speaking french the first time right?' I hadn't even noticed.

Now What

OK to those who have followed my old blog about my Peace Corps experience welcome to my new blog. You may ask what Mal integre means... well it means poorly integrated. In Benin Peace Corps Volunteers strive to be bien inetegre (well inetegrated) it is a constant process of changing your mannerisms, speech and most importantly perceptions to be able to live easier in the culture. The more bien inetegre you are the easier it is to do projects.

But now, after having been living in Benin for two years I feel a bit mal integre here in the states. A few things have happened that are classic mal integre moments getting excited about toilet paper in every bathroom, running water, and beer on tap. Others include walking into a grocery store and marveling at the choices of shampoo.

There is a larger plan though beyond getting my hair back to it's voluminous shiny self and filling my body with as many tasty treats as I can. The scheme ultimately is to get into grad school for a masters degree in some sort of an environmental education oriented program.

So here are the things that are on my list:

Study for GREs

Find job

Take GREs

Apply to Grad school