2/4/11 Park Loop Road

A beautiful sunny day. All the new snow made planning a little more difficult. We didn't want to do trails that hadn't had traffic ( I don't like wearing snowshoes) and the snow, in many spots, makes getting far enough off the road to park difficult at many trail heads. We decided to start from the parking lot on Otter Cliff Drive. This marks the end of the loop road section that is kept open in winter. We preferred the closed section ( no leash for Kelley) but if there had been no one on it we could walk along the open and plowed section to Sand Beach-still a nice walk. Someone had been through on a snowmobile so we took the closed section.





Kelley was very happy with this route, running up and back he track and then bounding through the soft powder along side.










We hiked to the trail head for Hunters Brook and found, as suspected, that no one had been on that trail lately and we turned back the way we had come.


The small amount of traffic and the weather had conspired to leave us a track with a crust but not a very firm one so we got a bit of a workout trudging through the snow. We also got an illustration of the old adage about being careful what you wish for. As we walked along I hoped for another snowmobile to pack the snow firmer for us. A snowmobile came along and passed us but instead of making the track firmer it chewed up the crust that was there making the surface softer than before. Still a nice hike -3-1/4 hours

2/1/11 Tanglewood

A cold gray day with snow during the last part of the hike. Different sections of trail had varied conditions-from those with good tracks for cross country alongside a nicely packed path for walking ( first part of Forest Loop) to the lightly used section of the Turner Falls Trail that was a bit of a slog but very pretty. Most of the trails had a nice firm base for good walking.


The Ducktrap River was mostly frozen with few open areas.


Some snow and ice crystals in a frozen puddle


I thought it was cold but Kelley, as usual, thought it was just fine. We had not been here in awhile so it was like new for her which she likes, with lots of exploring and we had a good hike. 2-1/2 hours

1/29/11 Kelley and Sally

We did the same loop as we did on the 26th but Mary came with us today. Another pretty day though the sun never quite got through the clouds. Near the end we met Sally and her owner and let the dogs play. Both dogs were very exuberant and loved playing in the snow. The lighting was poor and the dogs mostly in motion so the pictures though not the best, I hope, give a feel for the action. In some pictures they look quite fierce but they are having fun and not hurting each other.

1/28/11 Snowmobile Trail

Cold but no wind and the deepest blue skies I have ever seen. We did about three hours with Kelley doing a lot of exuberant running.

1/26/11 Carriage Roads Near Long Pond

The day started out cold and gray but by the time we got to the park we had sun and a beautiful day.




There had been little or no traffic on the carriage roads except for the section near Little Long Pond which had been plowed prior to the last light snow. As we neared the pond Kelley took off toward it and I expected she had caught the scent of another dog.


I was correct and soon found her with Zeus and Zeus' owner. Both dogs like the snow
and to play with sticks .


and here Zeus got all of them. This was great fun for Kelley who doesn't get to play with other dogs as often as she would like.




We circled back to 33 and continued north. This section had not been plowed and had had little traffic so it was harder walking for me. Kelley did not seem concerned and did a lot of running up and back. I think she was also happy to be back at Acadia after our absence.


When we come to an intersection she usually stops to wait for me to indicate our route and sometimes indicates the direction she prefers. She wanted to take the Asticou Trail so we took that across to the carriage road along Jordan Stream to then loop back. Here she is waiting patiently for me to catch up.


We lost the sun but it was still a pretty day.


Most of the hike had been a fairly strenuous slog for me but after 3-3/4 hours Kelley was still running and showing no signs of fatigue. I was glad to see the car.

1/24/11 New Photo Story

A virus and lots of snow have kept me close to home the past few days and I ended up making a new Photo Story of some of the pictures from this fall and winter

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrJohnlfiedler?feature=mhum#p/u

The music is: Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring - J.S. Bach played by Jon Sayles

1/17/11 A Bit of the Snowmobile Trail

Have not felt well the past few days so we have been stuck close to home. Yesterday I felt better so we did a couple of hours (an hour each in morning and afternoon) on the trails than run from behind the house. It has been very cold but with bright sun. Kelley was very happy and did a lot of running about. She got frightened and ran when we met two guys on sleds but they stopped until I could catch her and then everything was OK again and she resumed her exploring.