Hello, Anyone out there?

Been neglecting this here blog. Unfortunately I have been neglecting a lot of thing the last couple of months.

Kayaking have been lacking lately.    I did manage to do one solo paddle and a group paddle on my two days off last week.   On Friday I paddle by myself to Mill Basin.  It was a breeze getting there, but a bit more work to paddle against 10-15 mph wind.   It was a good cardio exercise.  Went out last Saturday with Steve H, Bonnie, and her boyfriend to Gerrison Beach. It was a wonderful trip. The sun was out and it is just cold enough that I do not sweat like a pig in my drysuit. We have lunch at the beach, then paddle back to Sebago.  Nice group of people to paddle with. We paddle none stop there and non stop back.

I have not been doing as much running as I would like.   I have a marathon on Jan 16 next year in Phoenix, AZ.  Don't think I will try to break any PR.

Finally get up the courage to go winter hiking by myself today.  I was a bit late.   Don't get there to 1PM, and end up at the wrong parking lot.   I have 28 lb backpack on my back so it was an exercise even thought  I did not go far.  Just up two hill to an outlook, then back to the shelter where I plan to spend the night.  Wind as gusting at 20-30 mph hours.  I end up having to bushwhack it when I walked up to the top of a hill and can't fine my trail markers to get back down.  Turn back after the overlook to find the shelter that was supposed to be right off the trail and relatively close to where I park my car.   The sheet metal cover settle was very hard to get to from the trail, I end up having to climb down a side of the hill to get to it.   I decided to set up my tent first then cook dinner.   There is a wooden platform in the shelter so there is no place to stakes the tent to.   The tent keep on flying away as I set it up. End up tie three corner to the metal posts.  After that is secure I try to boil two eggs. 

It take forever to get the stove going.   Wind keep on blowing it.  Finally get it going long enough to boil the two eggs and pouring a bit of it into my freeze dry rice and chicken.  I retreated into my tent after the food are cook. My hands were freezing.  I used the hard boil eggs to warm my hands up.  The rice and chicken weren't bad. It eatable.  I was half way through my dinner when I realize that I have 5 minutes to decide if I really want to risk the outdoor or hike it the rest of the way to the other side of the hill and down to my waiting car.   I was not too cold in the tent, but at night the temperature probably goes in the low 20's, and with the wind it is not going to be a comfortable night.   I have 30 minutes of sunlight to back everything up and marched up the hill again to the trail and then around the hill to my car.   I decided that it is dangerous and foolish to attempt my overnight camping trip alone and in very gusty wind.

Get up, stuff my sleeping pad, sleeping bag back into it bags, throw everything outside, untie and dismantle the tent and repack my backpack in less then 15 minutes.   I decided not to climb back up to the top of the hill to get back to the trail, instead I pushwack it.   Get back to my car as the last bite of light die.