Back to Red Hill

We took our friend and neighbor Gayle up through Red Hill today. It was fun to share this hike with her. The views from this trail are fabulous; I love the 200-year old cellars and farmstead remnants.  

Throughout the day I've reading my graduate students' autobiographical multigenre papers... wowza! I just love this genre of writing.  Danielle created hers online: I Left My Heart in SF.

Hiking Red Hill from Black Mountain to Rumford Center (30/60)

I've been wanting to do this hike for a long time. Starting near Black Mountain, I hiked a gravel road next to Austin Glover's home. A gradual up for about 30 minutes, the hike then settles in to a roll-polly hike that weaves through the mountains to the left of Black Mountain and White Cap. Red Hill road is parallel to the hike I took up Glass Face just beyond Joe Pond. I know there's a snow mobile trail that connects the Glass Face trail to the Red Hill road. Our area is awesome.

   

Finding Little Concord Pond (29/60)

Ever since seeing Little Concord Pond from the summit of Mt. Zircon, I've wanted to find it. Today, we did. Wedged in between mountain ridges, Little Concord is just before Shagg Pond. The hike in is gentle and the hike around the pond itself is easy. In and out it takes about an hour. It's amazing what I'm finding my back yard! For the full photo album, go here.

 

That is Mt. Zircon in the background. 

Seven Photos, Seven Decades... 1950's to 2010's (28/60)

I've been thinking about creating a retrospective of "me" as one of my 60/60 for a few months. I gathered a slew of photos and then realized, as Henry David Thoreau would say, "Less is more." So, all morning long in between phone calls and Facebook posts, I kept trimming until I narrowed the selection to these seven. As always, click on the photo to enlarge.

1950's

1960's

1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

2010's

'Finding' Concord Pond (27/60)

More backyard discoveries this week...  I drove out to Concord Pond in hopes of hiking around Little Concord, the pond I could see from the top of Mt. Zircon. Well, I couldn't find the entrance to Little Concord, but I'm sure glad I trucked off on a 4-wheeler path to see some of the sites. You can see the full album here.

Little Concord from the top of Mt. Zircon.
I'll find this later this week!
pond

Right Sizing... (26/60)

For a number of years I've had a Smart Phone that has all the bells, apps, & whistles--most of which I did not use. Sixteen months ago I promised myself to dump the $75 per month phone for a TracPhone that delivers phone, text, and if necessary Web services. The cost? Maybe $120-150 per year. Finally, this fall, I went to the US Cell office and asked the young sales clerk to analyze my Smart Phone usage. The guy looked at the computer screen. Then at me. Back to screen.

"Says you wrote 8 texts last month."

"That many?"

"Looks like you use 1% of the data allowable per month."

"I only check the radar weather and sometimes download photos to Facebook when I'm on a hike."

"You don't need this phone," said the sales rep named Jason.

"I didn't think so."

And so, for the 26/60, I'm saving $750 by not having something I do not use.

What's next?

TracPhone (l) .... Not-so Smart Phone (r)

 

Another Local Discovery: Mt Zircon Reservoir (25/60)

After four days of a lousy virus, I rallied to climb Mt. Zircon today. From the summit, I finally caught a glimpse of the Mt Zircon Reservoir and decided to find it. Who knew?! I'm sure many Rumford people especially those who are out on snow mobiles and four-wheelers may have found this reservoir because the trail goes right by it. But never me. What a great find, and as you'll see in the full album, Bailey got to take an early fall swim.   Finally, added years later, here's a picture of the Mt Zircon Reservoir from 1914. 

Mt Zircon Reservoir 

Mt Zircon Summit