Exploring a New Ski Area

Frank and Susan at Pineridge Cross Country Ski Area, 
also a Christmas Tree Farm

We drove up uneventfully on Saturday and got to Pineridge just as it started snowing! We enjoyed the Chili Slide run twice and got in 2+ hours before heading to Albany for dinner at the Albany Pump Station, where we spent a few hours by their fire in the massive old Quakenbush Pumping Station. Great beers (samples of the Doppelbock, Winter Warmer, and Rum Barrel Aged Poor Soldier Porter) and good food! After a pretty harrowing drive into the Adirondacks, we made it to our place at Caroga Lake, where we had to shovel out the driveway to park! Exciting!

Lots of snow at Lapland Lake

Sunday brought a lovely sunny day at Lapland, which did not make for great skiing snow, but still a good time! After skiing, we enjoyed Todd's porter and IPA by the wood stove at Caroga Lake.

Snow Day!

Exploring Reston's golf course on skis!

As Greer said, "A-mazing"!

On Friday, January 23, I met my friend, Lucy, at a cafe in Durham, NC, to celebrate her 40th birthday. I was down on a work trip from the Washington, DC area and couldn't pass up the opportunity to see Lucy. We've been friends since 1993 when we were both Rotary International exchange students in Belgium. 

Frank, Susan, & Lucy in Chicago in 2012

While catching up over pastries, who approaches us, but my friend, Greer, who lives in NYC. Greer and I met in college. See below from college days when Lucy, Greer, and I got together with Lucy's host brother, Matt, and Lucy's Belgian ex-boyfriend, Jean-Philippe. (That was complicated.)

Greer, Matt, Lucy, Susan, Jean-Philippe in NC in 1995

Why was Greer in North Carolina? Greer grew up in the Triangle and was down visiting her childhood friend, Anna; our alma mater, Guilford College; and some Piedmont farmland near the goat dairy where she used to work.

Susan & Greer in California in 2006

Since she'd been at Guilford, she said it seemed perfectly natural to scan the cafe and see me. We exclaimed, hugged, and all four sat down to chat before we had to go our separate ways. What wonderful serendipity. Thanks, Guglhupf, for being just the sort of place that would bring us together!

Back to Lapland Lake

Frank and I had a great drive back to upstate New York for a whirlwind weekend! It snowed on Saturday and overnight from Saturday to Sunday, which made for beautiful trails at Lapland Lake. Luckily there was no ice or snow on the way home.

A snowy Saturday for Frank and Susan

A new experience: Ice formed in my hair

Mountain Climbing

The way to Upper Spring Trail (some other skiers ahead of us)

On yesterday's day trip to Whitegrass in Canaan Valley, we climbed 700' from just below the Harr Shelter at 3280' to just above Roundtop Shelter at 3960'. Near the top, we used our camera's self-timer to capture these three photos below -- great views and Frank on the move!

Susan, Frank, & Canaan Valley

Frank, Susan obscured, & Canaan Valley

Frank, Susan, & Canaan Valley