<p>Raise your hand if every workout is stellar for you!</p>
<p>Right, that’s what I thought ! We all have off days - 30 mins of running is never something to sneeze at IMO!!!</p>
<p>Dreaded Airdyne intervals. I’m definitely not raising my hand for a stellar workout. Punched the clock and that was about it. First time riding the Airdyne on a warm muggy day in a long, long time.</p>
<p>Longish walk this morning–5 1/2 miles. Beat the rain.</p>
<p>Good morning. I live a bit south of Deb922 and can attest to the fact that the unseasonal frost warning last night in combo with the STEAM rising off my now-heated-but-not-using POOL is totally ticking me off!</p>
<p>I have two mandevilles that I overwintered in the pool house that WANT to be outside (and are growing in the window) but these temp variations are still deadly to them!</p>
<p>The only good thing about the unseasonal deep freeze is that its killed off Sunday’s fresh batch of zombie mosquitos that have taken to attacking me on the hill. The season has been so weird weather-wise I’ve not yet ordered my permethrin to spray my new hiking/workout clothes!</p>
<p>Never mind spring…I want summer and I want it now :)</p>
<p>An article from the NYT titled “Always Hungry, Here’s Why”. Food for thought.</p>
<p><a href=“Opinion | Always Hungry? Here’s Why - The New York Times”>Opinion | Always Hungry? Here’s Why - The New York Times;
<p>Don’t know if idad has posted info on this company before exos - coreperformance.com
Grady Sizemore of the Red Sox used them to rehab his knees etc. their site has a number of videos on core stretch etc</p>
<p>3 miles +15 mins of rowing this morning - in prep for the Italian restaurant we’re going to tonight ! </p>
<p>Interesting article, PlantMom; thanks for posting it. Cooler temps here so planning to run this afternoon after dealing with some much needed housework. </p>
<p>Interesteddad,
We are avid hikers. Even if my iPad keeps changing hikers to bikers. 
Spent a week backpacking down inside the Grand Canyon in March. So can do ten miles straight down or up with a 50lb pack. My mom is coming along for graduation , she is 85, so I am sure she would prefer we do day hikes. she does have a pal on Lake Winnipesaukee And we promised her a ride up mt.Washington. We already purchased the NatGeo map.looks like the waterfall one would be great. Looking for cascades of water noise, know any non muddy trails 
My other question is Could we commute to Boston from Franconia? Is it 2or 3 hours? </p>
<p>Watched my daughter do her first triathlon this morning. It was 50 degrees with rain threatening, but it never did rain, fortunately. 200 meters in a chilly pool, 10 miles bike, 2 miles run. It was a good starter race with lots of road bikes and novices, but also some faster folks doing an early season tune-up. She did fine. As soon as I saw her first few swim strokes I teared up remembering the great Olympian that taught her to swim (my coach and her brother’s as well) who killed himself in 2002- Jerry Heidenreich. Her stroke was gorgeous and she swam right over the higher seeded swimmers (she mis-seeded herself somewhat). She’s not a fast biker, but did fine and didn’t crash. Strong run.<br>
I didn’t have a good day yesterday with my butt injury. I could only walk comfortably with my thumb dug into my butt muscle (TMI, probably). It seems to have released a little (maybe from the alcohol on the party bus I was on last night with some other lawyer ladies on the way to a chef’s house for a private dinner that one of the ladies bought at a charity auction) and feels SO much better today. I was able to jog a little out at the triathlon and will do my streak mile a little later. I’m encouraged. </p>
<p>Glad to hear your injury is doing a bit better MOWC. Congrats to your D, sounds like a great first triathlon. Don’t let her talk to her brother, he’ll have her shopping for a new bike ;). Glad to hear she did well in the swim, I hear your first swim can be hard with people kicking and fighting (also seems like there is always someone who panics out there). Probably better to be over seeded and able to swim with better swimmers or out in front from what I’ve heard. </p>
<p>My weight was only 1/2 pound more today than my dehydrated self, I consider that a win. :). H got the ok from the doctor to do more exercise. We were going to do a short bike ride but now it’s raining. Also cold so I’m not complaining. </p>
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<p>OK, I’m putting together a list and I’ll add some tougher challenges for you guys and a few short ones that grandma might like. I’ll post the first few this afternoon.</p>
<p>Franconia to Boston is going to be 2.5 to 3 hours depending on traffic, maybe a little worse if you get caught in rush hour.</p>
<p>Right now is the height of mud season in the White Mountains, I saw some video from Mt Washington this week that still had ice in spots on the trails and very high stream crossings, but it’s improving daily. Just a bit south of there on Monday, I had a completely dry hike.</p>
<p>S and I had a nice outing together. The local running store was having a tent sale - another pair of running shoes at 50% off?? Yes, please!!! We both picked up a pair - hate to be vain, but I’m loving the teal color!!</p>
<p>deb- it’s definitely a good idea to get out ahead of the slower swimmers. She really didn’t know what to expect since she hasn’t done a straight 200 for time in awhile (just as part of interval sets). She also needs to do a lot to improve her transition if she is going to get even semi-serious about this. She didn’t have speed laces or have her shoes locked to the bike or anything. I HOPE she doesn’t get to where she wants a tri bike. The variety of bikes at this thing was pretty amazing. WildChild had told us that the triathlons we had watched up to now were NOT typical but were elite tris. He was right. We have seen Poconos 70.3 which doesn’t require a qualifying race, but attracts a really fast field, Ironman 70.3 World Championships, H saw Ironman St. Croix 70.3 (elite field of South Americans and Europeans) and then there was Kona Worlds. So- today we had some mountain bikes, hybrids, people biking in wetsuits, guys swimming in big, baggy trunks, etc. Definitely a range.</p>
<p>My butt/lower back has locked up again. It only hurts when I move. </p>
<p>author:</p>
<p>Here’s the first installment with hikes very close to where you are staying in Franconia Notch. I’m including a lot of half-day hikes so you could do two in a day or do a hike along with something else. I’ll get to some longer full-day hikes. </p>
<p>One other thought… if you want something easy for Grandma, a visit to the Flume Gorge would work. They charge $15 a head, but it’s a nice walk. There’s a 2.3 mile loop that includes a covered bridge and the flume. There’s an out and back to the flume itself. And, there’s a shuttle bus option that takes you most of the way to or from the Flume if the walking gets to be too much. I did the loop last fall. Took about 80 minutes walking on gravel/dirt paths. Very pleasant. I hike for free so much in the state park that I don’t mind giving them $15…</p>
<p><a href=“NH State Parks - Flume Gorge”>http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/flume-gorge.aspx</a></p>
<p>None of the following hikes require any permits or parking fees:</p>
<p>Coppermine Trail/Bridal Veil Falls (easy)</p>
<p>This hike is right off RT-116 a mile or two south of Franconia. Probably very close to where you are staying. It’s an easy/moderate 5.5 mile round trip (out and back) trail along a beautiful brook to an old log shelter and a gorgeous waterfall at the end. Quite a little bit of history, as this the trail where Bette Davis got “lost” so that the handsome innkeeper would “find” her. They later married. After he died from injuries suffered from a fall down the stairs (many unanswered questions…), Davis had the “Keeper of Stray Ladies” plaque bolted to a rock in the stream.
I’m the world’s slowest hiker. This one took me 3 hours 50 minutes with a lot of time spent looking for the plaque. Footing is good, a lot of it on an old logging path. Steady, but easy grade that gains about 1000 feet of elevation in the 2.5 mile outbound leg to the falls at the high point. You park immediately after turning off Rt. 116, walk up the road a little bit and turn left into the woods on the trail.</p>
<p>[Map[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube]My</a> YouTube](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/oj7zytx]Map[/url”>http://■■■■■■■.com/oj7zytx)
Parking GPS: N44 10.876 W71 45.404</p>
<p>Basin Cascade Trail (easy)</p>
<p>This is spectacular set of three waterfalls on a short moderate trail that starts at the Basin tourist attraction on I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park. There’s signed parking for The Basin (with restrooms!) on both the northbound and southbound sides of the highway. Granny could make it to the Basin in a wheelchair on paved walkways just a short distance from the parking lots. From the actual Basin, the Basin Cascades trail heads into the woods and starts climbing along a wide rocky stream – essentially one non-stop set of cascades. At any point you can walk out for a sunny perch on the rocks in the stream. Gorgeous. The trail climbs 600 feet to a good turnaround point at 1.4 miles. You go past one waterfall, Kinsman Falls, then cross to the left bank of the stream and continue on to Rocky Glen Falls that is like something out of middle earth. Footing is a little rough (typical New Hampshire hiking) with roots and rocks, but it’s an easy hike. Took me 1 hour 20 minutes to get to the far falls. It would probably take me 2 hours round trip.
This would be a fantastic group hike because people could turn around at any point along the way, having seen some really awesome scenery.</p>
<p>I usually do this as part of a 7 mile loop up to Lonesome Lake, back down to Layfayette Campground and back to the car, but I think it’s better done as two separate short hikes. There’s a bridge out just above the falls on this hike that could make for an iffy stream crossing with the spring thaw high water.</p>
<p>[Map[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube]My</a> Youtube (first 1:40)](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/mzn3lzp]Map[/url”>http://■■■■■■■.com/mzn3lzp)
Northbound GPS: N44 07.141 W71 40.931
Southbound GPS: N44 07.498 W71 40.911</p>
<p>Lonesome Lake Trail (moderate)</p>
<p>This is a pretty easy 1.5 mile hike from Lafayette Campground up a pair of long switchbacks to a mountain lake with spectacular views. Walk around the lake to the AMC Lonesome Lake hut. This is pretty easy hiking, but with a steady elevation gain (about 1100 feet).
The trail leaves from Lafayette Campground (on the south side of I-93). There’s a tunnel under the high way to the parking area for the Falling Waters Trail (see below), so you could combine this with a stroll up Falling Waters Trail to Cloudland Falls without having to move the car. There’s a much longer continuation of this hike up Fishing Jimmy Trail to the Kinsmen summits, but there are probably better long hikes.</p>
<p>[Map[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube]My</a> Youtube](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/nzcplm9]Map[/url”>Photobucket | Make your memories fun!)
Southbound GPS: N44 08.549 W71 40.952</p>
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<p>Yep. Athletes Performance. Mark Verstagen founded it. Probably the grand daddy of the modern sports peformance training centers. That is THE place where all the top NFL prospects train for the combine and draft. Same kind of stuff that Mike Boyle does.</p>
<p>They’ve got a couple of books and DVDs on core training. Great stuff, although I find the layout of the workouts in Vertagen’s books to be a little hard to decipher. The online videos are fantastic.</p>
<p>kmc:</p>
<p>This brand of Permethrin is working out really well:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Other-BC825669-Durvet-Permethrin-Pint/dp/B00ESB74J2”>http://www.amazon.com/Other-BC825669-Durvet-Permethrin-Pint/dp/B00ESB74J2</a></p>
<p>Mix 1 oz of concentrate with water to make 20 ounces of spray. Handy 1 oz measuring thing-a-ma-jig built right into the bottle. This brand has zero smell. I’ve been spraying just about all the casual clothes I wear in the summer. No reason not to, really.</p>
<hr>
<p>To the basement for me. Good solid workout.</p>
<p>Plyo box jumps. Med ball slams. Plank position single arm rows. Stability ball mountain climbers. Single leg dead lifts. TRX pushups. DB front squats. 3-pt rows.</p>
<p>BBQ combo platter and spicy brocolli slaw for dinner.</p>
<p>Here’s part II. This one covers the most famous hike in Franconia Notch and probably the postcard images of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire.</p>
<p>Franconia Ridge Loop Hike (strenuous)</p>
<p>[View</a> along the ridgeline](<a href=“http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Franconia_Ridge.jpg]View”>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Franconia_Ridge.jpg)</p>
![http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Franconia_Ridge.jpg]View](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Franconia_Ridge.jpg%5DView){kind=link}
<p>The classic hike in Franconia Notch is the loop up Falling Waters Trail above treeline to Little Haystack Mnt and along the exposed Franconia Ridge across the summits of Lincoln and Lafayette Mountains (Appalachian Trail), then back down Greenleaf Trail to the AMC Hut to Old Bridal Path to the parking lot where you started. Probably the #1 hike in New Hampshire. Breathtaking. The problem is that it’s a 9 mile loop with 4000 feet of elevation gain. It’s too much hike for me. AMC book time is 6.5 hours and only very fit, experienced hikers can do “book time” in this terrain. It would probably take me 9+ hours and I run out of gas at around the 6 hour mark. </p>
<p>The ridge above tree line can also be dangerous in bad weather (it’s often in the clouds). However, if you are looking for a big hike and you get a nice sunny day (you do NOT want to get caught in thunderstorms on the exposed ridge), this would be one of the top hikes to try. I wouldn’t do it as your first hike until you have calculated your speed/legs on this kind of terrain. Hiking around here is stepping from one rock to the next and downhill can be almost as slow as uphill. Also, above treeline in NH means that you should take some warm clothes as it can suddenly turn into winter – cold and windy.</p>
<p>For the full loop, most people go counter-clockwise, starting up Falling Waters Trail (because it’s annoyingly steep for descent) and coming down Old Bridal Path. Falling Waters takes you to the summit of Little Haystack (3.2 miles 3100 feet of elevation gain). Then 1.7 miles along the exposed ridgeline over Mts. Lincoln to Lafayette. This ridge line is spectacular with steep drops down both sides. No scary drop-offs as in rock climbing for danger of falling or fear of heights – pretty moderate hiking, just a lot of exposure to wind and weather. From Mt. Lafayette, it’s down Greenleaf Trail to the AMC Greenleaf Hut and Old Bridal Path (“Agony Ridge”) back to the car. </p>
<p>If the whole loop is too much, then going up as far as you like on either end makes for a terrific hike (see below).</p>
<p>[Map[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“Alpine Stewards: A Weekend on Franconia Ridge - YouTube”>Alpine Stewards: A Weekend on Franconia Ridge - YouTube]Appalachian</a> Mountain Club YouTube](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/keed9hb]Map[/url”>http://■■■■■■■.com/keed9hb)
Northbound GPS: N44 08.525 W71 40.873</p>
<p>Falling Waters Trail/Cloudland Falls</p>
<p>The first 1.5 miles of the Falling Waters Trail is an awesome waterfall hike. You leave from a large parking lot (with restrooms) from the northbound side of I-93. Big sign for trailhead parking – Falling Waters Trail and Old Bridal Path Trail. A short distance up the trail, Falling Waters Trail crosses Walker Brook on a wooden bridge and then starts to climb along a stream past a succession of three waterfalls. You cross over to the left bank at the foot of the second falls and then continue to Cloudland Falls at 1.5 miles. You can then scramble up the rocky path to the top of Cloudland falls for a pretty nice view. 975 feet of elevation gain from the parking lot to that point. This part is moderate hiking, with just a little bit of rock scrambling up alongside Cloudland Falls. Pretty steady uphill, typical rocks and roots, but nothing terribly difficult. The 3 mile round trip took me 2 hours 37 minutes last fall. You could do this one as a combo with Lonesome Lake Trail across the highway.</p>
<p>[Map[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube]My</a> YouTube](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/mpjmvhq]Map[/url”>http://■■■■■■■.com/mpjmvhq)
Northbound GPS: N44 08.525 W71 40.873</p>
<p>Old Bridal Path</p>
<p>This is the trail heading up the Franconia Loop in the other direction (clockwise). It starts from the same parking lot and soon veers off to the left at the point where Falling Waters Trail crosses on the wooden bridge. No waterfalls on this one, but awesome mountain views looking out in both directions from a ridge. The sucession of rock overlooks starts at about the 2 mile mark looking up at the Franconia Ridge (the ridge of the loop hike). From there it’s up aptly named Agony Ridge to the AMC Hut at about 3 miles. Then, steep mile up Greenleaf trail to the summit of Mt. Lafayette on the ridge. Turning around at any of those points would make for a fine out and back hike. I did the hike to the hut and back last summer (5.7 miles round trip, 2400 feet of elevation gain) 6.5 hours round trip (4 hours 12 minutes book time). I did a shorter version just to the overlooks at the 2 mile mark on snowshoes last winter).</p>
<p>[Map[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube]My</a> YouTube](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/p7lhd69]Map[/url”>http://■■■■■■■.com/p7lhd69)
Northbound GPS: N44 08.525 W71 40.873</p>
<p>Tomorrow, I’ll send along some must-do options in the Crawford Notch/Mt. Washington region. Also not too far from where you are staying.</p>
<p>BTW, as far as the loop, the snow is gone, but there is still old rotten hard pack ice on some portions of the trail above 3500 feet. One report from two days ago said microspikes traction was needed for a bit on either side of the hut. That should be gone by June.</p>
<p>Interesteddad,
I now know I’m old school=Never would have thought about YouTube for planning a hike, Do you have one of the goPro cameras?</p>
<p>Great article, plant mom! I think I’ll send it to my mom. I’ve been having difficulty describing to her the sugary carb conundrum! She seems to think my weightloss is just the outcome of going up the hill every day, and I’ve attempted to explain that in a half hour of hiking even at my fattest that was only “burning” the equivalent of a piece of buttered bread or two…that my lower carb, less processed food, less sugar was what was really going on that facilitated the weightloss ;)</p>
<p>I’ve viewed the hill as more of a catalyst for elevating my metabolism as opposed to a weightloss strategy. Good thing too, since I don’t always make it up the hill, but I do usually balance my intake overall in an given week to very few-to-none sugary bread carbs, and fewer calories than I need to maintain my loss but more than my basal metabolic rate.</p>
<p>Usually…that is…the last week or so excepted
I have a few pity pounds to roll back at the moment.</p>
<p>Where I have fallen down the most was my little strength training routine that first got sidelined by the move and lately as been sidelined by a terrible volume of overwork. I’m glad for the business but really need to consider hiring another person soon. I just can’t be chained to that chair 12 or more hours a day and not pay a price in terms of health balance.</p>
<p>So while I’ve lost a bit of my strength, compared to other my other decidedly old broad cronies, I still have some left, it turns out.</p>
<p>Yesterday we built our new sweat lodge, which involved finding, cutting and stripping 24 young trees, driving a big metal stake into the ground with a sledgehammer repeatedly, then in a yoga-gone-wrong pose, bending each of those trees now anchored in the stake hole into a low, curved shape with a sustained squat while others tie it to its counterclock mate. It was quite the production, and together with creating the fire pit and digging out the stone pit took us from 10 am until about 7 pm until we could finally just have the sweat ceremony But it s a beautiful little lodge and I lived to tell the tale, thanks to slightly more active living this last year and a bit!</p>
<p>Using my body in this productive way was really invigorating to me, and made me realize I really do need to habituate my strength training to fully enjoy the opportunities available to me when not sitting on my butt at a desk all day! So I’m turning over a new leaf and promising myself a min. Of three plank and kettlebell routine sessions every week OR BUST ;)</p>