<p>Idad, any good men’s hiking shoe suggestions? DH wants a pair for our upcoming trip. Does not want anything above the ankles. I bought myself a pair of Keens last year based on suggestions here and was quite pleased!</p>
<p>MOfWC, maybe your heart was racing because of the excitement of being able to run again? :)</p>
<p>The Lyle Lovett song appears blocked for mobile. I’m uploading an alternate version with a different song. I’ll post a link when YouTube is finished making sausage…</p>
<p>Counting Down:</p>
<p>The Keens would work great for him, too. The “kids” these days go for even lighter trail running shoes, but the pair of North Face trail runners (outdoorsy styled running shoes) I started with self-destructed on the rocky terrain in a couple of hikes. So I don’t really keep up with what’s hot and not. Brooks Cascadia’s have been a perennial favorite, available in range of widths. I don’t know how people hike in them in New Hampshire. Most of the hiker hikers have hiking boots, like the Keen’s.</p>
<p>I have a pair of LLBEAN’s GoreTex Italian made lo-cut hikers. This is the newly restyled version:</p>
<p><a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available;
<p>These are my go-to shoes around town in the slush and snow, but I don’t wear them for hiking much, just because I am forever kicking stones and stuff into them. Plus, crossing streams is a lot easier if you don’t mind putting a foot on a rock an inch or two below the surface. Rather than wear gaitors, I’d just rather wear taller boots. But, these are crazy heavy duty, if he’s looking for something even more substantial than the Keens in a low cut boot…</p>
<p>Looks like a great hike Idad–enjoyed the video. Do people climb up to the falls to do rappelling like the ones in your video? I’m assuming that wasn’t part of the hiking path.</p>
<p>My D is working (doing drama class/play) for the next 2 weeks at the camp in NH where she started as a camper at age 10 (she’s 25 now). I’m going up to visit on her day off and we’re going to hike. Any recommendations for trails–she’s in Freedom, NH (about 30 minutes south of N. Conway).</p>
<p>Here’s a mobile version of the hike video. Same video, different music:</p>
<p>[Falling</a> Waters Trail (mobile verson)](<a href=“Falling Waters Trail (Mobile version) - YouTube”>Falling Waters Trail (Mobile version) - YouTube)</p>
<p>The hiking path drops down to the rocks in front of the falls and then climbs steeply up along side the falls. At 2:17 in the video, I’m standing on the hiking path and you can see a young lady starting the climb to the left behind me.</p>
<p>The bottom of those falls is about 1.3 miles into the hike. The little scramble up to the top of the falls (where the rapeller rope guy is standing) is the trickiest part of the hike. Beautiful place, though with the two falls converging from above and a nice view out over the top of Cloudland Falls. Makes for nice day hike (I did it last fall in foliage season).</p>
<p>The first half of this trail is frequently on the rocks in the stream bed, crossing back and forth from one bank to the other six or seven times.</p>
<p>Wait a minute on the recommendations. I’ve got to see where Freedom, NH is.</p>
<p>Only in 2014! I just got an email from our Chairman of the Board asking me to connect on FitBit! She is one of the most sought after females in corporate governance right now. She said she thought she saw me with a FitBit at dinner the other night. My dilemma- do I run out and exchange my Vivofit for a FitBit so we can be BFFs or do I say, “Oh, honey, Garmin is where it’s at!” I decided to write back, explain my choice of Garmin, and tell my boss tomorrow morning that he better get going with the FitBit his kids gave him for Christmas! (He’s very slim and fit.). I thought it was hilarious to get that email. </p>
<p>Pretty cool, MOfWC! </p>
<p>88 degrees in the shade… Not compatible with my running plans! </p>
<p>bromfield:</p>
<p>There are ton of nice hikes in the Ossipee Range between Freedom and Winnepesaukee. Unfortunately, that area is harder for me to get to (coming up I-93) so I haven’t researched or done any of them! Mt. Roberts is one that I see a lot. Likewise, there are some great hikes on the east side of Mt. Washington (like hiking into the base of Tuckerman’s Ravine. I just haven’t done them because they are long, long drives for me.</p>
<p>The classic hike in your area is Chocorua, that I think you’ve said you did. It’s next on my list, but a long all day hike for me. 4 miles each way with 2200 feet of elevation gain up Champney Falls Trail from the Kancamagus Highway, longer up Piper Trail from the SE. </p>
<p>For a mom/daughter day outing, I’d probably pencil in a couple of shorter hikes that could be fit in or around lunch, a little sightseeing, etc. and so you could have bail-out options to do another one or go have dinner and drinks!:)</p>
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<p>A really nice day in that vein would be to drive up 302 northwest of Conway to Crawford Notch. Two of my favorite short hikes are on that road:</p>
<p>Arethusa Falls – a 3 mile round trip (1000 feet of elevation gain) to the most spectacular waterfall in NH. Easy hiking, beautiful place. Gorgeous drive up there into Crawford Notch. </p>
<p><a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
<p>A couple miles farther up the road is:</p>
<p>Mt. Willard – another 3 mile round trip (1000 feet of elevation gain) to one of the most photographed views in the White Mountains: This trail literally departs from the old Crawford Notch Train Station and the AMC Highland Center. Another mile up the road is the Mt. Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods, which would be pretty nice place for a vacation lunch!</p>
<p><a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
<p>Those two combined with a drive-by of the Mt. Washington Hotel and dinner (there are tons of restaurants north of Conway) would be a nice day. Enough hiking without being gruelling.</p>
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<p>If you wanted to drive west across the Kancamagus Highway (Rt 112) to Lincoln, the two hikes in Franconia Notch would also be a great combo. The hike up Falling Waters Trail I did yesterday, but just to Cloudland Falls. Then, walk under the highway to Lafayette Place campground and hike up Lonesome Lake Trail to Lonesome Lake and Lonesome Lake hut:</p>
<p><a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube;
<p>This combo would give lots of breakfast/lunch/dinner options in Lincoln. The Woodstock Inn is good for pub food and breakfast. I really like the Gypsy Cafe for dinner.</p>
<p>Each of those hikes is about 3 miles round trip. Figure everything I’ve described so far is about 2 to 2.5 hours each.</p>
<hr>
<p>For longer day hikes. I like Hedgehog Mountain on the Kancamagus Highway:</p>
<p>5.7 miles, 1700 feet of elevation gain. Took me 4.5 hours. Good views. Nice variety of terrain. Never crowded.</p>
<p><a href=“Hedgehog Hike - YouTube”>Hedgehog Hike - YouTube;
<p>Or, flat but fun is Franconia Falls from the Lincoln Woods trailhead almost to Lincoln. 7.5 miles round trip (or 9 miles with a side trip to Black Pond), but dead flat, easy hiking. Terrific on a hot summer day. Just a few miles from Loon Mnt. and Lincoln for lunch and the drive across the Kanc is gorgeous.</p>
<p><a href=“Franconia Falls - YouTube”>Franconia Falls - YouTube;
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<p>For something a little closer, Mt. Israel or the Morgan Percival Loop over near Squam Lake are both good hikes, although I wouldn’t put them among the most spectacular:</p>
<p><a href=“Morgan Percival Loop - YouTube”>Morgan Percival Loop - YouTube;
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<p>One that is a bit of a drive from where you are is Welch-Dickey Loop. It’s on Rt 49, the road to Waterville Valley. I think it would be the consensus choice as New Hampshire’s best family day hike. Another one that is in the 5 mile, 4+ hour range that involves some pretty good huffin and puffin with 1800 feet of elevation gain.</p>
<p><a href=“Welch Dickey Backwards - YouTube”>Welch Dickey Backwards - YouTube;
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<p>If you are interested in any of these, PM me your email. I’ve saved PDFs of custom AMC Guide hike guides for each of these – printable on 8.5 x 11 inches. First page is a detailed map of the trail. Followed by turn by turn directions with segment mileages and elevations. I print one out, fold it up, and stick it in my pocket whenever I do a hike. I can send any you are interested in.</p>
<p>I really tore myself up hiking. I’m still crippled up with sore quads. Classic DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness).</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-(doms).pdf”>http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-(doms).pdf</a></p>
<p>Says too many reps walking down hill or down steps is a sure-fire recipe. Yep. I’ll cosign that!</p>
<p>Does it mention whether doing same with a chainsaw and brach looper in tow exacerbates the condition? ;)</p>
<p>I am finished bushwhacking my trail, but I’m not sure who whacked who ;)</p>
<p>In addition to clearing the three trees felled by a storm, I also decided to sacrifice a small handful of maples to open up the trail head near the easement trail. But I had to crouch a lot to saw off the stumps level so that I wouldn’t trip on the “new” trail section. I also cleared a lot of brush to widen the trail in one particularly claustrophobic-single-file section.</p>
<p>My knee is now in full protest, but hopefully the trail is good for another few years! I’m counting that as two days of exercise!</p>
<p>Sounds like you had a full day’s work in there, kmc! How does your back hold up to these tasks? </p>
<p>MoWC, it’s wonderful to hear you’re able to run those miles again. Yay! Funny story about the FitBit request.</p>
<p>H and I hit the gym this morning. I ran 3.5 miles and did a few of the weight machines. My wrist/hand is still bothering me so I’m trying not to do anything (like push-ups) that aggravates it any more. We did planks together. H does not like these at all and I’m surprised at how hard these seem to be for him. </p>
<p>kmcmom:</p>
<p>You sound like a one-person trail maintenance crew. That is seriously hard work. I passed six of them coming down the trail yesterday with big wooden frame packs and axes. There was a deep cycle marine battery (at least twice the size of car battery) next to the trail 2.5 miles up. I pity the poor soul who drew the short straw and had to carry that!</p>
<p>PlantMom:</p>
<p>Of course, I found every exercise hard, by my early planks just about killed me. Not easy. Your hubby is not alone!</p>
<p>kmcmom, you go girl! That was some serious exercise.</p>
<p>Can’t say anything good about my exercising this weekend. It was too hot for me to do anything meaningful physically, so off to the air conditioned office I went and exercised my brain.</p>
<p>BB:</p>
<p>At least you can blame it on the weather. It’s gorgeous here and I couldn’t exercise because I can barely walk. There is improvement though. I was able to walk down the stairs normally tonight. I had to hold on to the bannister and every step hurt, but at least I didn’t have to shuffle both feet down one step at a time like an ol’ cripple. :)</p>
<p>Plant mom, my back holds up phenomenally well for this type of thing since I lost the weight and started the core exercises last year. I also think that the form I’ve learned and the McGill reading helps me “brace” in ways that avoids the kind of torsion that used to lock me up. Eg. Much of my chainsaw use was from a squatting position. And when I lift things (like a tree) I’m not using my back because I’m getting the power from my legs and arms, holding my spine stable.</p>
<p>Which is why it was murder on my legs – kinda like doing power squats for a few hours 
</p>
<p>But its very empowering to be able to do these things at all, and I seriously credit the daily “stick walking” with developing my traverse muscles to the point where its protective of the spine.</p>
<p>Idad, while I’m sore today, I know I’m not nearly as sore as you and I hope you’re soon feeling better. I don’t know if you’ve tried it, but I find Australian Dream a truly miracle worker when I get DOMS…and Epsom salt baths (for the magnesium). </p>
<p>I will now go soak in the hot tub to magically distnce-heal you before heading up my “shiny new” trail ;)</p>
<p>kmcmom- that sounds like a really tough job! I would have collapsed!</p>
<p>Missing Deb922 - hope you are ok!</p>
<p>MOWC, crossing fingers that your running will be “legal” after Weds. appointment. :)</p>
<p>Sounds like everyone has been keeping busy. Spent the weekend at our cottage and a combo of sunning, walking, running (beach running is HARD - our beach is not the nice packed sand at the bottom - lots of gravel, sinking sand, rocks - you name it!), kayaking and another delicious Canadian ice cream cone - chocolate with obscene amounts of peanut butter in it - traded out licks with my daughter’s white chocolate raspberry cone. Great place to be since our town has been on a water ban for the last two days - pesty water algae has kept us from being able to drink, cook, shower, etc. with any water! Can shower now and reportedly they are lifting the ban this morning but people don’t seem very confident in the decision. Crazy stuff around here!</p>
<p>I’m suffering from the delayed sore legs from bush whacking Saturday. Nice hike, to one of my favorite spots in Vermont, we did a good job clearing away some fallen trees, reblazing most of the trail and cutting back the growth so you could actually see the blazes and the trail. There is still work to be done there was a clear trail up and a clear trail down, and they weren’t the same, we still haven’t figured where they split off from each other! We do this every single time!</p>