Looking over my last week’s ski log, I noticed a pattern. Each of the ski trips I took last week had some element of the three witches of skiing — wind, wax and weather — affecting my experience. Those elements can be beneficial or detrimental, depending on their impact on skiing and your ab…
“Ski’ is both a noun and a verb. You put a long thing on each of your feet called a “ski” and then you “ski.” It’s both the object and the activity. When I wrote the title of this article, I didn’t think about that until after I saw it in print.
Happy New Year, Nordic skiers! With 2026’s arrival and months of winter ahead, many of us are making New Year’s resolutions to get out and ski more. Some will sign up for ski lessons or clinics. Others hone their skills by racing every week. Many are signing up for group skis, knowing skiing…
Looking back over past Christmas articles I wrote for The Mountain Ear and later The Conway Daily Sun, I noticed a pattern. At least three of the articles focused on the need for snow, usually under the title, “All I want for Christmas is snow or more snow.” They were the typical end-of-Dece…
It was my friend’s question that started my quest. She asked, “Where can I take my cross-country skis to get them waxed?” I gave her some suggestions, but realized I didn’t really know the answer.
Skiable snow before Christmas is a gift we Nordics are happy to see delivered early. From old skiers like me to youngsters of all ages, we’re delighted to already be feeling the snow beneath our skis.
Two phrases I heard recently amused me. In a cartoon, I saw “touch grass.” On a T-shirt, I saw “I was born in the 1900s.” Since the latter saying described me, I didn’t feel embarrassed to not be familiar with that first modern statement.
What is a Trail Angel? Trail Angels are those people, now departed, who worked in the background, getting support and funding for trail projects. This year, we lost two trail visionaries — Steve Swenson and Joe Berry. Because of their efforts and abilities to galvanize the Mount Washington V…
I felt my skis gliding over powdery snow, with a whisper-quiet shush. The tips were barely visible in the unbroken snow. I was in skier’s heaven. Everything was fluid motion and soft sounds. The woods were peaceful and beautiful. The sun was setting in the west and turning the sky a vivid pi…
Fryeburg Academy football fans shouldn’t sleep on the inside handoff. The Raiders have been using Merrick Iacozili for their inside handoff play. He scored a touchdown in the first two games. Anything Merrick can get on this play is a bonus. Short yardage or a bulldog run for 10 yards is great.
There were hearty folks on the links at two local courses last weekend. Linderhof Country Club, the nine-hole gem in Glen, pulled its flags on Sunday morning (Nov. 9), while they were still teeing it high and letting it fly at Indian Mound Golf Club in Center Ossipee on Monday with temperatu…
Waiting in line outside Jackson Ski Touring last Saturday, I could sense the winter excitement in the air. There were no conversations about biking, running or swimming. The tide had turned, so to speak, to thoughts of winter pursuits.
Mysterious objects in the woods always pique my interest. Whether I’m hiking, skiing, snowshoeing or biking, I stop and wonder: What is that, how did it get here, who put it there, what does it mean? There are stories in those finds.
Would you believe me if I said you could create at least a 15-mile in-town road ride in the East Side area, starting from Hemlock Lane, near Walmart, and ending at Hurricane Mountain Road? Such a ride involves not only distance, but climbing challenges. It’s what my friend, Jeanne Twehous, r…
It’s the grab it when you can time of the cycling season. With darkness outstripping daylight hours, the window of opportunity for cycling is shrinking. If you wait too late in the day to go out, you’ll be coming home in the dark.
I have always had a fascination with old cemeteries. Oftentimes, they’ve been places of beauty and quiet meditation for me. Other times, they’ve been a place to discover the history and lives of those interred beneath their stones. Gravestones' etchings tell their stories.