A quieter way up Mt. Pemigewasset

There are two trails up Mount Pemigewasset. The Mount Pemigewasset Trail, which starts from the Flume Visitor Center, is the most popular. I've done that trail a dozen times. But this was a first for me on the Indian Head Trail, which starts a short distance away. Conditions on Saturday, April 26 were difficult at best:

• the trial was very poorly marked, causing an excruciating number of stops along the way to find the elusive yellow blazes
• much of the trail was flooded, causing even our waterproof boots to get soaked
• a good portion of the trail, especially at the beginning and near the summit, had piles of snow 3' high, causing post-holes unless you used snowshoes

Even though it was 70 degrees by mid-day and we were in shorts and t-shirts, we definitely needed, and used, our snowshoes. We constantly put them on and took them off, bare booting it in the stream and at crossings. The last half-mile near the summit is very steep, giving me a chance to practice steep descents in snowshoes. The hike took 6-1/2 hours, despite the moderate mileage. That's the slowest I've ever gone on a trail, --even slower than the Caps Ridge Trail up Mt. Jefferson!

The views from the summit are just as spectacular this time of year as in the summer -- a nice reward for soaked boots and a frustratingly slow pace.

4.5 miles, ~1,500' elevation gain
Summit: Mt. Pemigewasset = 2,557 feet
Route: Indian Head Trail (very poorly marked)

Sex and democracy in "Elections and Erections"

Sex and democracy were both illegal in South Africa during the apartheid years, according to Pieter-Dirk Uys, who headlines the ART's current production. They are the subject of thought-provoking humor and political satire in Elections and Erections.

Uys, a playwright, actor and AIDS activist, delivers comedy and drama with equal brilliance. While most of the one-man play is packed with humor, the most moving part is his depiction of the fear he felt as a sexually active gay man in Johannesburg.

You'll enjoy this play, even if you're not intimately familiar with South African politics (though it helps). Uys makes the play contemporary by referencing the U.S. presidential election, Hillary Clinton and Eliot Spitzer, among others. I was entertained and even educated. I recommend seeing this production, which runs at the Zero Arrow Theater in Cambridge through May 4, 2008.

Hills on Long Island!

The white-blazed Greenbelt Trail, starting from Cold Spring Harbor, provides a surprising number of ascents and descents. Who would have thought that there are hills on Long Island? We walked for two hours toward Jericho Turnpike, crossing three roads, then turned back. This trail system, which is said to comprise more than 100 miles of trails, is a real plus for Long Island!

The Bravery

It's not often that a live band sounds just like their album, but last night, The Bravery managed that feat. The lead singer Sam Endicott didn't miss a key. He told the audience that they had just come out with a new album, The Sun and the Moon. That album is far from "new": most of the audience had had several months to memorize the lyrics to each song. There was only one song on the set list, Dandy Rock, not on either of their two albums. They performed their hits -- An Honest Mistake, Believe -- flawlessly, and I found the song "Every Word is a Knife in my Ear" to be particularly moving. This is a band that's easy for everyone to like (it's definitely not heavy metal which I am partial to). I look forward to their new album, "The Moon" in March.

Avalon Trail, New Hampshire's White Mtns.

The goal was Mt. Tom, a 4,000 footer. Or, worst case, Mt. Avalon -- a mountain at least, though only 3,442 feet tall. Wouldn't have been a problem in better weather. But winter hiking is so much more difficult! I made it 1/3 of a mile past the trail junction with the Mt. Avalon spur, but then I wimped out. Two spills on the steep descent before the steep ascent of Mt. Tom, and I was done. Didn't feel comfortable doing the ascent, knowing I had all that to descend. I didn't even want to ascend Mt. Avalon, again due my perceived steepness of the trail. The good news is that I spent the rest of the 1.5 miles back to the car practicing flat-footing with the snowshoes on moderate grades. And I feel comfortable with that now. So, next weekend, I'm attempting Mt. Tom again. I just have to be more aggressive with my footing. Mike was a good sport about it all. I think I was more disappointed not to make it to the summit than he was! But a beautiful hike, on nearly 3 feet of packed snow!

Greenstone & Routeburn Track photos

Vicki above Greenstone Valley.

Vicki, JC and John in the enchanted forest, covered with goblin moss, lichen and ferns, on the way to Mt. 1538 on the Greenstone Track.

For more photos, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/23477159@N06/ . Click on the "i" in the middle of the first photo in the slideshow to get the photo names, which describe the photo.

Rob Roy Glacier and Central Otago wine country - New Zealand

Hike to Rob Roy Glacier, 54 km from Wanaka
Left Aspiring Lodge at 7:10am and arrived at Raspberry Creek car park at 8:11am. Began hike at 8:20am. Easy-moderate grade with a good trail all the way to the end. Many switchbacks. Reached end at 10:15am (2 hours up). Views of gigantic Rob Roy Glacier (which JC explained is receding) across the mountain, with substantial snow packs from avalanches below. While watching the Glacier, we heard the telltale rumble of an avalanche (like a low, long roll of thunder) and saw what looked like a third waterfall which was actually snow falling hundreds of feet into the snow pack below. After a few minutes, the fall of snow ended and the third "waterfall" disappeared. Hike back to car took only 1-1/2 hours.

Central Otago Wine Country
Back at the lodge around 1pm. Changed clothes, got lunch and began drive from Wanaka to wine country (destination: Cromwell, to the SE). We drove around the industrial park in Cromwell, before finding Quartz Reef.

Quartz Reef Winery (Cromwell) -- Rudi, an Austrian who worked at Rippon Winery in Wanaka before starting Quartz Reef, amiably served us his riesling and pinot noir, discussing the soil conditions and modest 3000 case output of his winery. He directed us to Rockburn Winery (unexceptional) in Cromwell and Mt. Difficulty Winery in Bannockburn.

Mt. Difficulty Winery (Bannockburn) -- excellent views from the hilltop and cafe. In comparison to Quartz Reef and Rockburn, this winery had excellent merchandising, though it pales in comparison to the merchandising of wineries in Napa and Sonoma.

Felton Road Winery -- last stop in Bannockburn. Cult status.

I tasted pinot noirs from all four wineries, with the 2006 pinot noir from Felton Road being quite exceptional.

Took a photo using JC's camera of JC and John in front of each winery.