One of my enjoyments that spanned the season this year started as I watched my 15-year-old grandson, Ian, shift from skis to a snowboard and work to master his skills. By spring he had gotten pretty good. Then in July, Ian was on a board again — two weeks on a windsurfer at Duxbury Bay Maritime … [Read more...]
Hikes with autumn vistas that cover the spectrum from easy to strenuous
Skis? Still on the beams in the garage. Sailboat? Still in the water, but weatherbeaten this time of year. Maybe up for one more daysail or two before the haul truck arrives. Summer gone, winter yet to come. So we are in a shoulder season. But as for hikes, high country or low, easy or strenuous, … [Read more...]
Maine is big, bold and welcoming, whether by land or by water
The state of Maine is at least three places, each of which could be subdivided into smaller, distinct regions. Coastal Maine — one of the longest coasts in the U.S., in fact — is where most of the money and most of the tourists are. The major shore route (Route 1) is usually unpleasantly crowded in … [Read more...]
The Cog experience is unparalleled in New England, perhaps anywhere
Most people who travel often, like Carl Yastrzemski and John Madden once did, get to a certain age and wonder how many more chances you may get to fly in an airplane before you run into a big problem at seven miles in the sky. Of course it’s irrational, or let’s say, less rational than worrying … [Read more...]
At state parks, possibilities are endless for family fun
State parks around New England are so numerous and varied, you can find several that fit every recreational option possible, from ocean to inland, challenging mountain hikes to leisurely strolls in the sand. It all works in this season of high sun and long days. Starting about 10 minutes from the … [Read more...]
Chamberlain: It’s the sea for me
I once watched the ocean for six straight hours, not taking my eyes off for more than a minute or so to tend to other things. Here was the circumstance: I had finished last watch — 3 to 6 a.m. on a sailing trip from Fort Lauderdale to New England on a 50-foot Hylas sloop. There were four of us … [Read more...]
Lindsey Vonn, the greatest ever, punctuates career in style at World Championships
Early in the winter of 2002, Picabo Street said she had had enough. "Once you’re afraid of speed and have the least hesitation about committing yourself to going as fast as you can to try to win, you might as well not be out there." Thus did the best female downhiller of her generation step away … [Read more...]
Speakeasy, Loon: A rewarding ribbon
If Speakeasy trail at Loon seems to tip off the kind of trail it is, Speakeasy also is one of the best anywhere to strengthen your early intermediate skiing and test yourself with a long top-to-bottom run without stopping. Perhaps the easiest thing about Loon, however, is getting there from the … [Read more...]
Knee troubles might deprive joy of skiing, but of the mountains
Acouple of winters ago, I found myself propped on the couch, knee wrapped and held high to drain. You don’t need details except to know that with my knee, the ski season was probably a wrap for the ski season. "Don’t do anything until you see me," said my doc, an old friend, gravely. "You can’t … [Read more...]
Kitzbuehel, Jay Peak: A true mettle tester
Among the small treasures in my memory of skiing and mountains are two occasions when the operators of Jay Peak invited me to spend a weekend in what was then called "Elevation 4000," a rambling apartment attached to the cable house at the 4,000-foot summit of the mountain. At night we could see … [Read more...]
How do you really know what’s the best mountain out East?
When I look at annual magazine assessments of the best skiing in the East, followed by the lists and rankings, I am at once amused and amazed. How do they pull this thing off year after year, I wonder? Having been a ski journalist for 30 years or so, I came to regard this as a staple of the … [Read more...]
East Wind, Pats Peak: A perfect intro to ‘blue’ runs
They don’t all have to be big bruisers from the north, you know. Every time we’ve set out to sample some smaller areas, it’s about the same: The experience is as good as the snow and weather on the day we go. So it was our luck to have sampled Pats Peak on a ringing January morning with plenty of … [Read more...]
