Wintery Weekend

This week has been a snowy one.  Jeanette had 3 snow days this week after we had about 15 inches dumped on us.  Pretty crazy.  The snow removal process was slow as the snow blower had some technical difficulties - the handle broke off.  We made the best of it with shovels.

The dogwood tree in the backyard

The house

My broken snowblower - not the handle not attached to the blower

Friday a played hooky from school and went up to climb at the Narrows in Kitnersville with Timm.  For 14 years I've been looking at the "Main Flow" at the Narrows, 3 pitches of NEI4.  Conditions were perfect for me to get on it, no one there, fat ice, and wet conditions.  The climb was everything I expected it to be.  Steep, thought provoking and long.  The crux 2nd pitch pillar was awesome.  The final pitch super long - ~150 ft - and really interesting climbing.  It was a great day.

Timm at the base of the climb

View of Pitch 2 pillar

Looking back down the 3rd Pitch at Timm belaying

Rapping out - pitch 3

View of the Delaware River from one of the belays

Finally Sunday we made it over to Fair Hill and got some sledding in on the fantastic hill off of Rt. 273.  There were lots of people out and we had a great time with Wendy, John and Bill.

The hill

Jeanette on Bill's runner sled

The Whoops 

Bill on the tube of luxury

Aunt Ailene's 60th Birthday

Aunt Ailene turns 60 this week and the family surprised her with a party to celebrate last weekend.  It was a great time, with everyone there except Joey and Kaylyn.  The festivities included crowning of the birthday queen, a then and now fact sharing with a doll dressed up in a vintage girl scout uniform to act as the "then" Aunt Ailene, a quiz on various Aunt Ailene trivia and lots of excellent food.  It was great to get together with the family.

Aunti Ailene's surprise entrance

Kay Kay cutting the rug

Then and Now Aunt Ailene

The Lovely Ladies of the Family with their crazy Sock Monkey slippers 

Hmm, that picture is better

Winter Running

Jeanette and I have been trying to stay in shape with evening winter runs out in one of the parks close to our house - Fair Hill or White Clay Creek.  We're really fortunate to have these great resources so close to our home.  It's been cold, but you really get to see the parks in a beautiful light.

Jeanette on the home stretch of the Blue Trail

View of Big Elk Creek 

New Hampshire Weekend

Several months ago Joe found a sweet deal on tickets to Manchester NH roundtrip from Philly for $59.  We used this plus a 2 hour car drive to visit North Conway and the White Mountains.  We stayed at the Cranmore Mountain Lodge, which served as our home base - great home cooked breakfasts in the morning, relaxing post activity beer and chilling in the hottub and a place to lay our heads at night.

Cranmore Mountain Lodge

Our first day's adventure was a classic New England Ice climb up in Crawford Notch known as Willy's Slide.  It climbs an ice flow on a rock slab exposed after a slide on Mount Willy.  The route is ~ 600 feet of climbing at a relatively low angle.

The flow viewed from the North

A closer view

The approach took a little under 1/2 an hour as we climbed up to the base of the slide.  There were 3 other parties there, but they were moving slow and we were able to jump in line and get on it first.  The climbing was cold and the ice pretty brittle.  Protection was a bit sparse but the grade pretty easy.

View from the base of the climb

Getting ready to lead the 1st pitch

View up Crawford Notch with Mt Willard on the right

Looking back down at Joe and Jeanette at the belay of pitch 3

Summit Shot

Jeanette thrashing back down through the trees

Joe enjoying the open slabs

Day 2 we headed up to snowshoe on Mount Washington up the Huntingdon Ravine trail.  This is the area with many of the classic ice climbs (Tuckermans being more known for the skiing) and we wanted to see it for ourselves.  

There was plenty of snow on the trail since this is not well traveled in the winter in favor of fire roads for quick access, so we had to break trail in the over 12" of snow.  Joe did the dirty work and Jeanette and I followed.

The beast of burden

The ravine coming into sight

The entire ravine 

Odells

Pinnacle 

 

View back down the valley

Day 3 we visited Franconia Notch and an area called the Flume.  Here an extremely narrow gorge (as little as 12 feet from side to side) has been cut into granite rock by the Pemigewasset River.  In the winter the narrow river ices up and you can walk above the water and the sides form extemely fun ice climbing routes which are easy to setup.  We headed in for a day of toproping.

Hiking in over covered bridge

The Pemigewasset River

 The Flume

Me on our line 

Jeanette

Joe pulling the bulge

It was a great trip and on Monday before heading back home we visited with Kathleen's friend Robin who runs a farm up un NH.

Jeanette's Birthday

Jeanette's birthday this year began with a nice little snow storm which made the entire area look really pretty - unfortunately it did not lead to any delays so Jeanette still had to work.  In the evening we met up with a whole crew of friends - Colin, Joe, Will and Vanji, Bob and Mary, Bob and Mary, Timm and Rachel, Wendy and John and Chris - at Ali Babas.  Jeanette loves this restaurant and it serves delicious Middle Eastern cuisine.  We had Morrocon eggplant salad and carrot salad as appetizers and a delicious chicken kabob for main course.  We finished up with baklava with a birthday sparkler.  The staff at Ali Babas really did a great job taking care of our big group.

The Group

The birthday girl with baklava

Jeanette and I 

Afterwards we went over to the new Mojos (old East End Cafe) to see a couple of local bands, headlined by Diego Paulo.  These guys are really excellent, and while the rest of the ticket was not so good, they reallt finished up strong and put on a great show.

Diego Paulo 

On Sunday the family came down - Tom, Marion, Brig, Kev, Mitch, Ellie, Joe and Robbie.  We had a great time with a spaghetti dinner, some hide and seek and kick the can in the snow and of course cake and presents.  It was nice having everyone down to our home.

Dinner

The cake 

Presents 

Bridge Out

Major inconvenience over the next year as the bridge on Appleton Rd near barksdale Rd is replaced. This route was our quickest way to Elkton and points south as well as both Jeanette and my path to work.  For the time being we will get to learn and enjoy some of the nice back roads of Cecil county to get around.

Location : 33-75 Fletchwood Rd, Elkton, MD 21921,