Pleasantly Surprised

Sometimes when I'm on the way to somewhere, I look for short hikes for the fun of it. If time allows, I hike it.
Generally I don't expect too much from these smaller hikes. When you hike a lot, you kind of come to assume that the less time you spend going uphill, the less reward you get at the top.

Nicole and I were headed to NH, and our route took us on 302 west towards Fryeburg.
We drove past Shawnee Peak Ski area, and took a left on Wilton Warren Road.
A couple miles down the dirt road, we actually drove right past the trailhead and had to backtrack. The only sign is a small wooden one that says "Fire Warden's Trail".

We donned the snowshoes and started our ascent up Pleasant Mountain. The trail was well traveled and very open. There was no steep section to be had. We took our time, admiring the views of the White Mountains to the west. The weather was 50ish degrees. Very uncharacteristic.

One of the coolest parts of the hike was right before the top, on the east side of the mountain before getting to the lookout tower. There was zero wind. The sky was blue, and it had to be 50 degrees. I could've hung out there all day. If only we had brought a beer on this perfect day!

A quarter mile later and we were staring at some pretty amazing views of the Whites. On this side, the west side, a cold wind was blowing directly at us.
We sat on top until we were too cold, and then descended. About 2 hours to the top, and a little over an hour to the bottom of the 2009 foot mountain.

I think the gradual climb and short distance of this climb makes an awesome starter for your winter hiking season...and I am looking forward to hitting this one in the spring as well. The small streams are sure to be even more beautiful when they are flooded with runoff!

Happy Trails!

krp

Keeping Secrets in the Western Mountains

If there were any reservations about moving from Aroostook County back to the homeland, they were silenced this weekend.

I miss all of my great friends up north, but having the opportunity to do what I did this weekend is one of the major reasons I relocated.

Perhaps I jumped the gun on my post-Quintuple Iron recovery by biking up to camp on friday. Halfway to Andover, I was cashed.
Got some food and coffee into me and chilled, in order to get myself back together for the last push.

Turns out that was exactly what I needed. I thoroughly enjoyed those last few miles, especially pedaling down East Andover Road, past the cow and buffalo farms, as the sun set behind the mountains.

Coasted into camp as dusk turned to dark, and had some Yuengling as I built the fire.

The next day, Nicole and I woke up to a nice coating of 3-4 inches of snow on the ground. After a big breakfast, we set out to see some of most beautiful terrain in Maine.
This area does not receive the attention that Baxter or Acadia does, and it is every bit as beautiful.. if not more because there aren't people behind or in front of you around every curve.

Hiking in this area is sure to be a solitary experience.

We blue-blazed on the Appalachian Trail, wearing Microspikes for traction on the snow-covered roots and rocks. The trail followed a stream as it continued into a notch between two sizeable mountains, so there were TONS of waterfalls to stop and admire.

There were numerous stream crossings, but we were never thwarted. At one point, we were forced to cross by straddling a downed tree!

All of the work in getting to the main attraction was worth it. Seemingly out of nowhere, we found ourselves in a basin with cliffs all around us. Snow weighed down the hundreds of pine trees, and a thundering of water pounding rocks was coming from somewhere...
Around a corner, a 70 foot waterfall cut into an amazing narrow gorge!
Grand.

After stopping to admire it, we hiked to the top of that fall, hurrying to the next one a quarter-mile away, excited to see the BIGGER of the two. It proved worth the extra mileage, but the camera could do no justice, as it was well-hidden by trees and rocks.

The hike out via Appalachian Trail was a great finish to a superb day: up and over the mountain, through the woods, and to the road!

If you would like info on this hike, shoot me an email, but I'm not interested in advertising the location to the entire planet.
The best kept secret in Maine should stay that way!

Thanks for reading!

krp

To Do

There's a To Do List about a mile long, sitting right here next to the computer.

First on the list: Find a Job.

I'm learning first-hand the meaning of balance.

The Quintuple Iron is over, and I'm confronted by the harsh reality of "What now?"
I spent most of 2010 focusing on the race and making it my top priority.
Now that it's over and done with, I'm a little lost to be honest.
Moving up to the Deca for next year is a no-brainer, but unfortunately solely racing doesn't pay the bills.

I've been in the retail machine long enough to know that I won't be doing that anymore. No more salary jobs that require 60+ hour weeks, phone calls at home on days off, and bosses that frown on having a life outside of work.

The goal then, I guess, is to find a job that let's me punch the clock, and leave work at work. I show up, work hard, and go about my life when the shift is over.
Again with the keeping life simple.

As far as the TentMan life....due to the Maine winters, I won't be spending a lot of time in a tent the next couple of months. I do, however anticipate many a night in my rustic camp in the western mountains of Maine. The amount of hiking, trail running, snowshoeing, and skiing to be done there is ridiculous.
Stay posted!

krp

The Farewell

Well, folks, this is it.
The end of Tentman, Aroostook County edition.

On November 6th, this saturday, I will be leaving The County for the big race in Mexico.
I will not be returning...at least to live anyways.

The Life of Kale R Poland continues on its long, strange trip.

I moved here on a leap of faith. Tired of big box retail and corporate nonsense, I came here, knowing that anything I happened upon for a job would be better than what I was doing.

It was pure fate that I landed a job at a store which thrived on the sports that I was active in. Immediately I was introduced to the amazing community of people and athletes that surround Mojo and the Nordic Heritage Sport Club.

Tons of memories.
-Mountain biking for the first time on singletrack, at night, with Chad, Mike, Chris, and Eileen.
-Brent's Slo Mo Triathlon, hungover. Mike and Von and I decide to do it the night before during a night of drinking.
-Morning swims at Gentile with Erika and Kim
-Running on sunday mornings with Mel, Kyle, Lee, Kim, and Georgina(who has fattened me up!!!); and The Christmas Run on the sunday before the big Holiday, when we spent the morning running to people houses to wish them a merry christmas.
-Big St Patty's Party at the Caverhills.
-Good Times Rides then beers with the whole gang...sometimes having to have the afterparty at the store!
-Mornings BSing with the Northern PT crew
-Nights in Mel's or Penny's Backyard, and the great food both cooked for me.
-Penny's BackPorch Nights, solving the world's problems..heck LIVING at Penny's. She let me shower, do laundry, and fed me so many times. My life would have been a lot more difficult without her the last couple of months.
-Running with Mortland and Barb to Houlton...and running through the night on treadmill with Mortland.
-Lifting with Kate Hanes
-New Years Party, and dancing "wax on, wax off" with Kate and Ralph
-Dinners with Kate and Ralph Knowles
-Aroostook Dirty 30

So much more. I had some of the best times of my life here.
Never will I know a place with friends like I have here. REAL people, who ride, run, swim, LIVE, and still aren't afraid to let loose and have a good time.
The level of support I have received as an athlete from everyone I know in Aroostook County is mindboggling, and it will be repaid in one way or another.

While I hate to leave the people, the reasons I leave aren't secret. People who know me know that I've been striving to remove myself from the retail profession for a long time.
It's opportunity downstate, and lack of it here that forces me to pull up my roots once again and find a new location.

No smooth way of saying it...I will miss seeing all of my friends here in Aroostook County.

krp

I'm on a bus headed north, again.

The other side to the whole idea of living the "simple" tent life is the complicated, depending on others thing.
Getting rides to and from the bus station. Using other people's showers, washers, and other amenities.
I can't lie, these are the things that have grown the most tiresome.
I was brought up to do everything on my own, and asking people's help for basic life tasks is a pride-robbing thing- even if the person doesn't seem to care!

Anyways, Nicole and I just returned from a great weekend in Baxter. Hiked South Branch Mountain, returning back to South Branch campground via Pogy Notch Trail. The fall foliage was just amazing, and the two streams we had to cross were chilly.

Can't forget to mention that our night in the tent was graced by a bear, a couple of times. Around 10:30, we were awoken by the huffing and woofing of a bear a little ways from the tent. Next thing we knew, its footsteps were RIGHT outside the tent.
Again, at 3:30 it came by. Not really sure what we would have done had it tried to get into the tent. A little freaky, and definitely freakier than my experience along the Aroostook River earlier in the summer.

Awesome times, but my vagabond life will be coming to a close soon. I'll stick it out until the quintuple iron, then reevaluate my life.
Who knows what new adventures may be ahead??

Thanks for reading..
krp

(kale)idoscope

Sometimes for the best
At other times for worse
how could it be my blessing
Can double as a curse

Holding mirrors to my being
With reflections already there
I don't know what I'm seeing
Just my own life's wear and tear

Mirrors in front of mirrors
A distorted, slippery slope
Things must start getting clearer
I'm becoming a kaleidoscope

krp

update

Hey all.
I didn't die.

Between work, training, and sponsor hunting, I've barely had a chance to update this at all!

As far as the nights go, I have barely been tenting, just training...and crashing on couches when I'm done for the night. Don't see much of a purpose to pitch a tent when I'm only sleeping for a few hours!

Training is REALLY popping off. With the quintuple iron only 3 months away, I've GOT to put less time into adventuring, and more time into high volume zen training.
A few notes:
Nights are getting colder. Supposed to be high 30s tonight.

Also, I've just switched to part-time status at work, allowing me more training time and possibly more adventures!

Thanks for staying tuned!
krp