Here at Hangman Hill

Today we harvested leeks, Bok choi, raspberries, turnips and radishes. Thankful for our garden veggies throughout the year!

Last weekend we were both in the UK for work and we were able to visit Bruno's brother, sister-in-law and niece on Sunday. They live in the Warwickshire countryside and we enjoyed lunch and a long walk with Dougie (and managed to avoid the rain showers).

We had to say good-bye to our dear friend Kokee this week. While are saddened by her loss, we are so grateful for what she brought to our lives.  We are grateful to Dr Jonathon Jeffrey for the care that he gave Kokee during her recent illness.

Kokee had a puppy-like enthusiasm all of her life.  Like us, she loved the outdoors from the ocean waves to the mountain tops.  Kokee made friends everywhere she went.  She was made welcome in B&B’s, inns, cafes, restaurants, galleries, shops and the homes of many of our friends.  Her good nature made it easy to bring her along on our adventures, from camping trips in the Adirondacks and the White Mountains to fall foliage trips in New England.   With Kokee along we made many friends on our journeys,  including Mark and Jen who have become dear friends.  Sometimes it just the gentle soul at the local library or another who needed  a “dog-fix” who Kokee would bring into our circle.  This invariably led to meeting some fascinating people, hearing great stories and witnessing love and kindness in many places.

The photos below are a testament to the richness of the life that we shared with Kokee.    She made us smile every day.  We will miss her immensely and remember her always.

“We are blessed to live in a world where love leads to such dizzying heights, and loss reminds of us how much someone meant to us.” – Tom Ryan (a friend to Atticus).

If you would like to help us to remember Kokee, we would love to hear your favorite stories or experiences with her.  Donations can also be made to the Stand Up For Animals, a Westerly, RI based independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to operate a state-of-the-art animal shelter, adoption center and regional outreach facility to promote the health and welfare of abandoned or lost pets and to educate and assist those who care for them.

Kokee as a puppy showing her passion for all things spherical

Playing ball with Andrew at Keene Farm in the Adirondacks

 Like our friend Kelsi, Kokee loved camping at Keene Farm

A rare moment of rest with Katrina Suiches

Swimming at Barn Island – one of our favorite local places to walk and swim

Winter fun at Hangman Hill Road

Kokee with ta ennis ball, how she spent many, many hours

Swimming at the beach at Watch Hill

 Easter Sunday at Mark and Jen’s House

Lunch at Martha’s Vineyard

 Waiting for the bus at Oak Bluffs (Martha’s Vineyard)

Enjoying the local trails in Connecticut

Pumpkin “People in Jackson NH (Fall 2015)

 Enjoying record snow fall in North Stonington (winter 2015)

Kokee “helping” Mark plow (but actually playing ball)

 Hiking the Presidential Range in the White Mountains (NH)

 Sunset on Kearsarge North, NH

A recent overnight on Kearsarge North for the 4th of July, 2016

 Breakfast on Kearsage North after a night watching fireworks (that were far away!) 

 A recent hike to Eagle Mountain (October 2016)

Our vacation was slowly coming to an end and we had one last day in the mountains.  The forecast was for a clear and sunny day (once again), so we opted to climb to the summit of Piz Boe (a popular and nearby 10,000-ft peak).

We started by taking the Piz Boe cable car and Vallon chair lift (as on two previous days), and then made the short hike to the bottom of the Vallon via ferrata.  This was to be a short intermediate grade via ferrata that climbs up to a small waterfall, crosses it on a suspension bridge, and then ascends a steep wall next to the waterfall on big holds to reach a small tarn above.

We saw two other local climbers who quickly passed us. We followed them up a little more slowly, taking care with the older cables and iron-ware that appeared not to have been replaced for quite a few years (if ever!).

From the top of the via ferrrata it was an easy but very exposed hike along a rocky ridge to the summit of Piz Boe.  The way was marked by red paint spots on the rock, and several paths converged on the summit.  Despite the fact that there is no road anywhere near the summit there is a full fledged refugio there serving beer, soup and strudel (and all manner of other goodies).

After lunch and summit pictures at the top we hiked back down a rocky path and a frightening scree slope to reach the Kostner refugio for a farewell beer.  From there it was an easy ride down the mountain on the chairlift and cable car to get back to our B&B.

We were lucky to find that Damon and Jayne had returned from their hut-to-hut hiking trip that day, so we met up with them for a simple but tasty pizza dinner followed by local ice cream.  It was certainly a wonderful last day in the mountains and a fitting end to our 2-week trip to the Dolomites.

Last weekend we were in New Hampshire, and we had to work hard to find a hike that wasn’t in the clouds.  We drove up through a mixture of rain, sleet and snow and spent Saturday running errands and dodging the showers.  By Sunday we were ready to get outside, but the forecast was for very low clouds in the mountains.

We picked a peak from the “52-with-a View” list called Hayes peak (2555-ft).  To get to the start of the trail we headed north to Gorham and then realized that we had forgotten to look at the guidebook for detailed directions on how to find the path!  A quick Google search sorted us out, and we parked by a disused railway bridge and headed out across it with some trepidation.  After winding around amongst some old railway tracks, footbridges and ATV trails we eventually got to the real the hiking path.  We then proceeded to hike steadily upward through open woodlands and through several inches of fallen leaves.

We enjoyed nearby views of ponds, rock formations, and lichen along the way.  After about 2-hours of climbing were emerged onto a large rocky ledge with open views to the south (Pinkham Notch) and east (the Moriah range).  On a fine day it would have been a spectacular view; on this day we were just happy to be below the clouds!

We celebrated with chai tea from our vacuum flasks and rhubarb cake baked and packed by Sheri.  Then we hiked back to the car to head home before the weather got any worse.

Bok choi, baby carrots, lettuce and beet greens. Not a bad harvest for the 1st of November.

The town of Corvara is dominated by the backdrop of Sassongher peak, and the mountain had made an impression on us the day that we arrived.  We soon realized that there was quite a straightforward path to the summit with an easy via ferrata on the way.

We took took the bus up the valley once again, and disembarked at the village of Colfosco.  From there we walked a short distance to a chairlift to take us up to Col Pradat.

We arrived at the summit just in time for elevenses, and enjoyed the view of the town and the surrounding peaks.  The trip back down followed the same path, and we were back at the refugio for beer and ice cream by 1.30pm.

We awoke to another bright and sunny day, and headed out early to meet up with our guide.  This was our last day with Michele and we were planning to go up to the summit of Piz da Lech.  This was a peak that we had seen on our rest day from our hike with Damon and Jayne.

Sheri enjoying the route up.

After reaching the top of the via ferrata it is possible (and usual) to hike for about 20 minutes to reach the summit of Piz da Lech to enjoy the 360-degree views.  There is a small cross and a cairn to mark the summit.

From the summit there is a moderate hike back to the bottom of the route, and a short section of via ferrata to climb down.

  

With just a few days left on our vacation we decided to take the bus to the Gardena Pass, and then hike back over the high peaks to our B&B.  We found the bus stop without any problems and managed to get on the correct bus!

Soon we were on our way up the valley, navigating hairpin bends and steep drops on either side of the road.  We passed through the small neighboring village of Colfosco and then arrived at the Gardena Pass.  It was a beautiful Sunday and we had plenty of other people to keep us company.

The first part of our adventure was an short side trail to the minor summit called Gran Cir.  The path to the summit is listed as a grade-1 (easy) via ferrata and we found it easy enough that we didn’t need any safety equipment.  The biggest hazard was the loose rock being dislodged by hikers above us.  The views from the top were great, and we could see the via ferratae that we had climbed on the previous two days.

From Gran Cir we scrambled back down to the nearby refugio for a cold beer, and then headed back out on the trail for an afternoon hike back to Corvara.  The path stays at high level all the way and affords splendid views of the rocky limestone landscape that is typical of the Dolomites.  In places it reminded us of the Yorkshire moorlands with limestone pavements and caves very similar to those around Malham Cove.