A lot happens in the backcountry during five days, particularly when you bring 8 people together to work on a trail crew.
I tried to capture much of it in a story that appeared last weekend in a story in The Boston Globe Travel section. And Dina Rudick, Globe photographer, has more in a series of videos and photo galleries you can find here.

Plenty didn't make it though, so here is another short video:

And a few snippets of dialogue. You imagine the context of the conversations:

"The whole sky just turns into a hotel ice machine. It's so bizarre."

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"The Corral Bar is great, but you can get beat up. The Bottoms Up Brewery is safe, but you'll never drink, because the waitresses have amnesia."

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"It sits up on the bench. Follows that bench a long way."

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"Every kind of aquatic species does the opposite of what you want 'em to do. If you want to flow out, they'd swim upstream."

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"When it's rainy, gray and crappy, that's when you say, 'man, this weather is Baltic'."

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"I guarantee if Dick Cheney were going in there fishing, they'd have that cleared out."

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"Gargoyles. Lightning in the form of the anarchy symbol. It just didn't look good."

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"There's a bar in Butte called the Pisser's Palace."

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"Heard something, and I thought it was the wind whistling through my rifle strap. And I look up, and there's about 1,000 sandhill cranes, struggling against the wind."

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"I did shoot up a microwave with an AK-47 once."

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"If you get hungry and eat a second one of these, you should be able to know the future or something. If you eat that much sodium."

They provide oxygen, reduce carbon dioxide, and help prevent erosion. They give us wood, paper, shade, shelter, and something pretty to look at. And we cut them down. Time to go out on a limb and learn some treeology, a word coined for the study of trees and how to enjoy them.
Tyler Arboretum in Media, Pa., is exhibiting one-of-a-kind tree houses designed and built by local artisans in a show called "Totally Terrific Treehouses." Architects, builders, students, and artists created 16 imaginative structures aimed at exploring those big green things that we most always take for granted.
There’s a metal house, a house with bells hanging through the roof that visitors are encouraged to ring, elevated boardwalks, a full-size replica of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond, a treehouse shaped like an igloo, and a human-scale birdhouse.
What are you waiting for? Go climb a tree. The exhibit runs through Sept. 28.

No, this just isn't any old Hot Air Balloon Fest...this is the Hillsborough Balloon Festival and Fair! While the show-stoppers tend to be the gorgeous inflatables rising above the mountains, this event has so much to offer, it seems likely you won't be able to fit it all in. There will be fireworks, a 5K, carnival midway, live music and entertainment, tractor pulls, mud bogs, and artist's fair, despite the large balloons filling the skies.

So, you want to take a ride but are afraid...no problem. Alternative Number 1 is to try out Tethering. When a balloon tethers, it is secured to the earth so it will return to the spot from which it took off. Accompanied by the pilot, you will "go up" about 50 feet then come back to the ground. The cost is $10 per person to go up for approximately 5 minutes. Or you can choose Alternative Number 2: Night Glow. A Night Glow isn't a ride, but it is one heck of a show. Once fully inflated, the propane burner is adjusted so as to create a white flame that illuminates the balloon and makes it glow. The night glow is free too. See, no flying needed for full enjoyment.

The festival runs July 10-13 with the 2008 theme of "Celebrating Family & Friends"...easy to achieve in such atmosphere. Parking donation is $5 but general admission is free with extra fees charged for certain events [you can't ride in a balloon without a cool $175]. Leave Fifi at home as absolutely no pets of any kind are allowed on the fairgrounds. Balloon liftoffs and nightglow events are subject to weather conditions, and in the event of rain-out Saturday, fireworks will be rescheduled for Sunday with the festival remaining open until 10 PM.

This summer, Iceland’s hot. Iceland Experience has a travel package timed to coincide with the July 11 Hollywood premiere of a movie starring Brendan Fraser based on Jules Verne’s novel, ‘‘Journey to the Center of the Earth.’’ Iceland Experience is quick to point out that while its fly-drive tour will not really take you to the center of the earth, it will bring you to the starting point for the adventure that took Verne’s travelers deep into the earth (Snaefellsjokull Glacier ). There are daily departures year-round. Starting at $909 per person, the package includes:

• Three nights’ lodging (with breakfast) in Reykjavik
• Four nights lodging (with breakfast) in the countryside
• Five-day vehicle rental with unlimited mileage

You may not see many celebrities, but you will see lots of geothermal activity. Stops include Sellfoss, in the center of hot springs and waterfalls; Gulfoss, Iceland’s most famous waterfall; and the Geysir, an erupting hot spring.

Besides celebrating a movie premiere, things are really hopping in Reykjavik. The Gay Pride Parade is Aug 7-10 ; Reykjavik Cultural Night is Aug. 23; and the Reykjavik Marathon also is Aug. 23. Tourists in the know will pick up a Reykjavik Tourist Card, which provides admission to all the thermal pools in the capital, city buses, the National Museum, the Reykjavik Zoo, and more. It comes in increments of 24, 48, or 72 hours and costs about $20-$39.

A lot of people will be bound for Cape Cod this summer, and parents in particular might be looking for an alternative to the Wii, the Xbox, and the television. Have you thought about getting the kids onto the Internet? Kidding, kidding. An antidote to all of the above would be fresh air and a new perspective on nature, and to that end, the Mass. Audubon Society has several kayaking programs for all ages and levels of ability. The Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in the Barnstable village of Cummaquid has some 38 guided kayak trips scheduled this summer, and the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary has 23 trips planned along the Outer Cape.
For example, Long Pasture is hosting a trip tomorrow (that’s June 28) from 9 a.m. to noon that will traverse Cape Cod’s largest barrier beach and salt marsh system, Sandy Neck. Kayakers will explore the many tidal creeks and islands of Barnstable Harbor in search of shorebirds, osprey, horseshoe crabs, and other marsh inhabitants. They will also make a landing at the Sandy Neck barrier beach, a pristine, 6-mile stretch of coastline protected by the town of Barnstable. This trip is intended for those with previous kayaking experience, yet all experience levels are welcome. The cost is $35 for Mass. Audubon members, $40 for nonmembers, and kayaks, paddles, and life vests are provided. To register or for more information, call 508-362-7475. For the first time, the Long Pasture sanctuary will also offer trips this summer to the Herring River in West Harwich and the Bass River in Dennis.
Wellfleet Bay will offer nine twilight canoe paddles across a string of interconnected ponds in Wellfleet. For more complete immersion, sign up for Wellfleet Bay’s “Coastal Ecology by Kayak” program, a four-day course that provides training for shorebird identification and analysis of coastal botany. Two sessions will run: July 30-Aug. 2 and Aug. 13-16. For more information on these programs, go to the Long Pasture or Wellfleet Bay websites and click on “program catalog” on the left side of the page.

If the mountain won't come to you... go on a three-day rock-climbing getaway in New Hampshire. REI (yes, the outdoor clothing and camping supply company) has put together a great selection of outdoor adventures, many of which are right here in New England. The rock-climbing adventure takes place at Rumney Rocks, about 8 miles outside of Plymouth, N.H., and the introductory course is perfect for those who have never before gripped a crag with a be-chalked hand. For trip dates (including women-only climbs), go to rei.com/adventures or call 800-622-2236. Posted by Lylah M. Alphonse, Globe Staff

Rumney Rocks, a popular rock climbing site in central New Hampshire, will reopen tomorrow, Friday. The area had been closed for several days as crews fought a slow-burning but stubborn fire that scorched much of the surrounding area on Rattlesnake Mountain.

Staff at the White Mountain National Forest issued a press release today cautioning returning hikers and climbers to beware dangerous debris, snags and more in the fire area. Trail edges may be unstable and, even if the surface looks level, it could collapse under a hiker's weight.

The release outlined additional risks for climbers: Those "returning to the crags in the Orange Crush, Bonsai, Main Cliff, and Darth Vader areas should be aware that previously exiting bolts, carabineers, slings, quick draws and anchors may no longer be stable."

For updates, visit here.

Tread lightly, and have fun.

When you visit Cape Cod for that much-needed “staycation” this summer, you may grow tired of lolling on the beach and trolling for fried seafood. Why not break the monotony by making a break for Monomoy Island, where you can watch seals as they loll about and troll for food? For the 20th year, the Mass. Audubon Society’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is offering cruises to see the seals off the coast of Chatham. The seasonal cruises, which are guided by a naturalist, start Tuesday, June 17, and provide a close-up look at hundreds of gray seals. There are harbor seals around and about most of the time as well. These creatures can make the ordinary pastimes of resting and swimming very entertaining. The cruises are about 90 minutes long and will be held every Tuesday at 9 a.m. through Sept. 2, and every Sunday at 2 p.m. from July 6-Aug. 31. The cost is $40 for members of Mass. Audubon, $45 for nonmembers, and children 12 and under pay $5 less. Registration is required, and the trip are limited to 17 participants. Contact the wildlife sanctuary at 508-349-2615 or go here for more information.

Have you ever gotten up early to watch the sunrise? Let me rephrase that: Have you ever gotten up early to drive to the top of the highest peak in the Northeast to watch the sun come up over the Atlantic Ocean? The Mount Washington Auto Road is opening early on three Sundays this summer (June 29, Aug. 3, and Aug. 31) to allow drivers extra early access to the summit of Mount Washington. On June 29, the auto road will open at 3:30 a.m., on Aug. 3 it will open at 4 a.m., and on Aug. 31 it will open at 4:30 a.m. The regular rate applies ($20 per car and driver, $7 each additional adult, $5 for ages 5-12, and children under 4 free) as do certain vehicle restrictions. These rates include that famous bumper sticker and an audio tour on CD or cassette in English, French, or German. On a regular day, most vehicles take about 30 minutes to make the 7.6-mile ascent. Just don’t wait until the last minute to arrive. The popularity of last year’s sunrise drives showed that it may take as long as 30 minutes just to get through the Toll House at the mountain’s base. Someone once said, ‘‘We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness.’’ So what’s a little exhaust?

Not that you necessarily need a huge incentive to want to lounge on an unspoiled beach on Curaçao, an eclectic little tropical island with Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and African influences off the north coast of Venezuela, but through November Continental Airlines is offering round trips to the island (just from Newark, sorry) starting at $378 with a $140 credit toward your vacation. Details at curacao.com.

While you're there, be sure to check out the Curaçao Ostrich Farm, one of the biggest such farms outside of Africa; the Curaçao Seaquarium, where you can snorkel or scuba dive in tanks and hand-feed stingrays, sea turtles, and sharks; and Dolphin Academy, where you can meet and swim with dolphins.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has recognized the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council in Rhode Island with a 2008 Tourism for Tomorrow Award. The awards, in association with Travelport, recognize and promote best practices in sustainable tourism development all over the world. They were presented last month in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The judges applauded Blackstone Valley and its director, Bob Billington, for their success in revitalizing the Blackstone River Valley in Rhode Island, a string of nine communities once known for polluted rivers and abandoned businesses. “Through a destination stewardship approach to tourism development, including the preservation of the area's natural, cultural and historical heritage, BVTC has succeeded in uniting a community and awakening it to its new economic potential,” judges said.

The most visible successes are the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket, and the Samuel Slater Canal Boat (pictured), an English-built craft that plies the waters of the Blackstone River by day and is a floating bed-and-breakfast by night.

Here’s an entry in the “good ideas for city living” department.

Sevilla, Spain, is a tangle of narrow little alleys, one-way streets, and main thoroughfares where the drivers must take their training at the bullring. (Sound familiar?) Driving a car in Sevilla is, at best, an inconvenience, and usually much worse than that. But the city is undaunted in its efforts to make it easier to get around. The city government’s “Infrastructure for Sustainability” office sponsors a solution so obvious that even Boston could do it. The SEVICI initiative touts bicycle riding as good for the environment—and makes it irresistible by proving access to nice, solid bikes for only 5 euros a week (or 10 euros per year, if you live there). The snazzy silver and red vehicles are parked at 250 high-tech stands all over the city. Each stand has a kiosk where you can subscribe with a credit card and pick up and deposit bikes. For more details on the program (Spanish only—sorry) take a look at the website: www.sevici.es.

Posted by Patricia Harris, Globe Correspondent

If you haven't been training, then it may be a little late for this weekend's 7 Sisters Trail Race in Amherst. As the race website promises:

"Very scenic overlooks of the Pioneer Valley with views of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, Hampshire College and the Town of Amherst, as well as a beautiful view of the Connecticut River and Northampton to the west."

Only problem is, those views come while humping up and down very rocky terrain for 12 miles.

If you need a bit more time to get in shape, there're always the races at the Pineland Farms Trail Challenge, in New Gloucester, Maine.

Those races are bit longer, at 25 kilometers, 50 kilometers, and 50 miles. And as the web site warns: "The trails are wide and non-technical, but very hilly. Although there are no major climbs the rolling terrain is unrelenting."

Happy trails...

Last week's April school vacation was pretty ho-hum for my kids, except for a surprise my husband and I launched at the last minute to completely blow their minds. (Not all that hard to do with a 9- and a 7-year-old.) Back in November we "won" a gift certificate for a helicopter ride for four at a silent auction to benefit our local schools. We cashed it in on a warm spring day when fuel prices are sky-high, so I'm guessing we got a bargain.
We donned headphones, strapped in, and lifted off from Norwood Airport. Our pilot took us on a 1-hour tour over Boston with running commentary. (It was cool to hear him on the radio politely requesting clearance for our various buzz-overs.) We peeked into the upper levels of office buildings downtown, flew over the USS Constitution (educational, no?) and Bunker Hill (looks surprisingly small from above), and saw our reflection in the John Hancock tower (the only bumpy part -- the air up there seems to follow its own weather pattern).

The May issue of Parents magazine has compiled of list of what it considers the 10 best US and Caribbean beach resorts for families. Lo and behold, a Cape Cod resort clocks in at number 8, competing alongside heavy hitters in Florida, Hawaii, California, and the Caribbean. The rankings are based in part on cost, quality of supervised children’s programs, variety of family activities, and quality of pool and beach areas. In order of their rankings, here's the list:
1. Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya (Bahamas)
2. Club Med Punta Cana (Dominican Republic)
3. South Seas Island Resort (Captiva Island, Fla.)
4. Atlantis, Paradise Island (Bahamas)
5. Disney’s Vero Beach Resort (Florida)
6. Beaches Negril Resort and Spa (Jamaica)
7. Hilton Hawaiian Village (Honolulu)
8. Ocean Edge Resort & Spa (Brewster)
9.Loew’s Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa (San Diego)
10. Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort Casino & Spa (Puerto Rico)

Snow may have evaporated from most of New England’s neighborhoods and forest floors, but up in O Canada --- namely, at Rigaud, Québec’s Sucrerie Lavigne, about an hour west of Montreal --- you can still experience maple sugaring season, and eat yourself silly on a traditional Quebecois brunch. To a half century-old sugar shack, Jean-Paul and Claire L. Lavigne added a rambling and folksy dining hall where locals mingle with weekenders to scarf down the $20 all-you-can-eat buffet. The menu includes potatoes, beans, eggs, sausage, ham, homemade pickles --- plus some unexpected, local specialties like a custardy, eggy concoction called “omelette au lard”; pork cracklings; pea soup; squares of pork fat pate called “cretons”; and, for dessert, luscious, thick pancakes (more the consistency of crepes than pancakes) and maple sugar pie. All drenched in real maple syrup. If you’re not already bloated to bursting, waddle outside to the window where you can sample fresh sugar-on-snow taffy on a stick. There’s also horse drawn wagon rides, walking trails and sugar shack to poke into.

The calendar says it’s spring, but sometimes it’s up to you to go out and find it yourself. A good place to grab the season by the scruff of its neck is at the Garden in the Woods, the headquarters and botanic garden of the New England Wild Flower Society in Framingham. This ‘‘living museum,’’ which opens officially for the season on April 15, has more than 1,500 native plant species, along with many rare and endangered specimens. Family and children's programs coming up in May include Flower Power on May 18 (learn about flowers’ awesome powers at the height of the spring bloom) and Fairies in the Garden on May 29 (hunt for the woodland sprites among the wildflowers and build a fairy house.)

I don’t travel half as much as people think I do, especially overseas. And there are many countries I’ve yet to visit. Bhutan, for instance. Instead, I live vicariously through my Where they Went subjects, whose trips I write about every week in the Boston Globe.

One such journey was in April, when three friends from the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) spent time hiking in Peru. Marianne Page of Derry, N.H., did all the planning as part of her preparation to become an AMC leader. She’s now officially co-leading a trip to Glacier National Park in Montana this summer, which has already filled up. But her trekking and sightseeing trip in Bhutan still has openings. (If any of you have done AMC trips, I’d love to hear about them.)

Thanks to the tanking dollar against the rising pound and Euro, accents are
plentiful on New England's slopes, from the Eastern Europeans manning the
lifts to the Brits skiing. Bretton Woods, N.H., is no exception. So, I
wasn't surprised, when I struck up a conversation on the Rosebrook Express
chair, to hear what sounded like a British accent peppering the reply to my
usual conversation opener: "Having a good day?"
I've met folks from all over and received insider tips from those chance
chairlift meetings, and I've meet folks from Newfoundland to Alaska, Bosnia
to New Zealand. But until yesterday, no one had ever replied to my "Where's
home?" question with "The Isle of Man."
Whoa -- I Googled the grade school geography files collecting dust in my
brain: Great Britain, no; Ireland, no; Scotland, close; Wales, not really.
Hmm, as familiar as I was with the name, I couldn't pinpoint it on my
inner-vision map.
"It's way out in the Irish Sea," he said. At least I was somewhat close in
my mental ramblings.
Back in my room, I Googled my computer's brain. Ahhh yes. The 227-square-mile Isle
of Man is located between England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (roughly
midway between Liverpool, England, and Belfast, Ireland). It's a
self-governing kingdom with its own language (Manx) and currency, although
English is the spoken language and the pound is accepted. Its parliament,
called Tynwald, was founded by the Vikings 1,000 years ago. Who knew? Not
me, but I'm intrigued enough to see if I can add it to a travel itinerary
the next time I'm in the general area.
But it won't be for skiing: It doesn't have a ski resort.

Posted by Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

Is walking on Greenland’s ice cap before it melts on your life list? How about taking a musk oxen safari? Well, here’s an inconvenient truth for you: it’s not getting any colder so what are you waiting for? The Great Canadian Travel Co. has a Greenland Climate & Culture tour this summer to the country’s isolated Arctic high country. You’ll spend two nights at Hotel Umimmak in Kangerlussuaq, experience up close some of the area’s 5,000 musk oxen, stay five nights at the Hotel Arctic in Ilulissat, travel in a specially outfitted 4-wheel-drive vehicle to the ice cap, take a sled-dog tour, and take a full-day boat excursion to the Eqi glacier. Optional excursions include helicopter tours to Ilulissat glacier and a boat tour with evironmentalist David Hatch to the settlement of Ilimanaq. Departures, starting at $3,969 per person, are planned for Aug. 7 and Aug. 14.

Whatcha doin' for dinner Friday night? Sam Hayward, James Beard award-winning chef at Portland's Fore Street, is taking a road trip to Carrabassett Valley, Maine. Nah, he's not skiing at the 'loaf; he's volunteered to prepare a five-course fund-raising dinner at the newly opened Poplar Stream hut, the first in the new Maine Huts & Trails network.

For $250, you get to work up an appetite by hiking, skiing, or snowshoeing about 2.5 uphill miles into the snowy Maine wilds , bed down (don't forget your sleeping bag) in one of the four- to 12-bunk dorms, and savor both that five-course dinner--with wine pairings--and breakfast prepared by Hayward. Space is limited. For more info and the menu go to the site; for reservations, call 877-634-8824.

After returning to civilization on Saturday, mosey over to Sugarloaf to watch the US Alpine Championships downhill race, which will feature some of the best Alpine skiers in the country, many fresh off the World Cup trail. The championships continue through March 26.

Posted by Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

If you collect places with interesting names (Truth or Consequences, N.M.; Tightsqueeze, Va.; Dunmovin, Calif. — you get the drift already) have I got the place for you: God’s Pocket, British Columbia. Sea Kayak Adventures has a sea kayak trip July 7-11 suitable for families with teens 13 and older. Stay in a rustic seven-room lodge on a remote uninhabited island in God’s Pocket Marine Provincial Park off the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Paddle by day among the network of waterways surrounding the islands that make up the park, hike into an island rainforest, spot whales, sea otters, and bald eagles, and unwind in the evening with a hot meal (featuring locally caught seafood) and a dip in the hot tub. The five-day tour is $1,699 per person and includes all kayaking gear and instruction, lodging, meals, and certified guides.

As far as cool neighborhoods go, Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown is near the top of my list. The shops, boutique hotels, restaurants, bars, and bookstores could make you forget it’s almost cherry blossom time over at the Tidal Basin. Hotel Monticello (on Thomas Jefferson Street off M Street) is a comfortable, spacious, quiet, recently renovated all-suite small hotel that offers packages for weekends of pampering, romance, or traveling with family. A deluxe king suite starts at $149 (but prices go up as the weather warms up). The Old Stone House, D.C.'s oldest known dwelling, is just up the street. Nosh on sushi, gourmet pizza, or pastry with a mean cup of cappuccino at Marvelous Market (on P Street at Wisconsin Avenue). Snack on shawarma or a falafel at George’s, King of Falafel on 28th Street off M. Next door is a great place for dinner: Zed’s Ethiopian Cuisine, where you’ll scoop up spicy chicken and beef dishes with injira, a spongy bread. A romantic dinner for two, with drinks, is around $50. If you don’t mind the 15-minute walk to the Foggy Bottom Metro station, Georgetown is a great area to stay for a weekend getaway.

If you loved Anne Gordon's polar bear story in the Globe, The Great Canadian Travel Co. has four fall trips that are sure to tempt you.

Go north to Churchill, the "Polar Bear Capital of the World,'' on three-, four-, six- and seven-day tours that range in price from $1,589 to $3,489 (Canadian).

Explore the sub-arctic on a Tundra Buggy after a flight from Winnipeg to Churchill, 650 miles north on Hudson Bay. A naturalist guide accompanies all groups.

In two days of touring, Gordon's group saw 62 bears, and as Anne reported, one so close that she could feel his breath.

“I’m tired from yesterday,” I overheard a skier say at Pico today. I looked at him, smiled and added, “And the day before, and the day before, and the day before that too.”

We were part way down a steep trail called KA (named after Pico’s first ski instructor Karl Acker) and had stopped to catch our breath. All the snow that fell last week — 27 inches, they say — lay in soft, puffy moguls beneath us. It was like skiing in Colorado without the hassle of air travel. Except I was so tired — my back in knots, my quads too sore to touch — that I probably should have stayed home. Not that I’m looking for sympathy (and my husband reminds me that I deserve none). But who can stay home when the skiing is this good?

Posted by Globe correspondent Peggy Shinn

Panama runs long and lean east and west. It is narrowest in its middle, where the 48-mile-long canal has split the country in two for nearly a century.

Our route from the capital would stick to land, traversing the canal on a high bridge opened in 2003 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Panama's separation from Colombia. We planned then to continue on the Pan American Highway through the dry fields of Cocle and the foothills of Veraguas and down again to a valley home to parched heat and the city of David, the nation's second-largest city.

Before Essdras and I left Panama City, we stopped to pick up a friend of his who has been working as a Panama Canal pilot for 14 years. When the big cargo ships arrive at the Atlantic or Pacific side hoping to get through the canal, Essdras's friend is one of those who climbs aboard and guides the ships through. The canal is the only place in the world, apparently, where the pilot -- normally an advisory role to the captain -- takes full command of the ship.

This is a photo taken by Essdras of a ship passing through the canal's Miraflores Locks.

Attention all slacker moms (and dads): now’s the time to start thinking about summer camp for your kids, in case you haven’t heard. Here’s an option: if the kids whine about adults not having to go to camp, why not take the bull by the horns and go with them? Hog Island Audubon Center in midcoast Maine has one-of-a-kind family camps. The center's Family Birding Adventure (June 29-July 5) focuses on bird-watching activities. Family Camp (July 6-11) is about all things outdoors, including locating Atlantic puffins, harbor seals, and bald eagle nests. The Labor Day Family Retreat (Aug. 30-Sept. 1) includes easy strolls on Hog Island, a boat cruise, and a lobster feast. Hog Island is a 330-acre island about four hours north of Boston and run by Maine Audubon, which supports wildlife conservation. And now, dear readers, a question (or three): Where do you send your kids to camp? Is it a sleep-away or day camp? Do you try different camps every year or stick with tried-and-true camps? This slacker mom wants to know.

Going somewhere this weekend? Great, while you’re there count the birds! Nothing to do this weekend? Even better, count the birds in your backyard! Today through Monday is the Great Backyard Bird Count, an annual four-day event that creates a real-time snapshot of where birds are across the country. Just keep a tally of as many birds you see at as many places as you want for at least 15 minutes. Then enter your observations at the event’s website, where you’ll find regional bird checklists, an online bird guide, a photo contest, slideshows, and bird-feeding tips. Your counting helps scientists document the complex dynamics of an extremely large and diverse animal population. Last year, participants reported 11 million birds, for a total of 616 species. Happy hunting!

So, communing with nature sounds great to you -- in theory at least. But the allure of the great outdoors pales a bit when you find the accompanying living conditions a bit too ... outdoorsy, shall we say. Perhaps the latest iteration will make you a more enthusiastic outdoors enthusiast. It’s called “glamping,” or glamour camping, and it combines the best of both worlds for those so inclined: a wilderness camp setting with deluxe comforts, such as hot showers, daily maid service, plush-top king beds, triple-sheeted linens, and gourmet cuisine. These amenities are available in what is billed as California’s newest backcountry “tent hotel,” the Sequoia High Sierra Camp. The camp is perched at 8,200 feet in Giant Sequoia National Monument in Central California, about three hours north of Los Angeles. Guests can drive their own vehicle to a trailhead, then hike an easy, well-marked 1-mile trail to the camp, or hike a moderately strenuous 12-mile route which takes an average of 8 hours, starting at neighboring Sequoia National Park. Recreation options include scenic day hikes and abundant fly fishing, with a picnic lunch. Three California-style gourmet meals prepared by an on-site chef are included in the daily rates, which are $250 per person. Operating dates for the 2008 season are June 13-Oct. 5, weather permitting. Hey, even glamour campers must occasionally bow to the elements. For more information, go here or call 866-654-2877.

Got cabin fever? Nothing like a little stargazing to snap you out of it. Sharon Friends of Conservation is hosting an astronomy night Feb. 16 at Moose Hill Farm, which is down the street from the Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon. Several telescopes will be on hand. If you don’t know Orion from a hole in the ground, knowledgeable volunteers from SFOC and the South Shore Astronomical Society will field questions. Hot drinks and a warming room will be available. Dress warmly and park at Moose Hill Farm at 396 Moose Hill St. Did I mention it’s free? (If Feb. 16 is impossibly overcast, astronomy night will be Feb. 17.) Call 781-784-4625 for more information.

Maybe your legs are shot from skiing or you’re just looking for a different way to explore the mountains. Great Glen Trails in Pinkham Notch, N.H., is whisking people up the Mt. Washington Auto Road this year aboard a custom-designed SnowCoach, which is a 9-passenger van that has a unique track system instead of tires. The SnowCoach takes passengers to treeline, at about 4,000 feet, where they can enjoy expansive views of the White Mountains. Those interested in getting a workout, can snowshoe 4.5 miles back down the road. SnowCoach tours last just over an hour and run 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, weather permitting, through March. Tickets are $40 for adults, $25 for kids 5 to 12, and there’s no minimum age. Call 603-466-2333 for more info.

OK, it pains us to mention the place at the moment, but there is good reason to head for Arizona, and it has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with football (promise!!). The Patriots' desert downer notwithstanding, there is a place to get away from it all with golf, spa, nature, horseback, and family packages, all at the Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Ariz., about an hour northwest of Phoenix in the high Sonoran Desert. Who knows? Bill Belichick may be there now, licking his wounds and plotting another assault on 19-0. Among the options at the Rancho are getaway weekends for men (one of which is titled Guys, Guns & Golf) and for women (Giddy-Up Gals and Divot Divas Diversion, the latter for women who want to work on their golf games in a relaxed setting). Weekend packages include two nights lodging and three meals a day and a variety of activities, depending on the package.
The Rancho de los Caballeros is a historic guest ranch and golf club that is celebrating 60 years as a family-owned resort, and they like to think they have the mix just right: WiFi in Western boots, cocktails by the campfire, and pedicures after team penning (for you tenderfoots, that's an Western riding pastime). Accommodations range from ranch doubles to suites with spectacular Bradshaw Mountain and desert views, and rates start at $462 a night, double occupancy, and include three meals daily and use of ranch facilities. Children 4 and under stay free. Call 800-684-5030 or go here for more information and to check on availability.

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine -- After spending a winter day outdoors
skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling, it's nice to come home to a hot

meal. "Sugarloaf Cooks" provides plenty of options for preparing one.
It also dishes on plenty of good ways to start the day, from Swedish
oven pancakes to meal-in-a-muffin. Sure, there are the expected crock-
pot favorites, pastas and chiles, but these are balanced with
creative recipes ideal for entertaining, such as salmon with orange-
champagne sauce and Roquefort-stuffed tenderloin with duxelle
topping. The cookbook, published in autumn 2007, is a fundraiser for
a new library/community center for Carrabassett Valley, home of
Sugarloaf Ski Area. It's available for $15 at shops throughout the
area. It's a great souvenir for a good cause.

And speaking of Sugarloaf, mountain crews did a fabulous job grinding
up yesterday's, how-shall-I-put-this-gently, "hardpack," and turning
it into loose granular with even a few spots that approached powder,
at least on the trails I skied this morning: Tote Road, Sluice,
Spillway, Binder and Scoot. If tonight's predicted five inches
blankets that, it should be a fine weekend, indeed.

Posted by Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

The sign on the Pioneer Press newspaper vending box declares: "We've Got It. They Don't.'' In this case, "It'' is a weekly TV guide and "They'' are the StarTribune, the daily broadsheet on the other side of the river. Minneapolis and St. Paul may be the Twin Cities, but their sibling rivalry endures, particularly on the right side of the Mississippi.

St. Paul, which was incorporated in 1854, may have been first out of the womb, but Minneapolis comes earlier in the alphabet and is always mentioned first. It has more square miles and more people than St. Paul and also has the airport and three of the four professional teams.

St. Paul has the capitol, which resembles a frosted Christmas ornament when it snows. It also has the State Fair and the Winter Carnival. For local luminaries, there are F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Schulz (the Peanuts man), Herb Brooks (the Miracle on Ice coach), and Garrison Keillor.

Fitzgerald, who lived up on Summit Avenue, the city's Victorian showcase, still is a personage hereabouts. There's a dapper bronze statue of him in Rice Park and the Fitzgerald Theater around the corner features his profile on the marquee. Keillor does his Saturday broadcasts live from The Fitz. Lake Wobegon isn't anywhere near here, but there's more of a prairie flavor to St. Paul than there is in Minneapolis. Maybe it's the whiff of manure from the fairgrounds.

At the Winter Festival, you can get the revered Tater Tot hotdish, which provides enough glued-to-your-ribs carbs to get you through a weekend of ice-fishing. Hotdish will be out of season this summer, when the Republicans ("We've Got Them.They Don't.'') arrive for their convention, but word is that it freezes well.

Posted by John Powers, Globe staff

For a minute yesterday morning, I thought I was seeing the skyline of Zenith, the fictional Minnesota city where George F. Babbitt preached the gospel of `zip.' There were towers and spires, all made of crystal-clear ice, and with the sun shining above Rice Park you needed to avert your eyes to avoid the glare. Then, I noticed the Tin Man and realized that this was the Emerald City, the featured frozen concoction at the St. Paul's Winter Carnival's ice sculpture competition.

Ice sculptures are nothing new -- every First Night in every American city with a low Fahrenheit reading has them. But the state capitol, which has been throwing this chilblain orgy for 122 years, long since has mastered the form. This year's artistic genius is `Buzz Saw Bob' Halvorson, the Minnesota Michelangelo, who requires merely a power tool and a block of ice to make Oz by the Mississippi.

Michelangelo, who needed three years to sculpt David, has nothing on Buzz Saw Bob, who carved out Dorothy and Friends in a day or two. Shaping David out of marble is considerably easier than conjuring up the Cowardly Lion, with his looping, tufted tail, out of an oversized ice cube.

Rice Park was full of see-through tooth fairies, snowflakes and ice dancers over the weekend, and the air was growling with a dozen Stihl saws and grinders and polishers as the bundled-up artistes, chips flying, executed their visions. But the Emerald City towered over everything. The only thing missing was the Wicked Witch, who would have lasted a lot longer if she'd set up headquarters here, where nothing is going to melt until April.

Posted by John Powers, Globe staff

Feel that your life is incomplete because you have never slept in an igloo? Spirit Trail Adventures, a Canadian company, offers a mountain winter night in an igloo near Kimberley, B.C., with candlelight, hot chocolate, sleeping bags, and breakfast. The cost is about $180 US for two, or you can just have a salmon dinner in the igloo for about $90 a person.
Posted by Richard C. Carpenter, Globe correspondent

The thermometer this morning showed minus-13 degrees, but that might have included the chill from the breeze wafting off the Mississippi. A better temperature reading is how your face responds during a pre-breakfast walk, how quickly you develop that piercing "ice-cream headache'' and how rapidly the tears drawn forth by the wind freeze on your cheek. Today, it was maybe two minutes, so I'm not quibbling about minus-13. It was minus-30 last night.

I'm in town for the US Figure Skating Championships, which are being held indoors but easily could be staged on the frozen river. Not that it would deter the local folk, who think that January is a splendid time to be frolicking out of doors. The Winter Carnival, which began yesterday, runs past Groundhog Day (they'd have to thaw out the beast in a microwave here). It's been going since 1886, after a few underheated newspapermen from out East declared that the state capital was an American Siberia, "unfit for human habitation.''

Minnesotans are connoisseurs of the cold. Up on the Iron Range, where Bob Dylan lived, pucks have been known to break apart during hockey games on the lakes. No problem. Pucks are cheap and plentiful hereabouts. If you bundle up properly, you can function outdoors for hours. One man's frostbitten face is another man's rosy cheeks.

In fact, I have been colder elsewhere -- Edmonton, Lake Placid, Moscow. The Russians don't even bother asking whether the temperature is plus or minus. They assume it's minus. Tsar Nicholas said he'd let his two best generals, January and February, handle the Crimean War.

Tropical weather, though, is on the way for the Twin Cities. Tomorrow, the mercury will soar to 23 degrees and the residents will break out shorts and flip-flops. Spring is just around the corner.

Posted by John Powers, Globe staff

There's white gold in them thar hills. Rain and sleet elsewhere in New England today was glorious powder at Sugarloaf in western Maine. Although high winds closed lifts early in the day, by late morning, skiers and boarders were tracking up about eight inches of fresh snow, and by mid afternoon, the sun was peeking through the clouds. Some kids were lucky enough to have school canceled -- not a bad way
to kick off the Martin Luther King holiday weekend.

Posted by Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

Heading to North Carolina's Outer Banks? If so, this offer is for you. The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau will send you the free 145-page "Outer Banks 2008 Official Travel Guide.'' A virtual guide is available online or call them toll free at 877-629-4386.

Inside you'll find information on places to eat and stay, attractions and event, even how to get married in the area.

What's best is that the guide comes with a Getaway Card that offers reduced rates and discounts at more than 100 locations.

Something we read today recalled the great comedian John Byner. He talked about phoning the US office of a foreign airline and being greeted thusly: “Bonjour. Air France... Kin ah he’p ya?” What brought that memory on, you ask? It was a news release about the Tour de Georgia. That’s right ... the Tour de Georgia. You want some sweet tea with that?
Well, shut my mouth... Incongruous as it sounds, the Tour de Georgia is not only real, it is entering its sixth year, and the now 7-day professional team cycling event is one of the major tuneups for the Tour de France. It will be held April 21-27, and it counts Lance Armstrong (2004) and the since-banished Floyd Landis (2006) among its winners. Some of the numbers are truly eye-opening: an estimated 3 million spectators over the event’s first five years, and some $150 million in economic impact since its inception. The event cuts across some 650 miles of the Peach State, from Tybee Island to Brasstown Bald Mountain, the state’s tallest point and part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In fact, the Tour is the longest one-week stage race in the country. Fifteen pro cycling teams from around the world have been invited to participate, and many will, judging from last year’s field, which included 120 cyclists from 23 countries. There will be a team time trial at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., on the fourth day. If you are a pro cycling fan (we know a few) and can’t make it to France this summer, details on the seven race stages and recommended viewing locations are available at tourdegeorgia.com. Y’all come!

I was preparing to take a red-eye to go visit relatives for the holidays and I almost forgot to pack the crown jewel of my carry-on: a packet of Emergen-C. This powder supplement contains key vitamins and minerals (including 1,000 mg of Vitamin C) to help boost your immune system and energy level, so you can stay healthy while traveling. Since it’s in powder form, it’s easy to travel with (no worry about 3-ounce containers and Ziploc bags). If I am feeling run-down, will be crossing numerous time zones, or simply have a long travel day ahead of me, I’ll make sure I have a packet of Emergen-C, mixed with about 6 oz. of water, before I go.

This fizzy drink mix comes in orange, lemon-lime, raspberry (my favorite), tangerine, mixed berry, and other flavors. It’s available at many supermarkets and drugstores or, for one of the best prices, online at Amazon.com. You can buy individual packets or a box of 36. As they say, don’t leave home without it!

By Kari Bodnarchuk, Globe Correspondent

For years, I’ve carried a water filter and purifier with me as I’ve headed off into the wilderness or to developing countries. It’s handy and effective, but can also be bulky, heavy and finicky (it always seems to clog at the most inopportune times), not to mention time consuming to use. This year I discovered SteriPEN, a Maine-based company that makes small, lightweight water purifiers that use ultraviolet light to destroy all the critters in nonpotable water that can harm you — viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. (Incidentally, this is the same technology used in bottling plants and hospitals.)

All you do is press a button, submerge the tip of the purifier in water, and stir. The unit purifies one liter of water — the size of a large Nalgene bottle — in about 90 seconds. I’ve used my SteriPEN Adventurer (retail: $130) while on overnight backpacking trips in Hawaii, Newfoundland, and Patagonia and it hasn’t failed me yet. A separate solar case ($50) enabled me to strap the unit onto my backpack and recharge the Adventurer while I was hiking. The company also makes the SteriPEN Traveler, which is identical to the Adventurer, just a different color. I highly recommend either one, whether you want to purify stream water in the Green Mountains or the tap water from your guesthouse in Bangkok.

Posted by Kari Bodnarchuk, Globe Correspondent

I was beginning to think that snow isn't good for anything but shoveling,
when I got an email from the Birches Resort on Moosehead Lake (Rockwood,
Maine) about their snowmobile programs. Think New England winter sports and
you usually think of the big downhill ski resorts. But even with Big Squaw
Mountain ski area in nearby Greenville, the Moosehead region is more a land
of wide-open spaces, and this compound of cabins, cabin tents, and yurts has
come up with a much more off-the-beaten-path winter outing. Instead of a
one-horse open sleigh, you dash through the woods on an Arctic Cat
snowmobile. The three-night guided excursion starts at the Birches Resort,
journeys to cabins (with hot tubs) in Baxter State Park, then on to a
traditional lumber camp on the northern edge of Moosehead Lake before
returning to the Birches in time for lunch. The open sleigh was probably
more environmentally friendly (apart from equine methane), but I've been
told that newer snowmobiles are no longer the ear-splitting, blue-belching
beasts of old. Guided Lodge-to-Lodge Snowmobile Excursion trips start in
January. For more details visit www.birches.com or call 800-825-9453.

Posted by Patricia Harris, Globe Correspondent

Globe correspondent Ethan Gilsdorf has been walking from Massachusetts General Hospital to Lee, N.H., this week in memory of his mother and to raise money for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. He sent this last night.

Blog Entry 6: Day 3 report

Dec 19, 11:30pm, Dover NH

10 years ago today Sara Lynn Gilsdorf died. The idea was that my three-day, 60 mile (now looking closer to 75 mile) walk would end on this day, Dec. 19, at my mother's gravesite. That was the plan, anyway.

Day 3 began with a taxi ride back to my end-point from the day before: Merrimac, Mass. No sun. Overcast. And quiet, cold roads. First challenge: Bear Hill Road. Obviously called "hill" for a reason. 7am. Ugh. Up I went.

But I felt good -- even strong. The back-up shoes helped -- not clunky hiking boots this time, I decided, but insulated walking shoes.

I crossed into New Hampshire at 7:45. I looked at my map. I had been doing 4 miles an hour. I was on a tear -- at this rate, I'd walk an extra mile per hour than I had the first two days.

NH meant the end of suburban homes, and the beginning of farms, wood stoves, baying hounds, banging carpenters, and lots of "No Trespassing" signs. I actually saw a chicken cross the road. I kept cruising: Newton, East Kingston, the lower-left corner of Exeter. My planned route along the B&M/Amtrak rail line was stymied by the snow. I went around. That added another couple miles to my day. I pumped my arms and walked faster.

Still, I couldn't get warm until noon --- despite temps in the 20s and low 30s. My water bottle frozen over after a couple hours. Hot water at a convenience store broke through the ice. The state motto should be Live, Freeze or Die. But the Granite State is my home state, and I appeciated the modest farmhouses, auto bodies and beauty salons in doublewides, a welcome
sight after all the McMansions of Massachusetts.

Around 1:30 pm, as I marched through Brentwood, I hit "the wall."

I've had a folding bicycle on my travel wish list for many years, and see them all over Europe, but I'd never even heard of a folding trike. I'm not quite ready for that yet, but I'm glad to know it's available. The Italian maker, Di Blasi, even makes a folding moped. Now that's innovative!

But back to the trike, what a great idea for folks who are "balance challenged," either because of age, health, or perception. Di Blasi claims that the trike, called the R34 Electric Folding Trike, folds to 12 inches in five seconds with no tools. I'd have to see that to believe it, but it sounds promising. No pollution, no parking fees, no problem!

Posted by Diane Daniel, Globe Correspondent

As a fan of all-things-Catalan, I’m thrilled and tempted by “A Food and
Fitness Vacation” (what could be better?) offered this coming spring by
Spanish Journeys. Organized by tour guide and Barcelona-trained chef-extraordinaire Teresa Parker, this trip combines hiking, biking, cava-tasting, cooking classes with a stay in a villa north of
Barcelona (close to Girona -- one of my favorite Catalan towns), and daily
Pilates classes offered by New York-based master teacher Karrie
Adamany.

Parker, a Wellfleet resident, discovered Pilates while recovering from
breast cancer last year. She’s now incorporating it in one of her
cultural and culinary tours.

“I’ve always eaten well but never been disciplined about exercise,”
says Parker.

For some reason I never seem to be able to exercise when I’m traveling
(other than walking, walking, walking) and so this seems like a great
idea. Plus, if I exercise every day I get to eat more Catalan cheese,
right?

Posted by Necee Regis, Globe Correspondent

Cambridge had just enough snowfall to cover the irresponsible behavior of
certain dog-owning neighbors when we lit out for the territories, i.e.,
Vermont, for a quick escape on behalf of the Checking In column. But as we
pushed west, the accumulation began to mount. Passing Fitchburg, we saw
snowplow drifts (boding well for Wachusett Mountain) and by the time we
started up I-91 into Vermont, the roadside piles grew higher and higher.
When we parked at our inn in Chester, Vt., nearly a foot of fluffy stuff
covered the town's wide green.

Now we know (at least we've heard) that the ski mountains have been open since mid-November, but it's not really winter until the snow's deep enough for snowshoes and cross-country skis. Sure enough, 10 minutes away from the inn, Grafton Ponds opened 15 km of groomed trails for classic Nordic and skate skiing on Saturday and turned showshoers loose on their seemingly endless fields of fresh powder.

Snow is here! (And, as our innkeeper said, rubbing her hands together,
"There's more coming on Sunday.")

Posted by David Lyon, Globe Correspondent

Consider the recent wanderings of two Massachusetts men.

The first, Andrew Skurka, of Seekonk (and Boulder, CO), prefers to undertake his odysseys on foot, for very long times. He walked more than 7,000 miles of trails from Quebec to Washington state in 2005. This year, he covered nearly that distance again while backpacking an average of 33 miles per day for 208 days straight along the Great Western Loop.

The second man, Jeff Clarke, embarked for only three days with a less daunting, but surprisingly rich goal: kayaking "the mighty Charles River."

Land. River. Months. Days. Each journey spanned the extremes of a natural world turned industrial.

LeClaire, Iowa, may be known as the birthplace of Buffalo Bill — there’s a museum here commemorating the hunter, actor, and national folk hero — but it’s also the self-proclaimed home to the only tug-of-war competition across the Mississippi River. I discovered this quirky fact when I stopped at this small town on the banks of the Mississippi River while on a cross-country road trip.
Each August, a 2,600-foot, 680-pound rope is strung across the mighty Mississippi between LeClaire and Port Byron, Ill., a town on the opposite bank of the river. Ten teams of 20 to 25 people each face off in three-minute competitions during the annual Tug Fest . “They barely get the rope out of the water, it’s so heavy,” one local told me.
Apparently, tug-of-war competitors start training in early July each year. Teams gather in a field outside of town and practice by pulling on a rope that’s attached to a revving tractor. That sounded painful to me, but when I asked if the competitors wear gloves, Chad Denny, the tug master, said, “No, the guys don’t like to wear gloves. They just spray an adhesive all over their hands to prevent slipping.”
According to Denny, this is the only spot along the Mississippi River that’s officially closed to boat traffic at any point during the year. You can get to LeClaire via exit 306 off Interstate 80. The Tug Fest takes place in mid-August and also features a carnival, a parade, fireworks, live music, and other events.

Posted by Kari Bodnarchuk, Globe Correspondent

At Crane Beach, the property managed by The Trustees of Reservations at the eastern edge of Massachusetts, there are sand and sea and darting plovers. A run through summer dunes brings slipping, slogging steps up and down open slopes.

A world away and yet only at the western side of the state, there is Field Farm, another Trustees property, home to hay fields and, in summer, strong-winged bobolinks, yellow-capped birds that travel across the equator to avoid winter winds.

At the ocean's edge, wind gusts flat and strong. In the Berkshire valley tucked beneath Mount Greylock, the state's highest peak, it does that too. But it also breaks, suddenly, into chaotic twists and turns shaped by contours of the land.

It is a striking place to go after spending time in the settled world. Over the past three days, I've driven crowded highways, passing in and out of bustling towns, stopping to watch films set in the music-filled streets of New York, the dust-blown desert of India, and the corn-fed fields of Iowa.

This morning, 12 degrees and bright sun, bobolinks long gone from Field Farm and Greylock's summit looming clearly, not the sea, I set out on a run. Snow, not sand, gave way beneath each step, as mid-morning warmth softened the surface. The "South Trail" traced a frozen pond, an open field, then ducked into woods. Tiny tracks crossed my path.

I ran another mile deeper among the leafless trees and, as at the ocean's edge, found solitude, and strength.

The writer at the summit of Mount Kearsarge.

I’ve recently realized something about myself. Though I enjoy many
kinds of physical activities — I’m fairly energetic; not a couch
potato — my tolerance for such activities lasts for about an hour. Do I
like to kayak? Sure. For about an hour. Go to the gym? An hour, max,
will do. Ditto for sailing, gardening, home improvement projects,
ice-skating, baking, bird watching, and chopping wood. (OK, so I’ve
never chopped wood. But if I did, I could do it for about an hour.)

In my world, too much of a good thing easily becomes just too much. So
it was with great delight that I learned I could hike to the top of Mount
Kearsarge (2937 feet) in Rollins State Park in New Hampshire … in about
an hour! How is that possible, you ask? Well, there’s a 3.5 mile scenic
road from the park entrance (on the south side of the mountain in the
town of Warner) that climbs up to a parking lot and picnic area. From
there, it’s a half-mile hike to the top and a vista that includes the
White Mountains, the Green Mountains, the coasts of New Hampshire and
Maine and, on a clear day, some skyscrapers in Boston, 80 miles
away.

The trail itself is rigorous: steep, rocky, and muddy in places. But so
what? It only lasts an hour! And it’s just enough of a workout to make
you feel pleased with yourself. Besides, if that 3-year-old child
and elderly woman with the cane (I’m not making this up) could get to
the summit, I thought, then I could too.

P.S. When the park is closed in winter months the Kearsarge Trail
Snails Snowmobile Club grooms the road to the picnic area, which
becomes accessible by snowmobile, snowshoe, cross-country skis, or
foot. Warning: It will take much longer than an hour to reach the
summit.

Posted by Necee Regis, Globe Correspondent

One of the ethnic groups in Iraq treated most harshly by Saddam Hussein (and promised to be most benefited by his removal) was the Marsh Arabs, whose lands Saddam had set out to destroy. In the 1950s, Wilfred Thesiger lived for months at a time in these varied marshes, which cover about 6,000 square acres in southern Iraq where the Tigris and Euphrates join above Basra, traveling from village to village by canoe, gaining acceptance as a rare European visitor, dispensing medicine and helping the sick. Four years after Thesiger’s death in 2003, Penguin Classics is reprinting “The Marsh Arabs” (256 pp., $15) and its predecessor “Arabian Sands” (400 pp., $15), which also describes Thesiger’s travels -- always on foot or by animal transport -- among people and tribes almost untouched by the modern world. Just before Thesiger left the vast, waterless “empty quarter’’ of Arabia, things changed forever. Oil was discovered.

The leaves are still falling in New England, but now’s the time to start hunting down deals to ease the cost of that family ski vacation. Here’s one that’s worth checking out: Ski.com has hooked up with United Airlines and is offering packages that include free flights (not including taxes and fees) for kids 12 and under and free lift tickets or ski and snowboard rentals at resorts including Vail, Beaver Creek, Crested Butte, Steamboat, and Jackson Hole. Just be sure to read the fine print: midweek travel and a 5-day minimum stay are required.