Early Cold

 

  As a skier and skater, this November and December has been excellent.  Not that I actually got out to skate, but knowing the opportunity was there helps.  Lots of skiing, all local from the house.

 

  Not all the skiing went as planned.  A new trail in the dark sent me off course and down this former stone wall.  I landed on my chest at the spot in the top pic.  The bottom pic shows how far I made it before bailing out.  I was unable to turn to get off the rocks.  There was slightly more snow the day that happened than the day I took the pictures.

 

  A wait of more than 20 years is over.  The rail trail has been cleared enough on the Coddington Valley section to ski.  I made it out to Brooktondale in decent conditions.  It was easier to move the logs than ski or walk over them.  No way to get around the gully cutting through.  Where's that confounded bridge?

   This old map shows the rail line and how it just catches Dryden and Danby.

   The newest addition to Ithaca's devotion to Safe Streets.  Frequently part of my commute, this stretch of Thurston Ave could be unnerving as vehicles raced up and down.  It's far enough away from the street that the plow hasn't dumped snow on it, yet. 

   The most recent iteration of the Whack Saw.  I'll never work without it again.  The electric weed whacker has proven its worth too.

  

What happens to the packaging when I order new saw blades.