The Winter Ahead / Alpine and XC Skiing Preview

By Alex Kochon

If you’re a skier or snowboarder, you probably remember last winter all too well. For starters, non-passholders had to plan in advance and buy tickets online or risk driving all the way to a ski center to find that they were sold out. Rental equipment was also incredibly hard to come by. It was a good idea to get completely dressed (and use the bathroom) before you arrived, since indoor amenities were limited. There were boot-up tents, port-o-potties, mask-wearing enforcers, tables without chairs, and limits on time spent inside. It was a lot, and most of the rules were a result of state mandates. READ MORE

Turkeys Stepping Up to the Plate Have a Wide Menu

By Laura Clark

Just when we think we have our holiday options down, we are faced with rearranging our flight patterns. During the previous eighteen months of travel restrictions, some flocks became lazy and discouraged, rarely venturing beyond neighboring fields. They grew plump and are now dreading harvest possibilities. Others have kept on trucking, if ever so slowly, due to limited racing opportunities. Thankfully, though, race directors in charge of our local turkey trots have taken these factors into consideration and have carved a variety of alternatives to suit every level of training and comfort. READ MORE

Exploring Land Conservancy Preserves

By Rich Macha

Now that we are into the shoulder season – the glories of fall foliage have passed, but the joys of winter’s snowy landscape have yet to be experienced – we can remain active by investigating the trails at our local preserves that are owned or promoted by land conservancies and trusts. Once the snow starts flying, these preserves can also be enjoyed on snowshoes or cross-country skis. READ MORE

Ha-De-Ron-Dah Loop

By Bill Ingersoll

I regard the 25,000-acre Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness as an old familiar acquaintance. My relationship with it dates back to the late 1990s, and it’s always fun times when I return. Over the past two decades I’ve enjoyed many mornings and afternoons exploring its trails, as well as some memorable evenings camping next to its small interior ponds. Likewise, ours is a friendship that can be easily taken for granted; what was new territory for me in my twenties has now become a reliable source of accessible outdoor bliss, always there when I need it. READ MORE

Bob Radliff

By Tom O’Grady

Bob Radliff is an active and passionate master’s ace who recently achieved a running goal that was 30 years in the making when he crossed the finish line of the 125th Boston Marathon on October 11 in 3:08:25. His enthusiasm in how he approaches running is evident all aspects of his life. Bob does an exemplary job of balancing family life and career, while staying active and healthy. READ MORE

Putting Covid-19 Behind Us

By Paul E. Lemanski, MD, MS, FACP

In my first nine articles on Covid-19, lifestyle-based risk mitigation strategies (including masking, social distancing, hand washing, targeted quarantine, and when necessary, lock downs) were recommended to keep the population well until a safe and effective vaccine was developed and “in the arms” of 85% of Americans. In this way, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination would help achieve so called “herd immunity” (see Non-Medicated Life, February 2021) and stop the transmission of the virus to those who were not vaccinated. Unfortunately, despite our having a safe and effective vaccine, many individuals for a variety of reasons have refused vaccination (see Non-Medicated Life, August 2021). READ MORE