It has been an interesting first quarter of the year. I spent much of the winter in Vermont and New Hampshire wishing for more snow. I taught snowboarding, for the first time in a few years, at Dartmouth's Skiway. Great little ski area and really fun bunch of folks to work with. I plan to return next season.
I also worked for a bit for the Nordic Skater. The business sells all sorts of nordic skates and skate skis, as well as roller skis. Prices are excellent and the owner runs workshops on nordic skating on local ice. Because of that connection, I spent a morning skating on Lake Champlain. I am afraid that I did not bring a camera, but it was awesome to skate on a huge lake for hours. The ice was absolutely amazing--pure black, tens of inches thick, super smooth! I have never had that sort of experience before. There is also a small resort not far away--Lake Morey Resort-- that plows and brushes a couple loops around the lake for great skating all season. It was an amazing winter for skating, mostly because it was a poor snow year. So, I guess there can be something good from something not so good.
Just to keep me busy, I also worked at a small outdoor gear retail shop over the holidays--The Mountain Goat. Of course, there is also the nice perk of being able to purchase a few things at wholesale (or less) when working at such a place.
Because I missed teaching in lots of snow, I headed to Arapahoe Basin to teach snowboarding for a few weeks at the end of March. I have worked there in the past, and they can typically use a few extra experienced instructors over the spring break weeks. So, they hired me and put me to work right away. I stayed with a friend in Silverthorne, and spent some time walking the trails with Bacci the Bernese Mt dog. Those walks are the source of several of the mt landscape photos; the rest are from A-Basin--see photo link below.
After Colorado, I headed to California for about a week to check out the desert flowers in Joshua Tree Nat'l Park. It seems like a pretty good year and the cacti were just starting to blossom when I left. The Joshua Trees themselves were in bloom as well as various other yuccas. I have not labeled the flowers or bushes, or even the lizards, but if you want to comment, don't hesitate. The photos are also connected via the link below. I also spent one afternoon climbing with an Antarctic friend, Susan Detweiler, and a local friend of hers. I was in the area of the earthquake, sitting nearly on the San Andreas Fault; however, I am sad to report that I did not feel a thing.
My major occupation through the spring was working in a lab at Dartmouth College for Celia Chen. Looks like by the end of April I will be moving to Kathy Cottingham's lab to be part of a 3 year grant to study Gloeotrichia in lakes in the Northeast. The research will focus on Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire, but will sample other lakes in the region as well.
Well, that about sums up my first quarter. I am thinking about doing a sprint triathalon--if I can get somewhat more fit--and generally plan to be in the Northeast all spring and summer. I am still with Don, the boyfriend and my cat Phoebe is doing just fine. Don't hesistate to give me a call if you are in the area.
Namaste,
ET
This one will get you to photos from Joshua Tree N.P. in California 
This one will get you to some photos from Summit County, CO and Arapahoe Basin ski area.
