On the undulating gravel highlands between Iceland’s Vatnajokull and Hofsjokull icecaps and, nearer by, the Hágönglón and Kvislarvatn lakes swollen in summers with pale blue-gray meltwater, is the low, rounded gravel summit of Skrokksalda. The summit plateau is home to one of Iceland’s many GPS monitoring site. This one, SKRO, has measured some of the … Continue reading Moving Over Imagined Ground
Tag: run
Interval
Morning on Dartmoor, November 2020 For many, the first of January is a day of reflection, anticipation, planning, and taking stock. For runners, and athletes of all kinds, it can be a day to start a new logbook, make a race schedule, set goals, or reshape a training plan. In our different ways, we try … Continue reading Interval
A single step
In the 14th century, German theologian and mystic, Meister Eckhardt, wrote, “What we plant in the soil of contemplation we shall reap in the harvest of action.” What are these things we plant? Often I find that in the planting is both an anticipation of action as well as a synthesis of all that’s come … Continue reading A single step
Uphill
This winter has been all about steady upward progress for me -- my outdoor adventures have been mostly uphill & mostly on skis. As of this writing, I've completed about 72,000 vertical feet of ascent, or just under 20% of the 400,000 ft goal I've set for this year.I love hearing about other people out … Continue reading Uphill
(Virtual) Glacial Climb Challenge!
February is my birthday month, and it seems like lots of people have been raising money for charities and other great causes for their birthdays. I've decided to do something a little different. Instead of fundraising, I'm raising vertical gain! For 2019, I've taken on the goal of reaching 400,000 vertical feet of human-powered ascent, … Continue reading (Virtual) Glacial Climb Challenge!
Road to Leadville: Dispatch #4
On Wednesday, Jen and I hiked up the Sheep Gulch Trail from near Winfield to Hope Pass, which at 12,600 ft, is the highest point on the Leadville 100 course. Runners cross the pass at mile 44.5 and again at mile 55.5 as they return from the turn-around point at Winfield. The climb and … Continue reading Road to Leadville: Dispatch #4
Resonance
Over the past couple of months, I have been giving Climate Run: Iceland presentations around Vermont and the eastern U.S -- from talks at Burlington, Vermont's The Outdoor Gear Exchange, Mount Mansfield Nordic Ski Club, to a standing-room-only audience at The Catamount Trail Association, and to a packed auditorium at the Hathaway Brown School in Cleveland, Ohio. It's always exciting to … Continue reading Resonance
Dispatches for Iceland #6: Wesfjords Reflections & Recovery
It has been one week since I completed my run across Iceland to bring attention to climate resilience, and I've spent much of that time recovering, replenishing calories with seafood, lamb, and skyr, and taking some tentative and recuperative steps on the trails, snowfields, and beaches around Isafjordur and Flateyri here in the Westfjords. The Climate Run was easily the … Continue reading Dispatches for Iceland #6: Wesfjords Reflections & Recovery
Dispatches from Iceland #4: Planning and mapping
With only a week before the run, I spent much of this cold and rainy morning in a café across the square from the glass portal into the 871 Settlement Museum's subterranean exhibit. Over a coffee and croissant, I counted miles, identified road crossings, and talked with family members and friends due to arrive in … Continue reading Dispatches from Iceland #4: Planning and mapping
still winter in the mountains
A few miles on the slopes of Mount Mansfield yesterday evening...