I got an email on Monday that Roberts Farm Preserve in Norway, Maine would be hosting a canicross race on Sunday, and suddenly all our weekend plans changed.

I wasn't sure if my hiking legs would translate into running legs, but there was no way we were missing this! I'm very glad we didn't. It was, as usual, a BLAST.

The trails were so gorgeous in their fall colors, and the dogs were so happy to run. My legs did hold up, and Buffy didn't have to drag me around.

Ed and George tied for first with Aiden and Rondy(Buffy's sister). BIG shout-out to Aiden for doing that well in his very first canicross! It was awesome to see so many friends out there today, including the tiny, but mighty, Pinot! Yes, he followed his big sister, Brie, all the way around the course. Seriously impressive! Thank you so much to Lee for organizing the chaos and giving us a chance to race. A fantastic time was had by all. We really appreciate it!

This is so yummy and somehow nutritious...layers of sweet potatoes, cashew 'cheese cake' with a pecan date crust, sprinkled with candied pecans and topped with a fresh fig. Wow!

Seriously not a good idea to lay your tank on its side, spiling kerosene as you drive down the road. What are they even thinking? I couldn't wait to get away from this truck so I could breathe again. The smell was awful. And then I got to work and saw that it has splashed all over my car! Ugh 

Buffy's happy to be back in training, but oof - my legs are tired. They've been hiking, not running, and they were quite content with that! 🤣 

First canicross practice since last spring. Bring on the races!

After feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, a quick jaunt up Mount Molly was perfect today.

It was such a pretty day!

Chilly evenings are here...

Double whammy vaccinations this morning - Shingles booster & flu - have left me feeling under the weather. Grateful for a slow day here, and a warm cuppa.

It was such a gorgeous evening, that I couldn't resist heading up South Mountain with George to catch the sunset. 

And the foliage!

I was in awe the whole time.

My legs were screaming at me, but I told them to shut up and get on with it. 🤣 They'll be happy to go back to work and rest tomorrow. They're tired, not injured, and I didn't want to miss any of this fall beauty!

Ike & I climbed Mount Cutler this evening.

 We weren't sure we would, but we did make it back to the cars before dark.

The views from the ledges were breathtaking, but as it turns out, you can't actually summit the mountain without trespassing. Huh. Who knew? Oh well.

I'm fundraising for the Taylor James Steeves Foundation and would really appreciate your help! The donation link is here: https://runsignup.com/crittoria Thank you so much!

Since this is the last weekend of Tay's Summit Challenge, I planned a challenging hike for myself. More than 8 miles and 3 mountain peaks! 

We started by hiking up Mount Shaw, which was so steep that at times I thought I was gonna fall over backwards. (Y'all know how graceful I am!) We experienced pretty much all the types of trails today, from carriage roads to deer paths! And the foliage was so colorful I had to keep remembering to look down or I'd trip! Ayiyi…anyway, we met a couple of kindred spirits up on top, and had a nice chat. It turns out that a Bubba's shirt is a great conversation starter! 

Then, we headed across the ridge to climb up Black Snout and check out the view in the other direction. It was just as stunning! 

The deer path that led off that summit pretty much dropped like a stone, and was hard to follow in places, especially with all the leaf litter. There were a few times when we chuckled and said we'd like to speak with management! 

After losing most of the elevation we had previously gained, we looked up to realize that there was yet another mountain between us and the car. It was so worth the climb though. The view from Big Ball Mountain was just incredible! 

Finally, we were on our way back down to the car. Along the way we found a waterfall, which just felt like the icing on the cake! It was a spectacular day!!

PS My legs are no longer speaking to me.

PSS I don't know how I'm still awake!

Hike 9 with 2,566 feet of elevation gain.

#staystrongclimbon

Last Jack-o'-lantern Standing