Day 2 on the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail

>I sectioned hiked the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway. I did the first 4 days as a solo hiker so I did a "there and back". After 2 weekends I decided to do the last 32 miles as a thru-hike.

This is my day 2 adventure of 10.25 miles from Rt 101 in Harrisville to Bog Road in Nelson. I find wildlife and it was my first time using an open-air privy (joy). I spent so much time at Child's Bog Dam, that I'm afraid to admit. It was a good hike. See you in the next hike/section.

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New England Legends (the man the myth the legend)

I got another dose of my favorite storyteller last night. Jeff Belanger is a New England local and legend seeker. I have been listening to his podcast for the last couple of years and was looking forward to him returning to his lectures at local libraries. He tells tales of discovery, bizarre, and unexplained. He gives me something to “look for” while I am out hiking in my state of New Hampshire.

I forgot how enchanting he can be when telling a story. He sucks you right into it and surprises you at the climax like you are doing the research with him. He explains the details he went through while learning about the local legend and the actual site visits. He makes the history of New England seem…not so boring. After all, this is where the “New World” was settled first so it should be rich in American History.

Picture taken in Providence, RI some time around 12 years ago.

Picture taken on 11/3/22, we tried to recreate the picture (best we could).

I shared with him the times we met up, The Stanley Hotel, Washington Hotel, and other ghost hunts I had done with him and he was surprised at how long I have been a fan. I pull out a book of his, Picture Yourself Legend Tripping, which he told me that is currently unavailable now (except for the 2 copies in his house that he can not find). I went through it and noticed an unopen CD/DVD at the end of the book. The paper sleeve was still sealed. I never opened it and watched it. He told me it is good and worth watching. I was embarrassed that I had not even watched the video. The book was so great I forgot it had a disc in it. It will be my Friday Night feature to watch tonight.

I am happy to have my favorite storyteller at arm’s length again and I look forward to learning more about the weirdness of New England.

An actual picture of Jeff NOT being, Jeff.

Day 1 of the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway

https://youtu.be/75vSkyBar-A

Rumpl Blanket Review – Best Camping Gear Purchase

This year I bought tons of gear for new SUV RVing camping adventures. I tried to keep in mind that I wanted to use each piece for home, car camping at a campground, SUV RVing, and backpacking. This year I have had some success and some failures. This posting is to talk about my best multi-use gear purchase is The NanoLoft Rumpl Puffy Blanket.

Earlier this year I was watching Shark Tank. Wylie Robinson, from Rumpl, was showcased on an episode and one of the sharks knew about this product and had purchased from REI already and was a fan. Wylie was on to see if he could strike a deal with a shark so Rumpl could get the professional sports licensing logos on their products and “open the market” to new customers. This did not work. The sharks were in the headspace that he was there for the free publicity.

You know what?

It worked on me. After that episode, all I could think about weekly was, how to get a Rumpl blanket to use for SUV RVing. I looked longingly at their site trying to justify the expensive price of their blankets. I was trying to see if the “kid-size” blanket would work for me because I’m short. Then my tax refund for 2020 can in, I was able to finally purchase one of these blankets. I knew the down blankets were overpriced and I did not like the idea of the blanket “losing its warmer when wet” and (not to mention) all the fuzzy feathers flying around that seem to make their way out through pinholes. Then there it was the NanoLoft Rumpl Puffy Blanket in black was on sale for $99 from $179. What? That’s unheard of, I did want a colored one, but not at full price. It was for the adult size – 52” x 75”. I could not refuse. This was the price of their original puffy blanket and a lot warmer with the NanoLoft. It is rated to 45 degrees comfort rating.

I got my black Rumpl puffy blanket and we are inseparable. This has to turn into my blanket for everything. I use it on rainy/chilly days and nights in the summer while camping and bone-chilling times at home during the fall and winter. It’s a champ! My mother even was surprised when I bought it home for my blanket to chill out and sleep with over the holidays. It’s won me over. The fabric is soft and slick, it’s ripstop so it makes some noise when moving around wearing it with the Cape Clip. The fabric feels like a higher-end sleeping bag material. My only con is that it slides off you if you don’t pay attention to it. I am going to use it inside my sleeping bag to help the comfort and R-value of it. The NanoLoft Blanket from Rumpl is well worth over the $99 I paid and might be worth the full price on the website. As something to think about the Travel Version of the NanoLoft Puffy Blanket is $99 it is sized at: 38” x 52”
This blanket features:

• 100% post-consumer recycled polyester shell and insulation
• NanoLoft® insulation technology that mimics down
• DWR finish for stain and water resistance
• Cape Clip® (1-Person only) for hands-free use
• Corner loops
• Machine washable
• Water-resistant stuff sack included
• Fabric: 100% recycled 30D ripstop polyester fabric
  
• Insulation: Nanometer high-elastic cloth with a soft nap (100% recycled synthetic down); 200 gsm
  Weight: 1-Person: 1.8 lbs / 2-Person: 3.4 lb
  Flat: 1-Person: 52 x 75" / 2-Person: 80 x 84" and
  Packed: 1-Person: 6 x 14” / 2-Person: 8 x 16"
  
• Weight: 1-Person: 1.8 lbs / 2-Person: 3.4 lb
• Flat: 1-Person: 52 x 75" / 2-Person: 80 x 84" and
• Packed: 1-Person: 6 x 14” / 2-Person: 8 x 16"
• Weight: 1-Person: 1.8 lbs / 2-Person: 3.4 lb
• Flat: 1-Person: 52 x 75" / 2-Person: 80 x 84" and
• Packed: 1-Person: 6 x 14” / 2-Person: 8 x 16"

This is a picture of my actual black 1-person NanoLoft Rumpl Puffy Blanket at home. It feels like a sleeping bag.

Size-wise it is pretty small if you fold and roll it up the way shown on Rumpl's product website. To see the video scroll past the specifications on the website. If you are a little lazy or in a hurry you can just stuff the blanket into its stuff sack. The picture with my Nalgene bottle it the size of the blanket "stuffed" into the stuff sack.

How about some Legend Tripping?

I was told to check out this podcast from its creator, Jeff Belanger. He is "one of the most visible and prolific researchers of folklore and legends today. A natural storyteller, he’s the award-winning, Emmy-nominated host, writer, and producer of the New England Legends series on PBS and Amazon Prime, and is the author of over a dozen books (published in six languages). He also hosts the New England Legends weekly podcast, which has garnered over 4 million downloads since it was launched.
Jeff Belanger is an author, podcaster, storyteller, adventurer, and explorer of the unexplained. He’s written more than a dozen books that have been published in six languages, he’s the Emmy-nominated host, writer, and producer of the New England Legends series on PBS and Amazon Prime, he provides programs and lectures to audiences all over the world, and he’s been the writer and researcher for every episode of Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel. Jeff has made media appearances on hundreds of radio and television programs over his 20-year career, and he has a passion for mysteries and legends."(c/o jeffbelanger.com)

The few times I have been in the same room with him was at The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO, Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH, Houghton Mansion in North Adams, MA, and Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI. I listened to the haunting in these areas and they were set loose with all these ghost hunting tools and sitting in the dark trying to get just a whisper of an electronic voice phenomenon (EVP). I might have gotten something if I was bold enough to go alone. I have had some bizarre encounters in person while in group settings as well, but I think I would be less intimidating as a solo ghost hunter.  

Here is a picture of me with Jeff Belanger at The Stanley hotel in 2010. Here is my blog post about the ghost hunting experience. there.

Since then I have been to a couple of library readings of his ghost stories in the Peterborough, NH, and Franklin, MA. He is a great storyteller. The stories suck you in and you want to visit the places he talks about. He talks about sites in New England in his podcast so if you are local, you can. I plan on visiting some of the sites that are highlighted in his podcast and I'll document in this blog and on my YouTube Channel.

Jeff has a series of library readings both virtual and lives in New England's libraries. I recommend checking out an event with him. You'll never be more captivated by a ghost story. He lives them, he goes to the sites he is talking about and he makes the hauntings believable. When I attended the event at the Stanley Hotel I bought one of his books. The book is Picture Yourself Legend Tripping: Your Complete Guide to Finding UFOs, Monsters, Ghosts, and Urban Legends in Your Own Back Yard. It is an amazing book. I am originally from the southern Massachusetts area and there were tons of sites uncovered in his book in the area. I was in Colorado longing to go home and check out what he was writing about. It was wild. I also have Weird Massachusetts: Your Travel Guide to Massachusetts’ Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets and it's just mesmerizing.

Below is the first legend I will check out per Jeff Belanger himself. I did some wild stories about Scobie Lake (Haunted Lake) in Francestown, NH. I will camp there with my SUV and I'll try to see if something is going on there. I have not spent anytime there, only a drive-by when I first moved here 4 years ago. You can check out the story for yourself, New Hampshire's Haunted Lake 

Hedgehog Ridge Trail - Hedgehog Mountain Forest

Hedgehog Hill Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 450'
Rating (click for info): 5/10
Elevation: 1322' Prominence: 192'


Hedgehog Ridge Trail Map

It was going to snow today so I had to get out for a hike and test out my new pack and navigation app on my iPhone. I bought my Osprey Sirus 24 a couple of months ago when I realized that my purple eggplant Osprey pack had seen better days. It was well loved and a great pack.

I started at the “High Five Reservation” trailhead off of Sky Farm Road in Deering, NH. There was another car there before me. Taking my pre-made bagel w/cream cheese, I started the trek at 10am. I quickly realized I did not have my new super camera with selfie stick and I have to “wing” my video content with my iPhone XR.

At the fist clearing you can see a great mountain landscape to the south including Crotched Mountain. I did not get a shot of it because I thought I would be coming back the same way and would get a picture then.

Once at the top of the hill I noticed someone was disperse camping. He was breaking down camp, his tent was still up and he had a fire and cooking breakfast. He told me it was a great camp the past night. It was a full moon the night before. It was cold last night in in the morning so I guess he must have had winter equipment/sleep system.

The pictures from the back side of the hill looking towards the north at Hedgehog Mountain Forest.

After a quick look at my navigation app (Gaia GPS), I was able to easily locate the continuation of the trail that lead to the Hedgehog Ridge Trail (see below).

In this part of the hike it was noticeably quiet. Nature knows when a storm is coming. At one point I found some scratches in the leaves. They had been pushed out of the way and the dirt was scratched at, this was in two different places, ON the trail. Also, I heard something wading through water, sounded like a significant sized animal wading through water. I checked the map and there was not any water sources near by so it was most likely something walking through the woods and came upon a creek and just walked through it to travel in my opposite direction.

2.2 miles in was a good enough clearing to sit and have my coffee, I had a small cup at home and I was jonesing for it. So quiet a peaceful and this was the spot. I ended up drinking my whole thermos full. I felt better, fully caffeinated.

Once I got up to put my pack on and it started snowing. Being quite away from the summit, I decided to not mosey anymore and get there so the return trip would not be a burden.

Came through an area where logging took place. I took some pictures of the property signs and saplings growing back.

In time I got to the Woods Road crossing and to the rocky ledges of Hedgehog Mountain. At that time the snow was coming down at a pretty good clip and the footing was getting slippery. I made the call to descend and return with a road walk. It was a bit sucky, but it would have sucked more if I got hurt and stranded up on that ridge.

As a pre-caution, always carry a map of the area you are hiking. You never know when you might have to call the hike that take a different route to safety. It’s happened multiple times to me. Carry enough of the essentials, as you know you “might have to” spend the night in the woods and you’d survive. Hope you get a change to hike this trail. It is great, I know i will return in every season now that I know how close it is to me.

Thanks for visiting, enjoy the hike.
Bev

Check out my YouTube channel of this hike.
My Instagram link for pictures.

Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt

I know it has been a while and I want to start blogging again. I wanted to try an adventure in cooking.

About a year ago I bought an Instant Pot just to make yogurt.  Some of them do not have the yogurt setting on it.  Double-check before you purchase one.

I am lactose intolerant and I noticed the more yogurt I ate the better my body digested diary easier.  I was told it was the probiotics in it.  I tried making it with whole milk (in the red containers) and a few batches in I decided to try to see if I could do it with almond milk or something else that was easier on my stomach.  One of my coworkers I suggested I used Fairlife©.  It is lactose-free and ultra-pasteurized.  I tried the milk right from the carton and was hooked.  It was good and it works with me a lot better.  So of course, I realized I had to change my original yogurt recipe, just a bit.

Here is the recipe I used for regular whole milk.

With the ultra-pasteurized milk, you can skip the boiling of the milk for an hour because it is ultra-pure and there does not need to be cleaner.  I used the same website where I got the original recipe but with a cold start recipe. 

When I start, I boil water and pour into the IP pot and swish it around so it covers all surfaces inside the pot.  You want to have a clean pot before you make yogurt.  It is a process that takes a long time and anything in that pot can contaminant your yogurt and make it taste funny.  I whisk in the yogurt until it is all frothy and looks like a milkshake then I set the pot back into the warming unit.  I push the yogurt button and set the time for 11 hours.  It comes out thick with a little wateriness that you can stir back into the batch.  It stays thick.  If after 11 hours your want it thicker, try cooking it for another hour.  It helps.

I use the Whole Milk version of ultra-pasteurized milk, Siggi's© plain Icelandic yogurt and that’s it!  I put two teaspoons in if I can’t find the single-serving size.  I put the whole container of yogurt in.  It comes out a little better (maybe it’s just in my mind).  You can use any yogurt you want just make sure it is plain and has LIVE CULTURES in it.  The cultures are what make the yogurt.  If you have ever made beer it acts like the yeast, it eats the milk and the result comes out as the yogurt.  The idea of using the yogurt you enjoy it because it will duplicate itself in the pot.

The recipe I used with the ultra-pasteurized milk is here.

The last time I made yogurt I could only get the DHA-Omega additive version (COVID-19 shopping) of the ultra-pasteurized milk and found out that I had to cook it for 12-hours and the result was just a thick and creamy as the one I normally use.

Happy cooking and leave a comment and let me know how this recipe works out for you.  Thanks for “A Mindful Mom” for making me seem like a cook.

Bev