Spring!

What a beautiful day. With a fabulous spring weekend in the wings.

You can see the warm sun doing its thing on the snow along the roads, on the lawns, in the woods.

Yes, the seasons they be a changing.

It's exciting and energizing, wouldn't you say?

Just think...

Last week's big dumping of snow has ensured at least another month of good spring skiing. Not bundled up in fourteen layers, but rather a turtleneck and windbreaker. Beers on The Beach at the Loaf, BBQs cooking up at Bullwinkle's. And nice soft corn snow underski. Reggaefest. Ya mon!

Oh yeah.

Reggae Fest returns to The Loaf April 13-15.
All photos by Carey Kish

Then there's day hikes to be done. New peaks and trails to be explored.

I've got Mt. Pisgah, Monument Hill and Mt. Chase in central Maine on my list. Tunk Mountain and Lead Mountain Down East. Mt. Cutler (I've never done the entire loop!) and Peary Mountain up Route 113 way.

Have you hiked any of the above? Love to have some beta if you have.

Plenty o' fun day hikes to be done around Maine this summer...

Then there's a host of state parks to visit.

I've been hankering to get way out to Cobscook Bay to camp and take in some sea kayaking and hiking. North to Aroostook County and its state park at Quaggy Jo Mountain, and maybe a side trip on the IAT on Mars Hill. A tentsite at Mount Blue would be sweet, with a trek up Mount Blue (another one I've missed) and a paddle on Lake Webb. And the islands of Lily Bay on Moosehead Lake demand some exploring by canoe or kayak, while just up the road from the park, Number Four Mountain beckons.

You been?

There's trail maintenance to be done, a section of the AT to be opened up and cleared of blowdowns in mid-May. Interested in helping out? Check the MOAC website for details.

AT trail maintenance is fun and oh so satisfying. Wanna jump in and help?

The season's first extended backpack will be on the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail, a 50-mile hike through the hills of southern New Hampshire, over the long Memorial Day weekend (Thurs, May 24 thru Mon, May 28). I'd love some good company. Let me know.

So much backcountry to explore, so little time!

And sometime in late July or early August I'd like to tackle the 162-mile long Cohos Trail thru the wilds of northern New Hampshire. Hopefully I can work it out and make it a fundraiser for the folks at the Cohos Trail Association. Good trail company would again be very welcome. And $$$ to the CTA would be even better.

Well, that's all the notes I've scribbled so far on things to do this spring and summer. Gimme a beer, a pen and a cocktail napkin and I'm likely to come up with more, so stand clear.

What's on your outdoors to-do list? Hikes? Bike treks? Mountain climbs? Kayak and canoe paddles? Please do share...

Where will you and your canoe be headed this spring and summer?