Christmas in Maine with Mom

Gianni and I spent the 4 days after Christmas in Rockland, Maine with mom. The first day was a cozy indoor day avoiding the rain. The second day Gianni and I skied at Camden Snow Bowl for the first time. Only the lower mountain was open, so we enjoyed riding the t-bar all day. We took a break for lunch and went ice skating at the local rink, then headed back for some more turns. It was Gianni's first day alpine skiing of the year. The next day we headed back up after some fresh snow. Gianni used his telemark skis and successfully worked on developing his tele turns. The last day we had to pack up and drive mom to Logan Airport. The highlight of the trip was spending lots of time with mom and enjoying the many great restaurants each night! After dropping mom off in Boston, we turned around and headed up to Stowe, a nine hour day on the road.

First Ski of the Year

We spent another weekend up in Stowe visiting the McKenna-Wassers. I managed to get out on the trails at Trapps both days, inaugurating another ski season! I felt a bit rusty, but the fresh air and exercise did wonders for my mind.

Another Weekend in Stowe

We spent the first weekend of December in Stowe with the McKenna-Wassers. We hiked the Pinnacle, which for Gianni and I was our first time. What spectacular views! So good to enjoy it with such good company!

Thanksgiving in Florida

Once again we spent Thanksgiving in Melbourne Beach. It was another wonderful trip, short yet rejuvenating. As usual mom hosted dinner at her house and Gianni was the super-helper setting up everything for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We spent the days as usual, at the beach and on the boat. One of the highlights of the trip was the morning that Gianni woke us up early to watch sunrise. Mom and I were a little reluctant to motivate, but we went with Gianni's enthusiasm. As you can see from the picture, it was a magical morning. We should all watch sunrise every day!

The Launching of the Babson Island 14

Recently we launch the Babson Island 14, which Dad, Gianni and I built over the last year. It was a very rewarding project. We are so thankful to have had Dad, a professional boat builder, to guide and teach us along the way. We call the boat "Gianni's Boat," as he worked on it countless hours after school and over the summers. Thanks to Dad for passing on his love of wooden boats to two more generations. I am quite sure that Gianni will pass on the joy this boat brings to the generations to come. To see how the boat went together, click here.

Map and Compass at Cardigan Weekend

A couple of weekends ago we joined the rest of the NH AMC Family Group at Cardigan Lodge for our annual outing. This year Gianni and his friends decided to participate in a new map and compass program instead of climbing Mt. Cardigan. The kids learned how to use a map and compass. Then they applied their skills leading us on three bushwhacks over the two days. We successfully arrived at our destination each time. Of course the dishwasher was a big hit again this year, with the kids cleaning up so helpfully after each meal. It is really empowering to know that we can go wherever we want in the woods and not get lost!

Veteran's Day Ride

On Veteran's Day I took these five boys for a bike ride from Haley Farm out to Bluff Point. The boys had fun crossing the railroad bridge and exploring a little single track on the way out. We had lunch on the bluff. The boys played for an hour at the bottom of the cliff, building things with rocks and flotsam. We limped home with one flat tire. I think they are all ready to do it again soon!

Nashua River Rail Trail Ride

We enjoyed a fun day on the Nashua River Rail Trail today with the AMC Family Group. The kids kept a fast pace for the 18 miles. We enjoyed lunch, beaver ponds and perfect fall weather. I had heard so much about how the rail trails are great for kids. Sure enough it was a perfect ride for families and kids of any age. Afterwards, we picked up ski boots for Gianni in Nashua, NH and then stopped by Paul's house in Acton on the way home.

Halloween Night Ride

I took Gianni and 7 of his friends for a bike ride at Bluff Point last Saturday night. It was the annual Halloween Night Ride sponsored by Mystic Cycle Centre. It rained hard on the drive down, so we were worried that we were going to get soaked, but the rain paused when we arrived at Bluff. The boys mounted lights on their handlebars, in some cases just a flashlight and duct tape. We signed in and headed out on the loop. I led and my dad and John Fogg followed the boys so we wouldn't loose any of them. The boys were hooting and hollering the whole way. It started to rain a bit toward the end, which made it that much more exciting. We made it back safely despite many falls. We brought them back home for a sleep over. That's a whole other story! In the morning, we checked the bikes, three flats! The boys are already planning on doing it again next year.

Quick, Cold Morning with the Blues

It was a cold Columbus Day morning. Gianni and I went out on Hobbes early to fish the surface at first light. Within an hour Gianni boated 5 bluefish to 9 pounds. As he hooked the last fish, he turned to me and said, "Dad, I feel bad, do you want to reel this one in?" All I did was drive the boat, put him on fish, unhook and smile. We were on our way home by 8am. It was a perfect father/son moment.

Rock Climbing Lantern Hill

On October 4th, I took Gianni and Avery rock climbing at Lantern Hill. It was Avery's first experience. The three of us enjoyed a long afternoon in the sun, on the rock. Another one is hooked! Gianni made it higher than ever before, as you can see from the picture.

Gianni's First Metric Century

Gianni successfully completed his first 100 km ride yesterday. Grandpa, G and I enjoyed a magical fall day, as we biked the Maine and New Hampshire coasts in the GSW's Seacoast Century. Of course camping out the night before was a blast, too. Last year Gianni road 50 miles. While he accomplished his goal of 63 miles this year, the last 10 were a struggle for him! A strong coastal headwind kicked up as G's legs tired. We are so proud of him for overcoming the hurdle of failing legs and strong winds; another example of how you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it.

Century Warm Up Ride

Gianni and I went on a short warm up ride this afternoon to get ready for our big annual ride next weekend. We did 9 miles with several big hills. Gianni was testing out new pedals. A woman pulled out in front of us, he slammed on the breaks and had trouble getting out of the pedals; almost fell into the road. Now he is nervous about the new pedals. Back to the old ones. It felt great to get out there with him. I can't believe how much stronger he gets from one ride to the next. I have to ride often to get stronger, while he just has to play, grow and be a kid.

Almost Finished the Babson Island 14

After a year of on-and-off work, we finally finished building and sanding Gianni's new rowboat, a Babson Island 14. We put the final coat of primer on it this week. Hopefully, we can complete all the coats of finish paint in the next few weeks and test it before the snow flies. Gianni and my dad did most of the work over the course of the last year. Thank you Dad/Grandpa!

Narragansett Surf

We went surfing last Sunday in Narragansett for the first time. John Fogg and his son, Christian, decided to join us at the last minute. When we arrived, we were happy to see that the break was on. Gianni took a couple of rides, while Christian rode the body board. Gianni proceeded to teach Christian how to surf, pushing him in and giving him tips. Christian ended up standing and enjoying many, many rides. Gianni finished out the session with his trademark antics of the headstands and reverse coffin drop-ins. John and I shared my board in the outer break. We both enjoyed all the waves our bodies could handle. The September sun brought us warmth and the good times with friends made for a day to remember!

Labor Day on Block Island

Last weekend Gianni and I took our 20 foot SeaCraft, Hobbes, over to Block Island and met up with the Pearse's and other friends. We towed our zodiac over. Gianni spent the afternoon on the beach with the kids and I buzzed around to the south side of the island to surf. I anchored off Southwest Point and enjoyed one of the nicest days of surfing of the year. Back in New Harbor we rafted up and went to the Oar for dinner. The next morning Tim Comstock took us out fishing for black sea bass in his lobster boat. It was blowing 25+ knots. We worked hard in the seas to bring home just enough for dinner. The big surprise of the trip was that when we arrived back in the harbor Jon's boat was high and dry. We waited out the tide with him. It was getting late and the wind had not dropped off, so Gianni and I decided to spend another night under our tent fly in the front of Hobbes. Gianni had the idea of pulling Jon's boat off the beach with the zodiac, so Jon pushed and Gianni pulled with the boat and she floated. We helped Jon navigate through the anchor field and wished them safe passage, as they had to get home. By then it was late and dark so we went over to Champlain's to join in the New Years celebration. Gianni enjoyed an $8 ice cream cone and we headed back to the boat. We slept very well the second night on the boat as the wind finally calmed. Waking to a beautiful day on Block was inspirational, and the passage home perfect.

Mt. Carrigain

We had so much fun last week climbing the Presidentials that we decided to head right back up to New Hampshire this weekend. We had hoped for a two day trip, but the rain from the tropical storm kept us home on Saturday. I woke up early on Sunday and headed north. When Gianni awoke we picked a mountain to climb. Of course, he voted for Mt. Carrigain because it has a fire tower. The weather was perfectly September-like. Lunch in the tower was definitely a treat as we enjoyed the views. It was a lengthy hike, 10 miles, and thus we arrived back at the car late. We stopped for soup, as usual at the Common Man and then hit the road. We listened to Far North by Will Hobbs on the car ride home. What a fantastic story of survival in the Northwest Territories!

Presidential Traverse

Our last adventure of the summer was a four day traverse of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We decided to try and do it the longest and highest way possible. So we started in the south up the Webster Cliff Trail and summitted all of the peaks possible (11) on our way over Madison and out to Appalacia in the north.

The climb up Webster Cliff was very difficult and hot, over 3 miles of straight up. Luckily we met up with two AT through-hikers who were absolutely wonderful characters. Gianni loved them and wasn't going to loose stride. He picked up to their blistering pace and we finished out the 7 mile climb over Webster and Jackson to Mizpah Hut in great time, beating the rain. Gianni could not get enough of their stories. Happy trails to those two wonderful men!

Day 2 found us setting out in a passing shower. We made very quick time over Pierce, Eisenhower, Franklin, and Monroe, arriving at the Lake of Clouds Hut by noon. The weather was calm but foggy, so the views were limited. After claiming our bunks and lunch we saw Washington appear in the sun. Inspired, we raced to the summit for some brief views and photos. Then as always the weather changed quickly. Our decent back to the hut was difficult with a strong crosswind and driving rain. We were soaked by the time we reached the hut. We met up with Wanda, Eric (9) and Ian (7) Rice at Lakes. The three boys were excited to hike together.

Day 3 was simply epic. The weather was perfect and we spent almost 10 hours on the trail enjoying it. We summitted Washington, again, and the headed over Clay and Jefferson. We began the difficult, 2 mile trip up Adams (second highest peak in the northeast) late in the day, but still made it to Madison Springs Hut by dinner. The pictures of our day tell it all.

On the final day, we summitted Madison in a 40 knot breeze. We had to hold on with our hands. Check out this video from the summit. We had a pleasant hike down Valley Way and reached the cars minutes before the rain. On the way home all we could think and talk about was doing it again soon!

Photo Album

North Truro

Mike Wasser and Patti McKenna so graciously invited us out to join them in North Truro the third week in August. We headed out to PTown with the van loaded with gear. The surf was tiny, so we didn't wet the sticks. The fishing was wonderful, with plenty of bass and blues. We enjoyed wake surfing on Mike's boat and Gianni finally overcame his fear of wakeboarding, successfully getting up and making some turns. The boys had fun fooling around with a longboard behind the boat, too, and then there was the tube, of course! Chef Mike fed us well every night. Really good times!

Sailing to Block and Montauk

After our Falmouth trip we turned around in an afternoon and headed out to sea on another adventure. We spent the first week of August sailing with the Costa's to Block Island and Montauk. This was our 9th annual "Montauk trip." This year we decided to spice it up and do Block as well. Actually, the plans were for more. We woke up the first morning to a dead motor. We discovered several air leaks in the fuel line. It took us until 11:00 am to buy parts, fix the problems and get under way. Our initial goal of Newport was now out of sight, so we set sail for Block. We had a wonderful crossing and luckily picked up one of the last free mornings when we arrived. Gianni was the Zodiac captain, shuttling the crew all over the salt pond.

The weather was so nice that we decided to spend another day on the hook. We anchored at the back to the pond and enjoyed a day at the town beach. The next day we set sail for Montauk. We enjoyed our traditional stay at Star Island Yacht Club and feasted on seafood. Our sail home was most enjoyable hitting The Race on a perfect tide. We can't wait for next year!

Week in Falmouth

Gianni and I spent the last week of July at Paul's house in East Falmouth, on the Cape. It was a great week together with the families. I was able to bike quite a bit, finishing out the week with two 50 mile rides. I was actually feeling pretty strong on the bike for a change. We took the kids fishing, boating, waterskiing, etc. One of the highlights of the trip was our excursion to Coast Guard Beach out on the National Seashore. It was a great day at the beach and I was able to surf for a couple of hours. We saw several seals, too. It was a very relaxing week. We went over to Martha's Vineyard twice on Paul's boat. We enjoyed more bridge jumping outside of Oaks Bluff. Check out this video of Gianni jumping!

Camping on Burton Island

We spent last weekend camping with the McKenna-Wasser family on Burton Island, Lake Champlain, Vermont. The trip was planned for Friday to Sunday. Friday was a magical day. We took Mike's boat over to the island and setup camp. The weather was perfect, so we took the kids tubing and wake surfing. We had a wonderful dinner. Saturday, we went fishing and water skiing. The kids caught plenty of fish to keep them smiling! The forecast for Saturday night and Sunday was all rain, so we packed up and headed to Stowe around 6pm. We enjoyed spending Sunday in Stowe, eating bagels, walking the quiet path with Boo and attending the Lamoille County Fair.

Surf Camp in Cocoa Beach

We spent the first two weeks of July in Florida with Mom and Paul's family. The kids attended surf camp for a week and had a blast. Helen and Sam learned to surf very quickly and at the end of the week were having incredible rides. The waves were small so Gianni decided to spend the week learning to do tricks; this earned him the award of "Most Creative Surfer" from the instructors. See photos of his antics.

Another Two Weeks in Nicaragua

We took a group of 7 to Granada, Nicaragua for two weeks. We studied Spanish at Casa Xalteva and went on many adventures. Hear the tales and see all the photos at casaxalteva09.blogspot.com.

The best way to learn about our adventure is to go to our blog.
Trip blog: casaxalteva09.blogspot.com
Photos: picasaweb.google.com/kjannke/casaxalteva2009

Willey Range Traverse

On May 31st, Gianni and I climbed three 4,000 footers in one day. It was quite the trip, our most challenging day hike to date. After summitting Mt. Tom we hiked the Willey Range Trail over Mt. Field and Mt. Willey. It was an 8 hour day, covering 7.5 miles. In the end, the rain hit us hard making it an even more memorable experience. Gianni made it to the car with more energy that I did. Scary!

Pequot Cyclists Annual Picnic Ride

On June 7th we did the annual picnic ride with the Pequot Cyclists and Grandpa Tom. Gianni rode hard and fast for 16 miles. He is getting stronger. The food and company was wonderful afterwards.

AMC Trail Work on the Willard Trail

We spent May 30th working on the Willard Trail in Crawford Notch with the AMC family group. We put in a 6 hour day, complete with a hail storm. Of course, Gianni had a blast and worked as hard as any adult. The trail still has a long way to go, but we have made some progress over the last 3 years.

Cape Weekend for Paul's 40th

We spent the weekend of May 23rd at my brothers new house on Cape Cod. We surprised him when he arrived. The kids spent a relaxing weekend together and inaugurated the boating season. We celebrated birthdays for Paul, Sammy and Helen.

Mt. Jackson and Mt. Pierce

Gianni and I had a most incredible weekend in the Presidential Mountains of New Hampshire. The plan was to spend Saturday and Sunday with the AMC New Hampshire Chapter Family Group on our annual Mizpah Hut hike. We decided to take Friday off from school and head up early. We started on the Crawford Path around noon and made it to the hut by 2:30. We left most of our gear on our bunks, ate lunch and then headed out on a ridge traverse over to Mt. Jackson. This 3.5 mile hike proved to be most challenging. The conditions were a difficult mixture of mud, ice and collapsing snow bridges. As with any challenge, our effort proved quite rewarding (photo above is us on top of Mt. Jackson, with Mt. Washington in the background). Gianni cooked and cleaned for us and we slept well. We woke up early the next morning and went back down to the parking lot to meet our group. We loaded our empty packs with much of the group food and headed back to the hut. After lunch and plenty of play time with his mates, Gianni and I joined a group that summitted Mt. Pierce. We had more spectacular views of the whole Presidential Range and made it back to the hut before the rain started. Again, Gianni, now with his friends, cooked, served and cleaned up for us. The rain stopped in the morning and we had a pleasant hike down, listening to the kids sign and play most of the way. These were Gianni's third and fourth 4,000 footers. He is eager to climb more. The whole weekend was one of our more enjoyable experiences hiking, particularly Friday. I think Gianni would agree with me when I say our experience climbing in perfect weather together on Friday, just father and son, was simply the best, bliss.

Check out my Flickr Photostream for more photos.

Rock Climbing in Quincy Quarries

Gianni and I went rock climbing in Quincy Quarries last Sunday with Paul, Julie, Helen and Sam. It was an AMC family day in the gorge so there were many kids. We setup and had our kids take a couple of trips up the wall. Then, several kids stopped by for a turn. It was a great day. We were there for over three hours, but it seemed like just one. Helen rocked, reaching the top of the most difficult section. All the kids want to do it again soon.

April Break in Floida

Gianni and I had a very relaxing week in Florida. We did less than usual and it felt great. We did get over to Disney for Gianni's first experience with Cirque du Soleil, which was amazing, of course. For some reason there were no crowds in the morning. We were walking on rides all morning in the Magic Kingdom. We spent the afternoon at Epcot, the highlights being Soar and a show in Germany. This trip was different than most, as we biked and surfed little (no swell). However, we did have our best luck fishing ever. A friend of my mom's showed us a new lure and technique. Gianni went out to try it and in 10 minutes caught a trout and jack. A couple of days later we went again, catching jack and 4 sea trout to 22 inches in just a half hour! As usual, we raced on Sleighride (J/30) with Jan and Jerry in heavy air. The last weekend we were chase boat for the Melbourne Yacht Cub Spring Regatta. This was really fun for Gianni as he was in charge of the VHF radio and setting the marks. It was a relaxing, good time.

Tuckerman Ravine

Last weekend we did our third annual trip up into Tuckerman Ravine on Mt. Washington. As usual it was fantastic. The day started warm, with plenty of fog. While in the bowl it cleared and we were able to enjoy lunch, a ski and sledding in moderate winds and temps. As we were leaving it started to snow. We had a great run down the Sherburne Trail all the way to the parking lot. It was fun going earlier in the year this time - more snow :)

Our First Ice Climb

Gianni and I spent the weekend in Stowe with the McKenna-Wassers. What a sunny, spring-like weekend! On Saturday I did a skate ski loop at Trapps around the cabin. In the PM we all went for a backcountry ski on the VAST trail from Sterling Gorge. Early Sunday morning, I did another skate loop around the cabin at Trapps in fast icy conditions. Late morning we went ice climbing in Sterling Gorge with Rob Taylor. (Thank you Rob!) For Ben, Rosalie, Gianni and I it was our first time ice climbing. Incredible! The kids loved it! Gianni went for a late afternoon alpine ski at Stowe with the Wasser's, while I skinny skied up to Bear Meadow Cabin under the cliffs of Madonna and Whiteface Mountains. Check out more ice climbing pictures...

February Vacation with Friends and Family

Gianni and I spent 3 days up in the north country with family and friends. Gianni spent a day skiing with my brother and his kids in Mass, while I climbed Mt. Wachusetts. I was lucky enough to squeeze in a hockey game with my brother before heading up to Stowe. Gianni taught me how to skate ski at Trapps, then we hit the movie theater with the McKenna-Wassers. We had the rare privilege of heading over to Smuggs to spend a day with the Pearce's from CT. Gianni skied with Jon and Skyler, while I did another long skate ski loop. We enjoyed a nice dinner with the McKenna-Wassers and headed home the next morning. Really good times! We are fortunate to have spent such quality time with friends and family!

Winter Break in Florida

Gianni and I had a fabulous week in Florida with Mom. The last time I was there in December, it was cold! This trip, it was sunny, dry and in the 70s. With such wonderful weather we were able to swim, boat, surf, play tennis, go to the beach, water ski, snorkel, boogie board, bike, sail, relax in the hot tub, fish, cook, eat, etc. Really good times!!!