Kaitlynn Miller: Summer in Review

I can't believe it's already fall! I haven't posted since April so decided my blog could use a summer update before I write about our annual fall training camp... It's been a busy, but productive summer with many long distance workouts, hard intervals, and zippy speed sessions interspersed with work at the Center and time spent with family and friends. We had an awesome training group with two new GRP teammates and four college skiers who joined us for the summer. Since I'm not feeling particularly verbose at the moment, and this post spans a rather long timeframe, here's a smattering of photos from my summer in roughly chronological order. Also, people really "read" blogs for the pictures anyway, right?

Looking down on Lake Willoughby from Mt. Pisgah at
the end of an early summer roll/run OD. Willoughby is one
of the deepest lakes in Vermont and quite breathtaking
from above.

So many Salomon running shoes on top of Cascade!
Hallie and I ventured over to Lake Placid for a
short biathlon camp in June where we learned quite a
bit about shooting.

Descending Cascade Mountain

Mid-summer roll through Montgomery in our fancy new
feathered shorts!
(photo: Pepa)

BKL camp rollerski day on the Common.
No blood or tears were shed!

Liz and me biking with our group The Forks! Many of us

GRPers helped coach a youth mountain bike club this

summer which was quite fun and a great learning experience

for coaches and participants alike.

(photo: Caitlin Patterson)

Celebrating Fourth of July in style with Terry the Truck
(photo: Johanna Taliharm)

The start of a well-attended Tuesday Night Trail Race.
We had between 60 and 80 races most weeks this
summer. Thanks to everyone who came out to race!
(photo: Brook Mooney)

Hallie, master Argo driver and invaluable co-leader for the
race series, headed out to collect race signs

A foggy day on Mansfield with my friend
Caroline. We still had a great hike despite the
lack of views!

Continuing to hone my shooting skills at the North
American Rollerski Biathlon Championships in
Jericho this August.
(photo: Caitlin Patterson)

Exploring the swamp off of Ruthie's during one of the
Center's Wildflower Walks

Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum)

Purple-stemmed Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum)

Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)

Rolling through East Hardwick with some of my teammates
as well as Jackie who skis for Brazil and came to train
with us for a few weeks this summer. She was a friendly,
dedicated, and inspiring training partner.
(photo: Sam Dougherty)

A quiet evening in Craftsbury

Keeping an eye on the lake while providing surface support
for the SCUBA divers pulling invasive milfoil
from the lake bottom.

So much milfoil! Ug!

An uncommon bird sighting on Great Hosmer -
a migrating Bonaparte's gull (in winter plumage)
(Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

Hiking Mansfield (again), this time
with the little sister!

Some intriguing rotten wood

Some stand-up paddleboard yoga at Hosmer Point
(photo: Brook Mooney)

Current and former GRPers looking spiffy at Em and Alex's
wedding! They did an incredible job organizing,
building, and making everything for their beautiful wedding.
(photo: Pepa)

Cleaning the chicken coop with Caitlin
(photo: Liz Guiney)

View from Caps Ridge in the White Mountains. Caitlin,
Liz, and I have been threatening to do an OD in the
Whites for two years now and we finally made it happen!
Thanks to the Eusden/Gallop family for putting us
up for the night and driving us to the trailhead!