Oh, right, three is the magic number

 As I was plopping out my last installment, I was thinking I'd missed something. Oh, right, I realized later that day, a whole other, first weekend of mini, but functional, touring! 

Call it fun and adventures in forgetting with a TBI. Many years ago, I'd quip that there was a plus to senility in that everything old would be new again, how exciting! Plus, I figured a person could be allowed some social gaffes with the dottering-old-fool excuse, what fun! Well, seems I get to sample some senile confusion early, but alas, I don't yet quite look the part, so none of the advantage of social foregiveness, but hey, given the other choice of not still being here to offend, I'll take it!

So, yes, the weekend before my trip to NH, I completed my first of THREE consecutive weekend mini tours, that time to help and spectate the No Box, transgender affirming trail run about forty miles away at Berkshire East. Now, or possibly now that we're weeks later, then, wanting to help with morning set-up forty miles afield, meant sleeping the night prior in a field, or more correctly, in the woods along side the railroad tracks I used as a gentle grade connection between Shelburne Falls the the ski area.

Not sure if camp was on the wrong side of the tracks, but the direction I was headed, it was  left.

I sleep, even truly enjoying the company of a passing train in the wee hours, and was well enough rested for my morning poor humor to kick in the idea of suggesting a three legged race, to celebrate the non-binary! My sleep gear stowed, I continued my big-hill-bypass to the mountain resort, and yes, I did return via the other route, and yes, it qualified handily as a big hill.

Trail running races are fun, sometimes as much or more so when not actually running. It's a good group of people whom I can now call a great group of, ever expanding, friends, and I even had the experience of donning an inflating unicorn costume to cheer and direct the first run start, as well as garner a few happy high fives.

Not actually me, can you tell?

Not only did I appreciate the fun of helping, but Amy, the event promoter appreciated my help such that she offered me my selection of promotions provided by Black Diamond Equipment, and while yes, I have an affinity for used clothing, the opportunity of a gift card for a waterproof top with its factory repellentcy fully intact was tempting enough to break form and happily accept.

I'm glad I did, and not just because it served me so well on the trip to NH and especially over last weekend's rainy event at Mount Tom. First, a gift card meant I could select exactly what I wanted, meaning a size small with long arms that fit me even in a riding position, and a very happy bright yellow for the visibility I now especially value! And one or two more on the fit, I actually had a few people at Mount Tom comment on how well it wrapped me. Trust me, which I'm guessing won't be hard, my clothing doesn't frequently receive compliments aside from maybe, "Thank goodness your clothed!"

Second, I have a recently new found soft spot for Black Diamond. Back in days of yore, when I was a college student, my dad took me on a winter accent of Mount Washington and had borrowed for me a classic Chouinard mountaineering axe, with hardwood shaft and head possibly forged by Chouinard himself. It's a very functional work of metal art, and while I did eventually procure my own axe with similar forging, albeit with an aluminum shaft (which transfers cold to my hands far more in winter!), yes, I do hope to someday own an original Chouinard, especially since he stopped involvement in that product line, selling the works to employees who started Black Diamond!

Third, I ride bikes in the rain, and when it really, really rains, I've figured out that a hood can fit over my helmet if I pull the jacket on over that helmet from the onset. Sure, cycling caps can be cool, but if the goal is to stay dry without trickles down the neck, hoods can be toasty warm. It seems mountaineering helmets are dimensionally similar to bicycle helmets, and with Black Diamond designing their hood to cover the former, it works super dandy with the latter. A hood that I can raise and lower when already wearing a helmet and the jacket, that's something for which I never even hoped to hope!

Thanks Black Diamond!