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VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 JUNE 21, 2012 FREE THE WEEKLY NEWS & LIFESTYLE JOURNAL OF MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY 4 Biking 4 Kayaking 4 Hiking 4 Outfitters Shop 4 Glen View Café Now through July 1st, mention this ad and get one free bike rental with each paid rental! Auto Road Race Nooks & Crannies Meet the Seniors that Irene’s signature on Rt. 16, Pinkham Notch beat the Rock!PAGE 2 Sabbaday. PAGE 3 www.greatglentrails.com (603) 466-2333 A SALMON PRESS PUBLICATION • (603) 447-6336 • PUBLISHED IN CONWAY, NH Valley Feature Senior Racers Run for the Times of Their Lives Keeping Up with Mt. Washington’s Oldest Competitors By Steven Caming daughter, Ginny. John has run Contributing Writer the race an astounding 28 times Just look at them…They over the years and though his speak volumes without uttering times have increased, so has his a word—about the kind of peo- passion for running and his ple they are and the lives they pride at finishing. “Yes, my lead. At a distant glance they times are slowing down, but are indistinguishable from their I’m here!” Howe said just after fellow competitors, moving he finished his race. Howe, his with the resolute stride of the daughter and other members of distance runner. But, look clos- the White Mountain milers er and you can see that these running group dedicated their racers have quite a bit more race to an ailing friend and long mileage under their belts than time runner and lover of Mt. the average competitor— Washington, Earl Stetson. decades more. They are well They were holding their versed in pacing themselves for handmade dedication sign at the “long run” and they are the finish line when word came particularly aware that they are through that Earl had passed in life’s “home stretch”…which away just that very morning of makes competing and complet- the event, adding a poignant ing the 52nd Annual Northeast note and fitting metaphor for a Delta Dental Mt. Washington race well run… Road Race all the sweeter. Though none of these elders “I wake up in the morning of the race world would give and check if I’m still breathing the competition leaders a run and if I am, I run”, said 92 year for their money (top finishers old George Etzweiler of State are in the 1 hour range), they College, PA, shortly after com- are certainly aware of their pleting his ascent of the times and always seeking to Northeast’s highest peak. gain (or just not lose) a step. Having won his age group on When asked how his race went, the Auto Road’s 7.6 mile (all Frank Hurt, 75, of Gilford sim- Courtesy Mt Wash Auto Rd uphill) course in 1995 (ages 70- ply shrugged his shoulders and 78 year old, Barbara Robinson, of Franconia NH, makes the final climb, of the 52nd running of The Northeast Delta 74) Etzweiler returned to again said “Four minutes slower than Dental Mount Washington Road Race, which was held in Pinkham Notch, NH, on June 16th, 2012. 1,200 runners raced up the 7.6 mile Mount Washington Auto Road, to the 6,288' summit, tallest peak in the northeastern United States. clinch his age group this year last year”. Even when their and the title of oldest competi- only competition is their own “I’m addicted, what can I tell tor. He is a long time member last time, it is enough to drive you!” she said, laughing. She of the Nittany Relay Track these venerable athletes to ran 50 miles a week for 10 Club and competes in at least greater heights, literally and weeks to prepare for Mt. four races each summer, figuratively. Washington and notes that including a 50 mile ultra- For some, running is a pas- now that she runs slower she marathon with some of his sen- sion that was discovered later in doesn’t have the hamstring ior running brethren, appropri- life, as was the case for Barbara issues that once bothered her. ately named “The Old Men of Robinson, 78, of Franconia. “I want to keep going through the Mountains”. Having begun her competitive the age of 80, assuming every- Why does he do it? “I’m not running life at 63, this was her thing holds up—anything can very bright…it’s a lot more fun 11th run up Mt. Washington. go at any minute!” afterwards than it is during the In her first year Robinson fin- One runner who ran right run!” he said, laughing. That ished in 1 hour 53 minutes, through his 80th birthday and particular perspective is one which she was not at all happy hasn’t stopped yet is Lou that is shared by all the runners, with. “I had not done it before Peters, 87, of Methuen, regardless of their age. Having and I let the mountain defeat Massachusetts. With more than completed his run in just about me,” she observed. “So I came 50 years of competitive racing three hours, Etzweiler was back when I was 65 and ran it in to his credit, this was his fourth Steve Caming Steve Caming philosophical about his ever- 1 hour 46 minutes and 3 sec- time running on Mt. Barbara Robinson, currently holds George Etzweiler, winner of his lengthening finish times. onds,” she said. Washington, though he’s seen 3 age group records, has no plans age group and title of oldest com- “Time slips away from you, on Robinson currently holds more than his share of races to stop running anytime soon! petitor. and off the course, but staying three age group records on Mt. here. “I was a volunteer for this with it is what matters…” Washington, in the 65-69 race for 20 years before I final- races each year, Lou Peters low racers, the 87 year old Staying with it, indeed. bracket, the 70-74 and the 75- ly decided to run it…I felt ter- does indeed run for his life. Peters cheered for the 92 year Another family that has stayed 79 range. She started her Mt. rible during a lot of the run, but Watching from the back of old Etzweiler, saying “I just with it is the Howe’s from Washington running career very happy! I love this place,” the festival tent as George don’t know how he does it at his Waterford, Maine. John, 77, after giving up on marathons, Peters explained. Considering Etzweiler received a medal and age!” ran this year’s race with his but still seeking a challenge. that he still competes in 60 standing ovation from his fel- On the Cover Inside Index Champions At The Summit Kids on Bikes Valley News .................................................3 Sage Canaday, of Boulder, CO, and Kim Dobson, of Denver, Getting Ready to Ride! Part 4 Page 4 Kids on Bikes ...............................................4 CO, got together at the summit of Mt. Washington, after win- Folks ‘n Focus ..........................................6-7 ning their divisions of the 52nd running of The Northeast Delta Feature On the Rockpile ........................................11 Dental Mount Washington Road Race, in Pinkham Notch, NH, McKaella’s Sweeeeeet on June 16th, 2012. 1,200 runners raced up the 7.6 mile Mount On the Links..............................................14 Washington Auto Road, to the 6,288' summit, tallest peak in the Sweet Shop Page 8 Valley Education ..................................16-17 northeastern United States. Mr Canaday won the men's division, with a time of 58:27, and Ms. Dobson's winning time was 1:09:25. Downstream Downstream...............................................20 Photo by Dennis Coughlins Treasure Hunting on Doloff Pond. Page 20 Nooks & Crannies.....................................31 Page 2 | The Mountain Ear | Thursday, June 21, 2012 Valley News Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race Mt. Washington Auto Road, 7.6 miles all-uphill footrace Pinkham Notch, N.H. - Barbara Robinson, Conway NH F3539 1:36:28 June 16, 2012 • First-timer Sage Canaday, defending champion Franconia NH F7579 2:25:12 35 5/30 Sage Canaday, a marathoner 244 1/1 Josh Brustin, North with little previous experience Kim Dobson dominate talented field • Third- Bob Heiges, Glen NH Conway NH M4044 2:08:44 in uphill racing, blew away the fastest men’s time ever, second-fastest women’s M6064 2:00:20 470 27/47 526 75/90 field today in the 52nd Mike Pelchat, Gorham NH Nicholas Brustin, North Northeast Delta Dental M5559 2:18:13 594 62/79 Conway NH M0119 1:45:50 Mount Washington Road Mount Washington Road Bend, Ore., 1:02:21 9. Simon 41/47 289 10/16 Race, a 7.6-mile all-uphill Race served as the selection Gutierrez, 46, Colorado Kerin Graham, Intervale Caitlin Crowley, North grind to the summit of the event for the U.S. men’s Springs, Colo., 1:02:24 10. NH F4044 1:57:34 122 Conway NH F2034 2:10:09 highest peak in the northeast- national mountain running Alex Nichols, 27, Colorado 21/51 188 63/94 ern United States. Starting team, which will compete in Springs, Colo., 1:02:41 Christopher Meier, Mary Hanson, North conservatively, then moving to the world championships in Top women: Intervale NH M3539 1:56:29 Conway NH F4044 1:57:34 the lead after the first two Italy on September 2. The 1. Kim Dobson, 28, 423 51/75 123 22/51 miles, 26-year-old Canaday women’s field included two- Denver, Colo., 1:09:25 2. David Sartory, Intervale George Karaffa, North pulled away from the pack and time Mt.