Happy New Year! Last year at about this time, I blogged about the dumpster fire from hell that was 2020 and wrapped up my hiking year in the post, “2020, Oxford County, and hiking ‘low and local’.”

2021 started off with lots of hope—vaccinations were nearly within reach for most of us, the prospect of gathering again with friends and family was real and exciting, and we actually dared to imagine an end to the scourge that is COVID-19.

I got to hug my granddaughter, my siblings, my college friends; I went to Connecticut with my best friend to visit her parents for Mother’s Day; I went to the movies and ate in a restaurant or two—all in the first half of the year, before things went seriously off-track again, before variants started popping up like a game of Whack-a-Mole, before we put our masks back on and went back to Zoom meetings and FaceTime family gatherings.

If 2021 was an improvement over 2020—and I guess that’s a matter of personal opinion—it was in part because we were more accustomed to our new reality, less blind-sided by the adjustments we had to make to stay safe, and perhaps more adapted to solitary pursuits and small-group activities, far enough removed from large parties and indoor concerts and crowded festivals to miss them less. (I’m speaking here for those who actually enjoy those things; as a confirmed introvert, my own adjustment to solitude was, from the beginning, pretty swift and painless.)

One way in which 2021 was a measurably better year, for me, is that I did 128 hikes, besting my 2020 total by one. Whoo-hoo!

A deep dive into my obsessively-tracked data for the year reveals that I hiked about 28 miles further than the year before (457.8) and my average hike was a bit longer (3.58 miles in 2021 vs. 3.4 miles in 2020).

Although my total mileage for the year (hiking, walking, running, and snowshoeing combined) was 1,235.1, which was about 38 miles less than in 2020, I’m giving myself a pass for that, because in addition to some kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and yoga (none of which give me mileage credit), I’m pretty sure I swam more often last year than the year before, and I definitely increased the length of my summer morning swims.

By combining all of these forms of exercise, I managed not to break my Obsessive Exercise Streak (consecutive days with at least 30 minutes of exercise), which—if my good luck in avoiding illness and injury continues—will reach a ten-year milestone on April 6, 2022.

Not too bad for a perpetual last-kid-picked-in-gym-class who spent most of my first half-century avoiding exercise whenever possible.

As in the past few years, Eli the Wonder Pup was my most reliable hiking partner, accompanying me on more than 80 of my hikes in 2021. He’s the only one I ever invite to hike with me who is never too busy, too tired, or just not in the mood.

Eli brought Will along on 47 of our hikes. Will is exactly half my age as of right now, and I consider myself very fortunate that he doesn’t mind being slowed down by his aging mom, especially on the downhill stretches, where his built-in shock absorbers let him charge full-speed down the steepest slopes, while I pick my way along with my trusty hiking poles and wonder how long it’s going to be before I need to consider knee replacement.

Once again, I stayed close to home for nearly all of my hikes last year. In fact, by pure coincidence, the exact same number—124—were within Oxford County in 2021 as in 2020. (The other four were in New Hampshire.)

Not only that, but 101 out of 128 hikes were either right here in Greenwood, my hometown—46 hikes, on ten different trails—or in neighboring Woodstock (my second hometown), where I hiked by far the most often, 55 times—yes, you read that right—on the remarkable trail system in the proposed Buck’s Ledge Community Forest.

Why on earth would I choose to hike the same trails over and over, when there are so many trails to choose from?

For one thing, in the summertime when we’re at camp on North Pond in Woodstock, Buck’s Ledge is quite literally right in my own backyard, so a morning hike before work entails simply walking out the back door and heading uphill.

The trail to Buck’s Ledge from our camp is very short (about six tenths of a mile) and very steep, perfect for a quick workout when I don’t have time to drive to a more distant trail. I don’t think there’s been a summer of my life when I haven’t been up there at least once, although I expect I probably made my first few trips on the shoulders of one of my three big brothers.

The view from Buck’s Ledge is inarguably one of the best “bang-for-the-buck” views in western Maine. It overlooks North Pond, faces Mt. Abram, and provides stunning sunsets from the west-facing ledges. On a clear winter day, you can see beyond the Carter-Moriah Range in the White Mountain National Forest, all the way to the Presidentials—Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison are all visible, especially when capped with snow.

Buck’s Ledge (1,180’) is just one of three scenic peaks of Moody Mountain, which is relatively low (1,424’ at its highest point) but sprawling, with a wide footprint and a nearly mile-long ridge between Buck’s Ledge and the true summit. The third peak is Lapham Ledge (1,180’), which faces southeast and offers sunrises that rival Buck’s sunsets.

Until recently, there were just a couple of miles of trails, plus a logging road/snowmobile trail, on the 634-acre parcel that the Woodstock Conservation Commission, in partnership with the Mahoosuc Land Trust, hopes to purchase and conserve in perpetuity as a community forest.

Over the past couple of years, volunteer trailbuilder and Woodstock neighbor Jurgen Marks has located, flagged, and cut, first, a new trail from Buck’s Ledge to the Moody summit, then a steep connector up to the summit from the logging road, then a trail from the summit of Lapham Ledge down to the logging road, and, finally, a trail leading from the Lapham trail to the Woodstock Elementary School.

As a result, WES students have direct access to the trail system, and hikers now have about six miles of trails on a wide variety of terrain to explore year-round.

Last year, I watched the sun set from Buck’s Ledge four times, and I watched the sun rise from Lapham Ledge 17 times. I hiked to the summit of Moody Mountain 22 times; on 12 of those hikes, including ones on the very first and very last days of 2021, I made a 4.5-mile loop, hitting all three peaks.

Every single one of these hikes was different. Even when I retraced my steps at the same time of day, two or three days in a row, there was something new to see each time. Was the horizon more pink, or tangerine, on this morning? Had a quick change in temperature left intricate ice sculptures for me to find along the trail? Would I catch a glimpse of the deer who had been bedding down in the plentiful oak leaves behind Buck’s Ledge?

And despite the hundreds of hikes over six decades that I’ve taken on these trails, becoming part of the effort to ensure that they will be kept open and available for future generations has made me see them in a whole new way.

At the beginning of the year, the idea of purchasing the 634-acre Buck’s Ledge parcel to conserve it forever as a community forest was just beginning to take shape, and as the year ended, the project was well on its way to achieving its local fundraising goal of $175,000, with the balance of the $850,000 cost expected to be met through state grants and foundations.

Next year at this time, when I reflect on the events of the past year, I hope I’ll able to say that the pandemic is truly behind us, and that life is finally “back to normal,” whatever that looks like to both the extroverts and introverts among us.

And I hope that I’ll be able to report that the dream of creating the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest has become a reality.

Here’s how you can help: A volunteer Planning Committee meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 5 PM at the Woodstock Town Office, and all are welcome. Donations can be made at www.mahoosuc.org/bucks-ledge or by mail to the Town of Woodstock, PO Box 317, Bryant Pond, ME 04219. Thank you!