Bogley

[canyonphile]

...it's been a while since I've posted here - like almost 2 1/2 years!

I've been reading a bit over the past few months since getting the change to Bogley updates, and all the changes are just awesome - way to go, guys :2thumbs:!

I see lots of familiar names and some chickas that weren't around or posting much when I was (Tanya :)) - way cool!

Anyway, for those that have forgotten (prolly everyone - ha!) and everyone else, my name is Sonya. When I was last posting, I was living in Prescott, AZ and was trying to earn a living as a podiatrist in private practice - haaaah, joke's on me!

In the fall of '06, my boyfriend decided to accept a job in the quaint New England town of Mystic, CT, and wanted me to come along. I was planning on throwing in the towel on the medical gig (long, sordid story about that...best saved for discussion over yummy cold microbrews) anyway, so I agreed to come with him. He'd agreed to give his friend/boss 4 years in CT; neither of us were interested in spending the rest of our lives there, but a few years sounded interesting and I'd never been here before, so what the hey? This also allowed me the opportunity to pursue a full-time career as an artist, rather than part-time that I've been doing for the past 8 years.

I am (or was, before I moved to CT) into tons of outdoor stuff, which is how I found out about uutah/bogley to begin with. As one might guess from my handle, I'm almost an obsessive freak over canyons - big, small, deep, narrow - it doesn't really matter! I've hiked and/or backpacked and/or trail run most of the named trails and routes in the Grand Canyon. One of the most memorable trips I've done in my life was the 10 day southern Utah canyon trip we did 2 years ago...hiking up to the top of Angel's Landing was so apropos to turning 40 that day - I tell ya! My avatar is of that trip, taken - where else - but the Zion Narrows.

I read the trip reports everyone posts, along with the photos and videos, and I am so envious of you all! I'm a rocks and dirt and canyon person, and there is just none of that in CT - I'll spare everyone my anti-CT rant here and save it for its own post elsewhere :haha: . So, I live vicariously through everyone lucky enough to live in UT or AZ or CO and I anxiously await the day when we can leave and head back to the southwest (destination: Durango! :rockon: ).

Anyway, I hope I can drop in more regularly - y'all will probably be one thing that helps keep my sanity (that, and heading back to AZ for the winter) until I can leave for good - I miss the Big Ditch, awesome climate, unbeatable scenery and friendly outdoor people of the southwest, dammit!

-SJ

[Sombeech]

Hey there Sonya. Good to hear from you again! Come out here soon. :2thumbs:

[JP]

canyonphile wrote: quaint New England town of Mystic, CT

I'm a rocks and dirt and canyon person, and there is just none of that in CT - I'll spare everyone my anti-CT rant here
:roflol: :roflol: :roflol: :roflol: :roflol: :roflol: :roflol:
Howdy & Welcome....I feel your pain and know exactly where you're coming from :haha:
At least you have some views of some pretty old ships, real beaches not to far from ya, good seafood and some poisonous mosquitoes :lol8:

I have just been working on some plans to get me out of here. Just have to wait and see on a few things. :mrgreen:

[tanya]

Hi Sonya!!!

I hope you do post more! It's nice to have another lady in here that is a "canyoneer" :five:

[accadacca]

Welcome back and yup, stick around. :nod: :2thumbs:

[abirken]

YAY! Another female to Bogley. Welcome back to the madness!! HAHA!!! Oh and yeah, get your ass back to the West. It's a playground out here and we need more girls in it!!! :2thumbs:

[canyonphile]

Hey, thanks for the welcome back, guys! :wave:

JP - I'm just so shocked that you don't think that CT is the most amaaaazing place! Seems that everyone (or nearly everyone) else that lives here thinks so. I think that's 'cos they haven't been out of the area and don't know any better :haha: .

I've tried to like it here....I really have. But, I don't. And I won't as long as I'm here. It bores the crap out of me, to be honest. People (and I was warned about this by others who knew from personal experience) here are just plain unfriendly; I've never seen anything like it before in my life.

I detest blood sucking insects and humidity, and boy, does New England have both in spades. Talk about a serious buzzkill for wanting to go trail running. Or hiking. Or camping. Funny you mention the mosquitos; those are the least of the offenders to me. The deerflies that go for your eyelids and ears drive me batty (at least the Utah deerflies stick to "below the belt" areas - wear long pants and youse fine!). Worse, however, are the TICKS. They are everywhere in May and part of June. They are revolting on so many levels. My loathing of them is so intense that it's become a joke amongst my boyfriend and friends. I hadn't had a tick bite since I was a kid, until about 6 weeks ago....a camping trip in VT, near Woodstock over Memorial day.

Fun trip, Woodstock is awesome (VT is great). However, the night we got back, I pull a deer tick off of my side and think nothing more about it. About a week later, I start getting really sick and feeling like a piece of hammered crap. Like: I haven't felt that sick in years - I thought I was dying. Then, I had a random thought to check the tick bite site because it was a bit sore. Lo and behold, what do I see, but a 2 1/2" red bullseye rash, aka "erythema migrans".

So, I haven't been bitten by a tick since I was a kid (34 years ago), and the first mo-fo'in tick bite I get infects me with Lyme disease - go me! So yeah, this place hates me as much as I hate it :fitz:

But, I gotta agree wit'cha on the seafood and how amazing it is. Steamer clams, lobster, mussels, scallops, stripers...holy crap, them's good eatin'! :jump_nutt: I love to cook, so that helps.

I personally don't G.A.S. about going to the beach (but we go to RI when we want to go) and the Mystic Seaport was okay, but nothing I need to see again.

So, yeah - I can't wait to get out of here. I actually am going back to AZ for the winter as I just cannot stand spending another winter (Nov - end of March) here. I used to love summers and tolerate winters in AZ, but not now - it's four seasons of SUCK as far as I'm concerned. There are brief, fleeting periods when it's pleasant here: late spring and early fall. That's it.

Abirken/mountain Betty: you bet I will be getting my ass back to the southwest ASAP! We speak of it constantly. We were in Denver last fall for a wedding and I seriously did NOT want to come home. The aspen were turning and it was glorious fall weather in the Rockies. I was moody and cranky for several days after I got back. No es bueno.

-SJ

[JP]

canyonphile wrote: JP - I'm just so shocked that you don't think that CT is the most amaaaazing place!
* Shocked, look at all the things you hate about Connecticut, I’m laughing as I read your statement. :haha: These are some of the reasons I hate it as well. :mrgreen:

* Yes, in general, people here are not friendly. :nono: In most places they feel since they have money, that’s all they need and they love to exploit that. :roll: And everybody is always in a hurry here to go nowhere. This is such a fast paced area it’s incredible. When it comes to attitudes, I would say we’re not the friendly New Englander’s as others may see New England. We’re more of the Tri-State attitude, New York, New Jersey and us.

* Yea, the bugs can be nasty, but thank gosh we don’t get the black flies that northern New England gets in spring. And nobody thinks that Connecticut gets humid, boy are they wrong. It gets sticky here. :haha:

* Yes, Ticks have to be one of the worst things to encounter on leisurely trip outdoors. They’re everywhere and I have a good feeling it’s because of our huge Whitetail population. I carry Repel Sportsman in my truck and fishing gear. I don’t go anywhere without it. :coo2l:

* Lyme Disease...You’re right down the road from Lyme, CT. Just where that nasty disease got its name from. Don’t ya feel special? :mrgreen:

* Oh yea, SEAFOOD is great here...Hands Down! That’s it, I’m having lobster tonight!!! :2thumbs:

* I’m not a beach person either, but Misquamicut beaches have a lot going on. The nightlife, bars and restaurants are all pretty good. I don’t know if you’re into buffet’s, the
NORDIC LODGE (clicky) is one great buffet. All you can eat seafood. I remember going there back in high school and it was cheap, not so cheap anymore at $75 a person and a two hour time limit...no that’s funny. :haha:

* The most I hear people say as a positive about Connecticut is having the four seasons. Having a shorter winter than the rest of New England, but still having a very colorful Fall.I could care less about the four seasons, I’ve seen enough of them, living here all of my life. As far as Winter, it does suck. We don’t have cold Winters and we still have that humidity factor that keeps our snow, wet and heavy. PIA not having powder. Then it melts during the days and freezes over the roads at night. It’s a mess here in the Winters. I don’t care to see another one either and I may not have to this coming Winter. I hope it all pans out. :nod:

[Richard Barron]

Oh, yeah, I remember Sonya!