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Hudson~Litchfield News
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Volume 21 Number 15 October 29, 2010 20 Pages Biking Through the USA
submitted by The Bartletts Pam and Arthur Bartlett, lifetime residents of Hudson and Alvirne High graduates of 1962, completed their second cross-country bicycling trek on Wednesday, September 22, to accomplish a long-awaited goal. Their previous cross-country tour began in 2006 in Seattle, WA, and was temporarily called off at the Mississippi River due to Arthur having an Achilles tendon injury. That trip was completed in 2007. This second trip actually started back in 1994, leaving from Newport, OR, and ending in Lincoln, NE, biking some 1,800 miles before returning home for their business needs. Pam and Arthur returned to the same point in Nebraska last year to make the second leg of their trip, ending in Ohio due to bad weather, and the third and final leg from Ohio to home was accomplished this year. For both of them, it has been a long-anticipated ambition to cross the county twice, and a great feeling of accomplishment. Pam and Arthur began bicycling around
town when they were in their 30s, riding four to five miles a few times a week. They started taking it more seriously when they turned 40. As time progressed, 50-mile treks became a frequent occurrence, and after a few more years, they were planning long-haul excursions averaging 300 to 400 miles. Over the years, in addition to their recent cross-country feats, they have twice biked from Orlando, FL, to Hudson; from St. Paul, MN, to Baton Rogue, LA, following the Mississippi River; and from Seattle, WA, to San Diego, CA, along the Pacific Coast Highway. This was one of their longer and more difficult rides, taking six weeks and covering 2,200 miles. They have also done
Arthur and Pam Bartlett start their ride in Bellingham, WA, along the Pacific coastline
numerous shorter trips to Toronto, Atlantic City, Niagara Falls, and Key West. They’ve bicycled thousands of miles throughout New England and continue these local trips in preparation for longer journeys. One of their favorites is the Five Notches ride through the White Mountains in three days, which is a good preparation for any ride. Starting in Bethlehem and going through Crawford, Pinkham, and Evans Notches and across the Kancamagus and then through the Franconia Notch is a great challenge right here in New Hampshire. Arthur states, “Pam and I are very grateful for all we’ve seen and experienced … for both the memories and the struggles we have shared together on our bicycles. Crossing the Tetons, the Continental Divide and numerous other ranges in Oregon and Washington, and the cliffs along the West Coast has provided memories that will never fade.” They recall a few riding highlights of some extremes … • Best day: any day on a bike ride, no matter where …
• Worst day: trip to emergency room in Arnold, MO, when a car struck Pam
• Hottest day: 110 degrees in the high desert of Idaho … ran out of water … not good!
Te Bartletts, back home again in Hudson
• Coldest day: Crossing the Continental Divide in a snowstorm into Dubois, WY
• Longest day: 137 miles into Key West, FL … terrific tailwind!
• Fastest day: 16 miles an hour with a loaded bike in Montana ... more great tailwinds!
• Longest down hill: 30 miles on the eastern side of the Ocheco range in Oregon
• Longest up hill: over the Tetons, 20 miles of incline with a final 10-degree climb at the top
• Estimated mileage over 30 years of cycling: 60,000 miles For anyone looking for a sport that you can participate in at almost any age, for exercise or for stress-relief, biking is a terrific choice. If can be started at a slow pace and you can move forward as you desire. For those who want to pursue bicycling touring, inspiration and resources are available from the Adventure Cycling Association, which has most of the USA mapped out for the safest routes crisscrossing the continent. Even Google Maps has added bicycle routes to its choices. For off-road interest, there are thousands of miles of newly created off-road trails, and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a non-profit organization whose mission is “to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.” Check it out!
Local Citizen Honored
by Doug Robinson Tim Marshall of Atomic Tree Service in Hudson
was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Hudson Board of Selectmen for his actions during the rescue of a 15-year-old child who was stuck 75 feet up in a tree. The heavy knock on his door awoke Tim at 12:30 a.m. Knocking was the Hudson Police Department, who sought Tim’s help to participate in rescuing the youth. “He is a modern-day Tarzan,” commented Hudson Police Captain Bill Avery. “He just strapped on the climbing spike to his boots, and up the tree he went—hand over hand, never looking down, and never stopping until he reached the tree’s summit. He never once thought about the dangers of the mission, the wind blowing, the rain, or the challenge. Unbelievable.” “I’ve got him!” shouted Tim from 75 feet above. It was 2:05 a.m., and while the tree swayed with the blowing winds, Tim secured “Billy” to his harness and yelled down, “Boy is secure.” According to Captain Avery, “it was music to my ears” and everyone cheered and yelled with exclamations of joy. The youth was safe and would be coming home safely.
HOURS
Hudson & Litchfield Sunday, Oct. 31 6-8p.m.
Proposed
Litchfield School Reductions
by Lynne Ober The Litchfield School District will lose approximately $2 million in school aid under a new funding formula that is the result of the Londonderry lawsuit filed years ago over educational funding.
In order to make the community aware of what will be affected if the Board decides to cut programming rather than pass a large tax increase onto residents, the Board has been holding informative sessions that allow for community interaction. Below is a summary of the proposed cuts and the proposed increases in revenue.
Budgeted Griffin Memorial School (GMS) Reductions: Total Reductions of $547,323 • Eliminate assistant principal ($94,507) • Eliminate 2 classroom teachers ($111,597) • Eliminate 6.5 program paraprofessionals ($120,103) • Eliminate 1 monitor ($5,713) • Eliminate guidance, librarian, and nurses’ extra days ($7,620) • Eliminate summer reading program ($6,639) • Eliminate 1 custodian ($45,394) • Return grade 3 portable ($12,750 in 2011) • Eliminate one-time building & grounds repair projects ($143,000) Budgeted Litchfield Middle School (LMS) Reductions Total Reductions of $360,195 • Eliminate 2 grade-level classroom teachers ($155,172) • Eliminate 2 special education teachers ($127,756) • Move chorus program to co-curricular activity ($29,253) • Eliminate guidance, librarian, and nurses’ extra days ($8,002) • Eliminate 1 custodian ($40,012) Budgeted Campbell High School (CHS) Reductions Total Reductions of $508,966 • Eliminate 4 classroom teachers ($208,921) • Reduce full-time world language teacher to part-time ($32,015)
• Eliminate 2 special education teachers ($129,537) • Eliminate curriculum facilitator positions ($9,724) • Eliminate librarian and nurses’ extra days ($4,331) • Eliminate library paraprofessional ($11,385) • Eliminate part-time guidance counselor ($20,124) • Eliminate 2 program paraprofessionals ($49,037) • Eliminate special education administrative assistant ($12,016) • Eliminate adult education program ($6,608) • Reduce full-time custodian to part-time ($25,268) Budgeted District-wide Reductions Total Reductions of $153,497 • Eliminate 1 speech pathologist ($88,146) • Eliminate 1 certified occupational therapist assistant ($13,440)
• Eliminate all national conferences ($12,475) • Eliminate paper distribution of district newsletter ($2,100) • Eliminate 1 regular transportation bus ($37,336) And, finally, the School Board is proposing to increase
revenues by enacting the following items: • LMS athletics pay-to-participate ($100 per sport, per student) ($19,200)
• CHS athletics pay-to-participate ($150 per sport, per student) ($49,320)
• Increase CHS parking fees from $5 to $75 ($10,900) • Increase CHS bus tickets from $63 to $100 ($6,623) • Assess a $100 per-week fee for summer camps ($1,000) • Assess a $1,000 per-season fee to all town organizations for use of buildings and fields ($17,000)
• Use high school impact fee monies towards Campbell bond principal payments ($340,000 in 2011 only) These increases in revenues will be paid by users of the
programs and, if enacted, will raise an additional $440,043 to offset the loss of state aid. Parents and residents were invited to offer suggestions, ask questions, and make comments.
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Chief Jason Lavoie stands with Tim Marshall as he receives his award from Selectman Ken Massey Writer’s note: The 15-year-old boy’s name, denoted as Billy, has been changed to protect privacy. We’ve Worked To:
Balance the budget with minimized harm to services
Pass the WARNAct requiring advance notice of layoffs
Pass the New Hampshire Working jobs initiative to avoid layoffs, put the unemployed back to work, and provide training for new job skills
Strengthen environmental protections by increasing penalties for oil spills, water pollution, and safe drinking water violations
With Governor John Lynch, We’ll Continue to:
Make our economy stronger Put working people back to work
Lower property taxes without a sales or income tax
Fight for the health and safety of NH families
We Care About People and Families
Combined, we have contributed over 30 years of volunteer and elected service. We value and respect the people and families of District 27.
F.A. John Knowles
courtesy photos
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