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Today, I joined friends on a drive to Windblown, a x-country ski center in New Ipswich, NH, just over the Massachusetts border somewhere west of Townsend. It took us about 45 minutes to get there, but we were hopeful that the conditions would be good for our first ski-outing of the season, and we weren’t disappointed. The parking lot was full, so I was afraid that the trails would be crowded, but once we got out we rarely saw more than 2 or 3 other skiers at a time. With 25 miles of trails, there is plenty of room to spread out! It was moderately hilly, which gave us a good workout, and we enjoyed a great view of Mt. Monadnock after one of the steeper climbs. Windblown is a small, family-run business that has been in operation since 1972. They have a friendly, relaxed style; a comfortable lodge with both a woodstove and a fireplace; and plenty of space for enjoying a picnic lunch – all for $16 a person ($10 for students, children under 8 can ski free). I was left wondering why I had never heard of this place before today, but now that I’ve experienced Windblown, I’m definitely going back.