It looked like the severe rain and thunderstorms would happen late enough so that I could take a run in Cowles Park, East Granby between my normal work day and the evening meeting I needed to attend.  

It was crowded at Cowles, perhaps 20 or more mountain bikers rambling around the trails.  I grabbed a quick 3.2-miles on a sort-of loop, and felt satisfied.  Making my way back to running during the week is a challenge, between often longish work-hours and my energy.  So any time I am getting out, I celebrate it.

Kissing Trees

As the training improves, my fitness improves, and confidence grows.  The idea of a "marathon" is active in my mind.  My list for the near future is as follows, in alphabetical order:

2017 - 2020 Marathon Planning

Appalachian Trail  from Salisbury to Mt. Everett and back.

Ashfield Trails.

Bash Bish Falls and the South Taconic Trail.

Charlemont Trails & Berkshire East.

DAR State Forest.

Granville State Forest to Tunxis Trail thru to Satan's Kingdom.

Greylock Marathon. 

Hoosac Range.

Mahican Mohawk from Route 2 North Adams to Charlemont.

McLean Reservation including Holcomb Farm & possibly Enders.

Metacomet from Robinson State Park to Hueblin Tower.

Mohawk Trail State Forest, Negus, Monroe Bridge, and Monroe.

Nipmuck and Natchaug combo.

Robert Frost Trail from Mt. Toby to Wendell State Forest.

Shenipsit (Bald Mountain to Soapstone to Whitiker Woods).

Taconic Crest including the Snow Hole.

Yukon Ridge (Lenox, Pittsfield with BNRC trail).

 

Old Marathon News...

On this day in 2009, Wuzzam and I completed a McClean Reservation Marathon in roughly five hours.   This was my 39th marathon completed.  I recall it being a fairly easy day for us.

Out to Somers to Whitiker Woods, with K2 and Wuzzam.  6.6-miles prior to the predicted rain.  We ran into two friendly labs and one great big Saint Bernard.  The owners were friendly folks as well.

One thing that I am now aware of is the online maps for Whitiker and McCann are not truly reflective of what is built out there now.  I'll have to update something in ArcMap with all the trails for reference.

Initial Climb up a fern-lined path.

My favorite section of trail, slightly to the west of Shady Brook.

High point of the day, at 621'.

Wonderful stonewall lined trail; this area really is impressive.

Wuzzam at the sign, which we all thought was new.

On my way to visit my folks, I stopped off on Route 116 in Savoy, to run a loop through Windsor along Bush Road, Upper Road, Ridge Road, Middle Road, Windigo Road, and Bush Cemetery Road.  Totaled up at 4.8-miles.

One of the old sites passed by was Camp Windigo, which seems to have been demolished since my last visit.  Here is some old information detailing it's history.

Part of this run has been used in the past when we would complete a Whitcomb Summit to Windsor Jambs run, or when the Wuzzam and I completed the Dunbar-Whitcomb-Jambs Marathon on September 7th, 2014.  Beautiful area, old roads somewhat grown in, part of Windsor State Forest and the old Camp Windigo.

Took a few moments to admire the Bush Cemetery, established in 1798.  Ended the day with a wonderful visit with the folks in Adams.

A look at the cemetery gate and sign

 A view of the cemetery including the old Maples

 An interesting rock, what kind of shape do you make it out to be?

Also on this day in 1995 I completed my 6th marathon, Vermont City.  I finished in 3:08, and qualified for the 100th runnig of the Boston Marathon.

Took a drive to Barkhamsted, to Peoples State Forest, with hopes of completing a decently long route.  Finished the day with 11.2-miles, and plenty of climb.  I call it a success.

Along the way, I enjoyed the following:

• I crested Ragged Mountain twice.
• Dropped down to the Barkhamsted Lighthouse Village Archeological Preserve.
• Climbed up the waterfall back to the Jesse Gerard Trail.
• Topped out at the first peak on Gerard, with a fine view west and south.
• Climbed over Chaugham Peak.
• Continued through a passageway between two giant stones.
• Visited Big Spring.
• Passed by Beaver Meadow.

Start of the Journey over Ragged Mtn on the Elliot Bronson Trail

 Lighthouse Trail Head, part of the Falls Cutoff Trail from Jesse Gerard

 Waterfall toward the middle of the climb

 

 Top of the Waterfall

 First Crest of Jesse Gerard, view southwest with Farmington River

 View from the Top of Chaugham Peak

 Through the Passage

 An old Cellar Hole along Charles Pack Trail

 Route for the day

Visited the Metacomet on Route 20 again today, but went south to explore and hopefully connect side-trails.  Completed a little over 3-miles (3.2) and successfully followed the side-trails to re-establish with the main corridor.

I am puzzled and amazed by stonewalls going up or down a steep slope.

Music 2017...

Here is effort #15, You Blister My Paint...

This was a song I wrote after reading "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess, during the summer of 1984.

The Primitives played it fairly often, but this was just Skip and I upstairs at a church in Williamstown. I sang, played rhythm guitar and bass. Skippy delivered the organ and lead guitar.

 

Going back to this day in 2002, I had photographs from Bigelow Hollow State Park... 

The Old Goat, Cemetery Man & Wuzzam at Mashapaug Pond

Old Goat & Cemetery Man crossing the swamp (before re-route)

 

Another after work run, again on the Metacomet but from Route 20 in Granby.  Really nice night, and I stayed inspired enough to complete 3.7-miles.

Copper/Peak Mountain, with Hueblin in the background.

 An open view west through the trees.

 Looking at the quarry in West Suffield (Manitook Mountain).

After work left me time for an easy 3.1-miles on the Metacomet from Phelps Road north to the first stonewall crossing.  Decent night in the low 70's for temperature, not too humid, but the bugs were busy.

View after the high point, about a mile out.

My riding companions.

On this day in 2006, I completed a Tunxis Marathon in 5:41:50.  I had Johnny Bandit along for company, as well as Tippi.  It would be my 32nd marathon completed, and Tippi's 8th.

Music 2017...

Here is effort #14, Today...

Back to the Dark Heart Duo, from July 2016 at Crown Street.

Jon Evil and I trying to recreate the sounds of the Jefferson Airplane playing live; we enjoyed and simplified with just drums and acoustic guitar.

A mid-day run in McLean with high sixties for a temperature.  I managed to finish the 4.6-mile loop in 52:50, which is my best effort on this course.  I also totaled over 40 miles for the week, which I doubt I've done in 3 or 4 years.

Additionally, on this day in 2005, I completed my 26th marathon (and Tippi's 2nd) at the Mount Greyklock Marathon '05 version {AKA Molitori 50th Birthday Bash & Annual Celibacy Run}.  Total time of 6:47:02.  Five out of twelve starters completed the full 26.2-miles.

Early start with K2, to the Metacomet on Phelps Road.  I thought I would make another attempt at the 8-mile route to Copper/Peak Mountain and back to Phelps.  Last week I averaged 4.5-mph, finishing around 1:47:00.  The weather was perfect for me, and I had a great run of 1:41:000.  It is always nice to enjoy some improvement.

Looking south from Copper Mountain toward Talcott Mountain

Today's Route...

Fifteen years ago today, May 20th, 2002, there was a snowstorm in Adams and I took a run up Greylock to celebrate.

Tippi at the split between Cheshire Harbor and Old Adams Road

The Cabin at the pond along the AT

Through the window

The Greylock Summit

The Henry David Thoreau Stone

Back at the base, Cheshire Harbor Trail Head parking area

I've had it in mind to find the Williamsburg Balanced Rock again.  I say again because I found it by accident once before, between 2006 and 2008, when running in Conway State Forest.  The thing is, I always thought it was in Conway, but in actuality it is in Williamsburg.

I have been out at least a couple times over the past 3 or 4 years half-way thinking of finding the Balanced Rock again, but this forest tends to make me wander.  Which makes finding the Rock difficult.

This time, I researched my old notes and had a decent idea of where the spot was and the a trail that once lead to it.  Didn't really help as you can see by the map - the white line is my total search, and the red line is a "good path" leading to the Balanced Rock and two trail-heads.  The end result is that I did locate it, by rambling and intersecting the old trail north of the rock.  Perseverance does pay off, as I spent 2.5-hrs over 6.6-miles and 2000' of climbing.  The Rock is a real beauty, and I'm glad I spent time in the forest looking for it.

The one benefit of searching and wandering, is that I came across some incredible large stone walls deep and high in this forest.  Really interesting arrays of work, I hope to revisit someday.

Temperature's were reaching the mid-90's today, and my legs were telling me a day off of running would be rejuvenating.  Ended the afternoon with a drive with DL to Southwick, Granville and East Granby, with a stop at Gran-Val Scoop, which is my favorite spot for ice-cream.

The Mill in the Meadow, Granville, Massachusetts

Gran-Val Scoop, Farm Fresh Home Made Ice Cream

My newest little buddy

 

Out with Wuzzam this morning, to Shenipsit.  From Galbreath Road we figured we would motor out towards Hill 999, then drop a bit before climbing back up the Pinnacle, and then Bald.  We were worn out by the end, it did get warm today during our 7.6-miles.  Enjoyable day with my friend.

Wuzzam showing the odd carving in one of two large boulders along route.

 Looking east from the Pinnacle

 Pathway today

Always on the lookout to expand the route (or circled world) and my familiarity with the route, I took a ride to Penwood with the intention of exploring the Talcott Mountain side of the Metacomet (or, as it is newly designated, the New England Trail).

I've been on this section before, but other than tackling the route up to the Hueblin Tower, I was feeling underwhelmed.  On the return, and the search for the blue/red trail, I really was down.  The wide road and occasional trap-rock gravel roads underneath the power-lines stunk.  I lost the blue/red path somehow, but stumbled upon a fantastic alternative single track that will get the job done.  It basically joins in at the north end of the reservoir, and showcases some incredibly large stone structures.  There is a nice brook to cross, and it joins up with the problematic blue/red near that trails joining with the blue-blazed Metacomet.  Mission accomplished, with a total of 8.3-miles and 1700' climb done in two-hours.

Today's Talcott route for potential Marathon

   Signage from trail head at Route 185

 Not quite at the Tower, but on the way

Talcott Mountain's Hueblin Tower

 There are many of these chimneys along the Metacomet Trail in CT