I was back at the same location where the previous day's run ended, West Road in Ashfield, Mass. I hope to attempt a marathon from Bullitt Reservation to Williamsburg Depot sometime in early November. I verified that Section One from Bullitt to the West Road crossing was right around 5-miles yesterday.
Today I would run through the Second Section, from West Road through the Daughter's of American Revolution State Forest to Lower Highland Lake, at East Street in Goshen. It was foggy again, but no drizzle today. It was very humid to start, despite the cool temperatures.
The run along the Ashfield Trails section to the feeder to the Long Trail was in decent shape, with some high water levels early on. Some of the mountain bike bridges are submerged due to the wet weather we have been having. The Long Trail was in great condition, I've been on it recently enough, as was the trail to the entrance at Upper Highland Lake fishing area.
From here, I had planned on using the Boat Launch Road Trail to the Sunset Trail. This was were Tips and I had parked in 2013 for our Marathon, that dog really loved the DAR woods. The Sunset Trail looks like trouble right now, as at about a half-mile in dozens of white pine have fallen as blow-downs. There is the beginnings of a "go-around" to get through the mess, but it is much scrambling and climbing over massive trees for a quarter-mile or so, with the trail difficult to follow.
I bushwhacked up to Camp Howe Road to join Camp Howe Trail and the White Pine Trail, and realized that I'd have to avoid the Sunset Trail, despite my desire to use it. The easy alternative will be to avoid the last bit along Upper Highland Lake, and head south along the Boat Launch Road to Camp Howe Road, to the Howe Trail & White Pine Trail location. It may end up losing a half-mile off the total of the run, so nothing severe.
The rest of it went fine, intersected Headquarters Road off White Pine and witnessed the large gang of men gathering for their annual Dungeons and Dragons Festival at Camp Howe. This is the second time I've run into these guys, it is great to see young people having fun in the woods.
On the way back, I ran through the campground, and I recalled all our years of camping and how much I miss it. Someday, we'll be back, I hope. It looks like the end of the season, as only about a fourth of the spots were occupied. I took the Darling Trail back to Moore Hill Road, and noticed a cellar hole along the way, which I'd never noticed before.
Ended the day with 9.4-miles, and really good scouting regarding the condition of the Sunset Trail. I have time to adjust going forward.
Section 2 of the planned Bullitt - DAR - 'Burgy Marathon
Beaver Dam along the Ashfield Trails section
Gazebo along trail at Upper Highland Lake
Upper Highland Lake
Cellar Hole along the Darling Trail
Sections 1 & 2 of the planned Bullitt - DAR - 'Burgy Marathon
