Here we are, once again at the end of another year, and more specifically another end of The Trustees of Reservations "Hike 125" challenge.

Last year I had a late start, managed 83.2 miles, and ended in 35th place.  This year, despite the full 8.5 months, I just didn't drive into Massachusetts to run at Trustees of Reservation locations that often.  2019's leader-board has me in 44th place, with 59.1 total miles. 

I hope that the challenge will exist again in 2020, and I do expect to take the challenge again.

From the Trustees website, it is mentioned that "Everyone who hikes more than 25 miles will receive a patch to celebrate your Hike 125 pride!"

"The Trustees of Reservations preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts."

Music 2019...

Effort #56,  My Friend the Reverend, with his Lady Edie, performing "Amazing Grace".

Ran from Suffield to Windsor Locks and back, basically in a big loop for 8.8-miles.

This left me at my goal for yearly mileage, 1200.3 total miles.  I had set 1200 as a number I felt could be possible if things went well.

Ran along the Metacomet from Route 20 north, almost to the corner of Phelps & Mountain Road...  but I took the ROW to Mountain and rambled along the road back to the car.

Total of 9-miles.

Drove out to Hoosick Falls, New York with DL to meet my folks for our beef pickup.

Just like the trip from February, we took the Mass Pike to Route 22, and along that at some point DL remembered a club she once new of built like a boat, named, you guessed it, "Showboat".

Once back to Connecticut, I rambled around the roads for 4-miles.

Just 3-miles on Main Street after work, in the dark.

Merry Christmas!

Late afternoon ramble along the Metacomet, checking the trail against icy conditions. 

All in all, trail was decent, managed 4.3-miles.

Spent a few hours in the evening at Runsteveo's new place in West Suffield.

View south off Peak / Copper Mountain

Old Newgate Prison

Old Newgate Prison

3.4-mile along the Mather Loop.

Music 2019...

Effort #55,  Second late summer recording of "I Still Haven't Found What I Was Looking For".

Too icy for the woods, so I stuck to the roads, managing 5.2-miles on the Mather Loop.

Hill Street Extended Loop again, on the very cold and icy side...   9.7-miles.

4-mile run along Main Street before a trip to visit the folks.

3-mile run along Main Street in the early morning...  12-degrees.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #32 for 2019...   Gregory McDonald's "Confess, Fletch".  

This is the second installment of Irwin Maurice Fletcher, of the "Fletch" series.  Written in 1976.

Music 2019...

Effort #54,  Another late summer recording, "Transparent Radiation".

Most of the morning and early afternoon spent at St Francis, where DL had a procedure completed.  

Took a run on Main Street in the early evening for 3-miles.

Met up with Wuzzam and the Old Goat today, figured we would attempt to run from Old Turnpike Road (just off Route 44) in Mansfield, to a turn-a-round point at Perry Hill Road in Ashford.  Basically, we were running the first-half of the historic Nipmuck Marathon, out and back.

No snow or ice to bother us at all, mid forties, lots of wet areas.  Ended up with a nice 12.4-miles.

Foundations

Foundations

A new bridge named after an old friend

Old Grave?

Friends and Long Distance Running Partners

Just about over with the running today

Heavy Rain most of the day, managed 5.4-mile Mather Loop around 11 a.m.

As the cold rain began to fall, I shuffled through McLean Refuge for 3.7-miles.

Still Snowy in McLean

9.7-Mile Run along the Hill Street Extended Loop.

3-Mile Run along Main Street in the dark.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #31 for 2019...  "Down Here", the 2004 continuation of the Burke novels, by Andrew Vachss.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime Edition Cover

Music 2019...

Effort #53,  Late summer recording of "I Still Haven't Found What I Was Looking For".  Teter, our Amazon Yellow Naped Parrot is singing background.

7-mile Hill Street Loop in the morning; then a drive to visit my folks.

8-mile run around town on the roads.

Another snowshoe day in McLean, 5.6-miles.

Entry at Canton Road

First Snowshoe of the year, 4.6-mile romp around McLean Refuge.

Plank Crossing on Bissell Brook

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #30 for 2019...  "Double Indemnity",   the 1943 novel by James Cain.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime Edition Cover

Here are my accomplishments for November 2019.

November 2019 High Points:

• Stony Hill, McLean Refuge, Simsbury & Granby, CT
• Westledge/West Hill, McLean Refuge, Simsbury & Granby, CT
• Eddy Loop Climb, McLean Refuge, Simsbury & Granby, CT
• Weed Hill, McLean Refuge, Simsbury & Granby, CT
• Metacomet Ridge, Cowles Park, East Granby, CT
• Little Mount Tom, Mt Tom Reservation, Easthampton, MA
• Big View, Williamsburg Trails, Williamsburg, MA
• Unquemonk Hill, Williamsburg Trails, Williamsburg, MA
• Petticoat Hill, Williamsburg Trails, Williamsburg, MA
• Scott Hill, Williamsburg Trails, Williamsburg, MA
• Battlecock Hill, Chesterfield - Williamsburg, MA
• Soapstone Mountain, Shenipsit State Forest, Somers, CT
• Kelly Hill, Metacomet / New England Trail, Agawam, MA
• Provin Mountain, Metacomet / New England Trail, Agawam, MA
• Harts Pond Hill, Metacomet / New England Trail, Southwick, MA
• Nicks Hill, Metacomet Ridge, West Suffield, CT
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Ridge, West Suffield, CT
• Peak/Copper Mountain, Metacomet Ridge, West Suffield, CT

Music 2019...

Effort #52,  The twelfth piece from the July 21st, 2019  "Heat of the Day Session" by the Dark Heart Duo, "Just One Time".

3.4-mile run just as the snow began to fall, around the Bridge Street - Wisteria - Kent loop.