"High Points" along the trails I've visited during July. 2020.

• Barrack Matiff Plateau, Appalachian Trail
• Billy's View, Appalachian Trail
• Giants Thumb, Appalachian Trail
• Rand's View, Appalachian Trail
• Limestone Spring Gorge, Appalachian Trail
• Pinnacle, Metacomet Trail (NET), Penwood State Park, CT
• Nick's Hill, Metacomet Trail, West Suffield, CT
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, West Suffield, CT
• Copper/Peak Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Granby, CT
• Silver Hill, Appalachian Trail
• Fuller Mountain, Appalachian Trail
• Caleb's Peak, Appalachian Trail
• St. John Ledges, Appalachian Trail
• Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook, Appalachian Trail
• Mt Algo, Appalachian Trail
• Indian Rock, Appalachian Trail

5.5-mile run into work between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

3.9-miles along Main Street early morning.

On this day in 2005...

Tippi and I ran the Savoy General Store Marathon.  It was lengthy, over 29-miles I believe.  From Haskins Road to the General Store, which brought us all the way over to Windsor Jambs, we had the company of "Max", a friendly dog we picked up at Loop & Haskins intersection. 

Tippi along the trails of Savoy, 2005.

Oddly, each time we came to an intersection on the trail, "Max" knew which way we were planning on turning (even though he lead).  He managed this for 9 - 10 miles.

Total for the day was roughly 29.30-miles in 6:17:52.  It was my 29th completed marathon, and Tippi's 3rd.  After finishing, I met Jane Phinney in the Savoy Town Offices;  she was the Savoy Town Clerk and is the author of  "Taking the High Road". 

Music 2020...

Effort #31,  "Cleansing Spirits of Heaviness"...  seventh and final mind-melting exploration from the Dark Heart Duo's Cleansing Spirits Session, recorded September 6th, 2019.

A hot 3.9-miles along Main Street during mid-morning.

When the day began, all I had left of the Connecticut Section of the Appalachian Trail is south from Route 341 in Kent to Hoyt Road in Sherman.  This, according to the Connecticut Walk Book, measures out at 12.7-miles.  Other sources call it slightly less.

I set off as early as I could, as it was to be a very hot one again today.  I hoped to run for 5 or 6-miles, before turning back for my out and back.

It was already warm, and humid at my start.  The climb up Mt Algo all the way to Indian Rock in the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, roughly 3-miles, was a chore.

Speaking of the Schaghticoke's, a little research reveals:

Schaghticoke Tribal Nation

Schaghticoke Indian Tribe

Schaghticoke First Nations

After a series of many up's and down's, and the presence of many balanced / perched rocks along the route, I finally encountered a "runnable" section that opened to a majestic overlook (Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook) to the south at 5.75-miles.  A great spot to turnaround.

Along the way back, I managed to take a fall, hitting my head on a branch and "...knocked the tar out me" as my friend Paul H used to say.  It was also really hot by this point, and the climbs were crushers today.  I managed to push through the final 3.5-miles or so, but it wasn't pretty.

Ended the day with 11.6-miles, and despite the difficulty I had (mostly due to the heat, I believe), I would like to re-visit this section of the Appalachian Trail.  I captured many balanced rocks in photographs, but on the return I believe I noticed a few more slightly off the trail.  These are worth documenting.

There were many views, and Thayer Brook was running with some water...  during a "wetter" year I imagine this would be a beautiful stream.

AT Path between rocks, 1-mile out from Rt 341

First View of the Day off Algo, roughly 2-miles from 341

View off Mt Algo, roughly 2.5-miles from 341

Indian Rock, roughly 3-miles in from 341

Indian Rock

Indian Rock

Indian Rock

View within the Schaghticoke Reservation

Balanced Rock on Schaghticoke Mountain

Balanced Rock on Schaghticoke Mountain

Another Balanced Rock on Schaghticoke Mountain

Balanced Rock on Schaghticoke Mountain

View south from Schaghticoke Mountain

View south from Schaghticoke Mountain

View south from Schaghticoke Mountain

View south from Schaghticoke Mountain

View south from Schaghticoke Mountain

Heading back toward Mt Algo

Old news department...

On this day in 2009, Tippi and I explored the Robert Frost Trail through Sunderland and Amherst (I think).  It was a day after a really hard rain, so the brooks and streams were really roaring.  We ended up losing a bunch of time "off trail" around Eastman Brook.

We parked at Amethyst Brook and did a bit south, then north to the foot of Bull Hill.  Outstanding area that I would like to return to.

This was my 43rd completed marathon and Tippi's 14th.  The run took us 6:03:58 to finish.

5.5-miles on another humid morning, this time to work.

3-miles prior to work along a humid Main Street.

Also, in remembrance of Wuzzam's dog Sam... RIP July 22nd, 2019...

Sam was my dog Tippi's best friend, and the only dog she ever gave way to.  Sam was just so big and strong, Tips realized and respected that.  What a beautiful pair of animals they were as they ran freely though the woods with us.  I will remember them splashing in the streams we came across, Tippi yapping away at Sam because he fetched the stick first (or grabbed it out of her mouth).  Time goes on but I truly miss them both, still.

Sam on the Nipmuck, February 2016

At Pixie Falls, with Wuzzam

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #30 for 2020...

"New Hope for the Dead", Charles Willeford's 1985 continuation to the Hoke Mosely's story.

Black Lizard Vintage Crime Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover

Music 2020...

Effort #30,  "Cinnamon Girl"...  sixth slab of sonic mayhem from the Dark Heart Duo's Cleansing Spirits Session, recorded September 6th, 2019.

Run with the Wuzzam in Shenipsit State Forest.  We managed to explore a path we hadn't covered before, which was fun.  Finished with 6.1-miles.

I am still working on completing the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut, and today I would connect to last week's end point on the Housatonic River Walk section.

I parked on Route 341 in Kent, and worked north over Fuller Mountain, Caleb's Peak and the St. John Ledges, before turning around and returning to my vehicle.  Completed 9.9-miles, and managed an early enough start to be finished by 11:00 a.m., before it really got hot today.

Start at Route 341

Entry through field at Route 341

Two Balanced / Perched Rocks side-by-side along AT 

View off Fuller Mountain

Balanced / Perched Rock on AT

Balanced / Perched Rock on AT

Caleb's Peak

Caleb's Peak

Caleb's Peak

Caleb's Peak

Caleb's Peak

St John's Ledges

St John's Ledges

St John's Ledges

St John's Ledges

St John's Ledges

Stairs climbing St John's Ledges

Macedonia Brook and Mt Algo

Also, on this day in 2008, I completed the Hallockville Pond - Mt Institute Marathon with Wuzzam and Tippi.  The 25+ miles were completed in 5:29:07, and we ended the day with a dip in Hallockville Pond.  This was my 38th completed marathon, and Tippi's 12th.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #29 for 2020...

"Miami Blues" the 1984 introduction to Hoke Mosely as written by Charles Willeford.

Black Lizard Vintage Crime Cover

Alt Cover

Run on North Main Street before 7 a.m., completed 3-miles.

Morning run along South Main Street, 3-miles.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #28 for 2020...

"The Long Goodbye" published in 1953, from Raymond Chandler, continuing the Marlowe tales.

Black Lizard Vintage Crime Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover