Music 2020...

Effort #49,  "Grinding Down"...  the seventh piece from September 12th, 2020 session, known collectively as the "Ground Down" E.P.

Union, Connecticut at the Nipmuck State Forest with Wuzzam and Old Goat for 7.4-miles.

And on this day in 2019...

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon

November 29th, 2019 - Granby & Simsbury, Connecticut

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon day in Granby and Simsbury, Connecticut.  

Not a lot of build-up for this, I was thinking an attempt at the Bullitt Reservation / DAR / Williamsburg Route, but two cars are necessary for that attempt and I had but one today.  I would be solo.

I got a good running start at just a little after 9:00 a.m., with two water plants plus the refill opportunity at my vehicle which was returned to around mile 8 or so.  

Rambled through McLean to the beginnings of the hills (Westledge, Pilfershire, West Mountain, Eddy, and Weed Hill) at 12.5-miles at 5.5-mph (which was an incredible pace for me).

Once the hills were finished, and I entered into Holcomb Farm Trails, I was still at 5-mph, which had me feeling really energized.  I was moving really well, running strong on everything other than the long steady climb up Westledge, the steepest portions of Eddy, and then the bushwhack type footing up Weed Hill.

Things slowed a bit through Holcomb, especially once crossing Simsbury Road.  The trail from there to the re-entry into McLean proper hasn't seen much traffic, had many leaves covering the roots, and I was beginning to tire.

I hung on to complete the 25.6-miles (gps measured, so this should be easily over 26.2) in 5:13:00.  Just dipped under 5 mph average to a 4.9.  Awesome performance on my third marathon of 2019, and 57th overall.

Finally another opportunity to run this week, and not only was it a fantastic day weather-wise, it also ended up being a really enjoyable run.  Took a big loop through McLean and Holcomb Farm, ended up with 11.8-miles at roughly 5.3-mph.

The Fall's Mark E. Smith -

"..."rock & roll isn’t even music really. It's a mistreating of instruments to get feelings over".

Run along Main Street after the rain but prior to the feast.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #41 for 2020...

"The Barbarous Coast", Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer ties up another caper. Published 1956.

Vintage Crime / Black Lizard Cover Image

Early Edition

Alternate Early Edition

Alternate Early Edition

DL and I dropped some Thanksgiving Treats off to my folks during an evening adventure! 

Music 2020...

Effort #48,  "Grinding Down IV"...  the sixth piece from September 12th, 2020 session, known collectively as the "Ground Down" E.P.

Planned on a trip back to Burlington to do the big loop on all the variations of Tunxis Trails.  When I ran this with Wuzzam, the Old Goat and the Hillbilly, it measured out at 17.5-miles and took us 4:37 moving time and 4:58 total time (including stops, pictures, etc).

Today was damp with temperatures in the mid-forties.  The dried leaves seemed to be much tougher on the uphill and downhill sections today compared to my memory of them a month ago.  Some of that may have been due to me running harder/faster.

I thought that if I ran well, I could break 4-hrs.  I'd have to average roughly 4.5-mph to do so.

I felt great at the start, despite managing a hilly four-hour run with Wuzzam on Thursday.  The only bothersome issue was I never really got above 4.7-mph once the initial couple miles were finished.  On the other hand, I only dipped down to a 4.5-mph average after the "mile of ledges", which just seemed impossible to run hard through.

As I made my way through, especially the section prior to and into the Fish Hatchery, I felt strong.  I was sitting at 4.7-mph, and didn't think I felt a "blow-up" coming on.

The damp and cold began to bother my leg turnover a bit, but I caught a break just prior to "Devil's Kitchen", and as my report of losing the race-course trail a week or two ago made sense as I noticed the trail we had done in October has been re-routed.  There were a couple of drops and climbs prior, but now the trail climbs and sticks to a set contour (the new trail hasn't been bench-cut fully, and with the dry leaves everywhere it ended up slow going but at least it doesn't loose all your gained elevation twice to get to the same spot).

Made it down out of the "Kitchen" and sooner than later the route opened up onto the wider old forest roads to the finish at the Cemetery.  New distance recorded at 17.03-miles, so the re-route knocks a half-mile off the old route.  My finish times were 3:38 moving, and an additional 1:18 stopped time, so a rough guess of 3:40 for the day (4.7-mph).

I think in the spring or early summer, with no leaves to make things as difficult, I might just be able to drop under 3:30...  we'll see.

3.4-mile run on the Bridge - Wisteria Loop, in shorts and a Ramones Tee-Shirt.

On this day in 2005...

Northern Nipmuck Trail Marathon

November 20th, 2005 - Union & Ashford, Connecticut

Completed my 32nd marathon distance run today at a Northern Nipmuck Trail Marathon, with Wuzzam, Summer, and Tippi (6th completed marathon).  My finish time was recorded as 6:28:18.  Looking at this, I think it was much further than 26 miles.

Rambled through the old Monroe Power Run along Dunbar Brook and up to the top of Spruce Mountain with Wuzzam in mid-twenty degrees and an inch of snow on the ground.

Took a couple of detours, and witnessed Raycroft Lookout and the Titanic Boulder, which is another "Gateway" nearby the similar but smaller "Gateway" in Mohawk Trail State Forest.

Observed the many other large boulders throughout the forest, several very tall white pine, and the new bridge spanning Dunbar Brook.

12-miles once we were complete.

Dunbar Brook Trailhead

Rock Pile Effigy

1st Lean-To

Wuzzam on the trail

2nd Lean-To

Raycroft Lookout

Raycroft Lookout

Raycroft Lookout

View from Spruce Mountain

Spruce Mountain

Titanic Rock

Titanic Rock

Titanic Rock & Gateway

Monroe State Forest' "Gateway"

Wuzzam in the "Gateway"

Monroe State Forest' "Gateway"

Monroe State Forest "Gateway" and Titanic Rock

Blue Dot Boulder along the Dunbar Brook Trail

Wuzzam making his way around a huge standing boulder

Crossing Parsonage Brook

Haley Brook

Haley Brook and old bridge location

Haley Brook Shelter

New Bridge over Dunbar Brook!

Wuzzam crossing Dunbar Brook

Dunbar Brook upstream from Bridge

3.4-mile run on the Bridge - Wisteria Loop.

Music 2020...

Effort #47,  "Grinding Down III"...  the fifth piece from September 12th, 2020 session, known collectively as the "Ground Down" E.P.

Metacomet, Phelps Road south to the sign-in log, and back just before dark;  total of 3.4-miles.

K2 and I drove out to eastern Connecticut to meet Wuzzam and the Old Goat at the Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon birthplace in Eastford, to run the Natchaug Trail from Birthplace, to Gravesite, and a bit extra.

The out-and-back totaled 8.2-miles, with our turn-a-round point being Route 44 (last weekend's endpoint).

Mid-day journey to the Tunxis Trail in Burlington.  Explored from the Nassahegan Recreation Complex along the "white-trail" until I intersected with the "Great Circle" route from October 25th.

Excellent trail, finished with 7.1-miles.

Somehow, I got off route after Devils Kitchen and logged a route between the "white-trail" and the "Great Circle" route.

3-mile run on Main Street in the early morning drizzle; before work.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #40 for 2020...

"Black Friday", David Goodis and another descent into hell. First published in 1954.

Vintage Crime / Black Lizard Cover Image

Early Edition

Alternate Early Edition

 3.5-miles on Main Street, Kent and Wisteria, prior to work.

 3-miles on Main Street early morning prior to work.

Music 2020...

Effort #46,  "Grinding Down II"...  the fourth piece from September 12th, 2020 session, known collectively as the "Ground Down" E.P.

Met up with K2, Wuzzam, Old Goat and the Hillybilly for a run along the Nipmuck and Natchaug Trails in Ashford and Eastford, Connecticut.

We met early on Eastford Road, planning to run south on the Nipmuck until it joins the Natchaug, just before "Ladies Room Rock".  From there, we'd see how far we would make it, planning to run out for 90-minutes, and then turn-a-round to the beginning.

We were running a few minutes prior to 9:00 a.m., so we missed the earthquake that was reported in southern New England today.

Crossing Moon Road, down to Bigelow Brook, crossed Ashford Road, past the Hole In the Wall Camp property, and we realized that our turn-a-round point was going to be at some random spot prior to Route 44.  Decision was to push on, a bit harder, and make it to Route 44 "The Hartford Turnpike".

Hit this destination at 6.8-miles, with a final tally of 13.7-miles for the day.  Surprise was the warmth again today, easily reaching into the seventies once again, with full sun.

At the Jerry Stage Bench

Bigelow Brook

Hillybilly just prior to Route 44

Wuzzam  along Bigelow Brook

Hillbilly along Bigelow Brook

5-mile run in McLean Game Refuge, on a day where the temperature was in the mid-seventies!

On this day in 1999...

Watery Hill 6-Hour Run

November 6, 1999 - Somewhere in MA or RI

I completed 30-miles during the Watery Hill Six-Hour Race today, with Johnny Bandit.  

I called it a day at 5:35:00.

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

• Devil's Kitchen, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Mile of Ledges, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Hemenway Lookout, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Johnnycake Mountain, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Orchard Hill Lookout, Natchaug Trail, CT
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, West Suffield, CT
• Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook, Appalachian Trail
• Ice Gulch, Appalachian Trail, Great Barrington, MA
• East Mountain, Appalachian Trail, Sheffield, MA
• June Mountain, Appalachian Trail, Sheffield, MA

On this day in 2000...

Watery Hill 6-Hour Run

November 4, 2000 - Somewhere in MA or RI

I completed 33-miles during the Watery Hill Six-Hour Race today, with Johnny Bandit.  

I called it a day at 6:00:00.

And the last of the images from the Tunxis Burlington Run of October 25th...

The Hillbilly in the Devil's Kitchen

The Hillbilly & Old Goat in the Devil's Kitchen

The Hillbilly & Old Goat in the Devil's Kitchen

The Hillbilly & Old Goat in the Devil's Kitchen

The Old Goat in the Devil's Kitchen

The Hillbilly in the Devil's Kitchen

The Hillbilly in the Devil's Kitchen