Began PT for left Big Toe.

Shift @ JMH early.

New Year's Eve at the ICC.

DL and I Met Up with Annie and Betsy for Lunch in the middle of CT. 

Drove out to Williamstown to visit my Mom.

Wonderful visit, lots of laughs and great memories!

Raining off and on all day but I managed a rewarding hike in Penwood on alternate trails.

3-miles without getting soaking wet!

Cowles Park with K2 and J Evil.

8.2-miles of a loop including Cowles, T-Ville, Laurel Hill, Wilcox area and Farmington River basin. 

Eye Exam Early, Yearly Check-In.  Passed for another year with no need for glasses!

Contractor Shift #62. 

Shift at JMH mid-day.

Quit Christmas with DL and TC.

Early Run at Cowles Park / T-Ville for 3.2-Miles (had the forest to myself). 

Shift at JMH mid-day.

5.2-miles in Cowles Park, around 20-degrees and sunny. 

Drove to Williamstown to travel with my Mother to my sister's home for an early Christmas Lunch.

Excellent day! 

2024 Unsupported Trail Race "Unofficial Challenge"

Winter Solstice 13.20 km (8.2-miles)

Back to Bear Hole with J Evil & K2 to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

It was cold at our start, just under 30 degrees, but sunny.  It didn't really get any warmer, but the sun was clouded over mid-run and it grew noticeably colder.

Ended with a strong 8.2-miles.

Wilcox Park for 2.4-miles.  Black Bear sighting, Mother and Two Cubs. 

Consulting Shift #61 early.

Shift at JMH mid-day.

ICC with DLV for dinner and music late. 

Doctor Appointment (Podiatry).

2-mile walk late afternoon. 

1st lesson at EGSC for Tai Chi.

Shift at JMH early. 

Mclean Game Refuge, finding the old foundations in Pilfishire, 2.5-miles.

Bear Hole for a total of 3.4-miles.

Drive to Williamstown to visit my Mom.  Excellent Visit!

"High Points" along trails during November 2024... 

Not Much this month!

• Phelon Forest Area, Granville, MA
• North Drake, Granville, MA
• Metacomet Ridge, Cowles Park, East Granby, CT

Shift at JMH early. 

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period November 1st through November 30th, 2024:

Contractor Day #60 (DOL).

Contracting work, DMR's.

Corolla in for Service as well. 

Wishbone Ash at Iron Horse with DL.

Shift at TA/JMH. 

Visit my Mom in Williamstown for Lunch.

4-miles on the Mohican Multi-Use Trail at Springs Village in Williamstown after. 

8-miles at Bear Hole with K2 and J Evil.

Up on the Metacomet Ridge west of Bear Hole and rambled in the couple inches of snow for a while before shooting down the side of the ridge back to Ashley Reservoir and back to Bear Hole.

4.9-miles at McLean Game Refuge.

Trip to Perkarski's with DL, and a stop at Captain Jack's in Easthampton on the way home.

4.5-miles at Robinson State Park.

Shift at JMH early. 

First actual snow of the season, very beautiful.

Financial Meeting mid-day.  All appears well.

Contractor Day #59.. 

Stopped at Bear Hole for 4-miles.

Drove to Williamstown to visit my Mom. 

3.5-Miles at Cowles.

Long Shift at JMH. 

Bear Hole at High Noon, 6.8-miles. 

Met up with K2 and J Evil for a journey at Bear Hole, hopefully working off some turkey.

Cold, roughly 30-degrees but very sunny with no breeze and brilliant blue sky.  Great weather for a longish run through the forest.

Finished my day with 10.4-miles, with the "A-Team" grabbing 10km. 

It was a "below freezing morning", so I waited a bit for a run in Granville.

Rambled around Drake Mountain and the lower Reservoirs for 10.0-Miles at 4.1-mph pace.

I felt pretty darn good throughout the adventure, not bad considering there was right around 2000' of ascent throughout the route. 

Drove out to Williamstown to pick up my Mom, headed to a "day-late Thanksgiving" at my sisters with Pop as well.

And On this day in Marathon History...

  

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.

Quiet Thanksgiving with DL and TC. 

Granville Trail Run, 6.5-Miles. 

Visit to our Financial Planner for Thanksgiving celebration.

Contractor Day #58.

Granville Trail Run - 4.7-Miles. 

Granville Trail Run - 11.6-Miles with K2 & J Evil.

Visit with Mom and Pop in Williamstown for Lunch, with a short walk at the Spruces Park before driving home to Connecticut. 

3-Miles in Bear Hole.  East of Morgan Road but south of I-90.  Not worth re-visiting anytime soon.

"High Points" along trails during October 2024... 

Lots of exploring but minimal actual "Peaks" this month!

• Phelon Forest Area, Granville, MA
• Holden Hill Area, Granville, MA
• Ireland Trip 
• "An Chonair"
• "Ceann Sleibhe"

The Conor Pass or Connor Pass (Irish: An Chonair, 'the way or path') is one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland served by an asphalted road. It is on the R560 road on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry.

Slea Head (Irish: Ceann Sléibhe) is a promontory on the westernmost part of the Dingle Peninsula, in southwest County Kerry, Ireland. It can be reached by the R559 road, with the nearest villages being Ballyickeen and Coumeenoole. The headland itself, together with the larger part of Mount Eagle's southern slopes, is formed from steeply dipping beds of the pebbly sandstones and conglomerates of the Slea Head Formation, dating from the Devonian period and traditionally referred to as old red sandstone.

To Slea Head's northwest is Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of Ireland. Slea Head is a well-known landmark and viewpoint, with a full view of the Blasket Islands. On 11 March 1982, the Spanish container ship, Ranga, was wrecked at Dunmore Head, close to Slea Head after losing power in a storm.

The Slea Head Drive is one of the Dingle Peninsula's most scenic routes. En route are several landmarks such as Ventry Beach, a pre-historic fort and beehive huts, the Dingle Famine Cottage, views of the Blasket Islands, Coumenole Beach and Gallarus Oratory. The loop road returns towards Dingle.

3.8-Miles at Northwest Park with K2. 

Contractor Day #57..

And from the Marathon Archives...

Northern Nipmuck Trail Marathon

November 20th, 2005 - Union & Ashford, Connecticut

Completed my 32nd marathon distance run on this day in 2005.  Designated the "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.

3.7-miles at Robinson State Forest.

3.8-Miles at Cowles, Upland Route. 

Granville Trail Running - 8.8-Miles w/ K2 & J Evil.

Visit with my Mom and Pop in Williamstown (Lunch). 

Running at McLean Game Refuge for 10.4-Miles.

3.7-miles at Robinson State Forest.

4-miles at Robinson State Forest.

Contractor Day #56.

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period October 1st through October 31st, 2024:

Shift at JMH.

4-miles with K2 at NW Park. 

Granville Trail Work for 6-miles.

Bear Hole with K2, covered the 8.2-mile route in 1:50:00. 

A real blast from the past, I ran into the Bandit at Robinson State Park (who was visiting the area from West Virginia).  What are the odds of the two of us meeting at a specific point in time, at a particular place, especially one I really don't visit at all?

Anyhow, it was really great catching up and hiking 4.3-miles together!

Having been born in 1962, and liking and listening to music from the early sixties onward, I thought it might be fun to attempt a listing of my favorite albums each year since birth.

The initial post for this series of ideas began on December 26th, 2023.  You can look it up....

This time, I present my top fifty records I really appreciate and enjoy, released in 1968.

Despite most of these records being non-commercial, I have grown to appreciate these a great deal.

Albums 1968 / Favorite 50...

The Velvet Underground White Light/White Heat
Van Morrison Astral Weeks

Blood, Sweat & Tears Child Is Father to the Man

Neil Young Neil Young

Pearls Before Swine Balaklava

Traffic Traffic

The Soft Machine The Soft Machine

The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland

The Incredible String Band The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

Grateful Dead Anthem of the Sun

Nico The Marble Index

The Mothers of Invention We're Only in It for the Money

Jefferson Airplane Crown of Creation

Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets

Quicksilver Messenger Service Quicksilver Messenger Service

The Kinks The  Village Green Preservation Society

Ultimate Spinach Behold & See

Blue Cheer Vincebus Eruptum

Big Brother and the Holding Company Cheap Thrills

The Beatles The Beatles

The Jeff Beck Group Truth

Blue Cheer Outsideinside

The United States of America The United States of America

The Pretty Things S.F. Sorrow

The Zombies Odessey and Oracle

Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival

Family Music in a Doll's House

Spirit Spirit

Status Quo Picturesque Matchstickable Messages…

Buffalo Springfield Last Time Around

The Band Music from Big Pink

Iron Butterfly In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Small Faces Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake

Spirit The Family That Plays Together

Country Joe and the Fish Together

Iron Butterfly Heavy

Can Delay

The Seeds Raw and Alive

The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet

John Fahey The Voice of the Turtle

The Groundhogs Scratching the Surface

Jethro Tull This Was

Steppenwolf Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf The Second

Donovan The Hurdy Gurdy Man

Cream Wheels of Fire

The Doors Waiting for the Sun

The Incredible String Band Wee Tam and the Big Huge

Townes Van Zandt For the Sake of the Song

The Mothers of Invention Cruising with Ruben & the Jets

Contractor Day #55 & TA.

3.8-miles at Robinson State Park.

Contractor Day #54.

And from the Marathon Archives...

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.

Having been born in 1962, and liking and listening to music from the early sixties onward, I thought it might be fun to attempt a listing of my favorite albums each year since birth.

The initial post for this series of ideas began on December 26th, 2023.  You can look it up....

This time, I present thirty records I really appreciate and enjoy, released in 1968.

Despite most of these records being non-commercial, I have grown to appreciate these a great deal.

Albums 1968 / Next up 30 really likable listens...

John Fahey The Yellow Princess

Simon & Garfunkel Bookends

Small Faces There Are But Four Small Faces

Dr. John Gris-Gris

Pentangle The Pentangle

Procol Harum Shine On Brightly

The Left Banke The Left Banke Too

Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band Strictly Personal

The Beau Brummels Bradley's Barn

Pentangle Sweet Child

Nazz Nazz

Eric Burdon & The Animals The Twain Shall Meet

Blues Magoos Basic Blues Magoos

The Fugs Tenderness Junction

Steve Miller Band Children of the Future

Steve Miller Band Sailor

Vanilla Fudge The Beat Goes On

Vanilla Fudge Renaissance

The Rascals Once Upon a Dream

The Mamas & the Papas The Papas & The Mamas

John Mayall Blues from Laurel Canyon

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers Bare Wires

The Fugs It Crawled into My Hand, Honest

Spooky Tooth It's All About

Sly & the Family Stone Dance to the Music

Sly & the Family Stone Life

The Troggs Love Is All Around

Richard and Mimi Farina Memories

Moby Grape Wow/Grape Jam

Tim Hardin                                         III

Contractor Day #53.

JMH

5.4-Miles at Bear Hole Reservoir with K2. 

And from the Marathon Archives...

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.

3.4-Miles in Granville. 

2-Mile Walk in Suffield, including early voting! 

On this day in 1997...

Bash Bish Falls Marathon

November 2, 1997 - South Taconic Trail, MA & NY

The Old Goat, the Gullivers, and a few others rambled out to Bash Bish Falls to participate in a marathon along the South Taconic Trail.  

I managed 26-miles in 6:28:00, with the last few miles being in a driving rain.  

This was my 18th marathon.

9-Miles in Granville. 

4.9-Miles in Granville

And from the Marathon Archives... 

Bridgeport Marathon
October 31, 1993 - Bridgeport, Connecticut

Today I completed the Bridgeport Marathon in ~3:32:00.  This was my second completed marathon, and it was more difficult than the first.

And from the Marathon Archives... 

Mt Washington State Forest Marathon - October 2003

 Riga Plateau, South Taconic & Appalachian Trails, MA, NY & CT

Sometime in October of 2002 - 2003, Tippi completed her first "Marathon" along the Mt Riga Plateau; it would also be my 26th.  We had the "Bandit" along for the adventure. 

Our time was recorded as 5:38:00 over 24.7-miles.  I recall the end of the run taking forever once we descended Frissell and headed back to Mt. Washington State Forest Headquarters, as we might have diverted from the most direct track.

Maybe on top of Alander?

Intersection prior to Brace.

   
I believe this is the top of Brace Mountain.

The Bandit climbing Round Mountain.

The Bandit at the peak of Round Mountain.

The Bandit climbing Mt Frissell.

The Bandit climbing Frissell.

At the Tri-State Marker (NY, MA, CT).

Contractor Day #52.

6.4-Miles in Granville.

3.1-Miles at Bear Hole Reservoir. 

4-Miles Granville State Forest. 

Ireland Trip:

Day 10; Saturday October 26th

• Breakfast at Westport Hotel

• Depart Westport Hotel @ 8:30am for Shannon Airport

• Last minute shopping at duty free store in Shannon Airport

• Aer Lingus Flight EI 135 departs at 1:45pm

• Arrive in Boston Logan Airport at 3:45pm LOCAL TIME

• Take coach bus back to ICC; arrive early evening 

Ireland Trip:

Day 9; Friday October 25th

• Breakfast at Hotel

• Kylemore Abbey

• Kylemore Castle

• Village of Cong; the Quite Man movie

• Connemara; Irelands famous movie town

• Dinner at Hotel

Ireland Trip:

Day 8; Thursday October 24th

FREE DAY

• Hotel Breakfast

• Great Western Greenway

• Burrishoole Abbey

• Rockfleet Castle

• Clare Island Ferry

• Westport House

• Grace O’Malley; Pirate Queen

Ireland Trip:

Day 7; Wednesday October 23rd

• Breakfast at Westport Hotel

• Achill Island • Inhabited 5,000 years ago 

• Largest Island off Irelands coast 

• Megalithic Tombs, ancient forts, historic churches 

• The Deserted Village; 80 houses abandoned in 1845