Bike 6.8-miles.

Final (#4) Shockwave Ultra-Sound (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for right achilles).

Visit with my Mom and Pop afterward.

From the Archives...

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon

May 30th, 2009 - Granby & Simsbury, Connecticut

Wuzzam and I completed a McClean Reservation Marathon in roughly five hours.   

This was my 41st marathon completed.  I recall it being a fairly easy day for us.

Shift at JMH, TA and L's. 

Bike 7.8-miles around Town. 

On this day...

Vermont City Marathon

May 28, 1995 - Burlington, Vermont

I achieved my Boston Qualifier today at Vermont City in Burlington, Vermont.  

I was able to dip under the age group setpoint of 3:10 with a 3:08:00.

At two-miles I was at 16:40, which was pretty far off my necessary 7:15 per mile to achieve the sub 3:10 finish time.  

This means I ran 7:05 pace for the final 24.2-miles.

Bike 6.3-miles around Town.

Hike 1-mile with DL at Bear Hole.

Visit Mom in Williamstown.

Stopped off for a visit with Pop.

Loaded the truck with 48 bales of hay, dropped at Whatley Auction. 

Grandparents Grave

Hike with DL at Farmington River Park, 1.2-miles. 

New Leaf at ICC with DL.

New Leaf is Kira Jewett on fiddle, special guest Paul McDonnell on accordion, and Jim Bunting on guitar, vocals and bouzouki. Together they play traditional tunes with tight, driving rhythm and a unique take on Ireland’s song repertoire.

3rd (#3) Shockwave Ultra-Sound (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for right achilles).

And, on this day...

Tunxis Trail Marathon I - May 23rd, 2006
Hartland, Barkhamsted , Connecticut
.

I completed a Tunxis Marathon in 5:41:50.  

I had Johnny Bandit along for company, as well as Tippi.  

It would be my 34th marathon completed, and Tippi's 8th.

John Bandit rambling through the meadow.

We rambled from Route 20 to Route 219 in East Hartland, Conn, and back for the first 19.5 miles.

  

We finished up with the Route 20 to Pell Road near the Mass border for the final 6.5-miles.

Small Waterfall on the northern section of Tunxis Trail.

Shift at JMH, TA and L's.

Visit with with my Mom in Williamstown. 

Great Grand Parents Grave

Old Site of Hawk's Fort, Charlemont, MA

From the archives....

  Mount Greylock Centennial Marathon

May 21st, 2005 - Adams, Massachusetts

Fairly large group (about a dozen or so) completed a "do-it-yourself" Greylock Marathon, aka Old Goat 50th Birthday Bash & Annual Celibacy Run.

Our time was 6:47:02.  This is a very difficult course, with 5 lengthy climbs.  Five out of the twelve starters completed the full 26.2-miles.

This was my 28th marathon completed, and Tippi's second.

Bike 8.7-miles around Town.

Auction for unloading hay with Pop.

Camry Maintenance later on.

Back to the ICC with DL for celebrated Irish Fiddler Gerry O’Connor.

Gerry O’Connor is from County Louth. Unanimously considered a master fiddler by his peers, Gerry tours the world teaching and performing at festivals and prestigious venues, and with the iconic Irish Rovers. Gerry has performed and recorded with his bands Lá Lúgh, Skylark, and Oirialla, and toured and recorded with members of Boys of the Lough, The Chieftains, Bothy Band and more.

Joining Gerry is guitarist and singer Kevin McElroy. For the past three decades Kevin has performed regularly with such luminaries as Séamus Connolly, Brendan Tonra and Joe Burke. Gerry’s expressive melodies and Kevin’s tasteful accompaniment come together through a seamless bit of musical alchemy.

About Gerry O’Connor

Originally from Dundalk, Co. Louth, Gerry grew up in a family of musicians, dancers and singers. From an early age Gerry was involved in Irish music, winning numerous All Ireland awards in a range of duets, trios and céilí band titles. Gerry is a four-time winner of the Fiddler of Oriel competition, and in 2018 was awarded the Ceannródaí, the prestigious Bardic Award by Comhaltas for his valued contribution to the Trad Arts. 

” … this is one fiddler whose pulse is quickened by the sheer delight in the tunes, rather than in the accolades that might accompany them.” – The Irish Times

About Kevin McElroy

Kevin has celebrated Irish traditional music since his teens, singing and playing guitar, fiddle, banjo and mandolin. Kevin had the good fortune to play with and learn from some of Boston’s best Irish musicians, including Brendan Tonra, Mike McDonagh, Larry Reynolds, and the Connaught Céilí Band.

High School Baseball in Shutesbury with K2.

Paul Griffin Photography Presentation at the ICC with DL.

Attended a presentation by Paul Griffin to view his exhibit The Stones They Left Behind.

The Stones They Left Behind is a photographic presentation of some of the historic remnants of ancient Irish culture that inhabit the natural landscape of that beautiful and enigmatic island. Paul Griffin made this series of black and white infrared photographs during his visits to his ancestral homeland. The photographs of Neolithic  Dolmens and abandoned castles explore the intersection of history and myth, the physical and spiritual and the visual and the unseen.

The twelve black and white images were made using an infrared sensitive camera rendering aspects of the scenes beyond the visible spectrum that our eyes are normally sensitive to.

Second (#2) Shockwave Ultra-Sound (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for right achilles).

Visit Mom in Williamstown.

Wheeler Brook Falls on the Mohawk Trail

Laughing Together

Just above the Hairpin Turn

Wheeler Brook Falls

Hail to the Sunrise - Mohawk Park

CWOps JMH and TA. 

Visit with Mom today.

DL's Folks Grave

Corolla Maintenance today.

And from the Marathon Archives...

Granville - Kingdom Marathon - May 14th, 2020
Granville State Forest & Tunxis State Forest

With very little thought I decided to tackle the Granville State Forest to Satan's Kingdom Marathon today.  DL was willing to shuttle my car to the finish at Satan's Kingdom, and then drive me to the start at Granville State Forest along the Hubbard River.

I felt really good for the first twenty-miles, and pretty good from that point to the finish.  I power-hiked the ups from the Route 219 crossing at 19-miles, and jogged all the flats and  downhill.

Beautiful day, temperatures ranged from the fifties to start (about 9:10 a.m.) and just about seventy toward the end at 3:00 p.m.

The run measured out on the gps at 25.78-miles, and I completed the effort in 5:54 moving time, and 6:04 total time (a few stops to refuel water drops and photos).  This was my 59th completed marathon all-time.

The total climb according to Google Earth was 4702', with a net descent of 5389'.  The majority of the elevation loss was in the first 2 and last 2 miles.

Elevation Profile

Hubbard River

Black Bear Crossing - Valley Brook

Tunxis State Forest

Roberts Brook

Indian Council Caves Summit

Lake McDonough

Lake McDonough

Sign in Log at the 1st Ratlum Peak

Old Camp Pond, a favorite of Sam & Tippi

Meeting with our financial team and a banking visit. 

Injured Stinks.

"High Points" along trails during March 2025... 

• Peak / Copper Mountain, Metacomet Trail, East Granby, CT

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period April 1st through April 30, 2025:

First (#1) Shockwave Ultra-Sound (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for right achilles).

Williamstown to visit my Mother.

Stopped at Jack's Hot Dog Stand for a couple. 

Shift at JMH, TA and L'vs. 

Hike at McLean & Holcomb, with some Granby Land Trust Sites as well.

4.2-miles, two waterfalls and Diamond Ledge. 

Shift at JMH early. 

Departing Shannon Airport for Home.

Trip to Kylemore Abbey

• Built in 1800s by Mitchell Henry MP, a wealthy businessman, liberal politician and Irish supporter
• Has been run by the Benedictine Nuns since 1920
• Home to Irelands largest walled garden
• Take an in-depth tour complete with video presentations and life like moving pictures that transport you back in time.

Ride back will take us through Connemara; breathtaking mountains, bogs, lakes, and all around scenery

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher. 

Depart for Achill Island.

• Inhabited 5,000 years ago
• Popular shooting spot for popular Irish movies and shows
• Deserted Village from the 1845 famine
• Over 80 abandoned houses

Depart for Westport, Co Mayo immediately following breakfast.

Stop in village of Adare.

Arrival and check in at Castlecourt Hotel.