5-mile snowshoe along the Metacomet Trail in Suffield, from Phelps Road south.

5 hikes in the Bird Sanctuary with DL and Dusty during the week.

Bigelow Hollow State Park Winter Run
February 15th, 1997 - Union, Connecticut

We were hoping for snow.  Instead we got slush.

To misquote Chief Dan George, “It’s a good day to run”.  So we did.  Started out on snow covered dirt logging road at 9:00 am sharp - ‘veteran’ Farmer Ed, ‘used to be a good trail runner, but now’s a roadie’ Leon C, ‘warm up slowly, but kick butt later’ Johnny Bandit, and myself (the Old Goat).  

Conditions were nice; mid-30’s, no wind, and slushy.  Everybody kept needling me at the start about running with just shorts on, but soon they would realize it was they who were overdressed.  They blamed it on the pace - I wouldn’t hear a word of it.  I believe it was because this is my territory.   As we proceeded on, even though it was at a leisurely pace, I became aware of where I would place each footfall to cross a stream, to go through some downed trees, to go around rocks, and where the other guys would place theirs.  Each of my steps, subconsciously would account for minuscule gains in efficiency, but these would add up.  Ha, ha, local knowledge lives!

After a half an hour, we ran into a couple of good hills which of course had to be climbed.  Mr. Ed was wearing a pair of P235 R14 slicks which gave him the traction of 10W-40 on Teflon.  This, though, proved to be rather funny (just don’t get in front of him on the downhills).  Remind me to requisition Adidas to make some mud-grabbing size 97EEE’s for him.

Crested the hill and flew down the other side (god I love downhills).  Back on an ice-covered road and “skated” down the rest of the hill to the southern end of long, thin Breakneck Pond.  Ran out on the ice and waited for the other three.  Got some strange looks from some stranger guys.  To boldly go where no summer runner could go before! (or after for that matter; unless you were J.C.).  “You’re intending to do what?”, they said as they checked their maps again, and continued to sink in about 3 inches of slush that covered the pond.  “Up the gut for 1 3/4 miles” I said.  “But if it’s too soft we can go off onto a trail after about 1/3 mile.”  So as that old disco song goes...Drink a little water, eat a little GU, get wet today!  We did, we did, and we surely did.  The ice was solid underneath, but the slush layer on top would have made any 7-11 Manager green with envy envisioning a 96 acre Cherry Slurpee.

I was a bit disappointed for Ed and John for they’ve never seen Breakneck Pond before (which can only be accessed by foot; it being about 5/8 mile from the nearest tar road and dirt road access fenced off) and with the warm, misty fog that was ever present, the views were less than their normal fantastic.  This is truly one of the last bastions of uncivilization left in CT and I pray it stays that way.

By the way, we were wimps and diverted off the pond and onto the Nipmuck Trail.  This section, the northern most of the Nipmuck, is about 8 miles north of the 3/4 turnaround mark on the Nipmuck Marathon and goes for about 3.5 miles to end at the Mass. border.  Normally an excellent run-able trail, add some good ice and you get panic city.  The side hill pitch throws you toward the pond.  Turns are negotiated by running into trees and hoping you bounce off in the right direction. And there are lots of turns!  The pace wasn’t fast, but we got a workout.

Eventually got back on the icy dirt roads (today’s staple) a few hundred feet short of the Mass. border and headed back southward.  It was here where “Oh, you’re going too fast” John S’s. GU kicked in and he flew by us like we were rime-ice statues.  Watch out for this guy at the 7-mile mark of a race.  Continued to bounce along the logging roads - trying to avoid all the downed trees from that ice storm a few months ago - and held a good conversation the whole way.  I’ve got to believe that more of you sofa spuds would enjoy such tomfoolery if you got out here with us and gave it a go.

With Leon wheel-suck’n the whole way (he said my footprints were good traction - I think he just wanted me to test the road ice.  If this Clydesdale didn’t go through, he surely wasn’t go to.  Come to think of it, is drafting legal in trail running?), J Bandit on his heels and the Farmer a few steps behind that, we coasted down the last hill to the cars.  Ten icy miles in 1:52 with a couple of water / picture breaks.  Chief Dan George was right.

The Old Goat

3rd Annual Moby Dick Marathons
February 9th, 1997 - Lanesborough, Massachusetts

The 3rd Moby Dick Marathons were held.  This time I managed the 16-mile version on snowshoes, finishing in 2:57:33.

The "Up" was with Old Goat, GH Bear, and the young Gulliver.

The "Down" was with Old Goat and my Pop, who joined us in the last couple miles.

3 Visits to Bird Sanctuary with DL & Dusty through week. 

1 hike on the Metacomet from Phelps north as well.

2 Visits to Bird Sanctuary and 1 visit to Stony Brook Park with DL & Dusty through week. 

1 hike on the Metacomet from Route 20 north for 4-miles total with Dusty.

1 hike in Sunrise Park with DL and Dusty.

A return to Dubuque State Forest in Hawley, to explore Moody Spring area over 14-miles of snowshoeing.  Finished in 4:23:38.

4 Visits to Bird Sanctuary with DL & Dusty through week. 

1 hike on the Metacomet to Copper / Peak Mtn as well.

Granville State Forest with GH, the Bandit and Old Goat.  

We covered roughly 12-miles on a lot of ice, in 2:15:20.

Dubuque State Forest in Hawley, Massachusetts for 8-miles of snowshoeing, completed in 2:22:57.

A visit with the folks with a hike / run up to High Bridge (6-miles in 1:36:35). 

Hike with Dusty in Granville State Forest, 2:22:36 time on feet.

We covered "Halfway Brook", "Hubbard River Trail",  "Wood Trail" and back.

4 Visits to Bird Sanctuary and 1 visit to Stony Brook Park with DL & Dusty through week. 

1 hike on the Metacomet from Phelps north as well.

Lost Mountain Exploration

GH & Old Goat joined me on a trek towards "Lost Mountain", or Mount Riga, in Salisbury, CT.

We climbed up the Undermountain Trail to Riga Junction, and out to cross the road and climb Round and Frissel.  Then back.  Slippery and snow covered.  Great day, no Lost Mountain found though...

59:38 /    59:38

43:24 / 1:43:03

31:30 / 2:14:34

45:06 / 2:59:40

1st Grupa Dupa 50Km

January 4, 1997 - West Hartford, Connecticut

I completed my 14th marathon today, the "Grupa Dupa" at Talcott Mountain State Park, home of the Hueblin Tower.  Tony W and Janice K did a great job as organizers of this "Fat Ass 50" type of event.

We completed multiple loops up and around the tower, with a final distance right around 50km.  My time ended up a pretty quick 5:11:13.

Highlander Route (1 lowlander and 3 highlanders).

1:15:10 / 

1:25:27 / 2:40:37

1:51:02 / 4:31:40 (long rest (16 minutes))

   39:32 / 5:11:13