On the trip to Adams to celebrate Father's Day, I detoured to Adams Road (Upper East Hoosac Street) in Savoy.  I wanted to check a snowmobile trail that would lead toward the old Marko Camp, above High Bridge and the Fritz Farm.

The Old Fritz Farm in 2003.

 View of Greylock from Fritz Farm, just above High Bridge.

The snowmobile path was short and not really necessary (there is the old road that acts as a driveway adjacent to the snowmobile path).  High Bridge was as awesome as always.  My last visit there was January 2003, with my dad and Paul.

High Bridge with Pop and Paul, January 2003.

 

This place really impresses me. The gorge and small falls are pretty awesome, right up with Windsor Jambs.  Out and back gave me 4.3-miles - I spent a bit of time looking for the "Lead Mine" but that will be for another day.

High Bridge in June 2016.

High Bridge in June 2016.

High Bridge in June 2016.

As I have been adding completed marathons into this blog, I noticed that I haven't completed a "Tunxis" Marathon in a while.  Since June of 2012, to be precise.  Adding to that, I had once explored tying a route together from Granville State Forest just over the border in Massaschusetts, to join the Tunxis in East Hartland,  and then continue south to Satan's Kingdom - a one direction route pretty close to 26-miles.

Yesterday I checked on the Granville portion along Hubbard Brook.  Today I would explore Valley Brook and Hurricane Brook and complete the section from Granville State Forest to Route 20 on the Tunxis.

All went well, things are somewhat like I remember them.  Some logging has "opened" some narrow trails in Tunxis, and the old path along Valley Brook looks like repairs were made when logging took place.  Basic story is the route is still possible, and I have it mapped and measured.

Granville along Hubbard Brook to Route 20 at North Hollow measured up at 2.9-miles.  The section around Valley Brook, climbing to join the Tunxis Trail at Hurricane Brook, and continuing to Route 20 measured out at 6.1 -miles.  Both these sections lacked switchbacks and turns, so I believe the gps measurement is very accurate.  This leaves the northern route of the marathon plan right at 9.0-miles.

Excellent run, I ended up with 8.5-miles once back at the car.  Had not one, but two, close up encounters with Brother Bear (two separate individuals).  Big healthy creatures that didn't even give me the time of day (thankfully).

Trillum Hill is just over a 1/2-mile from the Route 20 parking area.

Northside of  Trillum Hill is home to Mountain Laurel.

Stonework along upper Hurricane Brook.

 Connecticut and Massachusetts marker just off trail.

 The crossing at Valley Brook.

About 50' upstream at Valley Brook crossing, Brother Bear is passing through.

Today's 6.1-Mile route.

The planned northern section of the 2016 Tunxis Marathon.

Late start, not 100%, all the normal excuses.  Took some time working on old routes and maps, thought about the link from Granville State Forest to the Tunxis Trail.  That would be the goal today, to see if the Hubbard Brook Trail still would get me to Route 20.

Everything was in order, some of the old side routes look rough though, and there were no blazes at all on the Hubbard Brook Trail.  The swimming hole at the falls is posted no swimming.  Glad I was able to enjoy that when I did, a decade or more ago.

From the MDC parking at Route 20 to the gate at the bridge measured 2.9-miles.  I goofed off on side routes going back and ended with 6.3-miles total.  Hubbard Brook looked fascinating.

Hubbard Brook Cascades.

Hubbard Brook Cascades.

Hubbard Brook Small Falls.

Result of Nurse Log? 

The Old Swimming Hole and Falls.

More Nurse Log & Rock Joining.

Another trip along the Metacomet in West Suffield, Connecticut.  3.5-miles along the traprock ridge.

Spencer Woods Wildlife  Preserve, intersection of Phelps & Mountain Roads.

 Deep furrowed bark...

View to the Quarry, or Manitook Mountain, in Granby, CT.  

 I noticed this roadside memorial a while ago;  Mountain Road - Route 168.

 

  

A big breezy day was forecast, I wanted to enjoy some woods-time.  Penwood is close enough, and rugged enough, to satisfy me today (and, allow a nice ninety minute loop to keep me on target time-wise).

I went out from Wintonbury Road again, it's out of the sun and busy enough with other park visitors that worries are minimal.  Interestingly, when I finished my 6.5-miles, I learned that a group of boy-scouts were in the first leg of an "adventure" race behind me, on the orange trail, riding mountain bikes.  Evidently, they mountain bike, run to the sycamore (I think), canoe down the Farmington River, and maybe one additional thing.  That is a pretty good adventure for young men 12 - 18 years old.

Penwood was nice;  this was my second visit this season, and the reminders of what a rewarding experience I had as a ridge runner here were many.

The Mountain Laurel ( Kalmia Latifolia) was in bloom, and it was worth the trip.  Located on the Blue-Blazed Metacomet (NET, New England Trail) about 1-mile north of the main parking area at Gale Pond.

The view from the Pinnacle, looking south to Hueblin Tower.

There is an incredible 1/8-mile or so of Mountain Laurel worth checking each May & June.

Blooming Mountain Laurel.

Mountain Laurel.

Mountain Laurel.

People have been stacking and shaping for a long while.

Effigy Site.

Close up.

Another.

Leading out, more Mountain Laurel.

Early start to beat the rain, K2 took the drive with me to meet  up with Wuzzam at Whitiker Woods in Somers, Connecticut.  This, and the adjacent McCann Farm, is really one of my favorite areas to run, the trails are fantastic...  well maintained, the network is extensive but not too busy, and it has decent climbing.

The stone walls are really worth exploring in these woodlands.  At the height of land within Whitiker's boundary especially.  There are some nice white pine sections, I noticed some red pine as well, and plenty of black birch.  

We did the final section of our planned marathon today, about 6.3-miles total in around 90 minutes.  

Wuzzam and Tedziu at the parking area.

Trail Markings are uniform and the network is understandable with a map.

Wuzzam splitting the lopes.

 At the height of land on today's run, about 621' on the map.

 Impressive Stone Wall network after height of land.

More Stone Wall, pictures don't do it justice.

A scheduled day off work afforded me the opportunity to get in a run along the Metacomet Trail, from Route 20 in East Granby, Connecticut.  Later on, Donnalee and I drove to the Berkshires to visit my folks.

It felt good to get out and run again, I am in the middle of antibiotic treatment for lyme.  So far so good.   The air has been very cool, and the leaf cover and early start kept the sun off me.

A view just under a mile out, at Copper or Peak Mountain.  This view is south, with Hueblin Tower and Talcott Mountain in the distance.  About 5-miles away, about right between where this photo was taken and Hueblin, is the Farmington River in Tarriffville.

The Geodetic Survey Marker from USGS at the top of Copper Mountain.

A bit further out along the ridge, with a view below of Old Newgate Prison,

This birch really competed with or aligned with rock.

Additionally, this day has found me completing two marathons in my past.  In 2001, I completed my 23rd marathon at Nipmuck, in 4:27:17.  This was a 35th place, and my 5th completed Nipmuck.

Then, on this day in 2012, Wuzzam, Tippi and I completed a Tunxis Marathon in 6:26:10.  This was my 45th Marathon, and Tippi's 16th.

Two throwbacks today...

On this day in 1998, I completed the my 4th Nipmuck marathon in 4:28:33, a 41st placement.  This was my 18th finished marathon.

Also on this day, in 2009, I completed my 7th Nipmuck Marathon in 4:37:03 (a fantastic 19th place).  This was my 40th marathon overall.

A great marathoning day in my history!

On this day in 2010, I ran the Nipmuck Marathon for the 8th time.  It was my 44th marathon completed, with a time of 5:07:28.  This was good for 34th place overall.

On this day in 1994 I completed my 3rd marathon - Nipmuck.  It was my first Nipmuck Marathon completed, and my time was 4:02:00, good enough for 23rd place.

Also, on this day in 2005, I completed my 25th marathon - also Nipmuck, with a time of 4:48:13.  This was good for 29th place.

Out to a local trail early to beat the sunshine (antibiotics and sun do not mix well).  Worked out to hit the Metacomet in Suffield, while Tippi was at the groomer.  Enjoyable 3.5-mile out and back, old reliable for me.  

First open lookout (west) with leaf on.

A look west toward the old Quarry.

Traprock ridge.

View west from the sign-in log;  1.8 miles south of Phelps Road trailhead.

A doctor visit tonight resulted in me being treated for lyme disease;  oh well.  A steady diet of Doxycycline for the next three weeks.

In the retrospective category, I completed my 11th marathon on this day in 1996 at Nipmuck.  I ran a 3:56:50 in the race, which was good for 15th place.

On this day in 1997 I completed my 14th marathon - Nipmuck.  It was the 3rd time I completed Nipmuck, and my time was 4:31:44, good enough for 42nd place.

Also, on this day in 2013, I completed my 49th marathon - Hawley Berkshire East.  I had Wuzzam with me for this one, which was a real beast.  We had a total time on feet of 7:45:15, which was the longest either of have ever been on our feet moving through the forest.  It was most likely more than a marathon distance.  By several miles...  (or more).