The snow left things pretty difficult for the trails;  an inch or two of very wet, greasy snow on top of mud.  I didn't want to work through too much of this, so I kept things simple with a 3-mile run along the Metacomet from Phelps Road.

Another addition of music for 2017...

Here is effort #7, Spill the Wine. The Dark Heart Duo, one guitar, a loop pedal and drums.

Tippi at the Tower Graveyard, Bannis Road, March 2004.

Making Maple Syrup, March of '04.  Pop and Paul.  I believe 2017 was my dad's 52nd year of making the delicious liquid.

Cheating a bit with the days, but with leap years and what not I can make my own rules.  On March 25th, 2005 (close to exactly 12 wonderful years ago), Paul, Tippi and I continued a tour on snowshoes with a trip to Tannery Falls.

 

 

Just a day off, 12-years ago.  Pop, Paul, Tips and I figured it was too nice a day not to climb Greylock.  Bright sunny day and lots of smiles from all four of us.

The picture below is one of my favorites of all time.  Those three plus Greylock are really important to me, always have been and always will be.

Over to McLean Reservation for an enjoyable 4.3-miles, and a bump into a local inhabitant.

Still snowy, icy and muddy on the trail.  Visited Metacomet from Route 20 for 3.6-miles.

A day prior to March 24th, 2005, Paul, Tippi and I took on Greylock.  Adams and Greylock will always hold some sway.  Any suggestion of climbing it, regardless of season, is always met with a "yes".  It is one of my magical places.

Pretty special day, we charged up the Cheshire Harbor and then took the road to the Tower.  My notes mention 1:20:10 up including pictuers, and only 31:16 down, over 7.5-miles.

 

 

 

 

 

Back on this day, 2002, we held an impromptu  Hawley Kiln.  Part of the event was a follow up at South Face Farm....  My Mom finished the event on this day!

Back in 2005, on this day March 22nd, my friend Paul and I took Tippi to Savoy Mountain State Forest to climb Spruce Hill.

Tippi and I from 2005

 

This was an incredible winter for Paul and I.  During the winter season I managed just over 400-miles on snowshoes, which only was bested by my 2003 total of 502-miles.  Paul would have had at least that if not more.

Paul and Tips, on top of Spruce

A long, long  while ago, Poncho M. mentioned that "... Spruce Hill is where Farmer Ed converses with GOD."  The thing is, right before I was going under for removal of a brain tumor in October of 2015, my last thoughts were of Spruce Hill.  I was on-top, looking west towards Greylock.  The sky was an incredible blue with big puffy white clouds scattered about.  Greylock was so close I felt as though I could reach out and touch it.  I was feeling a tremendous peace.  This was my last thought and vision before I woke 4 hours later.

Pretty much my vision prior to surgery 

A view from Bannis Road in Savoy Mountain State Forest, March 21st, 2003.

March 20th, 2004, K2 and Mike L climbing towards the top of Greylock.

Still on the road due to the rapidly melting snow, managed a 5-miler.

Late day jog along Main Street for a short 3.1-miles.