One of those wonderful days, cool enough and sunny.  Made it out to Shenipsit State Forest to meet the Wuzzam, meeting up along Hopkins Road.  We rambled along enjoyably for 6.4-miles.

 

 

Music 2017...

Here is effort #12, I Want You.

I was in a really rocking combo, in Adams, during the early 1980's. We were the Primitives, and we played a few halls and private parties during 1984.

I was cleaning out my basement last week and found a box with cassette tapes... low and behold they had our music on them. I immediately sent this track to my cousin Aldo, who was our ferocious lead singer. He believes we were the greatest punk/garage band ever to come out of Berkshire County. Lofty statement, but at times we hit those heights.

3-mile run along Main Street, beautiful weather but not enough time to hit a trail.

 Where the Journey Began

The will to remember rejuvenates me.

Adams, Massachusetts. Grades four five and six burning away at C.T. Plunkett.

Thinking back, the years 1972 through 1975. I can distinctly recall trail-running beginnings. Each day, bell rings, school lets out, a small peculiar group of students from the East Side of town make the journey from Plunkett to Hoosac Street School. Our goal is to catch Bus #22 and Mrs. Austin loading up the younger kids. I imagine that we could have rode another bus to that connecting point, and for some that would have made sense. But, being kids from the sparsely settled areas along the base of the Hoosac Range, we needed a small amount of release rather than an extra 15 minutes on a big yellow bus.

Downtown Adams has never exactly been a metropolis, but you still may be wondering where we found trails separating the two schools. It wasn’t easy. The route had to be shown to us by older kids, passed down word of mouth committed to memory an Underground Railroad. It was supposed to be illegal I guess, safety reasons and all. It was the twine that held a small group of us together during three years in middle school.

We would rumble out of the playground at dismissal with guilty glances over shoulders. The first hurdle was making sure that no authority figure witnessed our great escape. Buses parked idling diesel fuel spitting out the exhaust for the riders to swallow, not us. Tree lined grassy area along the Adams Supermarket lead us around and in back of what is now the Big Y. Once there, it was simply climb chain link fence and a hop over a cement water meter vault to our destination.

Beyond these barriers was the real attraction, a quarter mile or so on real single-track trail. Our "trail" was along the east bank of the Hoosac River winding along parallel to Summer Street. The total distance of "trail running" we did each day during the September to June school year was about a mile I guess. But the draw of the short several hundred-foot section along the river was what pushed and pulled us. This daily run along the same section of dirt trail was also the initiation needed to learn repetition and consistency, both needed for long distance running. It taught dedication.

None of us wore watches in those days, so we had no clear indication of time. We knew we had to pretty much go all out to make the connector at Hoosac Street School. Mrs. Austin and bus #22 were on a schedule that had to be followed. There wasn’t any margin of error allowed.

Each day, once we finished the "trail" and hopped over the last fenced obstacle, it was an end to our labyrinth through downtown Adams’ wilderness. Regaining pavement, sidewalk and street by Burnett’s Shoe Shop, Crystal Creamery Dairy and whatever else was there twenty five years ago had us feeling safe again, the mystery was gone until tomorrow.

Past St. Stanislaus and the quick left past the Polish Bakery and into Hoosac Street School where we would board the "short" bus for the ride home. Up and up and up to the rural farming area where we lived. Breathing labored, backs covered with sweat, relaxing in the hard green stiff comfortable seats it was another day where we kicked life in the ass, invented an art form and rose from the embers of confinement all rolled into one. We were the envy of those who weren’t yet ready to rebel against the shuttle between two schools. Hero’s in our own mind.

We overcame distance and time. We tackled obstacles in our inexperienced lives. We shared secrets. We were forever hidden along the banks of the Hoosac. Running our way through three grades of life with the wind and the rain and snow never inhibiting us at all. Each day we had the river with the water slowly flowing in the same direction as us. It was something we could depend on. It too had places to go.

I understand we were only kids ridding ourselves of the usual amount of aggression built up from being inside all day. Throw in a tiny bundle of rebellious behavior with the trespassing and avoidance of the bus shuttle. I also see young men running from point to point because it felt remarkably good each day. Gary and Brian and Bob and Stephen and Robert and Dean and me, an oddball collection of misfits for sure. We ran then without knowing that this was about as wonderful and free as it would ever be.

{05/01/99}

A sudden darkening of the skies, complete with thunder, lightning, and rain, made me re-think my intended run on the Tunxis today.  I stayed closer to home and completed the route from Route 20 in East Granby to the Farmington River in Tariffville.  Total for the day was 7.8-miles for the out and back.

 

Well, the day was supposed to get drier (less humid) and the chance of rain was supposed to lesson after 11:00 a.m.  I made my way to the Metacomet Trail at Route 20 in Granby, with a goal of running north to Phelps Road, Suffield, a total of 5-miles.  Then, I would turn-around and finish the ridge.

It was warm today, that high of 76-degrees that weather dot com promised me was 9-degrees off.  I finished easily enough, and even ran the return leg almost ten-minutes faster than the out.  But, I could feel soreness in my body as well...

Not included in my "running times" was a talk with Dr. Ed and his new (4-days with him) dog Bridgett.  Wonderful to catch up, and Bridgette is a wonderful dog.  Good for both Ed and Bridgette!

10-miles total, excellent run on along a comfortable, rocky route.

Also, my friend Wuzzam posted this video from April 29th, 2012 - five-years ago today, of our dogs Tippi and Sam playing at Tunxis State Forest - maybe Hurricane Brook.

Dubuque State Forest to assist Farmer Tom with exploring a viable route for the Goat Head Trail (getting it off a piece of private property).  We had our old "route" from September, so we used my GPS to stay west of the swamp and wetlands.  

Everything worked out well, and it was great to spend and hour and a half with Tom.  We'll see if the route we flagged will pass with the powers that be.

My friend the Woods Walker convinced me to travel to Goshen, Massachusetts to see the Goshen Stone Chamber (aka Potato Hole).  The path leading uphill is one I have been on prior, with my old trail buddy Tippi.  Turns out we were close to the Chamber several years ago, without knowing such a thing existed.  The chamber is an incredible object, and something I will return to.

Funny thing is that when we returned to the car, there was a truck parked along side me (in the middle of nowhere), and it turned out to be Farmer Tom, a friend of mine from a nearby town.  Just yesterday afternoon, Tom and I made plans to meet up on Friday - so it was pretty awesome that we ran into each other at that moment in a pretty secluded spot, with no prior expectations or knowledge of being there today.  Things sure are mysterious at times.

Also, on this day in 2006, I completed the Metacomet Marathon with my dog Tippi;  it was just us.  This run began in Sunrise Park, Suffeld, Connecticut and flowed south through Penwood State Forest in Bloomfield and Simsbury, Connecticut.  We spent 6:27:00 completing a little over 28-miles or so.  This was my 31st marathon completed, and Tippi's 7th.

Music 2017...

Here is effort #11, Summer Breezed, The Dark Heart Duo.

WMAC / Dion Snowshoe Series interview at Hoot Toot and Whistle...

Tippi in Dubuque State Forest.... Part II.

2013 along the Lumpy Bumpy Trail in Hawley, Massachusetts

Since last Sunday at Tunxis was so rewarding, I went back to cover Route 219 north to Roberts Brook, and back.  Outstanding weather, high 60's and sunny with no humidity.  11.2-miles in about two and a half hours.

Today's Route

Top of Indian Council Caves

 Roaring Brook, cooling off point

 Approaching Pine Mtn from the south

 Roberts Brook

 Small Falls upstream from Roberts Brook Crossing

 Liddy, Tippi and Sam's favorite pool off Pine Mtn

Total 13-mile Tunxis section, Rt 20 to Rt 219

While it was supposed to be clear, the rain kept up throughout the day.  Granted, it was just a drizzle, but it still wavered my motivation.  I stuck fairly close to home and drove to McLean, thinking I would enjoy the 5 1/2-mile loop I often do.  

I made it out to the Bissell Brook crossing (which, unless you want wet feet is a balancing act on a large, smooth, bark-less tree limb stretched across the brook, about 20' or so).  The limb was slippery and impossible to navigate, so I turned around and did an out-and-back.  Somewhere around 4.4-miles.

Map of the full route, I turned back at Bissell Brook

Skunk Cabbage

3.2-miles along the Metacomet Trail, with a drop down into Cowles Park.  The rain held off, and it was in the low 50's for temperature...  which made for awesome running.

Tippi in Dubuque State Forest....

2013 along the Lumpy Bumpy Trail in Hawley, Massachusetts