Early start with K2, to the Metacomet on Phelps Road.  I thought I would make another attempt at the 8-mile route to Copper/Peak Mountain and back to Phelps.  Last week I averaged 4.5-mph, finishing around 1:47:00.  The weather was perfect for me, and I had a great run of 1:41:000.  It is always nice to enjoy some improvement.

Looking south from Copper Mountain toward Talcott Mountain

Today's Route...

Fifteen years ago today, May 20th, 2002, there was a snowstorm in Adams and I took a run up Greylock to celebrate.

Tippi at the split between Cheshire Harbor and Old Adams Road

The Cabin at the pond along the AT

Through the window

The Greylock Summit

The Henry David Thoreau Stone

Back at the base, Cheshire Harbor Trail Head parking area

I've had it in mind to find the Williamsburg Balanced Rock again.  I say again because I found it by accident once before, between 2006 and 2008, when running in Conway State Forest.  The thing is, I always thought it was in Conway, but in actuality it is in Williamsburg.

I have been out at least a couple times over the past 3 or 4 years half-way thinking of finding the Balanced Rock again, but this forest tends to make me wander.  Which makes finding the Rock difficult.

This time, I researched my old notes and had a decent idea of where the spot was and the a trail that once lead to it.  Didn't really help as you can see by the map - the white line is my total search, and the red line is a "good path" leading to the Balanced Rock and two trail-heads.  The end result is that I did locate it, by rambling and intersecting the old trail north of the rock.  Perseverance does pay off, as I spent 2.5-hrs over 6.6-miles and 2000' of climbing.  The Rock is a real beauty, and I'm glad I spent time in the forest looking for it.

The one benefit of searching and wandering, is that I came across some incredible large stone walls deep and high in this forest.  Really interesting arrays of work, I hope to revisit someday.

Temperature's were reaching the mid-90's today, and my legs were telling me a day off of running would be rejuvenating.  Ended the afternoon with a drive with DL to Southwick, Granville and East Granby, with a stop at Gran-Val Scoop, which is my favorite spot for ice-cream.

The Mill in the Meadow, Granville, Massachusetts

Gran-Val Scoop, Farm Fresh Home Made Ice Cream

My newest little buddy

 

Out with Wuzzam this morning, to Shenipsit.  From Galbreath Road we figured we would motor out towards Hill 999, then drop a bit before climbing back up the Pinnacle, and then Bald.  We were worn out by the end, it did get warm today during our 7.6-miles.  Enjoyable day with my friend.

Wuzzam showing the odd carving in one of two large boulders along route.

 Looking east from the Pinnacle

 Pathway today

Always on the lookout to expand the route (or circled world) and my familiarity with the route, I took a ride to Penwood with the intention of exploring the Talcott Mountain side of the Metacomet (or, as it is newly designated, the New England Trail).

I've been on this section before, but other than tackling the route up to the Hueblin Tower, I was feeling underwhelmed.  On the return, and the search for the blue/red trail, I really was down.  The wide road and occasional trap-rock gravel roads underneath the power-lines stunk.  I lost the blue/red path somehow, but stumbled upon a fantastic alternative single track that will get the job done.  It basically joins in at the north end of the reservoir, and showcases some incredibly large stone structures.  There is a nice brook to cross, and it joins up with the problematic blue/red near that trails joining with the blue-blazed Metacomet.  Mission accomplished, with a total of 8.3-miles and 1700' climb done in two-hours.

Today's Talcott route for potential Marathon

   Signage from trail head at Route 185

 Not quite at the Tower, but on the way

Talcott Mountain's Hueblin Tower

 There are many of these chimneys along the Metacomet Trail in CT

Completed the one remaining section of the Tunxis Trail from Satan's Kingdom north late this afternoon. All I had undone in 2017 was the northern-most route from Route 20 to Pell Road at the Massachusetts border.  The signage and guidebooks state 3.1-miles for the section, but my gps tracked 2.9 due to the many tight turns.

Hurricane Brook

 Hurricane Brook

Dripping Rock

Made it to Adams to see my Mom on Mother's day, which was an outstanding visit.  The day cleared up much better than expected for an added bonus.

Once back in Connecticut, the sun was still shining and I got out to the Metacomet for a 3-mile trail jog.  The shine wore off some for me, as the trail had been corrupted by motorbikes at some point today.  The ruts were bad, as can be expected after 2-days of heavy rain.

It isn't my favorite thing, to see motor-cycle activity on a hiking trail only path.  It really confuses me when the bikes decide to do it not in the middle of a dry spell, where damage to the earth would be at a minimum, but at a time like today when everything is muddy and soft. Being disrespectful of the woods in this way makes me feel deep sorrow.

The afternoon would be spent enjoying Graduation Ceremonies at UMass for JC, but the morning  would be for a run.

Rain predicted, stuck close to home and got out early.  Completed a nice 8-miler on the Metacomet, from Phelps Road to Copper/Peak Mountain and back.  

I noticed that the out section (1st four-miles) had taken me exactly an hour (4 mph avg).  While this pace is pretty comfortable and beneficial for thinking, if I have (and I do) aspirations to complete a few marathons this year, I am going to have to get that pace per mile improved.

I increased my speed going back in, and turned the hour into 46:51 going back (better than 5-mph), and ended with a 4.5 mph pace for the day.  This is right where I need to be to manage the hilly marathons I have plans for in the 6-hour moving time range.

This first picture below is an interesting section of trail.  My old cocker spaniel  Dusty used to cut the trail here (the trail actually had gone to the left, you can still see the remains of the original path) during our runs in the 1990's.  At some point years after he was gone (Dusty left me in 2000), the trail moved to his path.  I think about this every time I run through here, which is often.

Dusty's Path

USGS Marker at Copper (or, Peak, as some call it)

 Route for the day

Early morning trip to Tunxis, to run from Ski Sundown on Ratlum Road to Satan's Kingdom.  Figured out the mileage of each bit, and completed the day with 5.2-miles and 1840' climb.

Middle to late part of day was spent with family beginning our celebration of JC graduating college.  The last four years just went by so quickly!

Old Dam and Pond Outflow along Ratlum Brook

Pond above the spillway/dam

Enjoyed a decent day preparing for and presenting a GIS Demo;  a good chunk of the last two days was devoted to finalizing with a good group of co-workers.  Thankful that I had this opportunity to participate.

Meanwhile, back on this day in 2002, a trip to Dubuque State Forest in Hawley was enjoyed.  By looking over the sequence of photographs, I can easily replay the route we traveled on that day fifteen years ago.

Stone Walls along Penobscot Road

Stone Walls along  Penobscot Road

Tippi on the Periwinkle Trail (this trail is being made official in 2017)

The Beaver Pond along Middle Road

Camp Rock was a little less grown-in around 15 years ago

Moody Spring running full pipe

Tippi crossing Basin Brook

The Shelter at Basin Brook

The bridge across Basin Brook, prior to Hurricane Irene wiping it out

Stone Steps leading up Hawley Pass Trail

Music 2017...

Here is effort #13, Medley...

The Primitives again, private party on Burlingame in 1984.

Granted, the recording is rough. After all, this was recorded on a cheap cassette player and the tapes have sat around in a basement for 33 years. I am pleased with the tightness of the playing despite the lack of discipline. And those drums of L, God she was awesome. Medley consists of Wild Thing, Louie Louie and Blitzkrieg Bop. Three great chords is all it took more or less. Or, as Spacemen 3 once said, "...three chords good, two chords better, one chord best".

Chief William "Whippoorwill" Thompson:

"...it is more important for an individual to search for his own answer to a question then for someone to tell him the answer directly.

Rode out to the Hatchet Hill area of the Metacomet after work, to explore some side-trails I'd noticed from April 30th.  It looks like the gang that has built the many mountain-bike trails across the street (Cowles Park, the Metacomet, and the flats at Tariffville) has begun to construct things here as well.

Mapped out the majority of what I noticed, and came across a fantastic stonewall running uphill on a steep ridge, which makes me wonder.  Totaled 3.2-miles in low-fifty degree weather.

On towards the Tunxis, to cover from Ski Sundown on Ratlum Road to Route 219, and back.  Total of 8.2-miles (I wandered a bit on the way back exploring).  Awesome day, but the dark clouds kept appearing and there was a threat of rain, so despite feeling like I could have stayed in the woods forever, I stopped when I was back at the car.

Grabbed many photographs of rock piles, cairns, pieces of stonewalls throughout, but in particular between the two high points 8/10's and 1-mile north of Ski Sundown.  This is the low area with a stream running though it.  

Route for the Day

View of the Reservoir

Old Foundation being hidden by periwinkle

Cairns leading uphill between two peaks

Stonewall or Ceremonial Stone-Pile

Stacked Stones