Wandered out to Penwood to see how I would hold up over the 6 1/2-mile loop around the park.  The warmth and humidity have returned, and the deer flies are just beginning to appear.  Despite these negatives, I had a decent run.  I was able to drop my prior best time from April of this year (1:34:00) to a respectable 1:28:00 today.

I am still having some lingering aches in my legs, I am a little over half-way into my lyme medications.  Not uncomfortable enough to not try running, but it will be something when all symptoms leave me.

 View from the top of the Pinnacle

First large snake of the year that I almost stepped on (~4-footer)

 View from the lookout south of Pinnacle

On this day in 2012, Wuzzam and I completed a Metacomet Marathon, with a time of 7:00:00.  Tippi ran the first section with us, from Route 20 to Phelps Road, and back (about 10.5-miles).  Weather report was that heating up was very possible - so the Donnalee grabbed Tippi early.  This was my 46th marathon completed.

Our Route for the Marathon Distance.

Music 2017...

Here is effort #19, One Million Kisses...

Quietly and quickly recorded this wonderful tale from Jad Fair of Half-Japanese.

 

Today was break from running, so I did some mapping.  Have it in my head that it would be interesting to know the high elevations for all towns in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties of  Massachusetts.  The map isn't fancy, but it is starting to show results as I completed 15-Towns in Northern Berkshire County.

Going back in time...  

On this day in 1998, my Pop and I completed the 1st Greylock Centennial Marathon in Adams, Massachusetts.  Our time was 6:55:38.  This was a very difficult course, with 5 lengthy climbs.

This was my 19th marathon completed, and my dad's first.

It felt like the humidity broke, but it still made the high '80's today.  Nice breeze though, which made it very comfortable in the woods.  I still am keeping the running short due to the lyme disease flare up / doxycycline prescription;  I am on day 11 of 21 with the medications.

Tackled the Metacomet from Route 20 in Granby  north to the scout camp-site and back.  4-miles of beautiful blue sky, soft blowing breeze and bright sun in  a clouded sky.

View from Copper / Peak Mtn, 1-mile out

Approaching the view at 1.5-miles out

Looking south from 1.5-miles on the exposed rock

We're still in a pattern of high humidity, and possible heavy rain, so I headed out early to McLean Refuge.  Back on June 2nd I explored the western Barndoor Hill, so to not leave the east-side out I made it my focus today.

Pretty much all the trails in McLean are well managed and enjoyable, and there are a lot of them.  There is a fairly complete map available at the Mclean website.  The trail up to the eastern Barndoor Hill is a decent climb, with several rewarding views, and horseshoes back to the main route over the hill.  Finished my morning run with 3.7-miles, and a smile on my face (beat the heavy rain!).

View west toward the Western Barndoor Hill

Another view west toward the Western Barndoor Hill

Mclean Refuge Map

To Adams for Father's Day, with a dozen donuts from Mrs. Murphy's in Southwick for my Pop.  Along the way I noticed a Roadside Memorial along Route 9, in Cummington.  God Bless you KC, and may you rest in Peace.

Further along the drive, I passed the old Berkshire Snow Basin, which may be DCR property now, or at least Bryant Mountain Wildlife Habitat.

There are several pages on the internet devoted to old ski areas;  here are three that lead to Berkshire Snow Basin, I am sure there are others.

Berkshire Snow Basin 1

Berkshire Snow Basin 2

Berkshire Snow Basin 3

Drove through Windsor Jambs, which brought back fantastic memories of camping along the Westfield River during from 1990 through the late 2000's.  Listening to Owls back-and-forth all evening and early morning long, and the peacefulness of the river just below our tent.  It truly is sad that the area closed to camping around 2011, and remains "unstaffed".

From there I parked at the Hopkins Road / Bannis Road intersection so I could enjoy a short run heading north.  This was the site of the "Dragon House", the home of Roger Davis.  Outside, during the '90's, there was a sign that read something like "...all friends welcome, stop in for a spell".  I always thought about visiting, but I never made it.  Here are some links to the legend....

The First Witch of Savoy

Remembering the Life of Roger Davis I

Dragon House Burns - Roger Davis II

The End of the Story ... ?

Made my run out and back to the Tower Graveyard, passing the Babbit Graveyard along the way.  Completed the hilly journey with 3.5-miles.

Route for the Day

Babbit Graveyard

 Babbit Graveyard

Dam and Small Pond

Tower Graveyard

All that remained was the celebration of Father's Day with my family. Wonderful cookout, followed by incredible homemade strawberry and raspberry pie (1 of each).  Picked up a sub at Angelina's Subs on Columbia Street for DL, before leaving Adams.  This was a really good day.

3.7-mile run at McLean Reservation.  Overcast and low '70's, which is pretty nice for me.

Took another tour on Main Street, but headed south this time.  Managed a rainy 3.2-miles.

It seemed like about time for a run, and the night was cool enough, so I made it through Main Street for 3-miles on sidewalk.  We'll see how the hips and thighbones respond to this, as that is where the Lyme Disease hits me hardest.

Massachusetts as a state has a great deal of recreational open space protected.  It is no wonder that I gravitated toward the outdoors then and now.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Protected Open Space

Growing up in Adams, we learned how to make our own fun.  The amount of "woods" available to us, to call our own, was and is fantastic.

Adams, Massachusetts Protected Open Space

 Being a Little Smarter

What I search for when trail running is a rhythm between myself and the forest floor, one that allows me to float effortless above all those roots-rocks-mud-trees and escape into only running. The trail exist, and I exist, but nothing else exist. I am swallowed up and totally engulfed in an ancient state, freeing up my mind to travel backwards in time while I hurl myself foreword. Unfortunately, the best and only true way to accomplish this is by running alone.

Being alone in the woods has never bothered me. It leaves me with a feeling of just how small and powerless I am on earth. Without the falsity of man made infringements, the world seems truly a better place. Or at least more peaceful.

Mid May of this year, something happened to make me think of being alone so much in the woods. On a Tuesday night group run on the Metacomet Trail in Suffield, CT. one new member of the trail running community stepped on a downed tree branch and turned his ankle. We heard the crack of the dry brittle wood, and a yelp. Lightnin’ Steve later mentioned that he thought he heard a second crack, a limb of a human nature. I recalled from my own experiences with ankle twist that if you keep walking the pain resides and within minutes you are running again. Well, this didn’t work. We elevated the injured foot for a while, then decided to walk on out off the ridge.

The park we start at was only a mile and a half from the injury. Fifteen minutes running. The walk this night seemed to take forever as each step was painful to watch as John tried to softly place the swollen foot down. Looking back on the ordeal now, I admire his courage and tolerance of pain. He is going to make a fine trail runner when he mends. We convinced him to get the foot into the cold lake before driving home, telling him all kind of lies about it being only a sprain. The phone call the next day told me different.

A broken ankle. Made me think about how often I disappear into the woods hours from a road crossing solo except for my dog. I do know that I won’t change my habit of venturing out by myself. What I will do is make sure someone always knows where I am (at least which forest) and when I expect to be back. The positive feelings I get from the solitude of trail running are not worth giving up out of fear of an injury. I only need to be a little smarter. Like I said before, maybe it’s the feeling of how small and powerless I am on this great earth that is the appeal......

  {05/30/97}

Back on May 15th I presented a photograph of a section of the Metacomet I referred to as "Dusty's Path".  It was his shortcut in the '90's, and by the mid-two-thousands it became the trail.  Today, I present another shortcut, that was a favorite of Tippi's.

In the center of the photograph, against the dark trees, a Connecticut Blue Blaze is visible.  The trail makes a large ninety here, but Tips always shortcut through this section of brush.  Over a thousand times always...

Not sure if this will become the trail ever, but I hope that I can always remember it as my trail buddies path.  Just around the bend, on the other side of this brush, is the George A. Harmon Woodlot sign.

Music 2017...

Here is effort #18, 30 Century Man...

Recorded over this past weekend, with some drum work by Jon Evil. Dark Heart Duo Rides Again!

 

Lyme disease symptoms returned as the week progressed, slight at first but increasing in severity by last evening.  That being said, I began a cycle of doxycycline, which I'll be on for 21 days.

When I first came down with a Lyme Infection, I ended up in the hospital.  It propelled me to read many articles on Lyme, it's treatment, and living with Lyme.  One thing I recall is that the bacteria hates heat, so exercise is good.

I took a late afternoon trip to the Metacomet, and totaled up 4-miles.  Wore a hat and dressed in long sleeves due to the potential side-effect of the doxy with the sun.  It was overcasts enough, and shaded for the most part.

This means it is going to be very difficult to enjoy longish runs.  I'll have to run very early or very late if I am planning on any distance.  It also means I need to monitor how my body feels and reacts day-to-day.  Not the greatest news, but I'll manage.

Old News Department:  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.

Also, 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.

Video courtesy of Wuzzam; Tippi and I on the Indian Council Caves

One the the areas I planned as a "goal" for 2017 was the East Branch Trail from the Chesterfield Gorge.  I have been here once in my life, on November 28, 2010 for the Gorge Apres Gorge 5k Trail Race.  Today was the day, for at least some of it.

The East Branch Trail distance has some variance, from what I researched.  The route can travel from Chesterfield Gorge to Knightville Dam if you wanted, evidently.  There are mile markers throughout the trail, so I figured on 6-miles out, and then return.

There is enough elevation change on this old road to keep it interesting.  There is also a side trail that could be used, with a bit of actual climbing involved.  I stuck to the East Branch Trail, and enjoyed the old stone walls, the feeder streams, the beautiful meadow at Indian Hollow, and the Westfield River roaring away.  Finished up with 12.9-miles, which was really great.  Fell apart a bit over the last three-miles, maybe too fast for me too early.

Ended the day by wandering a bit at the Chesterfield Gorge, which is a lot like a larger version of Windsor Jambs.  I need to make a visit when an interpreter is available.  It would be excellent to understand the formations and age of the gorge.

Around the 6-mile marker, the Westfield is quiet here.

 Someone saw something in this rock.

 Looking across Indian Hollow.

Undulating Stonewalls.

One of the feeder streams.

Gorge with old bridgework for the old post road between Boston & Albany.

More Gorge.