Traveled to Tunxis to complete the section I started on Sunday;  this time I'd work south to north, from Route 219 to Pine Mountain Road, and back again.

The day was clear, mild (low '80's), with pretty much no humidity at all.  Deer flies were missing in action with one exception...  the crossing at Roaring Brook was bad, and the suckers followed me for a good half-mile.  On the way back, I avoided the brook crossing and took the broken bridge, which was actually a big help with reducing the amount of biters attached to me.

This is a really great trail that I've enjoyed for over 25 years.  Unfortunately, timber harvest are pretty much a normal occurrence in Tunxis, and this season is no exception.  The worst reduction of woods is taking place on Pine Mountain, on the northwest side.  The trail is still obvious, but the infringement from the skid is pretty close, and that is a shame.  Buffers shouldn't be that hard to place and follow.

Despite the loss of big trees in the forest, it was still a great run.  I'd count the following sites as high points through this section...

• Top of the Indian Council Cave area.
• Bottom of the Indian Council Cave area.
• Old Cellar Holes.
• Multiple Stonewalls.
• Roberts Brook.
• Pine Mountain.
• The pool on the west side of Pine Mountain, along the road, where Liddy, Tippi and Sam refreshed so often. 

From Route 219 to Pine Mountain Road I registered 4.6-miles.  The Return via Pine Mountain Road and staying straight instead of climbing Indian Council Cave area was 4.1-miles, for a nice total of 8.7-miles and 2100' of climb.  To make things even better, I felt really good throughout the run, and we're having a cookout this afternoon!

Today's Route

 Approaching the top of Indian Council Cave

On top of Indian Council Cave, looking northeast

Boulders on the bottom of Indian Council Cave

One of the cellar holes

 Another cellar hole with the swamp behind it

 Another view of the foundation and swamp

 View northeast from the top of Pine Mountain

The Ten-Mile section from Route 20 to Route 219

Waited a bit after work, hoping it would cool down a little.  Rode out to Phelps Road and ran the Metacomet north for an easy 3-miler.  In the woods, it was cool enough.

I have started to feel pretty good, and my medication routine is over for the Lyme Disease Symptoms.  I wanted to get in something close to 10-miles, and I didn't want to drive too far.  I wouldn't be getting a really early start either, so I needed something on the cooler side of things (higher elevations).  I settled on the Tunxis Trail, in East Hartland.  

Picked a parking spot at the Route 20 Trail Crossing, which has long been a favorite of mine.  There may be one other car occasionally, but truthfully this is not a very busy trail.  I really like the solitude, and the lack of feeling as though civilization is really close at all times.

It seemed like Pine Mountain Road, or the summit of Pine Mountain would get me to half-way to 10-miles.  From there it would be to simply retrace all my steps, or use the side-path I know of, which adds in a great couple minute climb out of Roberts Brook.

Worked out very well;  the leaves kept the sun off me pretty well.  It was also somewhat mild up in the hills, I guess it stayed around 80 or a little above for the entire time I was running.  To top things off, there was really no humidity to speak of, which is a true blessing.

Went out to Pine Mountain Road, feeling darn good.  Registered 5.2-miles at that point, so on the return trip I did cut about a half-mile off and took the climb out of Roberts Brook to Pine Road crossing.  Ended the day with 9.8-miles, and avoided any leg pain in my hips that the Lyme Disease had brought on.

Rock prior to descent into the raven 1/2-mile before Roberts Brook

Balanced Rock along the Tunxis Trail

Our Dog Pool on Unnamed Brook

 

Up early and managed a humid 3.4-miles on the Metacomet Trail south.

Warmth, Humidity and Webs I

 Warmth, Humidity and Webs II

Fog starting to lift

 Off the Ledge

3-miles on the Metacomet running from Phelps north.  Hot and Humid today!

From the trail-head

Also, on this day in 2006, I completed my 33rd marathon, Tunxis II.  This was the second time in 5-weeks that I marathoned along the Tunxis Trail...  this time, I used the southern portion down to Satan's Kingdom.  My time was 6:06:30, and I had Tippi along for company.  It was her 9th completed marathon.

Tippi on top of  Indian Council Caves, along the Tunxis.

 

Just a mile from work is the southern end of the Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail.  I didn't have a whole lot of time, so I picked up a little over 3-miles total.  Decent temperatures, but it was starting to feel humid.

Too nice a day to not run, even though I had a scheduled evening meeting.  Out to the Metacomet on Route 20, and jogged 3-miles total in a brilliant sky day.  Great day to be on the trail.

Music 2017...

Here is effort #20, Rumble...

The Dark Heart Duo, July '16 on Crown Street.  Original by Link Wray and the Raymen.

 

Magnificent day, mid sixties and sunny.  No humidity, No bugs, and No snakes!  I felt decent, or at least better than I have been regarding leg discomfort.  I planned on driving to Savoy, for three possible destinations....

First, to get back on the Berkshire Natural Resources Council Hoosac Range Trail to Spruce Hill.  I've written (March 22, 2017) of a Spruce Hill vision.  This would be my first visit back since early in  2015 (very hard to believe, as I used to routinely make it to Spruce Hill monthly).

Second, I'd cross Route 2 above the Wigwam and Western Summit Gift Shop to head to "Top of the World", and then further north to Canyon Brook.  Once at Canyon Brook, I would hope to venture downstream to potential waterfalls I had read about in "Wild Side Adventures" by Nan Williams.

Lastly, I have been doing some research on the Second Hathaway Cemetery, in Savoy.  Middle of nowhere, no trail leading into it, sounded fun.

Things worked out pretty well.  I covered 7.1-miles  between the Hoosac Range and Top of the World.  

The Hoosac Range Trail to Spruce Hill was in fantastic shape, the first couple miles recently weed-whacked even.  This trail is easily in my top ten trails to explore, it's got climbing, views, and scenery.  There is an old path leading east toward a large pond that I need to explore on my next visit.

Once back at the BNRC Kiosk, I continued across Route 2 and up the service road to the cell tower.  The short run out to Top of the World, which I had last visited toward the end of May, 2015, was awesome.  The image on the top right of this blog homepage is from that visit, with Tippi walking toward the edge.  After the view, however, the trail developed into multiple, large mud-holes.  It's obvious that it has been a rainy couple months.  I decided to bail on the potential waterfalls (I imagine with this much water it would have been great) and head to Savoy Hollow on the Windsor border for a graveyard search.  I'll be back for Canyon Brook and Falls soon enough, when things dry out just a bit.

To get to Savoy Hollow, I decided to check Black Brook Road.  It looked "open" when I drove past this morning (the road was totaled and closed since Hurricane Irene).  It is now open, and in great shape!

To find the Second Hathaway Cemetery, I plotted a "clear" area in ArcMap after downloading LiDar data for the area.  The spot I picked looked right, and I thought I could see a stonewall around the clearing.  To get there, I decided to make it fun, and memorize stonewalls that would lead basically to the graveyard.  These stonewalls show up fantastically well in the data.

I found the Second Hathaway Lot, and it was really memorable.  The only mix-up I had was one of the stonewalls I needed to follow stopped before it was supposed to (should have intersected with a east/west stonewall).  This lead to me wandering a bit, and following a stonewall I "thought" was correct but I couldn't be sure.  All worked out in the end, and I left the area a pretty happy visitor.

The search for the graves took about 2-miles of hiking.  I exited along a snowmobile trail for some of it, and by the looks of the notes and the LiDar image, I walked right by a cellar hole I would have liked to have viewed.  Looks like another visit will be necessary!

Berkshire Natural Resource Council's Hoosac Range Kiosk

 View from Sunset Rock on the Hoosac Range Trail

 Hollowed trunk along the trail

 Two large quartzite boulders on the trail

The Hoosac Tunnel passes underneath this location

  View southeast, with Borden Mountain at the far left

  Looking off Spruce Hill toward Greylock

 Proof positive I am where I thought I was!

  View north with both sets of windmills viewable

  A side trail with a view of Greylock

Top of the World, looking at Greylock

  Rough Location of the Second Hathaway Graveyard (green dot)

 LiDar showing the stonewalls as raised surfaces (green dot still visible)

  My route following the stonewalls and finally getting a little lucky!

The gate and stonewall surrounding the Second Hathaway Cemetery

Many graves are still standing

Welcome Stanton and L. Clarinda Stanton

Looking northeast toward the surrounding stonewall

Written data regarding the Second Hathaway Cemetery

 

 

 

 

The day was very sunny, yet not too warm and wonderfully breezy.  I felt like I wanted to do something long and slow, to see how I would hold up.  By this I mean not too long, and very slow.

It was shady along Phelps Road, so I parked in my normal spot to run the Metacomet.  My last run on the 8-mile out and back was a really good one, but I had no illusions of this being a record setter.

The good news was I made it through the 8-miles, and didn't feel that bad until the last mile or so.  It is really going to be great to get better from this Lyme Disease.  All in all, I call not only today a success, but the last three days of running as well.

Copper / Peak Mtn with a view of Talcott in background

 Another view slightly north of Peak Mountain

The visit to Penwood yesterday revived me a bit emotionally and spiritually.  I'm still not rid of the fatigue and discomfort from the Lyme infection, but my legs felt better this morning while working on the patio so I thought I'd head back to the same basic area to run the opposite side of Route 185, and add some climbing in.

The parking lot at Penwood was about half-full at 10:00 a.m., and it was still very humid and warm.  As I made my way along the climb to Hueblin Tower, wind was trying to pick up and the humidity dropped significantly.  This felt refreshing, and each time I was feeling "too warm" a nice breeze would appear.  The route, which is a nice loop on a stem, tracked out at 5.7-miles.  This will be either the last or first section of a planned marathon, stretching from Southwick/Agawam to Talcott.

START SECTION                             END SECTION                                DISTANCE      TOTAL

Route 57	Rising Corner	2.3	2.3
Rising Corner	Mountain Road	2.6	4.9
Mountain Road	Route 20	5	9.9
Route 20	Hatchet Hill	2	11.9
Hatchet Hill	Farmington River	2.2	14.1
T-Ville Section	T-Ville Section	0.5	14.6
T-Ville	Penwood	2.2	16.8
Penwood North	Penwood South	3.1	19.9
Talcott-Hueblin Loop		5.7	25.6

 

The High Elevation of the run, Hueblin Tower on Talcott Mountain

 

Prior to Hueblin Tower, there is this nice opening/view in the trail

 Massive walls of rock east of Little Phillip Mountain

Second snake sighting in two days, this one a bit smaller