Today begins Master Naturalists Level II training at Goodwin State Forest.  I truly enjoyed Level I training back in 2015, and I've been looking forward to participating in the advanced course.

After class was completed, I took a run through some of the trails Goodwin offers.  Ended up with 5.7-miles feeling pretty good.

Start along the Natchaug Trail

Pine Acres Lake

On my ride home on Route 6, I observed three roadside memorials, which I stopped at to pay respect and photograph.

Old News...

On this day in 1995 I completed the 2nd Hartford Marathon in 3:42:02.  This was my 7th completed marathon.

Visited old friend Tim Z for a hike in Monroe State Forest, with a goal of locating the Sigurd, Grandfather and Thoreau Pines.  We bushwhacked a bit to check on some potential old growth that Tim had on his mind, before heading back down to the Dunbar Brook Trail.  Stayed on the trail until it splits, and then made our way up the north-facing side hill toward the three big pines.

First up was the Sigurd Olson Pine, Measured in 2011 at 12.3 feet around at chest height, and a full 130 feet tall.

Photo of Sigurd Olson  Pine with our friend Bob L (from Bob's Archives)

Heading further up-hill, we next took in the Thoreau Pine.  This is an incredible tree, measuring an impressive 13.3 feet around at chest height, and a height of 160.1 feet.

Seeing Thoreau from the Olson Pine (from Bob's Archives)

 Looking up to Thoreau's top (from Bob's Archives)

 Bob at Thoreau's base (from Bob's Archives)

It isn't far from Thoreau to the Grandfather Pine.  Grandfather measures in at a breast-height girth of 14.2 feet, with a height of 146.5 feet.

Old Growth Wizard Bob L at the Grandfather Pine (from Bob's Archives)

The following are additional photograph's from our trip today.

 

After our hike to the pines, I decided to drive up Kingsley Hill Road to check snowmobile trail crossings, and hopefully explore from the trail-head at the top of the Dunbar Brook toward a destination of "the Titanic.  The "Titanic Rock" is a 30' high boulder that leans against a second 20' high boulder creating a passage or cave that can be walked through.  The "Titanic" may be the largest glacial erratic in western Massachusetts.

Completed the day with a stop to visit my parents, which was fantastic as always.

 

Old News...  On this day, October 13th, 2012, Wuzzam and I ran the Conway Covered Bridge Marathon in 6:33:15.  This was my 48th completed marathon.  

Back on September 9th I explored a bit of the Robert Frost Trail, over Bull Hill.  I ended up jumping off the Frost to loop back toward my car, figuring I'd leave the rest of the trail through Mount Toby for another day.  Today was that day.

I parked at the Ranger Station on Reservation Road, which is ideal for grabbing onto the Robert Frost Trail as it is very nearby.  The first mile and half climbed to Mt Toby Fire Tower, with half of that distance being nice wooded trail and wide-path and the other half being a grind up a power line (which wasn't all that bad on this cool day).  I remember doing this section with Keen-Eye one November with about 6" of snow on the ground, but that is a story for another day.

Tower was as I remember it from the Mt Toby Trail Race, which is coming up this weekend I believe.  I used the Frost By-Pass on my way out to get to my "end-point" from the prior run.  Grabbed the Robert Frost proper for the return, which included the spur to Roaring Mountain.

Once on the jeep road, I took many of the side trails back and forth to the bottom and my car.  Each of the trails was nice and memorable, including the Upper Link, Telephone, and Hemlock Trails.  The Upper Link and Hemlock really stood out and impressed me.  Ended the day with 7.3-miles of incredibly cool (temperature) running.

It may be ten or twelve years since I raced at Toby, so it was really neat to re-visit some of the sections used during the event.  I made my intended connection to my prior run here, and I now have a complete track of the Robert Frost Trail through Mt Toby State Reservation.  I also learned that there is an impressive cave in the forest, with a trail leading close to it.  And...  a couple potential waterfalls as well.  I'll be back.

Mount Toby Fire Tower

Top of Roaring Mountain

Remains of an old chimney

Cranberry Pond

Life...

Loaded up a huge rental van to bring JC and his belongings to Albany/Rensselaer Rail Station, for his relocation to Chicago.  I am proud of this young man for taking this opportunity and it's challenges.

Monroe / Dunbar Brook Part II

Continuing from Tuesday's adventure, I wanted to share some of the natural features that Monroe offers along the nature trails.  Today will focus on Spruce Mountain, Dunbar Brook, Large White Pine, and the many large boulders found along the way.

View from Spruce Mountain just off the Spruce Mountain Trail

View off the bridge on Raycroft Road of Dunbar Brook (looking upstream)

Downstream from the Bridge on Raycroft Road (natural bridge & potholes)

Blue Dot Boulder just off the Dunbar Brook Trail

Once more, the Blue Dot Boulder just off the Dunbar Brook Trail

Sharp Turn Boulder directly on the Dunbar Brook Trail

 Large White Pine a bit north of the Dunbar Brook Crossing

Large White Pine along the Dunbar Brook Trail

Monroe / Dunbar Brook Part I

The Sunday before "Columbus" Day is the 10.5-Mile Dunbar Brook Trail Race.  I haven't participated at this event since 2007.  Prior to that, I "...made my way 'round" sixteen times, each year from 1992 thru 2007.  I imagine I have also run the loop as a fun run a dozen or more times through the years.

I knew that some of the briars would be trimmed for the race, so I had intentions of getting out at some point this week to enjoy this very beautiful course.  I did enjoy it, took some detours, and snapped many photos.  Spoke with the two pair of couples I encountered who were also visiting the forest today.

I was out on the course over 4-hours, finishing with 12.7-miles.  This would have placed me dead last at this year's race, by a lot.  My point is, while occasionally thinking about "racing" an official event, what I am into now is pretty far away from trail racing.

Looking at the times I've run at the race, it also occurs to me that toward the end of my racing days, the race wasn't that big a deal to me anyhow.  Enjoying the natural settings of the forest and the people I'm close to were the real draw.

1992 - 1:34:38

1993 - 1:31:48

1994 - 1:33:07

1995 - 1:34:35

1996 - 4:07:26 (30k Distance run with my Pop)

1997 - 2:07:30 (Half-Marathon Distance, run with RunSteveo)

1998 - 1:40:14

1999 - 1:36:22

2000 - 1:37:58

2001 - 1:31:53

2002 - 1:39:56

2003 - 1:34:08

2004 - 1:57:15 (Run with my Pop)

2005 - 1:48:02

2006 - 2:05:04 (Run with my Pop and Paul H)

2007 - 2:05:43 (Run with my Pop)

I'll continue this post with photos and thoughts...  there are too many photos to share in one post.  For today, I want to show Raycroft Lookout, on the Hunt Hill Trail.  This is a truly awesome spot in Massachusetts, and it is not part of the race.  Sometimes, we have to follow the path less followed.

Raycroft Lookout on Hunt Hill

Raycroft Lookout  w/ Bear Swamp Upper and Lower Reservoirs viewable

Looking toward the Clark - Todd Ridge in Mohawk Trail State Forest

On this day, October 9th, 2013, Tippi and I ran the DAR State Forest Marathon in 6:10:00.  It was my 50th completed marathon, and Tippi's 17th and final finish.  She ran some decent distance after this one, for a couple years, but nothing over 20-miles.

We began in Goshen, at the Daughter's of American Revolution State Forest, and ran out to Bullet Reservation, and back.  Had a nice stop along the way at Chapel Ledge and Chapel Falls.

Tippi looking off Chapel Ledge (or Pony Ledge).

 Tippi looking off Chapel Ledge.

 Tippi on Chapel Ledge.

 Chapel Falls.

 Chapel Falls.

 Tippi cooling off in a pool at Chapel Falls.

Course.

A warm, rainy, humid day in Connecticut.  Figuring any trail with rocks would be difficult, I went to McClean Reservation and the wonderful soft, pine needle covered paths. 

The warmth and humidity did make it uncomfortable, but I ran hard over a distance of 6.4-miles.  I was satisfied with my effort, which was around 1:13:00.  The most remarkable thing about the time spent in McClean today was that despite it not being a "sunshine day", I was not alone.  I came across four additional groups hiking during my run.

3.3-miles along the Metacomet at Hatchet Hill on a somewhat humid day in October.  I used the mountain bike options of Smaug's Lair and Keg Roller as well, before getting back on the Metacomet for the last mile.

View of Farmington River above the Tariffville Gorge