Goals 2018

As the 2017 year comes to an end, I feel pleased with this blog.  Recording my adventures has helped keep me focused, and for the first time in a few years I managed a decent total of running miles.

I had a goal of 1000-miles for 2017, and I exceeded that by a little bit (1,055).  Not bad at all considering I had two periods of Lyme Disease Symptoms, and a very difficult to deal with case of Strep Throat.

Going into 2018, I am going to shoot for a total of 1200-miles.  This is a bit over the 10% rule, but I'll start slowly and be careful.  It really only changes from an expected average of 20.3 miles-per-week in 2017 to 23.1 mile-per-week in 2018.  I'll still be a far cry away from the 30-to-34 miles-per-week I managed for so many years, so I believe I'll be safe.  Time will tell, right?

Also, from the origins of WMAC Snowshoeing...  twenty-years ago today the the 2nd Annual Tannery Falls Winter Run (Snowshoe) was held at Savoy Mountain State Forest.  Four total finishers for the event, two with snowshoes (the Bandit and I).  We ran 3:39:13 for the 25-Km.

I came across a video from the 3rd annual Berkshire Natural History Conference (2017) at Berkshire Community College;  my friend Bob L presented a talk on Great Trees and Their Forests.

It's always valuable to listen to Bob, I learn an immense amount each time I am with him.  During this presentation, Bob mentions "The Big Eight", referring to eight magnificent trees worth visiting. 

• Sycamore, Sunderland
• Sugar Maple, Mohawk Trail State Forest
• Grandfather Pine, Monroe State Forest
• Jake Swamp Pine, Mohawk Trail State Forest
• Saheda Pine, Mohawk Trail State Forest
• Pin Oak, Northampton
• Thoreau Pine, Monroe State Forest
• Ice Glen Pine, Stockbridge

I've visited five of these trees...  the three in Mohawk and the two in Monroe.  There may be photos within this blog of the five I've visited.

Toward the end of the presentation, Bob also speaks of a wonderful Red Maple, "Magic Maple" as he refers to it.  It too is in Mohawk, and I am familiar with that tree as well.

The talk also mentions five forest sites worth noting...  "The Superlative Sites".

• Mohawk Trail State Forest, Charlemont
• William Cullen Byrant Woods, Cummington
• Ice Glen, Stockbridge
• Monroe State Forest, Monroe
• Mount Greylock, Lanesborough

And finally, there is mention of Old Growth Forest as well...  "Our Old Growth Forest Gems".

The Video is a great informative tool, and something to treasure...Great Trees and Their Forests.

It is close enough to the end of the year for me to review the goals I had set for 2017.  I doubt I'll get out to "complete" any additional stragglers, so here is what I had hoped for, and what I accomplished.

"Goals" for 2017:

• I am hopeful that I can complete 1000+ miles of running this year.
• I am also hopeful that I can record a post each day in this blog, for the entire year.
• Locate and explore the "Lead Mine" in Little Egypt.
• Locate and Explore the Goshen Stone Chamber.
• Re-locate the Balanced Rock in Williamsburg or Conway.
• Locate the 1926 Memorial Plaque set in a rock in Williamsburg / Conway.
• Visit Chesterfield Gorge, including a run along the old path.
• Locate the Thoreau Pine and Grandfather Pine in Monroe State Forest. 
• Visit some of the many large boulders in Monroe State Forest.
• Continue visiting and locating Savoy Graveyards, especially the 2nd Hathaway Burial Ground.
• Locate and explore the waterfall above the Hairpin Turn on Route 2.
• Hike the Tophet Brook, as much or as little as possible.
• Visit Balanced Rocks in North Salem, NY and Pittsfield / Lanesborough, MA.
• Locate Burnt Hill in Heath.

The following challenges have been met:

• I did manage to go beyond 1000-miles of running this year.
• I have recorded an entry each day in this blog.
• The Lead Mine / April 15th.
• Goshen Stone Chamber / April 27th.
• Balanced Rock in Williamsburg / May 19th.
• Chesterfield Gorge / June 9th.
• Savoy Graves including the elusive 2nd Hathaway Burial Ground / June 26th.
• Burnt Hill (reconnaissance only) July 10th.
• Visit some of the many large boulders in Monroe State Forest / October 10th.
• Locate the Thoreau Pine and Grandfather Pine in Monroe State Forest / October 13th.
• Locate and explore the waterfall above the Hairpin Turn on Route 2 / October 31st.

All I didn't get to were the following:

• Locate the 1926 Memorial Plaque set in a rock in Williamsburg / Conway.
• Hike the Tophet Brook, as much or as little as possible.
• Visit Balanced Rocks in North Salem, NY and Pittsfield / Lanesborough, MA.

So, I am thinking it's been a really good year.  Of the three items I didn't get to, I intend to achieve them sooner than later.  They will be at the top of my list for 2018, more or less.  And thinking of 2018, I have tons of goals for next year already written down on index cards.

An early morning run from Whitiker Woods to Shenipsit State Forest in temperatures in the twenties again.  Great conditions, with an inch of snow on the ground but not slippery.  Sun was out, so very warm when swallowed by the rays, but cold when out of it's view.  Completed 7.1-miles with Wuzzam.

On the connector from Whitiker to Shenipsit (Soapstone), there has been some bridge work completed and by the looks of things, more to be done.  Very nice work and a great addition through a wet, briar-filled area.

Perched Rock along Parker Road

 Awesome Stonewall on the Whitiker to Soapstone connector

McLean with K2 again, seems like it is developing into a nice Saturday routine lately.  Today I completed 3.4-miles in slippery conditions due to the extreme cold temperatures and recent snowfall.

Later in the afternoon, DL and I took a drive to Mrs. Murphy's to pick up donuts for my folks.  Drove to Adams for a visit, and on the way back to Connecticut stopped at my one of my favorite places for dinner...  the Williamsburg Snack Bar.  A very good day.

Spring Pond from the North End

Nice stand of White Pine

A visit to Goodwin State Forest on a day that only managed mid-twenty degrees or so.  Met up with Jim and Juan from my Master Naturalist Program, and three members of the "Friends of Goodwin", who I was fortunate to meet today.

The early portion of the day was focused on being brought into the "Valley of the Giants", an "Old Forestland Management" site.  The site borders Turner Brook, the outlet from Black Spruce Pond.  

The visit and educational benefit from this visit was valuable, and fun.  We covered roughly 2-miles of hiking through the area, with return trips planned.

After we said our good-byes, I changed into running gear and made a loop, thinking I'd get back to the path into the "Valley".  All went well, even stopped at Governor's Island for a look across Pine Acres Pond.  Completed the running portion of the day with 6.7-miles.

Mirror Image?

Birch on stilts

Strong Spring

Perched Rock

Measuring...

Having a rock for a partner

Music 2017...

Effort #36, She Talks to Rainbows...

Ramones acoustic cover recorded during late summer '17.

Just enough time to run two loops (3.0-miles) around Stony Brook Park before dark.

The Lost Village of Pilfershire...  

Fred F, president of the Simsbury land Trust, shares the story and history of Simsbury's lost village, Pilfershire.

During yesterday's run in McLean Game Refuge, I mentioned running through a bit of Simsbury's lost village, Pilfershire.  I also mentioned going "off-trail" a bit to look for some foundations and cellar-holes I saw years ago. As mentioned yesterday, I found the spot, and promised some photos.

These are not on the Westledge Trail, and are not "recorded" in an easy to find document.  I'll post a video presentation by Fred F, President of the Simsbury Land Trust, which mentions this "off the beaten path" section a bit.

We were "blessed" with 4" - 6" of snow last night, which made the woods a bit slippery but very beautiful.  I ventured out to McLean Game Refuge to run along the North Trail, the Firetown Trail, and then the Westledge Trail into the Old Village of Pilfershire.

On the way back down Westledge, I wandered off along what once was an old road, to the northwest.  I can't remember exactly when I was last in there, but I did recall a serious of really large cellar-holes and foundations up on a flat area before a steep bank.  These are not recorded in the Pilfershire information I've been able to find, and with snow on the ground it seemed like a great day to explore.

I found the remains fairly easily, and much of the old path was still evident, as long as you've been in there before.  It came back to me, and what I recalled was on my last visit, maybe more than five but less than ten years ago, was that it was summer time (I remember large areas of fern everywhere), and we (Tippi and I) followed some distinct old trails beyond the foundations before we finally gave up.

One thing that occurred to me between yesterday and today, is that I enjoy McLean a lot because each time I am in here, I meet up with several friendly dogs.  Today, I had two run at me (separate occasions) to say "hello", and I rubbed them hard on the head and ears.  They seemed very satisfied, and it made me smile.  Owners always look nervous and apologetic for the dogs racing toward me and jumping, but I tell them it gives me pleasure "...as long as they don't bite".

I'll post some photos of the foundation area in the upcoming days, but for now I have some pictures of a "perched" rock just above the Westledge Falls and a topo map of the route.  Finished the day with 8.3-miles.

Today, I reached a goal set at the start of the year;  I really wanted to run 1000-miles total for the season, and today that was achieved. 

This isn't a ton of miles for most runners, and honestly from 1988 through 2014 I easily eclipsed this total without even trying.  2015 & 2016 were challenges, and one big reason I try to post on this blog every day is for me to focus on where I am, and how I'm doing, with regard to fitness and state of mind.  It really helps to write goals down, because if you don't, they are not concrete and only dreams.

Knowing I was only 2-miles from 1000, and snow was coming, I drove K2 out to McLean for an hour run.  I bushwhacked a bit, and finished pretty strong after a slow-ish start.  4.4-miles for the day, and the snow began just as we finished.

K2 with Hemlock

 Beaver Dam at Spring Pond, southwest side

 

 

And, from old gps data, ten-years ago today (December 9th, 2007) , Tippi and I snowshoed in Plainfield into Dubuque State Forest  as well.

A run along the Metacomet from Mountain Road in West Suffield, heading south.  I went off trail a bit to explore a more "western" ridge, which I believe was once the original trail.  I had cleared it out maybe 10 or 12 years ago, and it was still evident today.

Just prior to rejoining the Metacomet from the exploration, I noticed a geocache hidden in a tree.  That was a nice surprise, but I also had a second surprise that really made me jump.  Just before dark, as I was running along the trail, I almost bumped into a raccoon.  I was only a foot or two from running right into it, and it looked as frightened as I was.  It stood up on it's hind legs and made a funny sound, which was nothing compared to the funny sound I made as I retreated.

The raccoon didn't seem to know what to do after our encounter, and wasn't moving, so I bushwhacked around it.  Ended the run with 3.1-miles of fun.

Today I was able to complete a 3.4-mile run in East Granby Farms Recreation Area, up to the Metacomet Trail at Copper / Peak Mountain, and back before it got too dark.

In the field lives the old champion Swamp White Oak for Connecticut.  Measured in 2001, this tree had a girth of 224" (18'8"), height of 82', and a crown spread of 83' for a total of 327 big tree points.  The East Granby Swamp Oak was replaced as champion in 2006, with a tree in Westport, CT.

Former State Champion Swamp White Oak

Former State Champion Swamp White Oak

At the high point of the run

Also, from the origins of WMAC Snowshoeing...  twenty-years ago today the 2nd Annual Spruce Hill Climb was held at Savoy Mountain State Forest.  Twelve finishers for the event, with times ranging from 1:55:00 to 2:55:00.

After the visit with my parents on November 24th, at about the halfway-point home I stopped in Goshen to take some photographs of the Goshen Tunnel.  To my surprise, the cover stone was moved off the tunnel, allowing me a view inside.  I've included a few videos from television as reference material.

The Goshen Tunnel, surprisingly open

The Goshen Tunnel

 The Goshen Tunnel

 The Goshen Tunnel

Goshen's Counterfeiters Den...

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Search for the Lost Giants: Evaluating the Goshen Mystery Tunnel...

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