Back toward DAR State Forest to tie up the snowmobile trail from the solar panels.  Took a chance and drove up Route 143, and found a great spot to park at the snowmobile crossing.  This looked familiar to what I remembered, having last been exploring on these trails back in the winters of 2007, 2008, and 2009 with Tippi.

The conditions were bad for snowshoeing, and even worse for running without them.  Intermittent snow cover, lots of slick ice, some mud and rocks.  Good news was that I was able to follow the route easily enough.  The trail ended up being pretty familiar, and right at the 2.5-mile mark from Route 143 I intersected my stop-point from last Saturday, at the top of the solar panels.  Turned around for a nice 5-miler for the day.

There were two intersections along the way that were "signed" as snowmobile route corridors, with directions to "Pat's Store" on Route 9.  Both of these will be explored in the future, with the northern most path most likely leading down to Route 9 opposite the Breckenridge Sanctuary.  

Today's 5-mile route

Solar Panels, today's turn-a-round point from the south

Headwaters of Town Lot Brook, a tributary of Meekin Brook

Overall Route from DAR to Route 143

Dolmens and Standing Stones

Thursday, February 15th, 2018

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Granby Public Library - "Big" Room

I again assisted my friend the "Woods Walker" with his program at the Granby Public Library tonight.  It was a capacity crowd, with the majority of the attendees (easily 50 or more people) enthusiastically invested in the presentation / story telling.

I thought that the presentation went very well, with a very charged audience.  Up next is a night at the end of February at the Suffield Senior Center.

Dolmens and Standing Rocks, Evidence of Ancient Civilizations

Video of a Presentation on Wednesday, January 10, 2018

at the Prosser Public Library, Bloomfield, Connecticut

Woods Walker, Part III... Prosser Public Library

Music 2018...

Effort #7, Heaven's Chalkboard.  An original from the Road Warrior's for Christ, 2018.

I was inspired by Rev King's "Preacher's Pulpit #2, and added a little guitar run to the Power of the Message:

Take an eraser to the long lists of sins that the devil has wrote on the chalk board of Heaven...
and your name's written in the Book of Life.
With this new life life comes new responsibilities.
We are not Saved just so we can go to Heaven, we are bought with a price and now we are not our own...  We Belong to the Lord! 

Fourth run in 2018 along the 7-mile Hill Street Loop;  Temperatures around 40-degrees and cloudy.  The woods would be just too wet, slippery, and messy to attempt after the all-day rain yesterday.

Rain all day, varying between light and hard.  Waited until dark and it let up enough for me to run "dry" along Main Street for 3-miles.

The weather report called for a warm, rainy day for the region.  K2 and I decided we would risk a drive to the Daughter's of American Revolution State Forest in Goshen, Massachusetts, and hopefully beat the moisture.

We were fortunate, the rain held off, and we managed 2:20 on our snowshoe'd feet.  I ended the route with 9.6-miles along the snowmobile corridor from the Headquarters at DAR to the solar field off Route 9.  Conditions were actually excellent, but as soon as three sleds passed me by with a mile to go, I could see the base was eroding fast.

The route hasn't changed from 2008 & 2009 when Tippi and I covered a huge chunk of this area over two winters.  At least to the point I turned around (the solar panel field, which obviously wasn't present ten-years ago).  I'll need to get back soon, to see if anything has changed, and build upon the "circled world".

Crossing over the West Branch of Rogers Brook

Interesting stonewall, and what is under the snow?

Surprise of the day, a Balanced Rock

A view from above the solar panels, my turn-a-round point

Another view of the Balanced Rock

I drove to Adams to see my parents today, which ended up as a wonderful visit.  It has been a while since I brought them donuts from Mrs. Murphy's (in Southwick), so that was my first order of business.

Around the half-way point, I stopped at DAR State Forest in Goshen, to get a short 3.4-mile snowshoe jog in.  Stuck to the roads as a snowmobile had thankfully broke trail (there was an inch crust on any unbroken snow, and snowshoers know how difficult it is to get any rhythm going in those conditions).  Saw the snowmobile take a turn east off Wing Hill Road up toward West Ridge, so I followed a nice loop up and down.

Enjoyed my time with my folks (and Otis), and while on the way back home I stopped at Angelina's in downtown Adams to bring a sandwich back for DL, and then one more stop at  Perkarski's in South Deerfield for some supplies.  

Old Cellar Hole along Wing Hill Road

Bent Tree Limb

Rogers Brook

Tilton Farm Sign

Meadow at Tilton Farm, Holyoke Range viewable in the "Notch"

Dolmens and Standing Rocks, Evidence of Ancient Civilizations

Video of a Presentation on Wednesday, January 10, 2018

at the Prosser Public Library, Bloomfield, Connecticut

Woods Walker, Part II... Prosser Public Library

Dolmens and Standing Rocks, Evidence of Ancient Civilizations

Video of a Presentation on Wednesday, January 10, 2018

at the Prosser Public Library, Bloomfield, Connecticut

Woods Walker, Part I... Prosser Public Library

Received really good news from my neurosurgeon last night.  According to his reading of my MRI, everything in my brain looks great and it sounds as though I do not have to go through this procedure anytime in the near future.    

This is a wonderful relief, as all who have gone through such things know.  It has been a while (October 2015) since I had my head cracked open like Humpty-Dumpty to remove a tumor, but the memory of it all is still fairly fresh, too.  Good news from any Doctor is reason to celebrate!

And by celebrate, tonight that meant a 3-Mile run along the sidewalks on Suffield's Main Street.

Music 2018...

Effort #6, Open Up.  Originally by D.Y.S., evidently one of "Aldo's" favorite bands from the early '80's.  

This was the Primitives, Summer of '84.  Great bassline, and ends with these lyrics:

You used to talk about open minds
Was all that a lie,
Or have you just grown old?
Look like you want
But don't tell me how to live
It's you who says looks don't matter

3.4-miles on the Metacomet Trail from Rising Corner south.

"Welcome to Connecticut" sign

"Nicks Hill"

"Welcome to Massachusetts" sign

Third run in 2018 along the 7-mile Hill Street Loop;  Temperatures around 20-degrees and sunny.

Unsatisfied with ending the connection from Skyline to Minnechoag yesterday in the middle of Nowheresville, I returned today to tie it up (I was hopeful anyhow).  There was a new 4" of snow along the trails in the higher elevations, which would cause some slow going.

I decided to start at the small parking area for Goat Rock at the end of Country Club Drive near Gerrish Park.  Over Goat Rock and the Hampden Overlook to Hampden Memorial Park.  Took the road down to the VFW, where there is a bridge crossing the Scantic River which leads to the trail network around Minnechoag Mountain.

Climbed the Algonquin Trail to the top of Minnechoag, continued south down the ridge to connect with yesterday's endpoint in Nowherevilles.  Headed back and took Bob's Trail back toward the VFW, jumping two beautiful deer on the way.

Ended with 6.5-miles of slow-going running due to the ice, 4" of snow, and climbs.  I think the temperature stayed around 20-degrees more or less.  An Outstanding day!

View from Goat Rock

Balanced Rock coming down from the Hampden Overlook

View west from Minnechoag Mountain

Bent Tree at top of Minnechoag

View east along Gas Pipeline south of Minnechoag Peak

Landmark Tree, growing along ground (I recall this "wonder" from 20-years ago)

Landmark Tree

Perched Boulders just east of Landmark Tree

Landmark Tree with setting sun

Landmark Tree

Bent Tree Limb with Old Coach Trail sign

 Stone Chair opposite Garrish Park