Rain and cold today, under 50-degrees for the duration.  Drove out to Goshen and the  DAR State Forest mid-afternoon with a plan.

The rain never really stopped, but I was prepared and dressed for it, so I was comfortable throughout.  I had a few things on my to-do list:

• Follow the old snowmobile trail from DAR to the Bradley Sanctuary.  I had attempted this from the opposite end (from Bradley) on February 24th, and lost the route to logging in the Hull Property.
• As part of the old snowmobile trail from DAR, the Tilton Farm Trail "South" has been improved and I wanted to explore that.
• I thought there would be a chance to head downstream following the stream and possibly finding the Devils Den.

The Tilton Farm Trail South was awesome, and improved tremendously.  That was a highlight.  The path has been widened and smoothed out, and is easily followed during the loop.

The old snowmobile path was somewhat successful as I found my way from Wing Hill Road in DAR to a sharp uphill east toward Merritts Hill, which I verified as correct from old coordinates (from 2011 & 2012), which placed me about 6/10's of a mile from the old cemetery on the topo map (and also where the logging is pretty extreme).  I turned back here to head further downstream, thinking I'd fight all the downed limbs and stumps to connect on another day.  

Following Rogers Brook downstream to meet up with the Mill River was slow, as there was no trail and I bushwhacked back and forth from one side of the brook to the other depending on terrain.  I finally viewed some incredible rock formations from steeply above the stream, as well as several small waterfalls.  I continued until I came upon the overhang rock from last weekend, and then began back upstream.

The Devils Den looked really interesting, but I was very high on the opposite bank, and it was raining and slippery.  I didn't want to risk a fall, especially by myself, so I went a bit further to a "safer" spot to climb down to the stream.

I ended up behind the main opening (or what I am going to assume is a main opening right now, at least until I see it during drier, better weather).  I was able to peer in to a smaller opening, that revealed a bit of a chamber.  It was really good to find this spot, and I will surely revisit soon.

From this point, I moved a bit west and then north, figuring I'd try to find easier terrain than the steep stream bank.  I noticed a nice stone wall below me, and I followed that north until I came upon an incredible stonewall set upon a very large, massive rock.  The wall was on a hill, and winding.  Nothing that seems to be colonist work, to me anyhow.  This is pretty deep in the forest, uneven terrain, and the set stones have many openings within the stacks.  Just amazing to wander into.

Ended the day with 6.4-miles and soaking wet.  A pretty good day.

View from the western bank of the Mill River to Devils Den

View from north of the Devils Den, on the river bank

Oddly placed together stonewall just northeast of the Devils Den

Another view of stonewall

Another view of stonewall

Another angle of stonewall

One more time, because this is fascinating

And yet again...

Looking downhill, the wall is serpentine

Bent Tree Limb and holes in the stonework

Began and Ended the run at Tilton Farm Trail

Looking across the pasture southeast

3.7-miles in McLean Refuge after physical therapy.  Outstanding day...  sunny and low 70's.

Beautiful night, took some time to run 3.7-miles along the Metacomet from Phelps Road south.

Nice night for a run, drove out to the Metacomet and challenged the trail from Phelps Road north, totaling up 3.5-miles.  

The ankle actually felt pretty good, which is pretty awesome!

Stonewall and Oak roughly at the 1.75-mile turn-around point

Part of the trip on Sunday was an attempt to locate the Devils Den on the Mill River, but we didn't locate it.  We turned at this overhang and small swimming area, which is pretty nice in it's own right.

Music 2018...

Effort #20, Dead End originally by Pink Reason. Me and my guitar.

Phelps Road to the Metacomet after a morning of light rain.  Ankle felt much better than yesterday, but still sorer than I'd like.  3.7-miles out to the log-book and back.

Took a drive to Williamsburg, Massachusetts in the early morning with my friend K2, with the Breckenridge Sanctuary being our focus.  

I wanted to explore the snowmobile path leading south along the Mill River, to Pat's Store on Route 9.  It had been a very long time since I've been on that path, my old GPS coordinates are from 2009.

I also wanted to end our "run" with a hike upstream on the Mill River, north of Old Goshen Road, to see if we could locate Devils Den.

The run was enjoyable, but my left ankle was very tender from PT yesterday.  Finished the running section with 3.9-miles.  The trails are in excellent shape, and the conditions were perfect for being out in the woods (50's, no humidity, and basically sunny).  About half-way down the trail I saw the old covered bridge, which I had forgotten about.  There are trails on the other side of the river, I believe I had followed those back in '09.  I'll re-visit at some point.

We followed up the run with a 1-mile hike upstream, came to a neat rock overhand along the brook, but we turned at this point.  The Den will be for another day, when the water level isn't so high (or so cold).

Covered Bridge over Mill River

Remnants of old dam

K2 along the trail nearing a large white pine

Looking upstream along Blake Brook

Inscribed Stone at Trailhead

Dedicated to Margaret Breckenridge

K2 finishing up the run

I assisted my friend the Woods Walker during his presentation for the Suffield Library back on February 27th, 2018.  I noticed this article in the local newspaper...

3-miles on South Main Street to the railroad underpass, in a lite rain.

Music 2018...

Effort #19, Amazing Grace.  Road Warriors for Christ.

Beautiful sunny day, around 70-degrees or so.... 3-mile run along Main Street to loosen up.

Began physical therapy for the left ankle...  hoping for the best and quickly at that.

Continuing to track my "peaks", or at least "high points" along the trails I cover.

April's High Points:

• Stony Hill, McLean Refuge, Granby, CT
• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge
• Bartlett Tower Hill, Tariffville, CT
• Pinnacle, Penwood State Forest, Bloomfield, CT
• Skyline Overlook, Somers, CT
• Rattlesnake Hill, Somers, CT
• Minnechoag Mountain, Hampden, CT
• Copper - Peak Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Granby, CT
• Hart's Pond Hill, Agawam, MA

March's High Points:

• Hatchet Hill, Granby, CT
• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Suffield, CT
• Perkins Mountain, Somers, CT
• Skyline Overlook, Somers, CT
• Rattlesnake Hill, Somers, CT
• Minnechoag Mountain, Hampden, CT
• Stony Hill, McLean Refuge, Granby, CT

February's High Points:

• Skyline Overlook, Somers, CT
• Goat Rock and Lookout Point, Hampden, MA
• Minnechoag Mountain, Hampden, CT
• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge, Suffield, CT
• Hill 880', Hampden, MA
• Pine Mountain, Hampden, MA
• Perkins Mountain, Somers, CT
• West Ridge, DAR State Forest, Goshen, MA
• Walnut Hill, Williamsburg, MA
• Copper - Peak Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Granby, CT
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Suffield, CT
• Merritts Hill, Williamsburg, MA

January's High Points:

• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge
• Bald Mountain, Shenipsit State Forest
• The Pinnacle, Shenipsit State Forest
• "Balanced Rock Hill",  Shenipsit State Forest
• "Bent Birch Hill", Shenipsit State Forest

Back out to McLean due to smoother running surface compared to most of the trails in the area.  My ankle is about the same as it has been, even after the run yesterday, so that is encouraging.  

Waited to just afternoon to avoid the on-and-off rain this morning, and managed a decent 6.7-miles at 5.5-mph.  

The left ankle is still not right, but with my physical therapy beginning on Monday, and nine-days off of running, it was time to do something.  I went to McLean on a sunny, seventy-degree day, and avoided large hills.

The Bad News is that the ankle is still very stiff and tender.  The Good News is that it didn't seem to make anything worse than if I didn't run at all.  I imagine that is a start.

4.3-miles at a comfortable 5.5-mph pace.