On this day in 2014, Wuzzam and I ran the Mahican Mohawk Marathon in 6:43:30.  We began and ended at Mohawk Trail State Forest in Charlemont, along the bank of the Cold River.  Our turn-around or midpoint was roughly at North Pond at Savoy Mountain State Forest in Savoy / Florida.

This was my 51st completed marathon.  Map of our route is included...

Running through Stafford Meadow

 

Red Pine Plantation, set in 1930's..

Up through the Red Pine.

Wuzzam at the first crossing of the Cold River.

Bog Pond, a long-time favorite area of ours..

Burnett Homestead Cemetery in Florida..

Second crossing of the Cold River.

Still enjoying a look back at the archives of  Black Lizard / Vintage Crime...  completed Chester Himes "A Rage in Harlem", originally published 1957 (and alternately titled "For Love of Imabelle" and "The Five Cornered Square").

This marked the first appearance of Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones as Detectives.

Music 2018...

Effort #33, "I Want You"...  Trio version of the Primitives in 1984...

Sore left hip, 1.8-mile walk along Main Street in the light afternoon rain.

On the drive to visit the folks, I stopped off in Williamsburg to hike the Petticoat Hill Reservation and Locke's Loop Trail.

The hip is still tender, so I wanted to see how walking felt.  Uphill is great, downhill not so great.

The property is really nice, and through a little research I see that there is a spur that may lead toward another Williamsburg Woodland Trail Property (Big View).  I believe I snowshoed through this area a decade or so ago, I plan on looking for old coordinates.

The Trustee's of the Reservations Kiosk for Petticoat Hill

Petticoat Hill Entry

Petticoat Hill Marker

Trail through stonewall

Connector Trail along stonewall

Locke's Loop Trail

Black Birch along the trail

Signage at Trailhead

Archives Department...  Also on this day in 2005, I completed my 28th marathon in Dubuque State Forest.  Referred to the Hallockville Pond Marathon, I enjoyed the company of Wuzzam and Tippi, with Old Farmer Tom meeting up with us on the Notch Trail by bike.

This was Tippi's 4th completed marathon.  Our time ended up at 5:21:16.

PT on the left hip today, managed a trip to Robinson State Park in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts to explore a bit.  The hip felt very stiff for the first couple miles, and I alternated run/walk for a total of 3.2-miles.

Another interesting Megalithomania UK / Jim Vieira video...  "Megaliths, Stonework and Giants from Ancient New England".

Enjoying the Black Lizard / Vintage Crime series once again...  completed James Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice", originally published 1934.

Music 2018...

Effort #32, "WIld Thing / Louie Louie"...  Long ago and far away, the Primitives in 1984... Adams.

An additional read from the archives of  Black Lizard / Vintage Crime...  completed Jim Thompson's "Nothing More than Murder", originally published 1949.

Still hitting ninety on the thermometer, with a very small drop in humidity.  I completed a 4.8-mile loop in Mclean right at mid-day.  Too hot, too humid, and too buggy to call it fantastic...  but it was better than not getting out at all.

North end of Spring Pond, looking south

White Pine envelope the entirety of Spring Pond

There are a few White Pine in the Spring Pond area that reach 140'

Rain most of the morning, with the sun coming out in the afternoon.  I visited the Metacomet from Route 20 in Granby, heading north.  The humidity was brutal, as were the gnats.  

Enjoyed a quiet 4-miles along the trail.

Looking slightly northwest off Copper/Peak Mtn

Looking more west off Copper/Peak Mtn

Looking slightly southwest off Copper/Peak Mtn

Took a run along Main Street just before dark, 4.1-miles.

And a Blast from the Past...

On this day in 1996 I completed my 12th marathon.  My route took me along the Appalachian Trail, from Salisbury, Connecticut into Massachusetts.  My turnaround point was at the summit of Mt. Everett,   My time on the trail was roughly 6:27:53, which included a break for a lunch at Everett.

More Black Lizard / Vintage Crime reading progress...  completed Charles Williams's  "The Hot Spot", originally published 1953.

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

July's High Points:

• Cat Rocks, Union, CT
• Peak / Copper Mountain, Metacomet Trail, East Granby, CT
• Little Tom, Mt Tom Range, Easthampton, MA
• Mt Tom, Easthampton, MA
• Deadtop, Mt Tom Range, Easthampton, MA
• Whiting Peak, Mt Tom Range, Easthampton, MA
• Goat Rock, Mt Tom Range, Easthampton, MA
• Dry Knoll, Mt Tom Range, Easthampton, MA
• Mt. Nonotuck, Mt Tom Range, Easthampton, MA
• East Barndoor Hill, Granby, CT
• Stony Hill, McLean Refuge, Granby, CT
• West Sufffield Mountain, Suffield, CT
• O'Neil Hill, Williamsburg, MA
• Tanager Hill, Simsbury, CT
• Indian Council Caves, Barkhamsted, CT
• Pine Mountain, Barkhamsted, CT
• Lake McDonough Lookout I, New Hartford, CT
• Lake McDOnough Lookout II, Barkhamsted, CT
• Sunset Lookout, Barkhamsted, CT
• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge

June's High Points:

• West Sufffield Mountain, Suffield, CT
• High Ridge, Williamsburg, MA
• Orchard Hill, Goodwin Race, CT
• Parker Hill, Dubuque State Forest, Hawlaey, MA
• Lake McDonough Lookout I, New Hartford, CT
• Lake McDOnough Lookout II, Barkhamsted, CT
• Sunset Lookout, Barkhamsted, CT
• The Pinnacle, Penwood State Forest, CT
• Little Thumper Mtn, Mohawk Trail State Forest, Charlemont, MA
• Thumper Mtn, Mohawk Trail State Forest, Charlemont, MA
• Indian Path to Saddle between Clark & Todd, Mohawk Trail SF, Charlemont, MA
• Clark Mountain, Mohawk Trail State Forest, Florida, MA
• Todd Mountain, Mohawk Trail State Forest, Charlemont, MA
• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge
• Hampden Overlook, Hampden, MA
• Goat Rock, Hampden, MA
• Minnechoag Mountain, Hampden, MA
• Hill 880' (Bald Mtn, Hampden), Hampden, MA
• Pine Mountain, Hampden, MA
• Rattlesnake Hill, Hampden, MA + Somers, CT
• Perkins Mountain, Camp Ayapo, Somers, CT
• The Pinnacle, Shenipsit State Forest, Somers, CT
• Bald Mountain (Somers), Shenipsit State Forest, Somers, CT
• Peak / Copper Mountain, Metacomet Trail, East Granby, CT
• Moore Hill, DAR State Forest, Goshen, MA

May's High Points:

• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Suffield, CT
• Copper - Peak Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Granby, CT
• Stony Hill, McLean Refuge, Granby, CT
• Pine Mountain, Tunxis Trail, Barkhamsted, CT
• Indian Council Caves, Tunxis Trail, Barkhamsted, CT
• Monks Mound, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Collinsville, IL
• Trillium Hill, Tunxis Trail, East Hartland, CT
• North Peak, Tunxis Trail, East Hartland, CT

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, East 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