Took another drive to visit my folks, and I repeated much of last weekends pre-trip adventure.  I rambled through Petticoat Hill, with intentions of exploring some of the old snowmobile paths I'd been on long ago.  Luckily, things worked out just as I had planned, and I caught the route over to Route 9 (crossing South Street).  Ended up with 5.4-miles and no issues with the hip.

From there, a stop at Plainfield Pond for another refreshing swim.  What a way to wrap up a run, I hope I stay in this habit.  And then an outstanding visit with my parents.

Mill River Disaster Monument

Petticoat Hill Trailhead

Plainfield Arts Festival

I got back to running today, and chose McLean Refuge as my destination.  I covered an easy 3-miles, at a 4.8 mph pace.  I was not aware of the pace, it felt very easy, and truthfully I was pleased with this speed.

I did not feel any tightness, pain, or discomfort in my periformis muscle.  This made me glad.

The air was cool and these woods were comforting to get back into.  As a special welcome, at the end of my run just below Canton Road, I had to stop to let two huge black bear cross the old path in front of me.  The larger of the two was an easy 250 - 300 lbs.  The front-runner wasn't all that much smaller.

It always inspires me to observe Brother Bear, or Br'er Bear as Wuzzam and I call 'em.

I snapped a photo, but the old phone/camera is crap for photographing.  

Black Bear on September 1st, 2018, McLean Game Refuge

 Along the shore of Spring Pond

More enjoyment reading through my old collection of Black Lizard / Vintage Crime series.  My most recent completion is Chester Himes "The Real Cool Killers", originally published 1957.

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

Additionally, PT went well again today so tomorrow I plan to do 3 to 4-miles of jogging.  Hopefully things go well.

Quickly walked the 2-mile loop down South Main Street on another warm morning.

Music 2018...

Effort #35, "Gloria"...  Primitives extending and slowing down "Them's" classic...  from 1984 on Burlingame.

"She makes me feel alright!"

I am in a routine of starting work mid-day, at least a couple days a week.  The nice part of it is I have an opportunity to get out to exercise early rather than later.  I took this opportunity to drive to Williamsburg, to connect the trails at Big View to the trails at Petticoat Hill / Locke's Loop.

My recent visits to this area on August 11th and 25th intrigued me.  I remarked after the August 11th visit that I had memories of being in the area a long while ago, during a winter on snowshoes.  I have found the GPS-Coordinates from those trips, and overlaying them within the current routes is interesting.  Although things seem changed, the reality is the footsteps remain basically the same, more often than not.

I managed 4-miles today, including perhaps close to a mile of jogging.  My jogging right now is basically the same speed as my fast walking / hiking.  It felt decent.

I connected Big View with Petticoat Hill / Locke's Loop, and I explored some of the many paths between the two.  There will need to be additional visits to assist me with understanding what is available in these woods.  There are, after all, the old markers from a decade or so ago, to re-visit.

Attended "Astronomy for Everyone" presented by Astronomer Kevin Manning at our local Senior Center, which is housing programs while our library remains closed (a longish story).  Excellent program from a knowledgeable speaker, I am glad I attended.


Also, on this day, I've had success completing marathons.  The first was in 2008 and the second was a year later in 2009.

In 2008, Tippi and I finished Metacomet II, which began at Phelps Road in Suffield, and covered north to Route 57 and south to Route 20.  Running time of 5:32:00.  This was my 37th and Tippi's 13th completed marathon.

In 2009, Wuzzam joined Tippi and I at Tunxis II (South), which meant we ran from Route 219 to Satan's Kingdom, and also north to Roberts Brook I believe.  Our time was 6:04:44.  This was my 42nd and Tippi's 15th marathon.

Busy morning, late afternoon walk along north Main Street...  1.8-miles.

Visited the Willamsburg Woodland Trails again, this time to Big View.  The 1.5-mile route around the hills are wonderfully nice hiking paths.  The signage to stay on the Big View Trail was decently displayed, which was great due to their being many other trails in the vicinity.

I completed the Big View loop at roughly 1.6-miles, give or take, and continued on the north side of Unquomonk Road toward Petticoat Hill.  I have some old tracks from a decade ago to tie back up, and today was a good start.  I explored a few paths, and turned around in the saddle between Unquomonk and Petticoat Hills.  Managed to get back to the car on a slightly different path than the way out, for a total of 4.1-miles.  Best of all, no issue with the left hip at all.

From Williamsburg I drove toward Adams, thinking I'd drop in to surprise my folks.  Stopped along the way at Plainfield Pond for my first swim of the year.  It was outstanding as Plainfield Pond always is.

Enjoyed my visit, and made a stop at Belleveu Falls before starting back to Connecticut.

Trailhead for Big View Trail

Big View Trail

Big View Trail

Vine along Unquomonk Area Trails

Unquomonk Brook

Swimming Spot on Plainfield Pond

Path into Belleview Falls from Cemetery

Completed a 2-mile quick walk along South Main Street just before dark.  The hip felt very good, with no pain and minimal stiffness.

Completed another Black Lizard / Vintage Crime read, this time crime writing duo Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo's "Roseanna", the first Martin Beck novel, published in 1965.

Walking in the light rain, early morning, along South Main Street;  2.0-miles.

Walk along Main Street in the early morning, 1.6-miles.

And, fifteen years ago today, a camping trip in Savoy Mountain State Forest with Tips and JC.

Tippi and I on the top of Spruce Hill

JC at Spruce Hill...  Greylock in the distance

Estes Graveyard

Estes Graveyard

Tannery Falls

Music 2018...

Effort #34, "Knocking On Heaven's Door"...  Dark Heart Duo with vocalist S; from the magical time frame of Summer Sixteen...

"Tom Wessels: Reading the Forested Landscape, Part 3", another fantastic video from the New England Forests channel.  I've been fortunate to have been out on a few hikes with the filmmaker.

Also...  It was the first decent summer day in a long while, so I managed a 1.6-mile walk along Main Street to test the sore left hip.  Things got a little sore and stiff, but no actual pain.  Maybe, there is some progress!