Spent the morning relaxing, and getting a homemade brunch together with DL.  Shuttled JC to the airport for his trip back to Chicago, and then by late afternoon I drove to the Mt Tom Reservation to get in a run.

Explored some trails I haven't been on, trying to connect things.  Bushwhacked a bit as well, off of Little Tom Mountain.  All in all, a decent effort with 6.2-miles on my legs.

Signage for the entrance to Little Tom Mountain, The Trustees of Reservations site

Large boulder on the M&M (NET) trail

Drove to North Reading, Mass for my niece's wedding today with DL & JC (in for the occasion from Chicago).

Bit more reading completed as well.  Back to Jim Thompson, and "A Swell-Looking Babe", originally written in 1954 and published in the '90's as part of the Black Lizard / Vintage Crime series.

After Physical Therapy today I ran Phelps North, along the Metacomet Trail, for 3.6-miles.

From the wayback machine...

Two old marathons completed on this day, the first in 2008 and the second in 2014.  

In 2008, Curly's Marathon was held in Pittsfield State Forest, and it was a beautiful day to run.  I recall wearing old shoes rather than a new pair I had just purchased, and it was a bad decision.  The pain in my feet and lower legs was incredible for the last 6 or 8 miles, and I was lucky to finish in 5:54:36.  This was my 38th completed marathon.  My dad ran the Half-Marathon option as well.

In 2014, Wuzzam and I conquered Dunbar-Whitcomb-Jambs in 6:21:34.  This expanded from an old run the Bandit and I did, from Whitcomb Summit to Windsor Jambs.  This time, we began at Dunbar Brook in Monroe State Forest, and ventured out a new snowmobile trail to the windmills to Whitcomb Summit, over Crum Hill, over Flat Rock Hill and the old Viewing Platform for the Hoosac Tunnel, crossed the Cold River on an obscure grown in path, past Savoy Mountain State Forest at North Pond, past Bog Pond, over Lewis Hill and Borden Mountain, through Windsor Bush into Windsor State Forest and the Jambs.  Outstanding day with outstanding sunny weather.  This was my 52nd completed marathon. 

 Unfortunate Windmill site.

The Elk Monument at Whitcomb Summitt.

Viewing Platform for the Hoosac Tunnel construction.

View from Flat Rock Hill with Greylock in view.

 

Crossing of the Cold River.

Stone Carving on rock, obscure path.

Bog Pond.

The Dunham Lot, off Tannery Road.

We are getting close!

The Jambs!

Dwarf Forest and the softest ground-cover imaginable.

More enjoyment reading through my old collection of Black Lizard / Vintage Crime series.  The latest completed work of art was "The Pickup" by Charles Willeford, written in 1955.

Music 2018...

Effort #36, "Pocahontas"...  Visiting Neil Young today, from the Rust Never Sleeps album of 1979.

"Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me"

Continuing to track my "peaks", or at least "high points" along the trails I cover.  August was not productive, I was recovering from an issue with my left periformis.  I was happy to get to the top of what I did.

August's High Points:

• Petticoat Hill, Williamsburg, MA
• Unquomonk Hill, Williamsburg, MA
• Big View, Williamsburg, MA
• Scott Hill / Petticoat / Locke's Loop, Williamsburg, MA
• Peak / Copper Mountain, Metacomet Trail, East Granby, CT

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

Blasting furnace hot again, or at least it seemed so to me.  I kept things short and simple, driving to McLean and jogging through wonderful trails.  

One trail I use has been "closed" for recovery, the Summit Trail that connected to the North Trail.  Oddly enough, later on I stumbled onto either an old trail that hasn't seen traffic lately, or a newer trail that hasn't seen much traffic yet.

3.4-miles of hot running, with a dip for my head in the West Branch of Salmon Brook.

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.