Drove out to Adams for a visit with my parents this morning, and ended the daylight hours with a 3.3-mile run around Suffield (including the "trail" section from Bridge Street to Wisteria.

The ground is still snow covered from the early storm Thursday into Friday so I ran roads along the Hill Street 7-mile loop today, low-forties, grey, and a little breezy.

More and more lately, as we go on, I am caught thinking of German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller's poem:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Early morning at around 24-degrees, ran along North Main Street for 3-miles prior to work.

I am still enjoying and completing sections of my Black Lizard / Vintage Crime library, this time being the third Marlowe from Raymond Chandler, "The High Window".

Music 2018...

Effort #46, "Gloria", a trio version from the Primitives in early 1984.

"...She makes me feel so good Lord, she makes me feel alright."

An early brisk morning run with Wuzzam and K2 at the Soapstone Mountain area of Shenipsit State Forest.  The oak leaves have made the wet rocky trails difficult to navigate, so we rambled on the old forest roads (Sodom Road to Soapstone Mountain Road, to the four-way intersection with Parker, Sykes, and Webster Roads.

It was a pretty great day for all three of us, managed 8-miles without being totally fatigued.

Mt Tom to explore a few more trails I hadn't been on.  Nice sunny day, cool air in the low forties, ended the run with 5.7-miles.

Nice open view from the D.O.C. Trail

Excellent rock and moss section along the Middle Loop ext

Drove out to Adams to visit with my folks, along the way I stopped at Mrs Murphy's to pick up donuts.  On the way back to Connecticut, I stopped off in Buckland to explore Hog Hollow to Mary Lyon Hill, and the connection is very awesome.  I also saw the old trail intersection that drops down to the west and Route 112, from long ago with Tippi.  I'll re-explore that soon.

Managed the out and back to the Khandroling site, figured out that I could use the road to get to our stopping point last week (about a 1/4 mile I believe), and ended the run with 3.9-miles.  I would have loved to have gone further, but it was getting late and I still needed to manage a stop at Perkarski's on the way home, before they closed at 4 p.m.

Fireplace near the top of the Khandroling property

3.2-miles along Main Street just as it was getting dark and ice cold rain was beginning.

Also, I managed to pass my MTA 98-366 certification today at STCC (Springfield Technical Community College).  This is the Networking Fundamentals exam, through Microsoft.

Music 2018...

Effort #45, "Main Man", a beautiful song by Marc Bolan.

"...is there a sane man, anywhere, anywhere?"

3-mile run along North Main Street in the dark.  Beautiful day!

On this day in 1999, I completed my 21st marathon at Watery Hill.  It was a 6-hour run, and I completed a total of 30 miles.

Continuing to track my "peaks", or at least "high points" along the trails I cover.  October wasn't the top earner for me this season.

October's High Points:

• Peter Hill, Ashfield, MA
• Stone Wall Hill, Ashfield, MA
• Smith Brook Hill, Ashfield, MA
• Walnut Hill, Goshen, MA
• Hyde Hill, Goshen, MA
• Chapel Ledge / Pony Cliffs, Ashfield, MA

September's High Points:

• Petticoat Hill, Williamsburg, MA
• Unquomonk Hill, Williamsburg, MA
• Scott Hill / Petticoat / Locke's Loop, Williamsburg, MA
• "Nick's Hill", West Suffield Mountain / Metacomet Ridge
• Little Tom, Mt Tom Range, Easthampton, MA
• Battlecock Hill, Williamsburg, MA
• Bald Mountain, Somers, CT
• West Sufffield Mountain, Suffield, CT
• Peak / Copper Mountain, Metacomet Trail, East Granby, CT

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

Took a drive to Hawley with Wuzzam, to put together the northern reach of Ashfield Trails.  I told him around 12-miles, but I knew it was going to be more.  We would attempt a run from Bear Swamp Reservation to the Mary Lyon Birthplace / Khandroling - The Land of the Dakinis.

I silently thought it would be around 14-miles, with some very long climbs.  We ended up taking the snowmobile trail bypass on the way back, which added a little mileage.  Everything was as I had remembered it regarding the paths.  Ended the day with a solid 15-miles, gps measured.  We did great and held up well considering we only had the fuel we drank along the way.

Wuzzam Climbing up Ridge Hill

Signage for Mary Lyon Birthplace & Khandroling - The Land of the Dakinis

  

Cellar Hole at Mary Lyon Site

Marker on rock designating Mary Lyon Birthplace

View from Bear Swamp Overlook

Also, on November 4th, 2000, I completed 33-miles in 6-hours at Watery Hill.  This was my 22nd completed marathon.