After all the rain yesterday, the woods would have to be chosen carefully for a run.  McLean was again visited, due to the fine condition of the trails, and good draining.

K2 and Bobzu joined me, with our goal being something between eight-miles and ten-miles for the day.  We ended by splitting it pretty close to the middle, 8.9-miles.

The sun came out occasionally, but it stayed fairly grey and cloudy for most of the duration.  Lots of hikers, runners, and dogs throughout the game refuge today, most likely making up for yesterday's washout.

The highlight of the day was me falling off the downed tree crossing of the Bissell Brook, about 4-feet from success, into a foot of cold flowing water.  Truthfully, it wasn't all that bad.

Wuzzam approacking Stony Hill

Heavy, hard rain all day today.  Ran some errands with DL, but the day left much to be desired.  Rounded things up with a 3-mile jog along Main Street in the dark, just to keep the rust off.

McLean after work, really nice day in the high forties and sunny.  Ran from Firetown Road to Simsbury Road along the Firetown Trail, totaled 3.6-miles for the day (Firetown from end-to-end measured out at 1.7-miles).

Wandered down the bank after the run to take in the Northgate Falls, which are always refreshing to observe.

Northgate Falls (at the bottom)

Northgate Falls

Northgate Falls, upstream from bottom

Old Marathon Reflections,  This day in 1997... 

Looking back in time, I completed my 13th marathon on this day in 1997.  It was the Grupa Dupa held at the Talcott Mountain State Park, home of the Hueblin Tower.  I believe Tony Weisgram and Janice Kuhl were the organizers of this "Fat Ass 50" type event.  I recall it consisted of loops up and around the tower, but I do not recall how many.  It was 50k, and I recorded a time of 5:11:13.

First completed Black Lizard/Vintage Crime novel of 2019!  David Goodis, "Nightfall" from 1947.

Music 2019...

Effort #01, "Silent Night".  Appropriate for the Christmas Holiday Spirit.

"... Sleep in Heavenly Peace."

Happy New Year!  The rain moved out and the sun arrived, and with it temperatures around 50-degrees.  I wanted to head out toward McLean, near Broad Hill and Old Beach Hill Roads, to see if the route was still "active" to Case Street.  I also was curious to see if I could locate an obscure waterfall along Beach Brook.

I've heard mention of the falls being named "Secret Falls", "Beach Brook Falls", and I believe "MJ Falls.  As I stood above it (yes, I was successful locating it), I noticed two hemlock on the top edge of the falls... so I figured I'd call these falls  "Two Tsuga Falls".  For at least as long as the hemlocks are standing, I guess.

I was also able to follow the route all the way to Case Street, which wasn't too bad.  I easily saw the side-trail to Pine Cone, which I last exlored during July of 2017.  I again photographed the old well along the way, and one new cellar hole fairly close to Case Street.

Ended the first run of the new year with 5.2-miles.

"Two Tsuga Falls"

"Old Beach Hill Road Cellar Hole"

 "Remains of well off Beach Hill"

 "Remains of well off Beach Hill"

 "Small Cascade along Beach Brook"

 "Cascade along Beach Brook"

 "Another small Cascade along Beach Brook"

"Larger Cascade along Beach Brook"

"Larger Cascade along Beach Brook"

"Larger Cascade along Beach Brook"

"Top of Falls"

"Beach Brook Falls (Two Tsuga Falls)"

 "Beach Brook Falls (Two Tsuga Falls)"

"Two Tsuga Falls"

"Two Tsuga Falls at top of Falls"

It's the end of the year for tracking my "peaks" and/or at least "high points" along the trails I've visited.  December continued the downward trend for climbing.

December's High Points:

• Peaked Mountain, Monson, MA
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, Suffield, CT
• "Nick's Hill", Metacomet Ridge, West Suffield, CT
• The Knolls, McLean Refuge, Simsbury, CT
• Briar Hill, Williamsburg, MA

November's High Points:

• Stone Wall Hill, Ashfield, MA
• Smith Brook Hill, Ashfield, MA
• Stone Bridge Hill, Ashfield, MA
• Ridge Hill, Ashfield, MA
• Mary Lyon Hill, Buckland, MA
• Putnam Hill, Buckland, MA
• Whiting Peak, Mt Tom Reservation, Holyoke, MA
• Soapstone Mountain, Somers, CT

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, Hawley, 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

A visit to Williamsburg Woodland Trails, to wrap up "Briar Hill".  My original plans were to visit the nine-Williamsburg Woodland Trails, and add in three addtional that were "nearby".

The nine Willamsburg locations were as follows, now completed for 2018...

• Bradley
• Breckenridge
• Big View
• Briar Hill
• Graves Farm
• Hall / O'Neil
• Henhawk
• Historic Dam
• Petticoat Hill / Locke's Loop

The three additional locations were...

• Tilton Farm (North & South, Goshen Open Space
• Lily Pond, Goshen
• Devils Den

Today's visit to Briar Hill wrapped up the nine Williamsburg properties.  I finished the day with 4.1-miles, including some wandering and bushwhacking between the large swamp on Briar Hill Road and Merritts Hill.

Of the additional three spots, I managed Tilton and Devils Den.  Lily Pond is still waiting for me, I need a little additional scouting to make that work.

Looking west on Briar Hill

 Standing Stone on peak of Briar Hill

Standing Stone on peak of Briar Hill

 Swamp along Briar Hill Road

Excellent sunny day in the upper 40's, managed a slow 7.3-miles in McLean Refuge.

Toward the end of July I noticed The Trustees of Reservations "Hike 125" challenge.  

Originally, this program was started as a way to celebrate The Trustees 125th Anniversary in 2016.  It simply challenged people to get out and hike on Trustees trails.  Evidently, it has gone on beyond that 125th year anniversary, and I thought it would be a great way to get me out to a few spots I had been interested in, or hadn't been to in a great while.

The challenge dates were from April 14th through December 31st, 2018.  I was coming in late (my first logged "hike" on Trustee property was July 27th), and while I would have liked to hit 125-miles, I didn't think it was possible.

Here we are at the end of the year, and I might as well wrap things up.  The leader-board has me in 35th place for total miles, with 83.2.  I'll check in after the New Year to see if I managed to stay in the top 50.  I am pleased that I managed the miles that I did, as none of the hikes are exactly "close to home", so some driving was necessary.  I also realize that I only had 5 of the 8.5 months of time available due to my late start.  2019 should give me a better chance of hitting the 125, and I do expect to take the challenge once again.

From the Trustees website, it is mentioned that "Everyone who hikes more than 25 miles will receive a patch to celebrate your Hike 125 pride!"  I am looking forward to this!

"The Trustees of Reservations preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts."

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime novel completed, the 24th of the year.  Back to Burke, and Andrew Vachss.  "Hard Candy", from 1989.

Music 2018...

Effort #52, "Body of Christ".  I was playing around finger-picking some chords, and thoughts of Jesus came over me.

"... Got my Faith in the Body of Christ."

Christmas Day, spent with my DL and my folks.

Prior to the trip, I managed a beautiful 3-miles along the Metacomet from Phelps Road south.

Finished another Black Lizard / Vintage Crime novel.  This time, it was another gem by  Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, "The Laughing Policman", from 1968.

A really nice cold sunny day in McLean Refuge, 6.6-miles.