Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #7 for 2019.  Back to Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo for "Murder at the Savoy".  This was written in 1970.

Here is  what I've accomplished during February 2019.

February 2019 High Points:

• Peak / Copper Mountain, Metacomet Trail, East Granby, CT
• Orchard Hill, Natchaug Trail, Goodwin State Forest, CT
• Lewis Hill, Lewis Hill Bird Sanctuary, Suffield, CT
• Stony Hill, McLean Refuge, Granby, CT
• Soapstone Mountain, Shenipsit State Forest, Ellington, CT
• East & West Hills @ Ring Brook, Mary Edward
• Upper East Hoosac St, Adams, MA / Burnett Hill, Old Savoy 20-Mile Rte, Savoy, MA
• Davis Hill, Williamsburg, MA

So far so good in 2019, despite some setbacks.  I've continued to work the "long run" plan, completing a nine (9.3), ten (10), and twelve (11.9) miler for the month of February.

I also have been able to stay a ahead of my mileage goals per week, with an end-of-year total of 1200-miles of running planned.

I hope I can continue on this path...

Out to Williamsburg to snowshoe an old snowmobile route that I have not explored for a decade or so.  Began on Route 9, at the location of the old clam shack.  Up into the fields to Mountain Street Reservoir, and then into Conway, at Nash Hill Road for the turn-a-round (7.5-miles).

On the way back, I did substitute Mountain Road for the short section through the Reservoir, as well as a bit on Adams Road.  Then, once toward the finish, I messed up thinking I would arrive straight down the hill to my car by veering right, but I ended up on a long gravel road down Route 9 a quarter mile or so further west than I needed to be.  Rounded up the day with 14.55-miles, with 11-miles on snowshoes (I removed the shoes from the Reservoir in).

Light snow in the morning, and a 3.1-mile run along Main Street just before dark.

Perfect winter weather, high twenties and sunny.  I drove out to Goshen and the Daughters of American Revolution State Forest (DAR) to snowshoe along some snowmohile trails I was hoping to understand.

Made a nice loop and completed my distance at 6.7-miles.

It's a great day to remember a trail pal, Tippi.

On top of Spruce Mountain, Savoy Mountain State Forest

It's a great day to remember a couple old trail pals, Murphy & Tippi.

Soapstone Mountain

Took my first tour of 2019 in the Brandywine Swamp into Academy property for 3.1-miles.

Music 2019...

Effort #09, "Disorder".  Pieced together solo, a Joy Division masterpiece.

"...I've been waiting for a guide to come and take me by the hand;  Could these sensations make me feel the pleasures of a normal man?"

It's a great day to remember a trail pal, Tippi.

Tips

Drove out to Hoosick Falls, New York with K2 to meet my folks for our beef pickup.  We took the Mass Pike to Route 22, and along that drive north we passed Prosser Hollow Road, which reminded me of a run Run-Steveo and I did with my old spaniel Dusty, going back to around 1995.  We covered about 14-miles of the Taconic Crest Trail that day, with Run-Steveo's folks dropping us at Prosser Hollow.  Really great memories of that day, and a great reminder to get back out to that trail soon.

Once back to Connecticut, I rambled around the roads for 3.4-miles.

3-miles along Main Street in the early evening.

Music 2019...

Effort #08, "Don't Be Denied" by the Rev King.  My Road Warrior For Christ partner performs a real favorite performance for 2019.

Twenty-years ago today, the 2nd Annual Hawley Kiln Klassic took place under my direction.  This was the third and final race of the 1999 Southern New England Snowshoe Series.  We would soon become the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Series,

Dubuque State Forest was the setting, and we offered a 7-mile and a 4-mile option.  The courses shared an opening section before splitting, making the event "fun" for everyone.

Plenty of snow, 45 finishers in the long event, 5 in the short.  Two men broke under an hour for the 7-miler, which was pretty awesome.

2nd Annual Hawley Kiln Snowshoe Races
February 20th, 1999 - Dubuque State Forest, Hawley, MA

We would continue with snowshoe events in Dubuque for many, many outstanding years.

Met up with my old friends, Wuzzam and the Old Goat, to snowshoe a bit in Shenipsit State Forest.  Our plan was to run along the snow-covered road from just below the tower on Gulf Road to Route 83, but the combination of little snow-depth, many loose rocks underneath, and the brilliance of someone driving a four-wheel drive up and down along the road made things sketchy from about a mile after the Parker/Webster four-way.  At that point, we left the road and hit some single-track.

It seemed like we were in the low twenties, but with the bright sun shining down on us we didn't feel any negative feelings of cold.  Ended the day with 10-miles on the snowshoes, which nade all of us pretty happy.

Nicely maintained sign in the parking area

 Friends just below the Soapstone Tower

From the Archives...  On this day in 1995, the 1st Moby Dick Marathons were held.  This was my 5th marathon, with the 28-miles completed in 5:01:00.

It seemed like a good idea, but there are reasons why the event didn't last, especially as a 28 or 30 miler.  Bitter cold, difficult, no aid,  February on Greylock....  seems like there would be many additional "whys".

This run was really special for me, it cemented my friendship with Paul.  We ran the entire event together, and began to dream up our snowshoe series.  Paul and I ended up roaming the woods together for a very long time, we see the same things in nature.