Took a drive to Soapstone Mountain and the Shenipsit State Forest to run with Wuzzam and the Old Goat.  Conditions were still a bit sketchy, some some and ice remain.

Completed a 4.4-mile run at a nice pace, and more importantly we stayed upright the entire time.  As a bonus, we visited the new tower on Soapstone Mtn for a few moments.

Another trip to western Mass, only made sense to explore some old routes I haven't been on in a very long time.

I did not wear snowshoes again, but unlike last weekend, I suffered for it this time.  The snow was giving way underneath, and it was still deep in most areas.  Snowshoes would have been much easier.

Regardless, I was pleased with the run (13.8-miles total) and the connective routes.  I have been on this entire section in the past, but some of it was a decade or more ago, and a bit of the other has changed.

From the south, the snowmobile trail has changed from the Sears Road crossing.  I was on the previous route in 2017, so this was pretty recent.  The new route drops down closer to the Spruce Corner Restaurant and sticks close to Stones Brook for a longer duration.

The section after the bridge over Stones Brook is a nice improvement from the old route along Barrus Road.  Actually, the old route was fine as well, but there were live cattle to contend with in the pasture.  Now, we stick to Paddy Hill Road a little further east before taking the wooded trail down to Stones Brook.

Nothing new along the old Meadow Road to the snowmobile trail adjacent to John Ford Road.  Managed to navigate along this route all the way north to Peppermint Park (formerly Berkshire Green Acres Campground, I believe).

Just prior to the Campground, I took a few minutes at Plainfield's East Street Cemetery, also known as the Baptist Cemetery and the Stockwell Cemetery. I was plenty tired at this point, so I took John Ford Road back to my car on Route 116.  I did not realize John Ford Road went through, I had thought it was a dead-end.  This is good to know for future loops as the road is dirt and unpaved, with minimal traffic or homes.

13.8-miles of tough going, not wearing the snowshoes was foolish today.  An additional plus is this route is very close to my route not finished on March 9th.

Bear Mountain off Old Meadow Road

Cellar Hold on Old Barrus Road

12' High Split Stones

Split Stones (these are massive)

Stones Brook from the snowmobile bridge

East Street Cemetery

East Street Cemetery

East Street Cemetery

East Street Cemetery

The rain didn't arrive as expected today, and the sun actually shone bright for a good bit of afternoon.  First run of the year in shorts and a tee-shirt.  3.5-miles on the Remington Loop.

3-miles on Main Street in the dark;  warm and pleasant with a beautiful star filled sky.

3-miler along Main Street just as the sun set.

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

Wuzzam & Tippi at the Granby - Suffield Metacomet Trail Marker

Music 2019...

Effort #11, "Psychotic Reaction".  Back to 1984 with the Primitives live on Burlingame.  The Count Five's classic.

Light, wet snow, then some ice, and finally rain throughout the day today.  Took a 3-mile run along Main Street around mid-day.

Between some running around western mass I stopped off in downtown Cummington for a run.  I was thinking of more or less re-creating a run I had done back on February 25th, 2008, from Cummington to Plainfield.

I did not wear snowshoes, due to three reasons:

• I had 6/10's mile from my parking spot at the Berkshire Trail Elementary School to the snowmobile trail,which would mean carrying the shoes twice (in and out), and then putting them on, which was unappealing today.

• I was hoping to cover a decent amount of mileage.

• It was 16-degrees for the start at 8:30 a.m., which would mean the tracks would be firm and stiff from last nights sleds running through.

The run back in '08 was pretty solid in my memory.  The one big concern was passing by one home along the route, which housed two loose dogs, one of which was limited to three legs and appeared to have an issue with Tippi and I passing through.  Well, that was eleven years ago, and it appears that our old three-legged friend has Given Up the Ghost as Tips has.

The route runs along side Mill Brook for the first 3 or 4 miles.  The Mill Brook is a tributary of the Westfield River.  The Shaw Tannery is an old historical site along the Cummington portion of the route.

Once crossing into Plainfield, there is another historical site, the Plainfield Mill Site.  The Plainfield HIstorical Society has some wonderful information available in two parts;  Part One and Part Two.

Running along Mill Brook is rewarding and refreshing, I hope to explore in the warmer weather to see what it looks like without snow on the ground.  Truthfully, it is very impressive during winter, and the snowmobile riders have an outstanding route here.

Interestingly, it looks like the old path in Cummington may be called Shaw Brook Road, before it turns into River Road in Plainfield.  My map sources name the brook "Mill" however.

Once into Plainfield, and a little jog along Union Street (basically unplowed in winter) until taking a sharp turn east into Red Fox Hill.  Steep climb up until crossing Plainfield Road just outside of town and then remaining on open fields for the most part.  Down to cross Route 116 and hit a turn-a-round point at the 7-mile mark, just a short way from the old Peppermint Park Campground.

On the return, I stuck to Plainfield Road all the way back to Cummington Center, and added the little snowmobile trail up to Route 9.  Ended the day with 12.8-miles of running on a fantastic day.

Old Stonehouse near Mill Brook confluence with the Westfield

Plainfield Mill Site Kiosk

Mill Site Foundations

Red Fox Hill

12.8-mile route

Airbag recall "replacement" afterwork, then 3.4-miles aruund the Bridge - Wisteria loop.

3.2-miles along Main Street south in the late afternoon.

Then, I assisted the "Woods Walker's" performance at the fist "Rock Show"of  2019!  This time, we presented at East Hartford's Raymond library.

Music 2019...

Effort #10, "Sunshine of Your Love".  The Reverend reporting from Georgia, as a Road Warrior for Christ, in 2018.  Partnerships are forever, miles don't matter.  Instrumental madness.

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).