It's time once again for the Hike 50 Challenge, or, in case 50-miles isn't enough, the Hike-100 Challenge.  I completed last year's inaugural Hike50 Challenge by April.  So far this year, I am just over 38-miles along the Metacomet (New England Scenic Trail).

Here is the announcement via the NewEnglandTrail website:

In 2018, 340 of you completed the challenge, logging over 17,000 miles on the New England Trail! With over 1,500 signups from last year we have the feeling that some of you weren't able to complete your miles in 2018. Good news, we are launching a 2019 challenge! New year! Updated challenge!

In 2019, we are celebrating another important milestone on the New England Trail. March 30, 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the designation of the NET as a National Scenic Trail. To celebrate a decade of adventures on the NET and to build on your momentum from 2018, we are launching a 2019 bonus challenge! In addition to our Hike50 challenge we are offering a Hike100 challenge where the rules are the same but the points required are doubled. To commemorate this anniversary, we will be offering a new special edition 10th anniversary patch for those who earn 50 or 100 points and complete the challenge in 2019!

The rules of the challenge are simple! Anyone who hikes 50 or 100 miles on the NET during the 2019 calendar year will receive a special edition 10th anniversary New England Trail patch. Hiking however, is not the only way to earn points and complete the challenge. This year we welcome you to design your own Hike 50 Challenge in a way that fits your lifestyle! We’ve come up with a list of alternate ways to earn points and celebrate our trail. Look here to learn about all of the ways you can earn points and receive a patch!

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #10 for 2019.  Big Jim Thompson's 1964 mind-melter, "Pop. 1280".

Drive to Adams with DL for a Easter Sunday dinner  No Run/Hike/Walk due to deciding to rest the sore calf / achilles tendon.

My Mom and her Best Buddy "Otis"

Hard, heavy rain throughout the morning.  DL and I took a drive out to Southwick, Massachusetts and Mrs. Murphy's to grab donuts for my folks and sister it being Easter Sunday tomorrow.

Plans are for a 3-mile walk along Main Street early evening.

The achilles tendon -calf muscle issue was really feeling good, so I drove out to Conway to explore and walk/hike to enjoy the day.  Connected the route from Cricket Hill Cemetery back into Conway State Forest, and also joined up to the point I had ended last weekend.  Finished with 6-miles at 3.5-mph pace, all walking.

I was familiar with the trails and old roads within the forest, although it's been a while since I've been on them in this part of the forest.  I did notice that there is abundant logging happening in the area that was most disturbed by the tornado that touched down on February 25th, 2017.  Unfortunately, there was a really nice mountain-bike trail through this area that I used for the Conway Covered Bridge Marathon back in October of 2012.

Began and ended the hike at Cricket Hill Cemetery;  visited the Maynard or Second Cricket Hill Cemetery as well.  Noticed an very nice and respectful Roadside Memorial on the way back home.

Stacked Stones along the route

Stacked Stones

Maynard Cemetery (aka Second Cricket Hill Cemetery) 

Maynard Cemetery (aka Second Cricket Hill Cemetery)

Maynard Cemetery (aka Second Cricket Hill Cemetery)

Maynard Cemetery (aka Second Cricket Hill Cemetery)

Maynard Cemetery (aka Second Cricket Hill Cemetery)

Roaring Brook Crossing

Roaring Brook Cascade

Roadside Memorial along Whately Road 

Roadside Memorial along Whately Road 

Combination Map of the past week in Conway

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

Tips and I in Hawley

Music 2019...

Effort #16, "Suicide".  1984, Primitives live on Burlingame.  The previously '84 version posted on this blog (July 13th, 2017) is my preferred favorite version of the original song.  This one was performed as part of a non-stop medley of energy.

April brings the announcement for 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.  I jumped in and began the 2018 option a bit late (didn't start until July 27th), but managed 83.2-miles, good for 35th place on the leader board.

The 2019 challenge dates are from April 1st through December 31st, 2019.

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."

On this day in 1996, I was fortunate to run the 100th Boston Marathon. It was my 10th marathon completed, in a time of 3:24:14.

Resting up the calf/achilles injury, so DL and I drove out to Gran-Val Scoop in Granville, Massachusetts, for the 1st time this season.  

After looking over some old trails I'd run in April and May of 2009, I realized it's been too long without revisiting.  Completed 7-miles in Conway State Forest and surrounding area, adding northern distance to the March 3rd run I completed.

I did recall the old mill site on Avery Brook, but not as detailed as it appeared today.  I was able to spot and record junctions that would connect me with my Avery Brook run from 2016.  

As far as getting from my end point to Cricket Hill Cemetery, and back into Conway State Forest, I hope to tie that up soon.

Snowmobile Signage

Avery Brook

Avery Brook Falls

Stonewall and Moss Covered Limb

Stonewall

Stonewall and Mill Foundation

Mill Foundation

Mill Foundation using large rock

Foundation, ten or so feet tall

Stonework at Mill Site 

Cricket Hill Cemetery

Combo Map

3-miler on the Metacomet, Phelps South.

Music 2019...

Effort #15, "Soon and Very Soon".  2018, Road Warriors for Chirst, Rev King solo.

Very nice sunny day at McLean Game Refuge for an easy 3.6-miles.

Back to North Hollow, this time to run north up Ore Hill Trail / Road, and return through Granville State Forest' Hubbard River Trail.

Ore Hill, at this time of year, is discouraging.  Totally rutted and mud filled, mostly by massive logging operations it appears.  My route followed a prior gps track of mine from a few years ago, but the path is much wider now, and navigation through the mud isn't fun.  I would say that in mid-summer, during a dry spell of weather, would realistically be the only time worthwhile on this.

The Hubbard River Trail is always worthy, on the positive side.  Several falls and cascades, beautiful trail, and the sound of the river.

Knocked out 6.8-miles after physical therapy.  Cold and damp, around 40-degrees and drizzling.