Music 2019...

Effort #33,  "The Cross", the fifth piece from the Dark Heart Duo's "Summer Solstice Session" of June 21, 2019.  This is a song by Prince, from the mid '80's.

Don't die without knowing the Cross...

Additionally, I rode back and forth to work on the bicycle today as well for 11.0-miles.

Drove out to Chesterfield Gorge to run along the Westfield River.  It was a great idea after yesterday's climbs, the East Branch Trail does just what is named for, travels concurrent to the river on west side of the water.  Yes, I believe I have this correct.  East Branch must be this branch of the Westfield - not the side of the water the trail is on.

A bit of history, related to the photograph below mentioning  the "bridge abutment"...

The “High Bridge” located at the Chesterfield Gorge entrance was built in the 1760’s.  It served as the Boston to Albany Post Road and the path of retreat for the Redcoats after their defeat at the Battle of Saratoga during the Revolutionary War.  Floodwaters have long since swept the bridge away.  All that remains is the eastern abutment.

Minor ups and downs along the way for 9-miles of running, followed by 0.3-miles of hiking within The Trustee's of Reservations site.

TTOR Chesterfield Gorge site is adjacent to the Gilbert A. Bliss State Forest

View of the Westfield downstream from the Gorge

View of the Westfield downstream from the Gorge

Marker (with miles designated) for the East Branch Trail

View of the Westfield with huge sheets of rock remaining from years of erosion

Within the Reservation, cut chasm

Within the Reservation, cut chasm

Within the Reservation, old bridge abutment still present

Despite a later start than I would have liked, and a bit more humidity than I would have liked as well, I drove out to Jug End Road to complete the Appalachian Trail section from Jug End to Race Brook Falls Trail.

My previous three or so trips allowed me to complete from Undermountain Road in Salisbury to the saddle between Mount Race and Mount Everett, at Race Brook Falls Trailhead.  Hopefully, today would tie up this roughly 17.5-mile section with an 11-miler (out-and-back).

This section of trail is as impressive as the others along this section.  The view from Jug End is spectacular, as is assorted peaks out from Bushnell and Undine.  Downhill heading south off Mount Everett has some simply incredible views of Mount Race, Bear, and Lions Head far in the distance.

The initial climb from the parking area on Guilder Hollow / Jug End Road until basically the day-parking spot at Mount Everett Reservation is roughly 1530'.  It is steady, and very steep in parts.

The second climb of the day was shorter, but incredibly steep from Race Brook Falls Trail heading north climbing Everett.  Since my last visit here, which was a while ago, there have been wooden steps lagged into the rock to assist the climb.  They work pretty darn well.

The run checked in at 11-miles, and all the downhill at the end wasn't much quicker than going uphill at the beginning.  Mission complete!

Almost at the bend climbing Jug End

Looking northeast off Jug End

Looking east off Jug End

Looking northeast between Jug End and Bushnell

Looking northeast between Jug End and Bushnell

Winged company between Jug End and Bushnell

Looking northeast between Jug End and Bushnell

Cairn at one of the peaks

Looking northeast between Bushnell and Undine

Signage wasn't as prolific as I would have liked...  but here is a taste

Mount Everett Summit

Signage for the old  Mount Everett Fire Tower

Looking south coming down from Mount Everett

Looking south coming down from Mount Everett

Northeast from someplace around Bushnell

Looking east off Bushnell

View northeast on the return trip on top of Jug End

View northeast on the return trip on top of Jug End

And a Blast from the Past...

On this day in 1996 I completed my 12th marathon.  My route took me along the Appalachian Trail, from Salisbury, Connecticut into Massachusetts.  My turnaround point was at the summit of Mt. Everett,   My time on the trail was roughly 6:27:53, which included a break for a lunch at Everett.

McLean Game Refuge for 3.6-miles of decent running.  Humidity is still lower than it's been, and the temperature was just in the mid eighties.  All in all, a nice run.

Afterward, the Dark Heart Duo played once again...  "the End of Chemo Sessions" to celebrate Evil's last infusion (a 30-month commitment).

Beautiful sunny afternoon with limited humidity - rambled on the Metacomet from Route 20 north for 3-miles.

View south from Peak/Copper Mountain

In between rain drops  and fairly severe weather (I did not witness any severe weather myself but I did see the results on the drive home) I ran Cowles Park for 3-miles.

The Woods Walker continues "Rock Show 2019" at Old Lyme, Connecticut today.

Bike to and from work, 11-miles total.

Music 2019...

Effort #32,  "Creep in the Cellar", the fourth recording from the Dark Heart Duo's "Summer Solstice Session" of June 21, 2019.

Well there's a creep in the cellar that I'm gonna let in....

There's a hole in his brain where his mind should have been.

Additionally, I rode back and forth to work on the bicycle today as well for 11.0-miles.

Warm day, managed 3.1-miles in McLean Refuge just to stay loose.

And on this day in 2005...

Tippi and I ran the Savoy General Store Marathon.  It was lengthy, over 29-miles I believe.  From Haskins Road to the General Store, which brought us all the way over to Windsor Jambs, we had the company of "Max", a friendly dog we picked up at Loop & Haskins intersection. 

Tippi along the trails of Savoy, 2005.

Oddly, each time we came to an intersection on the trail, "Max" knew which way we were planning on turning (even though he lead).  He managed this for 9 - 10 miles.

Total for the day was roughly 29.30-miles in 6:17:52.  It was my 27th completed marathon, and Tippi's 3rd.  After finishing, I met Jane Phinney in the Savoy Town Offices;  she was the Savoy Town Clerk and is the author of  "Taking the High Road". 

Early shuttle with Wuzzam, with a goal of running from Granville State Forest along Hubbard Brook to the Tunxis Trail crossing at Route 20 in East Hartland.

Milo B Coe Monument

Marker for Monument

Along the way, we not only enjoyed the cascades of Hubbard Brook, but the wonderment of Valley and Hurricane Brooks as well.  Breezed through the 9.2-miles in relatively good shape, remaining strong at the finish.

Wuzzam at Hubbard Brook

Owl overlooking Hubbard Brook

Trillum Hill Marker

After the run, once I completed some chores at home, I drove to Adams to visit my folks and enjoy dinner with the two of them.  All in all, a pretty good day.

Bike to and from work today for a total of 11-miles.

Trail run on the Metacomet from Phelps north for 3-miles.

Ended up the day with a performance at Crown Street with Evil, Sweating Out Demons Session by the Dark Heart Duo.

Music 2019...

Effort #31,  "Into Smoke", the third piece from the Dark Heart Duo's "Summer Solstice Session" of June 21, 2019.

Additionally, I rode back and forth to work on the bicycle today as well for 11.0-miles.

Drove out to Mt Washington Reservation (at least that area), to run in along Northwest Road to join up the Appalachian Trail where I ended last weekend.

The plan was to tumble down to Sages Ravine, Climb Mt Race (one of my all-time favorite areas), and turn-a-round at the saddle between Race and Mt Everett (at the Race Brook Falls Trailhead).

The conditions were remarkable, it was only 73 degrees when I finished the run at around 1:10 p.m.  It was really sunny and bright, with big, fluffy clouds filling in around the blue.  These outstanding conditions allowed me to make it to the Race Brook Falls Trailhead at 5.5-miles in decent shape - and the run back wasn't too bad.  Well, I call it running but I averaged 3.5 mph for pace along this rocky path.

The climb out of Sages Ravine to Mt Race is about 800' I think.  There is about a quarter to a half-mile of open ledge running along the edge of Race, which is remarkable to experience.  From the edge, there are open views south and east, as well as a spot of Greylock from one point.

There were a couple of 400' climbs as well, one from the turn-a-round at Race Brook Falls Trail back to Mt Race, and the final bit from Sages Ravine back up along Northwest Road to East Street parking area.  Throughout the run, the trail dips and dives off and on repeatedly, with not a ton of flat running anywhere.

Ended the day with 11-miles and feeling pretty good.  Drove north into Adams to surprise my folks for a quick visit before making the late drive back to CT.

Looking south from the edge of Mt Race

Old news department...

On this day in 2009, Tippi and I explored the Robert Frost Trail through Sunderland and Amherst (I think).  It was a day after a really hard rain, so the brooks and streams were really roaring.  We ended up losing a bunch of time "off trail" around Eastman Brook.

We parked at Amethyst Brook and did a bit south, then north to the foot of Bull Hill.  Outstanding area that I would like to return to.

This was my 41st completed marathon and Tippi's 14th.  The run took us 6:03:58 to finish.

Rain let up and actually stopped ahead of time, so I met up with Wuzzam to run 5.7-miles in Shenipsit State Forest.

Wuzzam's told me today that he had to say goodbye to his dog Sam.  I will miss Sam, we had so many adventures to share over a ten or so year span of time.  

Sam was a few years old when Wuzzam adopted him.  I believe he was between 13 and 14 upon passing, which is long for a big lab but it is never long enough for those who love them.

Having to say farewell to Sam made me realize that he was our last surviving member of the dog pound, our four-footed friends who roamed the woods of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts with us.  I reflect with sadness but also a great deal of joy thinking of, and saying a final goodbye to:

• Sam
• Tippi
• Summer
• Liddy
• Murphy
• Dusty

Sam was my dog Tippi's best friend, and the only dog she ever gave way to.  Sam was just so big and strong, Tips realized and respected that.  What a beautiful pair of animals they were as they ran freely though the woods with us.  I will remember them splashing in the streams we came across, Tippi yapping away at Sam because he fetched the stick first (or grabbed it out of her mouth).

These animals gave us a great deal of companionship and loyalty over many years.  I'll continue to think of them each day, especially when I am in the woods.  For right now, my focus is on Sam, and how happy he was whenever we came across water, and also how I'll miss rubbing him behind the ears when we finished a long running adventure.  I will remember him that way forever.

Sam on the Nipmuck, February 2016

At Pixie Falls, with Wuzzam