Phelps Road to run the Metacomet late afternoon - 3.5-miles heading north.

Another later in the day trip to Mattatuck Trail to head south.  

The first section, from Flat Rock Road to Hardscrabble Road is roughly 3.7-miles, and about a mile of it is very slow going due to traversing through a boulder field on the side of a slope, just after crossing the West Branch of the Shepaug River.

Later on, just before Hardscrabble Road, it gets a bit slow moving again hopping rocks around the Sanders Hill Brook crossing.

Things were a bit easier after crossing Hardscrabble, and after a bit of climbing I made a turn-a-round point once I began my descent, heading back to finish with 9.6-miles.

This is a very nice section of trail, not the easiest footing in parts, but it mostly rambles on the west side of the Upper Shepaug Reservoir for its majority.

I hope to get back to finish the last 3 or so miles I left off at some point soon.

Signage on Flat Rock Road

It was cold for May 9th

West Branch Shepaug River

Sanders Hill Brook

Signage on Hardscrabble Road

View of the Upper Shepaug Reservoir

Along the West Branch of the Shepaug

Along the West Branch of the Shepaug

Phelps Road to run the Metacomet after work - 3.7-miles heading south.

A late afternoon run in Bear Hole, fairly pushing it at a 6.4 mph average once it was over.  Somehow I missed an intended turn, and finished with 5.5-miles.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #20 for 2020...  "The Ivory Grin", book four of Ross MacDonald's Archer series, published in 1952 as "Marked for Murder".

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime Edition Cover

Original Title

Alternate Edition

COVID-19

Via Zeynep Tufekci (3) in Scientific American:

“Preparing for the almost inevitable global spread of this virus… is one of the most pro-social, altruistic things you can do. We should prepare, not because we may feel personally at risk but so that we can help lessen the risk for everyone. We should prepare not because we are facing a doomsday scenario out of our control, but because we can alter every aspect of this risk we face as a society."

That’s right, you should prepare because your neighbors need you to prepare–especially your elderly neighbors, your neighbors who work at hospitals, your neighbors with chronic illnesses, and your neighbors who may not have the means or the time to prepare because of lack of resources or time.”

Music 2020...

Effort #19,  "The Hum"...  Dark Heart Duo's End of Chemo Sessions, August 30th, 2019.

After a full morning session of yard-work and patio cleaning, I charged out to Tunxis to run the old Pine Mtn/Indian Council Route (from way-back).  7.2-miles, eighty degrees, I suffered a bit but averaged 5.3 mph for the entire effort.

Return to the Mattatuck Trail to connect to the "end-point" of last week's adventure, above Mohawk Pond.

Completed 8.1-miles, out and back, with no trouble from the left hamstring.  The day was bright, sunny, and in the sixties.

Entrance from Flat Rock Road

Below Mohawk Mountain

Large Stonewall

Notice date carved into upper right (might not be accurate)

Another view of Stonewall network

Southern Section from Flat Rock Road, unexplored

Combo map of the past two trips

"High Points" along the trails I've visited in April 2020.

Left calf-muscle and left hamstring slowed me a bit this month.

• Nick's Hill, Metacomet Trail, West Suffield, CT
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, West Suffield, CT
• Hurricane Brook Hill, Tunxis State Forest
• Trillum Hill, Tunxis State Forest
• Winchell Mountain, Tunxis - Granville State Forest
• Tipping Rock Hill, Tunxis Trail, Tunxis State Forest
• Valley Overlook, Tunxis Trail, Tunxis State Forest
• West Slope Valley Brook Climb, Tunxis - Granville State Forest
• Pinnacle, Mattatuck Trial, Cornwall, CT
• Mohawk Mountain, Mattatuck Trail, Cornwall, CT
• Hartland Hollow Hill, Tunxis - Granville State Forest
• Ore Hill, Granville State Forest

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #19 for 2020...  Barry Gifford's continuation of Sailor and Lula's tale,
"Bad Day for the Leopard Man ", written in 1992.

Cover Image

Alternative Image

Alternative Image

I guess I had to make my annual trek to Ore Hill in Granville State Forest, and just like the past visits, the logging has destroyed any semblance of trail that had once existed.  It was a mud bog for the entire top portion.

5.2-miles of hiking due to the sore left hamstring.

Music 2020...

Effort #18,  "Seance on Crown Street"...  Opening number recorded by the Dark Heart Duo as part of the End of Chemo Sessions, August 30th, 2019.

On this day in 2006, I completed a Metacomet Marathon with my dog Tippi;  it was just us.  By 2005, most of my running turned toward exploring and mapping routes through the forest of Western Massachusetts and North Central Connecticut, with an emphasis on picking out ways to connect big tracks of land, and turn them into runs of marathon length.

Tips taking a look toward the quarry in West Suffield, Connecticut.

This run began in Sunrise Park, Suffeld, Connecticut and flowed south through Penwood State Forest in Bloomfield and Simsbury, Connecticut.  We spent 6:27:00 completing a little over 28-miles or so.  This was my 31st marathon completed, and Tippi's 7th.
 

Hueblin Tower in the distance; we would be turning around just prior to it.

Notes:  A great day;  started out 50 degrees at the 9:45 A.M. start time.  I believe it reached 70 degrees during the day, with most of it in the mid to upper 60’s.  Sunny and blue sky entire time, with a bit of a nice breeze every once and a while.

Tippi taking a look back off a ledge.

Much of the route is a ridge trail, with weather beaten trees still standing.

Tippi at the finish, ready to eat and rest.

  

 The Route we managed in April of 2006.

North Hollow along Route 20, to explore the ATV Side-Trail off South Lane Number Two.  Followed it down to Hartland Hollow, crossing Pond Brook before ending back at North Hollow along Hubbard Brook.  Ended the day with 4.8-miles.

Brook running under Old Stone Wall

Brook running under Old Stone Wall

Brook running under Old Stone Wall

Pond Brook Crossing at Hartland Hollow