Drove out to Burlington again, meeting Wuzzam, to run the Tunxis Trail from Route 4 to Marsh Road in Plymouth, CT.

Nice section of trail, with many optional side-paths that I intend on exploring.

We were impressed with the Tory's Den, as well as another rocky area with caves and cubby-holes to explore.  The turn-around-point at the reservoir was very nice as well.

The one glaring issue we experianced is the section shortly after crossing Rock Road, on Johnny Cake Mountain Road (or something similar).  The CFPA online resource map doesn't even show the new development or houses, and the Tunxis Trail just exterminates between a few newly being built homes, the paved road, and a clear-cut bank which may soon involve additional houses being built.

We wandered, tried a few wrong directions, and finally found a "Blue-White-Dot" trail option that did re-connect us with the Tunxis proper.  Lesson learned is this section, for the time being, can be basically skipped because a trail through a new housing development sucks.  Unfortunately, what sucks a bit worse is that no trail markers or signs exist leading a hiker toward success in this area.

Finished well, with 14.5-miles.  Wuzzam took a nasty stumble and fall at about mile 11, a result of a tree root not being cut flush with the ground but allowed to stick up 3 inches.

Initial Caves and Slabs

Initial Caves and Slabs

Tory's Den

Tory's Den

Tory's Den

Old Marsh Pond

Tory's Den

Tory's Den

Wuzzam passing Tory's Den

Tory's Den

Nearing the completion of our run

Also, on this day in 2014, Wuzzam and I ran the Mahican Mohawk Marathon in 6:43:30.  We began and ended at the Mohawk Trail State Forest in Charlemont, along the bank of the Cold River.  

Our turn-a-round or midpoint was roughly at North Pond in Savoy Mountain State Forest, located in Savoy and Florida, Massachusetts.

This was my 53rd completed marathon.  Map of our route is included...

Running through Stafford Meadow

 

Red Pine Plantation, set in 1930's..

Up through the Red Pine.

Wuzzam at the first crossing of the Cold River.

Bog Pond, a long-time favorite area of ours..

Burnett Homestead Cemetery in Florida..

Second crossing of the Cold River.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

George Santayana

Santayana's famous aphorism "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" is inscribed on a plaque at the Auschwitz concentration camp in Polish translation and English back-translation.

First and Last and Always...

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #32 for 2020...

"The Way We Die Now", Charles Willeford's 1988 completion of Hoke Mosely's story.

Black Lizard Vintage Crime Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover

Music 2020...

Effort #33,  "Saints, Martyrs, and all the Faithful Departed"...  The lengthy opening piece from Dark Heart Duo's Day After Session of  November 1st, 2019.

Hallockville Pond Marathon

August 11th, 2005 - Hawley, Massachusetts

On this day in 2005, I completed my 30th marathon.  Locale was Dubuque State Forest and we named the event the "Hallockville Pond" Marathon.  

For company, I had Wuzzam being his norm good sport, and Tippi with her normal determination.  Old Farmer Tom met us along the Notch Trail on bicycle, and enjoyed a few miles with us.

This was Tippi's 4th completed marathon.  Our time ended up at 5:21:16.

I drove out to Burlington, wishing to tie-up a section of the Tunxis Trail from my April stopping point on Garrett Mountain.  I planned on completing the run along the western slope of the Nepaug Reservoir from Route 4.

It was near impossible to find a parking area, or the trail on the north side of Route 4.  I recalled covering this section in July of 2011 with Tippi, and we had come out on a non-busy dirt road a mile or so in from Route 4 (Hotchkiss Road off Covey Road).  That is where I ended up parking, which was better once understood.

The run went great, and despite the heat I kept a strong pace.  I remembered the bridge across the swamp at Phelps Brook from way back when.  The route is basically 90% forest road, but it is interesting.

At my termination point on the north side of Garrett Mountain, I ran east a bit toward the reservoir.  Checking my mapping software once home, I can see that a loop is possible, several variations actually, throughout this forest.

When looking over the area on a map I noticed that I missed out on two waterfalls at my parking spot...  Bunnell's Falls and Burlington Falls.  I'll have to go back and visit Burlington Brook.

Phelps Brook Crossing

View from Baker Road of Nepaug Reservoir

Passageway through Pine

Another warm and humid morning, finished 6.6-miles on the Metacomet with K2.

Running at Bear Hole, covering 6.5-miles in 1:14:00.

Today I would finish the Connecticut Section of the Appalachian Trail.  I had roughly two unfinished miles, from Hoyt Road on the New York border to the top of Ten-Mile Hill, where I turned last weekend.

The damage from Tropical Storm Isaias was difficult to move through, luckily it wasn't continuous but intermittent.  Regardless, once I re-connected to last week's turn-a-round spot on Ten-Mile Hill, I continued to the Herrick Trail and Preserve, with the understanding that if the trails were a mess I would run back to the parking area on Route 55 via the road, which is what I ended up doing.

Finished with 5.5-miles, and very impressed with the Herrick Preserve.  Incredible stonewalls, one huge boulder, and the views from Housatonic Overlook and Amy's Overlook.

The completion of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut is something worthwhile, the 56-miles (or so) were doubled as I had to cover out-and-backs each visit.  As I occasionally look at pictures of the trail on the web, I recognize each spot and the segment it is located.  I've added this knowledge to my circled world.

CT/NY Border Kiosk 

 Entering Connecticut

Housatonic Overlook in the Herrick Preserve

Housatonic Overlook in the Herrick Preserve

Amy's Overlook

Large Rock at Amy's Overlook

Amy's Overlook

Undulating Stonewall in Herrick Preserve

Entrance to Herrick Preserve

Roadside Memorial on Route 7 & Route 55

Nice trip to visit the folks, once back home a easy 3-miles along Main Street.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #31 for 2020...

"Sideswipe", Charles Willeford's 1987 continuation to the Hoke Mosely's story.

Black Lizard Vintage Crime Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover

Alt Cover

Music 2020...

Effort #32,  "Gypsy"...  Nice mellow cover of Savoy Brown's opening track from their 1970's album "Looking In", as performed by RSC during early June 2020.

On a side-note, Tropical Storm Isaias hit us pretty hard with extreme wind causing severe damage throughout the afternoon and evening.

On this day... 

I completed my 13th 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.

Ran along the Metacomet for 7.8-miles from Phelps Road to Peak/Copper Mountain on a warm Sunday morning.

I am grinding away at completing the Connecticut Section of the Appalachian Trail, with only 6 to 7-miles remaining to finish.

Up early, as we are dog-sitting "Bonita", and DL and I walked the little animal around town at 5:00 a.m.  We had an outstanding breakfast of pancakes and bacon, and I hit the road returning to Kent, Connecticut at 6:30 a.m.

Parked along Schaghticoke Road very close to where the AT turns back into the woods off the dirt road.  Slowly climbed back to the majestic Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook which was my turn-around-point during last visit to the AT, and turned again at 1.6-miles.

Back down toward Schaghticoke Road at 3.1-miles, and jogged the road to re-enter the woods within a half-mile or so.  Beginning ramble kept the Housatonic River in view, before crossing the convergence of the Ten Mile River and the Housatonic on the 120' Ned Anderson Memorial Bridge.  This bridge was constructed in 1983 and is named after a local farmer who also designed, built and maintained the original AT in Connecticut.

A bit more nice running along the Ten Mile Brook before turning to climb Ten Mile Hill, elevation 1000'.  Saw the Catskills from the top, which would be my point to retrace my steps back to the car on Schaghticoke Road.  Finished the day with 8.8-miles, and only two unfinished miles to complete the Connecticut Section of the Appalachian Trail (Ten Mile Hill to Hoyt Road).

View from Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook

View from Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook

View from Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook

View from Schaghticoke Mountain Overlook

View from Schaghticoke Road of the Overlook

Housatonic River

120' Ned Anderson Memorial Bridge

View toward the Housatonic from the Ned Anderson Bridge

View toward the Ten Mile River from the Ned Anderson Bridge

View from the Ned Anderson Memorial Bridge

View north-west from Ten Mile Hill

Summit of Ten Mile Hill