Mid-day trip to the Tunxis Trail in the Burington area - completed 9.5-miles somewhat easily!

Rockwall Scramble on the Trail

View off Perry's Lookout

Perry's Lookout

Old Beech Trees

Old Foundation

Wonderful visit with my Mom to celebrate her 80th Birthday!  

Once back home, I ran 3-miles on Main Street.

Music 2020...

Effort #38,  "Mother of Earth"...  the Gun Club classic as done in my basement studio.  Just me and the acoustic guitar as Rapid Social Change (RSC), occupying time.

Oh, my dark-eyed friend
I'm recalling you again
Soft voices that speak nothing
Speak nothing to the end

From the Archives:  I raced and completed my second Pisgah Marathon on this day in 1999, completing 50km in 5:47:30.  Ran the majority with the Bandit, throughout a beautiful park in New Hampshire.  This was my 22nd finished marathon.

Tunxis to connect from Route 69 to the Burlington State Fish Hatchery.  Great day and great run as well, finishing with a comfortable 6.4-miles and a better understanding of the network of trails throughout this region.

Section of White Pine to the west of the George Washington Turnpike crossing 

Long Stonewall Remnants just west of the Cornwall Road crossing

From the Archives:  On this day in 2005 I completed my 31st marathon at Mt Washington State Forest, with the Riga Plateau, Appalachian Trail, and South Taconic Trail thrown in for good measure.  I had Tippi and Wuzzam along for the day, which set a record for high temperature unfortunately for us.  This was Tippi's 5th completed marathon.

Our time was 5:10:41, which shows we were really running pretty hard.  The lack of water on the trail was a real concern for me regarding Tippi.  Luckily, the stream at the bottom of Bear had plenty, and from there on we were set.

Wuzzam looked absolutely beat climbing and coming down off Bear.  He needed the stream to cool off in as much as Tips did.

Breakneck! with K2 and the Old Goat.  Didn't exactly fulfill the old entire 20km route but did manage a comfortable and pleasant 10.1-miles on an incredibly comfortable 60-degree day.

Bigelow Hollow in the fall is a very peaceful spot.

The Old Goat Reporteth...

Afternoon visit to Cowles Park in East Granby, did the ridge loop for 3.5-miles.

From the Archives:  On this day in 2007, Tippi and I finished the Notchview Marathon.  We ran from Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Massachusetts into Dubuque State Forest in Hawley, then to Savoy Mountain State Forest in Savoy.  We got crushed by a heavy rainstorm for the last 3-miles.

This was my 37th completed marathon, and Tippi's 11th.  All in all, I was not in fantastic shape but the year was winding down, and the run was incredibly enjoyable.  Missing a turn shortly after Windsor Jambs, continuing on the dirt road for a bit, didn't count as a positive.

Looking at the map, we passed Windsor Pond, Crooked Neck Pond, and Hallockville Pond along the journey.  

Meadow at Notchview 

Tippi on the Jambs Trail.

Windsor Jambs.

Alert, as always.

Jambs, with Tippi on the ledge, upper right,

 

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #36 for 2020...

"Baby Cat Face", the continuation of the Southern Nights Trilogy by Barry Gifford, written in 1997.

Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Music 2020...

Effort #37,  "Pipeline"...  basement quarantine, Rapid Social Change (RSC), just me and the acoustic guitar occupying our time.

Back to the Tunxis in Burlington, again from Scoville Road and Lamson Corner.  I wanted to connect to the Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center via the Nature Trail Connector.

Another great morning with weather, stuck in the seventies and limited humidity.  I finished finding my way 'round, totaling 8.1-miles.

Brook Crossing

Huge Balanced Rock at "the Wall"

Peaceable Street Oak commemorative

Peaceable Street Oak

Peaceable Street Oak

Climbing "the Wall"

"the Wall" 

"the Wall"

"the Wall"

From the Archives:  Curly's Marathon was held in Pittsfield State Forest on this day in 2008, and it was a beautiful day to run.  I made the mistake of wearing old shoes rather than a new pair I had just purchased, and it was a very poor decision. 

The pain in my feet and lower legs was incredible for the last 6 or 8 miles, and I was lucky to finish in 5:54:36.  

This was my 40th completed marathon.  My dad ran the Half-Marathon option as well.

Additionally, More from the Archives:  

Dunbar - Whitcomb - Jambs Marathon for Wuzzam and I on this day in 2014.

Wuzzam and I conquered Dunbar-Whitcomb-Jambs in 6:21:34.  This expanded from an old run the Bandit and I did on a few occasions, from Whitcomb Summit to Windsor Jambs.

This time, we began at Dunbar Brook in Monroe State Forest, and ventured out a new snowmobile trail to the windmills to Whitcomb Summit, over Crum Hill, over Flat Rock Hill and the old Viewing Platform for the Hoosac Tunnel, crossed the Cold River on an obscure grown in path, past Savoy Mountain State Forest at North Pond, past Bog Pond, over Lewis Hill and Borden Mountain, through Windsor Bush into Windsor State Forest and the Jambs.

Outstanding day with outstanding sunny weather.  This was my 54th completed marathon. 

 Unfortunate Windmill site.

The Elk Monument at Whitcomb Summitt.

Viewing Platform for the Hoosac Tunnel construction.

View from Flat Rock Hill with Greylock in view.

 

Crossing of the Cold River.

Stone Carving on rock, obscure path.

Bog Pond.

The Dunham Lot, off Tannery Road.

We are getting close!

The Jambs!

Dwarf Forest and the softest ground-cover imaginable.

A sunny mid-day run along Main Street for 4-miles.

A great morning with the temperature only at 55-degrees.  I had until noon free, so I drove out to Burlington again to piece together more of the trails that make up the Tunxis 30km.

My only goal was to run for at least 8 or 9 miles, visit the Devils Kitchen, and connect from Scoville Road / Lamson Corner to Sessions Woods as well as where the 30km track crosses Route 69 to the north.

I hit it out of the park with all my goals, finishing with 10.8-miles and all the connectors.  The ravine at the Devil's Kitchen is spectacular for certain.

Devil's Kitchen Ravine

Devil's Kitchen Ravine

Devil's Kitchen Ravine

Devil's Kitchen Ravine

Devil's Kitchen Ravine

Stonewall using Large Erratic

Stonewall

Bridgework

Four-days off of running after the marathon on Sunday, feeling pretty well recovered.  So, time for a run.

Met Wuzzam at Shenipsit late afternoon for a nice and easy 6.5-mile run.