Music 2020...

Effort #41,  "Night Walks"...  A beautiful, quiet song by Black Mountain. Another basement recording with me on acoustic guitar as Rapid Social Change (RSC).

Night walks with me
And moon leaves me
Just enough light to see
And the shadow
My only company
And it moves
Just like me
And it walks
Just like me

Tunxis State Forest with K2 for a run.  Began at Route 20 and headed south, with a 90-minute deadline for the total time out.  I managed to get just past the logging before turning back, and ended with a nice enjoyable 6-miles.

For a bonus, I spent a reasonable amount of time photographing the Balanced Rock situated just up the bank from Morey Brook.

Navigating around the Morey Brook Balanced Rock, differing angles

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

The Morey Brook Balanced Rock

I am hopeful that there will be a few occasions and opportunities to explore the Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts before the year 2020 comes to an end.  Today was one such opportunity.

I drove to Sheffield, thinking I would use the A.T. Parking area on Kellog Road, but the loose stone on the steep slop was pretty washed out, and I didn't know if I would be able to drive back up out of the area...  so I ended up looking around a bit before settling in at the AT Crossing on West Road.  I had already run the AT Section crossing West Road to Route 7 last August, but it would be the best I would do today for a designated, safe, parking spot.

The section from West Road to Route 7 is nice, much of it through a swamp with built up walkways.  Crossing Route 7 gets you to the Housatonic River and a nice journey along it.  Brief road section before the start up June Mountain toward East Mountain.

Excellent views once the 1000' climb is over, basically the entirety of Race, Everett and Jug End along with the Catskills in the distance.  As added features, there were two excellent balances rocks that I noticed, and a wicked ravine / cravasse / or split between rocks with a bridge built above.

I ended the run feeling very good, with 10.5-miles and 2280' of climb and descent on my legs.

View of Everett, Race and Bear Mountains to the west

View of Everett, Race and Bear Mountains to the west

Balanced Rock

View of Everett, Race and Bear Mountains to the west

View of Everett, Race and Bear Mountains to the west

Raven or Fissure down the mountain

Another Balanced Rock

Housatonic River looking south

Bridgework on AT through Swamp

Large Rock along AT

Ravine with Bridge above

Roadside Memorial on East Stahl Road

Roadside Memorial on East Stahl Road

Roadside Memorial on East Stahl Road

 3-mile run on Main & Kent Street in the early morning.

3-Miles along Main Street in the morning prior to work.

On this day in 1994, I participated in the 1st Hartford Marathon, running a time of ~3:16:00.  I needed sub 3:10:00 to qualify for Boston, and completing the run "easily" at this pace gained me confidence for my official attempt the following May at Vermont City.  This was my 4th marathon.

From the Archives:  On this day in 2012 I completed my 9th Nipmuck Marathon today, as well as my 49th overall marathon.

I finished in a respectable 4:46:30, good for 28th place overall.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #37 for 2020...

"His Name was Death", Fredric Brown, 1954.

Vintage Crime / Black Lizard Cover Image

1st Edition Hardcover

1956 Bantam Paperback Edition

Centipede Press Hardcover Edition

Music 2020...

Effort #40,  "I had Lost My Mind"...  another basement recording, just me and the acoustic guitar as Rapid Social Change (RSC).

Easy, restful day after the long run on Saturday.  2.5-mile walk on Main Street to loosen the legs.

September 26th, 2020 - The New England Trail

Bear Hole, McLean & Whiting Street Reservoir Marathon

I completed my 61st Marathon today in 6:00-hours (5:49:23 moving and 9:37 stopped).

The route began a little after 7 a.m. in Bear Hole Reservoir, and once connected to the New England Trail (Metacomet) I also passed McLean Reservoir and the Whiting Street Reservoir for a gps measured 24.3-miles.  Google Earth listed the total ascent at 4195', with a likewise total descent.

It was in the low sixties for temperature at the start, but very high humidity (80%+).  Once the sun came out the temperature hit 80-degrees.

I felt very good throughout the run, but my feet and legs were sore for the last hour from the multitude of rocks that exist along much of this trail.

Mist and Fog off Snake Peak

Mist and Fog off Snake Peak

Mist and Fog on White Pine Needles

Mist and Fog on one of East Mountain's Peaks

Firetower

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Mist and Fog on Peak

Finally, clearing skies (looking east toward Holyoke)

Clearing Skies (looking east toward Holyoke)

Snake Peak and Snake Pond

In Memory...  

Rest in Peace Dusty
(August 28, 1986 - September 25, 2000).

"Dusty" at Old Sturbridge Village, 1998

DL brought Dusty home at Christmas 1986, when we lived at Old Mill Pond in Arlington, Texas.  He was a cocker-spaniel, and a really great dog.

Once we made the move to Connecticut in 1989, we began hiking and backpacking.  Dusty loved the trail, and camping out in a tent.  As a spaniel, he also loved water, and even in December's winters, if the water was open, he was going in.

We began running in Shenipsit State Forest around 1992, after building up with the years of hiking.  We ran on the Metacomet three or four days a week, right up to a week before his passing.

I have been extremely lucky with the dogs I've had.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of them.  As I still ramble through the woods, I encounter hints and reminders constantly.  Those first explorations throughout Connecticut and Western Massachusetts were with Dusty,.  Rest easy, boy.

3-mile run on Main & Kent Street in the early morning.

From the Archives:  On this day in 2006 I enjoyed a really special run and adventure.  It was my 36th completed marathon, and it was at Mount Greylock.

The Greylock Marathon's always mean a bit more to me than others; this one was especially memorable due to the company I had for the entire route, my dad and my great friend Paul H, as well as Tips on her 10th completed marathon.  We finished at 7:29:23, just beating some heavy rain.  An unbelievable day!

Greylock Finish, 2006 

 3-mile early morning run on Main Street.

Music 2020...

Effort #39,  "Walk Don't Run"...  another recording from the basement studio.  Just me and the acoustic guitar as Rapid Social Change (RSC).

From the Archives:  I raced and completed the Pisgah Marathon on this day in 1997.  The event was 29.3-miles, and myu run time was 5:03:39.  This was my 17th finished marathon.