More difficult than normal morning, woken up early for a call-in at work, then leaving to run with Wuzzam on the southern Nipmuck Trail I was stopped on I-84 for twenty-minutes due to the road being closed for repair (it looked like).  Just before I was going to say enough is enough and head back towards home, traffic began moving a bit and I chose to drive through some odd paths to get back toward Mansfield.

Wuzzam had headed out over an hour ahead of me, and since we were doing an out-and-back, I expected to catch him someplace on his return.  I hoped to get to the grist mill site, roughly 2.7-miles, before seeing him, so I ran "hard".  

Passed the grist mill and began the road option up toward fifty-foot, and once passed 3-miles I figured it would be great to get to fifty-foot and 4-miles, so I kept running "hard".

Descending off the small ledge of fifty-foot, I kept my speed up thinking that I may make it to 5-miles before seeing my friend.  Once past that, I figured 6-miles might be possible?

I ran into Wuzzam right at 5.9-miles, which was a 5-mph pace for me.  I went beyond the meeting point and turned so that I ended the entire out-and-back with 12-miles.

Temperature once back at the car for the ride home (actually back to work to address one more issue that arose) was 59-degrees!

A damp, cold day with intermittent rain...  ran in McLean somewhat "hard", 4.1-miles in 40:26.

I completed Native American Author Tommy Orange's novel following twelve characters from Native communities: all traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, all connected to one another in ways they may not yet realize.

Very well done, and enjoyable in a disturbing sense.

Half-Marathon Route in McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm, field-work completed in late November & early December.  I hope to run this somewhat regularly throughout the seasons....

Sent to me on November 25th: HIKE50 and HIKE100 Challenge Updates With just over a month to go in 2020, you still have time to earn points!

As 2020 comes to an end, we hope many of you are taking advantage of the crisp fall weather to earn the last of your points for the Hike50 and Hike100 Challenges.  So far this year we have received 150 challenge submission. Keep them coming! As a reminder, all patches and completion certificates will be mailed at the end of 2020. Thank you for your patience!  I met my 100-mile challenge goal in June, and to date I am right around 180-miles on the New England Trail in 2020.

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #42 for 2020...

"The Criminal", another gem from Big Jim Thompson, published 1953.

Vintage Crime / Black Lizard Cover Image

Alternate Early Edition

Alternate Early Edition

Alternate Early Edition

Music 2020...

Effort #50,  "Mellow Beginnings...  the eigth and final piece from September 12th, 2020 session, known collectively as the "Ground Down" E.P.

It's been a while since I explored Penwood State Park, and with the small amount of snow in our area I figured it would be day worthy of a visit.

Managed my normal "loop", out from Wintonbury Road on the Blue-Blazed New England Trail (Metacomet) to the parking area near Gale Pond, then back on the Mountain Bike Trail (Yellow-Blazed I believe).

Ended with 6.5-miles.  Cold temperatures, with scatterings of snow and ice along the ridge.

Stairs at base of "the Pinnacle"

View of Talcott Mountain from "the Pinnacle"

View off Picnic Table Lookout

 Another View off Picnic Table Lookout

"High Points" along the trails I've visited during November, 2020.

• Stickney Hill, Nipmuck State Forest, Union, CT
• Weed Hill, McLean - Holcomb, Granby, CT
• Deer Hill, McClean - Holcomb Connector, Granby & Simsbury, CT
• Devil's Kitchen, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Mile of Ledges, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Hemenway Lookout, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Johnnycake Mountain, Tunxis Trail, Burlington Region
• Raycroft Lookout, Monroe, MA
• Spruce Mountain, Monroe, MA
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, West Suffield, CT
• Spooner Hill, Natchaug Trail, Ashford, CT
• Hill Street & Hastings Hill, Suffield, CT

3.4-mile run along Bridge, Main and Wisteria (loop). 

Late afternoon dropped some supplies off for my Mom.

Run in McLean with K2, rambled through on a very bright sunny day for 6.9-miles.

Rambling through McLean once again, to fill in the second-half of a 1/2-marathon course.  Damp, cloudy skies for the most part, with some lite precipitation as ice particles.

Re-connected with Saturday's point at the intersection of Weed Hill & Eddy Trail at 5-miles.  Ended the day with a total of 10.6-miles on my legs.

3-mile run along Main Street. 

Music 2020...

Effort #49,  "Grinding Down"...  the seventh piece from September 12th, 2020 session, known collectively as the "Ground Down" E.P.

Union, Connecticut at the Nipmuck State Forest with Wuzzam and Old Goat for 7.4-miles.

And on this day in 2019...

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon

November 29th, 2019 - Granby & Simsbury, Connecticut

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon day in Granby and Simsbury, Connecticut.  

Not a lot of build-up for this, I was thinking an attempt at the Bullitt Reservation / DAR / Williamsburg Route, but two cars are necessary for that attempt and I had but one today.  I would be solo.

I got a good running start at just a little after 9:00 a.m., with two water plants plus the refill opportunity at my vehicle which was returned to around mile 8 or so.  

Rambled through McLean to the beginnings of the hills (Westledge, Pilfershire, West Mountain, Eddy, and Weed Hill) at 12.5-miles at 5.5-mph (which was an incredible pace for me).

Once the hills were finished, and I entered into Holcomb Farm Trails, I was still at 5-mph, which had me feeling really energized.  I was moving really well, running strong on everything other than the long steady climb up Westledge, the steepest portions of Eddy, and then the bushwhack type footing up Weed Hill.

Things slowed a bit through Holcomb, especially once crossing Simsbury Road.  The trail from there to the re-entry into McLean proper hasn't seen much traffic, had many leaves covering the roots, and I was beginning to tire.

I hung on to complete the 25.6-miles (gps measured, so this should be easily over 26.2) in 5:13:00.  Just dipped under 5 mph average to a 4.9.  Awesome performance on my third marathon of 2019, and 57th overall.