Back to the Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts.  Began at my last stopping point, Goose Pond Road in Otis (I think) and covered ground to Route 20 (including the AT Bridge over the Mass Pike).

Ended with 9.3-miles on a fantastic day.

Shore of Goose Pond

Mohhekennuck Club Memorial

AT Foot-Bridge over I-90

Greenwater Pond

Bridge over Brook

Bridge over Brook with stonework

Entering the Berkshires sign on I-90

AT Foot-Bridge

After 13.5 hours at work (2:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m.) I managed a 3.4-mile run around the Bridge-Main-Kent-Wisteria-Dylan-Bridge loop, with the short trail/field section between Wisteria and Dylan now totally churned up for development.

Marathon History Archive...

 

Granville - Kingdom Marathon - May 14th, 2020
Granville State Forest & Tunxis State Forest

With very little thought I decided to tackle the Granville State Forest to Satan's Kingdom Marathon today.  DL was willing to shuttle my car to the finish at Satan's Kingdom, and then drive me to the start at Granville State Forest along the Hubbard River.

I felt really good for the first twenty-miles, and pretty good from that point to the finish.  I power-hiked the ups from the Route 219 crossing at 19-miles, and jogged all the flats and  downhill.

Beautiful day, temperatures ranged from the fifties to start (about 9:10 a.m.) and just about seventy toward the end at 3:00 p.m.

The run measured out on the gps at 25.78-miles, and I completed the effort in 5:54 moving time, and 6:04 total time (a few stops to refuel water drops and photos).  This was my 59th completed marathon all-time.

The total climb according to Google Earth was 4702', with a net descent of 5389'.  The majority of the elevation loss was in the first 2 and last 2 miles.

Elevation Profile

Hubbard River

Black Bear Crossing - Valley Brook

Tunxis State Forest

Roberts Brook

Indian Council Caves Summit

Lake McDonough

Lake McDonough

Sign in Log at the 1st Ratlum Peak

Old Camp Pond, a favorite of Sam & Tippi

I had attempted a run from work on Tuesday, but after 2/10' mile was attached by a German Shepard.  Avoided a bite, but injured my left hand/wrist/thumb during the pivoting.

Today, visited the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and rambled from Route 20 to Floydville Road, totaling 3.2-miles.

Music 2021...

Effort #13,  "My My Hey Hey"...  Reverend King going out of the blue and into the black solo.

Take #1 of two.

"High Points" along the trails I've visited during April, 2021...

• Mount Wilcox, AT, Monterey, MA
• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail (NET), Suffield, CT
• Jerusalem Hill, AT, Tyringham, MA
• Sodom Mountain, Southwick-Granville, MA
• Cobble Hill, AT, Tyringham Cobble, Tyringham, MA
• Pine Hill Snowmobile Path, Conway, MA
• Catlin Lot Hill, Snowmobile Path, Conway, MA
• Metacomet Ridge, Cowles Park, East Granby, CT

What Played in Ed's Head -- Music listened to for the time-period  April 1st through 30th, 2021:

Drove out to Tyringham with DL, visited Ashintully Gardens (TTOR). 

Also, stopped off at the "Gingerbread House".

Walked about a half-mile for the day.

Ashintully Gardens

Ashintully Gardens

Ashintully Gardens

Gingerbread House

Gingerbread House

Santarella

Spent the early part of the day working on getting our patio in order, and a series of plant and ornamental tasks for DL.  Early afternoon, I drove out to Simsbury to run a bit of trails and bike path to connect more of the "circled-world".

Parked at Stratton Brook State Park, and stayed to the north within Ensign Memorial Park, finally exiting at the High School on the Farmington River Trail (Bike Path).  Dropped east on that for a bit, hit some pavement to connect to Belden Forest, and after popping out behind the Simsbury Library / Boy Scout Hall, made my way back for a total of 6.1-miles today.

Met up with Wuzzam at Route 219 to run Tunxis on another exceptional morning.

Ran past Indian Council Caves (not over them) to Pine Mountain and back for 8.3-miles.

Visit with my folks, a pre-Mother's Day event.  Brought them Mrs. Murphy's donuts for the second time in three weeks, a big hit.

On the way home, parked in downtown Cheshire to join the Appalachian Trail.  Ran north to the intersection with Old Adams Road (just a hundred feet from the Red Gate Trail as well).

Ended with 8.2-miles, the return much faster than the out due to the massive climb involved.

Really nice section, spotted the large rock formation during the early potion of the climb where Dusty and I ducked into and under back on February 1st, 1992...  "...Hike Mount Greylock with Dusty during a severe cold spell (8-degrees with harsh 20-mph wind).  My Mom left us off in Cheshire, and we hiked Outlook Aveneue, Appalachian Trail, Old Adams Road, Jones Nose, and the Appalachian Trail back to Cheshire where my Mom picked us back up 5-hours later at the store on Wells Road."

Looking south toward the Cheshire Cobbles

AT Intersection of Old Adams Road and Red Gate Trail

Balanced Rock at the Top of Brook / Small Waterfall

Fuzzy picture of a larger Balanced Rock near the smaller above photo

Massive Reynolds Rock

Waited for the rain to let up enough for a late-day run on the roads, Remington Loop 3.5-miles. 

5.2-miles on the Mather Loop. 

Back to Tyringham to continue along the Appalachian Trail.  Completed Tyringham Road (last trip's ending point) to Goose Pond Road.   The return was much easier, as the majority of climb was in the first mile up Baldy Mountain.  Completed the day with 8.4-miles.

Stonewall Crossing at the peak of Baldy

Great Pond Forest in Simsbury prior to work, 4.5-Miles.

Another trip to Ashfield and Conway, to fill in some additional gaps of old trails / snowmobile corridor.

This time, Poland Brook Wildlife Management Area at Poland Gate (on the borders of Conway State Forest), to North Poland Road, near the Route 116 snowmobile crossing from Mount Owen.  I had explored this section with Tippi way back on April 10th, 2009.  Haven't been back since, and I realized when crossing over the slightly northern section over Mount Owen on March 21st that the snowmobiles hadn't been over this section this season (small section of closed trail).

Found my way just fine.  Even found a few private trails, and old obscure forest / logging roads.  Final word is the connections are coming along just fine, and I am enjoying the adventures.

Once I was done, I had 7.5-miles in of slow going.