Old News Department...

On this day in 1997 I completed my 15th marathon - Nipmuck.  It was the 3rd time I completed Nipmuck, and my time was 4:31:44, good enough for 42nd place.

Also, on this day in 2013, I completed my 51st marathon - Hawley Berkshire East.  I had Wuzzam with me for this one, which was a real beast.  We had a total time on feet of 7:45:15, which was the longest either of have ever been on our feet moving through the forest.  It was most likely more than a marathon distance.  By several miles...  (or more).

The rain is letting up, so I headed out to Granville to explore more of Sodom Mountain, hopefully continuing from yesterday's drop off point.

I began up the normal climb and took the second left, which ended up being a pretty nice (at times) trail that was "inside" yesterday's route.  Found the drop off point easily enough, continued and made my way back to a mini loop.  

Continued toward the summit, and tried to head south.  Found the rock lookout over Cooley Lake, found the Cell Tower from the April run out here, and continued a bit south before heading back and ending with 5.6-miles on my feet.

Made the way into work afterward, third day in succession over this Holiday weekend.

View off Rock Ledge with Cooley Lake present

After a wonderful breakfast of banana pancakes, I drove to Granville to explore the Gorge Trail.  

I was hoping to find a brook crossing that would line up with one of the forest roads I visited Friday.  I saw a nice spot with large rocks most of the way across, out of the water even during this high flow (it's been raining for three straight days).  Best of all, it looks like it matches to one of my intersecting points from Friday's track.

I ended up hiking upstream another quarter-mile or so, looking for an actual "trail" from the other bank but nothing appeared.  Scrambled up the bank to Route 57 and heading back to the parking area, with 1-mile in.

Crossed the road and started up Sodom Mountain, to make another attempt at learning the array of trails in this large wooded area.  The ATV/Motorcycle trails are pretty abundant, and I stuck to main wide paths today.  The rain began to really pour down about half-way out, so once I hit a final decent spot I could remember I turned back with 3-miles on this section, for a total of 4-miles for the day.

More exploring is in order, both sides of Route 57.

And on this day...

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon

May 30th, 2009 - Granby & Simsbury, Connecticut

Wuzzam and I completed a McClean Reservation Marathon in roughly five hours.   

This was my 41st marathon completed.  I recall it being a fairly easy day for us.

3.5-miles after the heavy rain lessened - Remington Loop. 

8-miles in a light rain in Granville.

And on this day...

Vermont City Marathon

May 28, 1995 - Burlington, Vermont

I achieved my Boston Qualifier today at Vermont City in Burlington, Vermont.  I was able to dip under the age group setpoint of 3:10 with a 3:08:00.

At two-miles I was at 16:40, which was pretty far off my necessary 7:15 per mile to achieve the sub 3:10 finish time.  This means I ran 7:05 pace for the final 24.2-miles.

3-miles after work, S Water, Wagner, Main. 

3-miles on north and south Main Street prior to work. 

My old friend the Rev King has become a legally, fully fledged Minister!

 

Music 2021...

Effort #14,  "My My Hey Hey"...  Reverend King with an alternate recording of Neil Young's classic.

Take #2 of two.

3.4-mile run around the Bridge-Main-Kent-Wisteria-Dylan-Bridge loop.

And, on this day...

Tunxis Trail Marathon I - May 23rd, 2006
Hartland, Barkhamsted , Connecticut
.

I completed a Tunxis Marathon in 5:41:50.  I had Johnny Bandit along for company, as well as Tippi.  It would be my 34th marathon completed, and Tippi's 8th.

John Bandit rambling through the meadow.

We rambled from Route 20 to Route 219 in East Hartland, Connecticut, and back for the first 19.5 miles.  We finished up with the Route 20 to Pell Road near the Massachusetts border for the final 6.5-miles.

Small Waterfall on the northern section of Tunxis Trail.

Old Notes:  Another great day;  started out 45 degrees at the 9:15 A.M. start time.  It reached a high of maybe 60 degrees during the day, with majority in the mid 50’s.  Sunny and blue sky entire time, occasional strong breeze every once and a while.  Started the run at 9:15 A.M.

Tippi taking a look down from the climb a mile from Pell Road.

John and I both felt that it was the easiest marathon either of us had ever done.  We finished strong, running all but the very start of Trillium Hill from mile 24.5 onward.  I believe we could have easily gotten thru another hour on this day.  Plenty of water for Tippi, no problems with her other than the porcupine around mile 18.  We escaped from that ok. 

 The Pell Road TurnAround.

 

Appalachian Trail from Old Adams Road (parked at Jones Nose) to Rockwell Road for a total of 7.5-miles, with roughly 3 of it on the actual AT.  

This places me with 49.2-miles from the Connecticut / Massachusetts border at Sages Ravine to County Road in (I think) Becket, and another 7.7-miles from downtown Cheshire to Rockwell Road in Williamstown, totaling 56.9 of 90.4 Appalachian Trail Miles in Massachusetts!

Visited my folks after, rewarding them again with Mrs. Murphy's donuts.

View toward Stony Ledge (west from Rockwell Road)

Rock with Overhand, prior to Noepel Shelter

Back to Drake Mountain, found some single-track and a balanced rock.  6.3-miles today.

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

And, on this day...

  Mount Greylock Centennial Marathon

May 21st, 2005 - Adams, Massachusetts

Fairly large group (about a dozen or so) completed a "do-it-yourself" Greylock Marathon, aka Old Goat 50th Birthday Bash & Annual Celibacy Run.

Our time was 6:47:02.  This is a very difficult course, with 5 lengthy climbs.  Five out of the twelve starters completed the full 26.2-miles.

This was my 28th marathon completed, and Tippi's second.

Out to Granville, to Drake Mountain Area to explore.  Finished up with some understanding of this property, and 5.7-miles.

5-miles at a good pace on the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail from Phelps Road in Suffield into Southwick.  Once complete, I found that I had left my car lights on, leaving me with a battery too weak to start the vehicle.  Good old Triple AAA! to the rescue!

Another trip to the Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts, this time from Route 20 to County Road, including the Towns of Becket, Lee, and Washington.

I climbed Becket and Walling Mountains, and circled some of Finnerty Pond.  Crossed at least three decent flowing brooks along the section in October Mountain State Forest.  Ended with 10.7-miles.

Becket Mountain Peak (remnants of fire tower base remain)

Balanced Rock on Becket Mountain

Balanced Rock on Becket Mountain

Finnerty Pond

One of several streams crossed in October Mountain State Forest

Swamp in October Mountain State Forest

Very Old Black Birch