PMIACW

Sunday, September 12, 2021

Parked on Route 57 across from Southwick's Granville Gorge, and hoped/planned on connecting to Drake Mountain from the south.

Excellent day of exploring on the trails, the connection worked, but more importantly I found myself on two long single track trail sections that were just dynamite.

Ended the adventure with 8.6-miles, with a series of balanced/perched stones to admire.

Three Rock Formation along Trail

Standing Stone along trail

Mountain Swamp

Perched Rock

Balanced Rock

Stonewall

Standing Stone along trail

View from Drake Mountain

Saturday, September 11, 2021

I am back on a Granville kick, basically the Drake Mountain Area.

Explored some additional trails and finished with 9.6-miles.

Large Split Rocks "a passageway"

Huge 15' - 20' Boulder, possibly perched, flying American Flag

View from Huge 15' - 20' Boulder, Holyoke Range in distance

A second Huge 15' Boulder

Friday, September 10, 2021

Drove out to Granville after work to re-check and run the mountain-bike path I stumbled onto back on May 21st.

Completed 6.2-miles and witnessed a perfect balanced rock I had not noticed before.

Balanced - Perched Rock

Larger Balanced - Perched Rock

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,

Weekly Weigh In while involved with the 61-Day Challenge - 223 lbs.

Thursday, September 9, 2021

What Played in Ed's Head -- Music listened to for the time-period August 1st through 31st, 2021:

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

"High Points" along trails during August, 2021... (fractured left toe still a bit of an issue)

"East" Bad Luck Mountain, Granville, Massachusetts.
"West" Bad Luck Mountain, Granville, Massachusetts.
"East" Sweetman Mountain, Granville, Massachusetts.
Stony Hill, Mclean Refuge, Granby, Connecticut
Day Mountain, Appalachian Trail, Hinsdale, Massachusetts
Sweetman Mountain, Granville, Massachusetts.

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

A couple of Blast from the past, retelling 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.

Monday, September 6, 2021

McLean with K2, after getting lost finding the start line at Shenipsit.

Completed 5.2-miles total (with the first 4-mile loop in 44:34).

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Bear Hole visit, ran hard covering the 5.4-mile adjusted race course (54:04).

Saturday, September 4, 2021

It was a beautiful cool day (low seventies) to take another tackle at my Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Adventure. I last ended up on Gulf Road in Dalton, where the AT and the BNRC Boulder's Property converge. My goal would be to connect from this point through to Cheshire, at the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail Parking area. I completed the section from Cheshire at Church Street to Old Adams Road on May 6th of this year previously.

The footing was difficult for much of this section, and it is long as there are no "break points" along the way (road crossings). It probably wasn't smart to have run the "race-pace" 5km yesterday as well. Regardless, the run was awesome, with a good climb over North Mountain, a peaceful view of Gore Pond, many flowing, clean brooks to cross, and the outstanding view from the Cheshire Cobbles.

When I arrived at the Ashuwillticook Parking area, I had some serious leg fatigue (I was at mile 7.5). I figured the distance would be about the same, but I would benefit from the overall "flatness" of running the rail trail back to Gulf Road, and then back to the start through the "Gulf".

This was flat, but I was wearing an older pair of running shoes and the pounding of the asphalt really wore me down. I haven't been on this section of the Ashuwillticook since a 10-mile race with the Hillbilly and my Pop long ago.

Once finished, I had 14.8-miles in, and all that remains of my Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Adventure is roughly 11-miles, from just below Greylock's Summit to the Vermont Border.

Gore Pond