Anniversary today for DL and I.

Bands and Live Performances I've been a part of:

#2.

During my sophomore-year of High School I played in the "Folk-Club".  We played a few performances, the first being at the Junior High School.

I recall playing a duet with a singer-guitarist (I played bass) for the Eagles "Best of My Love".

It seems as though we may have played "Stairway to Heaven", with added guitar and drums to the above duet.

I can remember playing "Smoke on the Water" with a large ensemble.

The rest is a bit of a blur, but darn fun times.

Drove out to Northern Berkshire County to visit my folks today.   

2023 Unsupported Trail Race Unofficial Challenge #5

Granville - Southwick "Reservoir Area" 17.7 km (11.0-miles)

To Granville with K2 for a 3-hour run.

Temperatures in the low thirties, with a bright shining sun.  More windy than not.

Ended up with 11.0-miles in 2:50:00 for an average of 3.9 mph (or 15:28 per mile, roughly).

Satisfied with the effort after yesterday's "fast" run and the climbs involved today (two lengthy events).

2023 Unsupported Trail Race Unofficial Challenge #4

McLean Game Refuge 5.8 km (3.6-miles)

Temperatures in the low fifties, with a bright shining sun.  I dressed light and ran hard.

Ended up with 3.6-miles in 33:00 for an average of 6.6 mph (or 9:10 per mile, roughly).

At 1.6-miles I was at 6.7 mph (14:14).  (8:54 per mile, roughly).

To Granby to continue last Friday's exploring (actual run was on Wednesday).

Completed 4.6-miles with a third of it on road.

Old News Department...  this day in 2020...

Nipmuck - Natchaug Marathon - February 8th, 2020
Ashford, Union,  & Eastford, CT

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I met up with Andy Hillbilliage early to attempt a Nipmuck / Natchaug Marathon.  The Wuzzam was planning to meet up with us to ramble through the last 9 or 10-miles.

The route is fairly easy:

• Boston Hollow Road, Ashford, north on Nipmuck Trail to Bigelow Hollow (~8-miles).
• Return via the same route, opposite direction (~8-miles).
• South from Boston Hollow along the Nipmuck Trail to the turn onto the Natchaug Trail just prior to Ladies Room Rock, down to Moon Road (~4.5-miles).
• And then return along the same sections (~4.5-miles).

What isn't easy is the trail really rolls up and down.  A lot.  5760' of ascent and descent for the full gps measured 24.6-miles.  It was also somewhat cold (around 22-degrees at the start), but that didn't stop Hillbilliage from going with shorts and a short-sleeve top for the last 9+ miles (where it might have gotten to 32-degrees or so, outside the Hemlock forest).

We completed what we wanted, pretty much averaging 4.1 mph the entire day.  At 2-miles we were at 4.3 mph, at 8 the same, at 16 the same, at 20.5 we dropped to 4.2 mph, which we almost maintained to the end.  Very steady rolling.

Completed in 6:01:00, which I felt pretty good about.  It was really awesome of Wuzzam to meet up with us to help with the company, that I (we) really appreciated, as Andy and I were getting a bit tired by the last sections.  Great day, outstanding mileage builder!

This was my 58th completed marathon all-time.

On the drive through Stafford to meet the Old Goat on Sunday, February 5th, I noticed a cross slightly off Route 190.

Roadside Memorial in Stafford

"High Points" along trails during January 2023... 

Getting somewhat back to normal in January.

• Drake Mountain, Granville, MA
• Bigelow Hollow "Bigelow Pond Hill", Union, CT
• The Knolls, McLean Refuge, Granby/Simsbury, CT

Met up with the Old Goat to explore trails in Willington that I'd never seen or heard of, and the Old One was anxious to share with someone.

First stop was at the Fenton-Ruby Park and Wildlife Preserve, where we stuck to the "outside" trails for a nice exact total of 4-miles.

Second stop was just up the road a bit, at a section of Nipmuck State Forest off Polster Road with Lohse Road to the west.  This loop added an additional 2+ miles to our day, with an ending of about 6.2-miles total.

Fenton Ruby Park and Wildlife Preserve

Nipmuck Forest at Roaring Brook

DL and I drove to Clinton, Massachusetts today to visit Chloe, Chris and the animals.  Enjoyed a fantastic lunch and got home safely by 4:30 p.m.

It was in the single digits for temperature today, but I went out to explore Granby Land Trust Properties anyhow.

Drove out to Strong Road to hit the kiosk for the properties at the Old Messenger Road Preserves:

• Katan-Ensor Preserve
• Schlicht Preserve
• Garmany Preserve

Additionally, the area is home to a pair of old discontinued woodland paths... Old Messenger Road and Old Creamery Hill Road.

In November of 2021 and January of 2022 I had last been in these properties.  Today I would look for something "new".

The first image shows the route on a topo map - which is a bit old.  The second image shows the amount of development that has sprung up in this portion of Granby, Connecticut lately.

Rambled for 6.3-miles and kept from freezing solid.  Found a side-path that will work out better than sticking to Old Messenger Road the entire way out to Mountain Road (for connection to Mary Edwards Mountain Property).  Still a spur or two to explore further.

2023 Unsupported Trail Race Unofficial Challenge #3

Simons Skyline Loop 12.4 km (7.7-miles)

This was a difficult run from roughly the 4-mile point onward.

Actually, from the road crossing around mile 3.5 or so, it wasn't easy...

This is the old Wednesday Night Run organized by KS back in the late nineties and early two-thousands.  Occasionally, I get motivated to check it out again after a couple years.

The Skyline section went fine, but once across the road and on the climb to 880' I began to feel the hills.  I missed a couple paths along the way, mostly minor due to lack of use and heavy leaf duff.

Took the alternate western trail to climb Pine, and once descending that I felt decently good.

On the way to the road crossing to get back to Skyline, the muddy briar infested section was all it ever was.  Deep puddles of mud, ice and water surrounded by briars and thorns.  Not much choice but to travel right down the middle of the water, which I did not want to do.  I tried to go around and it was rough - I ended up with a dozen or more thorns stuck in my hands, arms and legs.

That took some of the joy out of the run, but I the worse was still to come.  Somehow, once in Skyline, I ended up on a trail that began to travel in the wrong direction (there are just so many new trails it makes it difficult).

Finally, I got back on track, but not the way I had wished.  I ended the last half-mile the same as the start, which is a rocky section and a bit dangerous on icy ground and tired legs.

Completed the 7.7-miles as 8.2-miles, in 2:06:00.  Much room for improvement!

Had an ending pace of  3.9 mph or 15:22 per mile.

On this day in 1998, the 4th Annual Moby Dick Marathons were held over Greylock. I completed my 19th marathon in 6:19:40, with Johnny Bandit.  It was the second time I wore snowshoes for the 28-mile adventure.  It would be the last time I would snowshoe this distance!

Overlooking Ragged Mountain

Memorial Tower

How many Towns in Connecticut and Massachusetts I can run within during 2023.

Something new for me...

Inspired to record the following: "How many Towns in Connecticut and Mass I can run during 2023".

I don't know if I will backtrack and add my entire history of running and hiking throughout these two states.  At this moment, I just plan on recording what happens in 2023.

Only rule is that the running adventure must pass through a town as some point during at least a 3-mile run, the entire 3-miles do not need to be within the town itself.

Here is my progress through January 31st, 2023...