Training Log Archive: bl

Event: "O" in the Pines A meet
 

EMPO A meet, O in the Pines. Brown, 2.6k, chilly grey period, no rain. Good run, lost time on #1 and #9, others were clean. First loss was close to a minute opting for the path on way to #1. #9, I was sure I saw my boulders ahead but no flag but then one not 10m away on what appeared to be a rock face. Finally figured out where it was & was very surprised to see I had some 70m to go. Decent energy, pleased to see that. Second after Steve Tarry who says he has returned to O more than the annual BG.

Beer tasting & dinner at Albany Pump Station. Went to town with Ernst. 4 UNOers (+ Pete & Lex) sat together. Fine time/venue.

Saturday - Middle Brown - Splits

Call this day "Travels with M". Left Bow at 11a, next real stop Sunderland to revisit the corn maze from August. Pleasant young man said it was closed but I pleaded my case. Fun to be in the rustling corn - brown, dead, easier to see than before. Spent more time looking at the gray on the map than I've done in the past. Felt good to have time to take the intricacies in.

Then Rt 2/Mohawk Trail west from Greenfield thru Charlemont, Shelburne Falls, Savoy, Florida and North Adams. Stopped in the old college town - admired the new track and field and football facilites. And who couldn't help but notice all the bubbly young people beginning their journey. A campsite before dark should complete the trip.

Occurred to me that from Cuttyhunk to Williamstown is about as long a line in Massachusetts as one can make.

Map reading and walking on PL.

This was completely gone this eve. Caught red handed.

C • Well done! 1

Did power line hill 10 times and an extra one for good measure. It ended up a nice sunset after a most wet day. It was around 5:30, cool and I took off my shirt which was invigorating. Had also been there within the hour with Mocha for her walk. And then decided I'd go back to the exact same place for this particular w/o, pleased it was so close to the house. 10 circles around 1/4 mi each, M just stared at me as I passed by c. every 3' - not inclined to jump out of the back of the car.

While there, I encountered a pick up truck coming in full of construction junk etc which is a violation with fine to $500. Got the plate # and called Bow PD. The guy, cigarette in mouth, looked like the sleaze bag he was.

Drove 155mi back from Cape Cod this am in a deluge but Rt 495 was ok going for most part.

Ashore around 8am, went to CG station, closed 1964 & then made my way toward west end. Was hoping for a loop but none apparently exists. Tried to get to the stone tower but new tidal inlet was a bit too wide/deep.

Didn’t think I’d get 4 mi out of Cuttyhunk. Some leaves falling, just the sensation of change and the place is pretty much deserted. Spoke with a fellow working on a house - he comes before and after season for house work. Only 2 ferries a week now.

Cuttyhunk visit. Took 9.5 hrs to get here! 4.5 driving to the Cape in Monday am traffic like I did not foresee.

From 495 on Rte 3 to Rt128 was stop & go & from where I got on 128 to Rte 2A in Concord, the same. Took 2A/2 to 495 and then south. It turned from sunny to showery. I’d dismissed Cuttyhunk but went to Falmouth Hts. to see if I could find Courtenay. It looked pretty good on Vineyard Sound so I came here in an abiding southerly.



End of season, pretty empty & nice. Got ashore just before 6p and tried to get to west end but found some dead ends and No Trespassing signs. Will try tomorrow. Got to some vantages. C’hunk is a small ship surrounded by what seems to be big ocean though it isn’t. Found a few tracks and ran some hills & admired the moorlands - but no sheep .

Harked back to a November eve before 1984 when Beth & I came hereon Rhodora. I was running laps from the Compass Rose intersection to the island height (maybe 1 mi per RT) and Beth was lying on the rose in the middle of the intersection in the November dark which I never knew until much later. And didn’t trip on her - that would have been an awakening.

C • Cuttyhunk 3

Event: NEOC: Townsend State Forest
 

UNO meeting at Harris Center for A meet. A really nice place, should be an excellent venue with finish in a NH version of an English tea garden. I do admire Hancock - was there a year ago, second visit sinks in more. Had expected to go orienteering as well, either at Townsend or Pawtuckaway. I wasn't going to get to the former by ten and the meeting by noon & it turned out that the best way to Pawtuckaway was right back to Concord/Bow and then another 25 mi east so it didn't happen. And Townsend was not ready to go at 10 am anyway per Darrell's report. Also a NASCAR race day in Loudon so it was probably pretty awful from Concord north, south and maybe a bit east on 101. Arrived home, entertained grandchildren and got back to staining the house.


Something about this as the days chill