Training Log Archive: PG

hike with Gail 1:09:50 [1] 4.01 mi (17:24 / mi) +400ft 15:54 / mi

biking - dark blue bike 1:25:42 21.24 mi (4:02 / mi) +750ft 3:54 / mi
ahr:127 max:151 weight:140lbs

biking - dark blue bike 40:28 10.32 mi (3:55 / mi) +189ft 3:51 / mi
ahr:111 max:134 weight:140lbs

hike with Gail 1:28:24 [1] 4.38 mi (20:11 / mi) +510ft 18:11 / mi

From the top of Claybrook, up the bike path, then the Muck/Muck cut-off loop, then back down N. Mt. Very humid.

And it's getting to be blue-hat time --

biking - dark blue bike 43:49 11.12 mi (3:56 / mi) +93ft 3:55 / mi
ahr:110 max:129 weight:140.5lbs

biking - dark blue bike 1:08:22 19.6 mi (3:29 / mi) +637ft 3:23 / mi
ahr:139 max:161 weight:140lbs

biking - dark blue bike 1:15:18 18.19 mi (4:08 / mi) +921ft 3:57 / mi
ahr:127 max:156 weight:140lbs

hike with Gail 1:32:25 [1] 4.14 mi (22:19 / mi) +505ft 20:01 / mi

biking - dark blue bike 1:18:03 18.8 mi (4:09 / mi) +872ft 3:59 / mi
ahr:127 max:157 weight:140lbs

biking - dark blue bike 37:33 8.28 mi (4:32 / mi) +46ft 4:31 / mi
ahr:102 max:122

With Gail on Falls Road.

And when we got home she spotted this guy eating a milkweed leaf. Seems like it will transform into a Monarch Butterfly at some point. Been reading about them in the article Phil's daughter Nora wrote.

biking - dark blue bike 58:33 14.82 mi (3:57 / mi) +288ft 3:53 / mi
ahr:107 max:137 weight:140lbs

hike with Gail 1:11:42 [1] 4.0 mi (17:56 / mi) +506ft 16:01 / mi

Keets Brook Road, Keets Brook Branch Road, and (once we got into Vermont) Bassett Hill Road. Warm, but the humidity was dropping, so reasonably pleasant.

A nice granite marker at the state line, dated 1896.

biking - dark blue bike 1:12:54 18.56 mi (3:56 / mi) +241ft 3:53 / mi
ahr:112 max:134 weight:140lbs

biking - dark blue bike 43:01 11.1 mi (3:52 / mi) +90ft 3:51 / mi
ahr:117 max:135 weight:140lbs

hike with Gail 1:21:45 [1] 4.11 mi (19:53 / mi) +412ft 18:09 / mi

biking - dark blue bike 1:47:30 21.8 mi (4:56 / mi) +1981ft 4:32 / mi
ahr:133 max:159 weight:139.5lbs

Up in the hills, starting in Charlemont. Up East Hawley Road (36:15), down West Hawley Road (rt. 8A), and some ups and downs through Plainfield in between. Getting hot. Not much zip, but kept at it and managed the climbs without really croaking.

Garmin went on vacation for the last few miles.

Good for morale to get out and do something different. Need to do more of that.

And then a visit to Hawley Bog. Downright hot by then. Saw quite a bit of what I think is bog laurel??



And also a good look at a Black-throated Blue Warbler --



Getting a lot harder to see birds. Many have migrated through. Others have stopped singing. And then there's the foliage, nice and lush by now even if we are short of rain.

biking - dark blue bike 59:00 15.31 mi (3:51 / mi) +532ft 3:44 / mi
ahr:135 max:160 weight:139.5lbs

hike with Gail 1:15:48 [1] 4.03 mi (18:49 / mi) +299ft 17:35 / mi

biking - dark blue bike 58:26 14.87 mi (3:56 / mi) +89ft 3:55 / mi
ahr:114 max:132 weight:140lbs

biking - dark blue bike 32:31 7.31 mi (4:27 / mi) +83ft 4:24 / mi
ahr:101 max:119

hike with Gail 1:12:24 [1] 3.92 mi (18:29 / mi) +606ft 16:08 / mi
weight:140lbs

biking - dark blue bike 1:18:58 20.4 mi (3:52 / mi) +578ft 3:46 / mi
ahr:125 max:154 weight:140lbs

hike with Gail 1:12:23 [1] 4.0 mi (18:05 / mi) +336ft 16:45 / mi
weight:140lbs

East Chestnut Hill Road, from where the pavement stops in Montague to a little past Ruggles Pond in Wendell. Warm, but a breeze much of the time so not at all unpleasant. Except for Gail crashing once. A few bruises and scrapes but apparently nothing more.

Been a long time since I saw any sassafras, but spotted a couple of small plants today. Used to see it often when we lived in DC. It seems to be good for whatever ails you. We seem to be at the north edge of its range.

biking - dark blue bike 1:07:23 16.94 mi (3:59 / mi) +433ft 3:53 / mi
ahr:117 max:151

biking - dark blue bike 54:05 14.24 mi (3:48 / mi) +288ft 3:44 / mi
ahr:119 max:141 weight:140.5lbs

biking - dark blue bike 1:20:14 18.61 mi (4:19 / mi) +513ft 4:12 / mi
ahr:108 max:156 weight:140lbs

hike with Gail 1:40:05 [1] 4.38 mi (22:51 / mi) +732ft 19:44 / mi

And then a hike with Phil and Margi, first part on Whately Glen Road, then the old road up to the reservoir. One group of people and dogs (possibly more of the latter). We managed to avoid the former as we were on a short spur trail down by the water though some of the dogs knew just what they wanted.



Also spotted a garter snake --



Gail suggested it might be a nicer photo without the blade of grass across its face. The snake must have been listening in (and agreeing), as it soon thereafter moved slightly to a better spot for a photo op.

biking - dark blue bike 41:59 8.91 mi (4:43 / mi) +117ft 4:39 / mi
ahr:94 max:116

biking - dark blue bike 29:53 5.35 mi (5:35 / mi) +660ft 5:00 / mi
ahr:120 max:153

Got a note from Phil that that he was off for another go at the '79 Billygoat, so I figured the least I go do in the way of psychic support was do at least one proper hill myself. The obvious candidate was South Sugarloaf. The obvious goal was to get up it but not too fast, pace myself well (a psychic message to Phil) and finish with something left in the tank (another psychic message).

Successful on all counts. 10:52 for the climb, slow but not as slow as expected, and I really did pace myself, heart rate stayed pretty low most of the way, only bumped up at the end because of the law of round numbers.

Moseyed home, then sat outside on the stone wall listening to the wood thrush and enjoying the sparkling late afternoon. I was in no hurry to leave.

Until I heard a noise not too far away and I looked up and there was a raccoon not too far away coming out of the flowers and heading in my direction. Right in my direction. Like it thought I was holding dinner for it. Or like it thought I was dinner.

The guy was coming pretty quickly. Raccoons approaching people = maybe rabies until you know otherwise. I yelled at it. It growled. And fortunately it did an immediate u-turn and headed away. Stopped at the edge of the woods for a look over its shoulder at me, and then kept going. Right in the direction of the neighbors' house, where perhaps it has had dinner a few times.

I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't turned away.

biking - dark blue bike 42:07 11.09 mi (3:48 / mi) +93ft 3:46 / mi
ahr:113 max:140 weight:141lbs

hike with Gail 1:21:21 [1] 4.71 mi (17:16 / mi) +353ft 16:08 / mi

walking 57:08 4.02 mi (14:12 / mi) +413ft 12:56 / mi
ahr:109 max:128 weight:140.5lbs

biking - dark blue bike 41:51 10.38 mi (4:02 / mi) +121ft 3:59 / mi
ahr:103 max:131 weight:140lbs

walking 1 [0] 1.5 mi (1 / mi) +54ft 1 / mi

A nice walk with Gail in mid-afternoon to go visit a local heron rookery, though it looked like a better name would be a heron condo. Six nests on one tree. I didn't see any herons on the fourth floor, though there might have been young ones out of sight. Total of 16, 8 adults and 8 young ones.



And a closer look at the first floor, father (or mother, or maybe a nanny?) and son (or daughter?).

hike with Gail 1:20:38 [1] 4.34 mi (18:35 / mi) +591ft 16:27 / mi
weight:139lbs

biking - dark blue bike 2:24:39 33.29 mi (4:21 / mi) +1596ft 4:09 / mi
ahr:128 max:158 weight:140lbs

Note

Today's critter is a bullfrog, seemingly right at home in the swamp. Got a decent shot of it just before it jumped in. Now have to try and get one while it's jumping.

I believe this one is a male.

road running 3:33 0.35 mi (10:00 / mi)
ahr:113 max:129

hike with Gail 1:09:24 [1] 4.07 mi (17:03 / mi) +571ft 15:03 / mi
weight:139.5lbs

Note

Annual Town Meeting yesterday afternoon behind the town office building (used to be the elementary school). Every one was doing a pretty good job of keeping their distance. Masks were required. Got the necessary business done, passed a budget, though it's hard to believe we won't be redoing it all when the state finally decides how much local aid it will give us.

It's been a strange 3 months for our local government (and for my particular interest these days, the elementary school). But it has been, and continues to be, immensely better than any other government I have to deal with.

biking - dark blue bike 56:22 14.83 mi (3:48 / mi) +290ft 3:44 / mi
ahr:124 max:153 weight:139.5lbs

Note

This critter was spotted on our walk yesterday. Seems it's a red eft, or an Eastern newt, or actually both. Seen them lots of times over the years but never paid much attention. An interesting life cycle though not a good pet it seems, and best to just leave them alone.

hike with Gail 1:21:03 [1] 4.57 mi (17:44 / mi) +501ft 16:04 / mi
weight:139.5lbs

biking - dark blue bike 57:42 14.83 mi (3:53 / mi) +297ft 3:49 / mi
ahr:115 max:146 weight:140lbs

Note

Until quite recently, upon spotting a toad, my reaction would have been along the lines of Yuck. Nowadays it's more like Wow.

I mean, this guy is a real work of art.

I think it's an American Toad (as opposed to the other toad species around here, a Fowler's Toad). But I'm more than willing to defer to an expert.

(Some ID tips.)

biking - dark blue bike 53:28 13.55 mi (3:57 / mi) +364ft 3:51 / mi
ahr:113 max:142 weight:140lbs

hike with Gail 1:09:05 [1] 4.01 mi (17:13 / mi) +134ft 16:41 / mi

biking - dark blue bike 51:14 12.6 mi (4:04 / mi) +128ft 4:02 / mi
ahr:103 max:132 weight:140.5lbs

Note

I didn't know that red clover was such a useful plant.

run/hike 27:29 1.88 mi (14:39 / mi) +104ft 13:55 / mi
ahr:122 max:148 weight:140.5lbs