Training Log Archive: Fanatic

Started from the Mohawk Trail State Forest on Route 2 in Charlemont with Peter Crisci, Salem Mazzawy, and a friend of Salem's, Chris. Goal was to hike the Mahican-Mohawk Trail along the ridgeline that runs west to Route 2, a bit higher in elevation that where we parked.

There's a short-cut from the headquarters, just hike through the campground and climb the hill on the right, which we did. Eventually, that brought us to Route 2, where we crossed and headed toward Savoy State Forest, en route to visit Tannery Falls.

Peter Crisci designed the route and said that he estimated it would take 4-6 hours. Once at the Falls, I asked: "What's our route back?" and Peter mumbled something about the trail just continuing down the brook and joining Black Brook Road, which leads to Route 2. So I asked to look at the map he had on his phone, and lo and behold, there is no trail heading down Tannery Brook past the large waterfall. In fact, the best route out would be to climb back up to Tannery Road and then to get on Black Brook.

And Salem wasn't much help at Tannery Falls, he thought we should be adventurous and head down the streams until we could reach Black Brook Road. Sure, if you wanted to spend another 2 and a half hours bushwhacking in multiple brooks with nothing but steep hillsides all around.

I opted to walk the roads back and headed out before the rest of the crew, just so that I could go at my own pace. Alas, that meant five miles on pavement going downhill, all while in the sun. Not fun.

In the end, the best thing I can say is that I completed the 18 miles.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move290829282

C • Dreary 2

The plan was to run a bit in Kennedy Park, but I needed to warm up before running, so I parked on Cliffwood Street in Lenox, on the south edge of the park. From there, an old logging road takes one up to the main trails, so that should be good, I figured. It worked perfectly, since it brought me to a high spot and I could start running on a slight downslope.

Worked my way over to Log Hop trail and then continued clockwise to finish the loop.

Clock-wise loop in Kennedy Park. Running all the way, so this wasn't easy.

Multiple loops on the condo grounds.

Walk with Colette in Kennedy Park before dinner.

Colette was returning from Belgium today and needed to be picked up at Bradley, so that was the perfect excuse to get going earlier and to do a hike/run on the Metacomet Trail, which crosses Route 20 in East Granby, not far from the airport.

I'd never been on the M&M in Connecticut, as we used to call it (Metacomet-Monadnock Trail), but today is also called the New England Trail, or NET, so this would be new territory for me.

It starts off with a very steep but short climb from Route 20, since the roadbuilders cut away a fair amount of the ridgeline to put the road through. After that climb, it's mostly rolling terrain with the footing varying from very nice with no rocks, to small patches of fairly rocky ground. There are a couple of sharp pitches, certainly walkable, not so sure I'd want to run up them, however.

I did a 4.70-mile out-and-back, hiking on the out leg and hiking and running on the return.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move290300092

Multiple loops on the condo grounds.

Spotted an animal walking on a sidewalk near a group of four condos. At first glance, I thought it was a cat, but the size of the furry tail indicated otherwise. And a split second after I spotted the first one, I saw the second one, and within another second, they were under the porch. Evidently it is not unusual that a den would be under a porch; as the young ones become old enough to hunt with mom, they soon leave the den behind.

Drove to Pittsfield, Route 20, to hike and possibly run on the Taconic Crest Trail. It was cool, low 50sF and breezy, with low humidity, so the bugs were not to be seen at all. :-)

Not another soul on the trail, other than a porcupine, during my out-and-back. I hiked out for 4.1 miles, and then hiked the hills and ran the flats and downhills on the return leg. Out: 1:29:20 Back: 1:14:25

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move289953939

Not a lot of miles for the time, mainly because I was clearing part of the Finger trail to the north of Reservoir Road. The bikers are working on the big blowdowns, and I'm working on the fast-growing deciduous plants that are crowding the trail.

It was a great day for working, cool, breezy and lots of sunshine. Only one problem--the blackflies. Oh, I had my bug spray on, which works for a while, but not forever. Eventually, I tired, nor from the work, but from having to deal with the blackflies. Next time out, I'm donning the mosquito netting.