Promises Kept, Promises Broken

Dot and Ditto Flagston have my respect. Who names their kid "Ditto" anyway?!

Visit #1154, Saturday 25 August 18, 1:20-4:40PM.
Temps in the high 70's, sunny with moderate humidity.

As promised last week, my plan this week was to remove a tree fallen across the trail behind the water tank.

Here ya' go.

I had barely spent 15 minutes on the trail and already filled a bag with litter. So I dropped it off at the water treatment plant and started another bag.

I hiked up to Castle Craig and turned right, onto the Blue Trail high above Merimere Reservoir.

Hiking along the ridgeline, I spotted a letterbox. I don't intentionally go looking for them; they just pop up occasionally.

This particular letterbox was placed there by the CFPA.

If you've never gone letterboxing; there's a guest book inside which you stamp with your own personal stamp, or use the stamp in the box. Add a little note regarding your visit, and place it back.

Today I also noticed the CFPA appears to be replacing the painted Blue Trail markers with plastic markers nailed to the tree. I'm not sure why they didn't drive the nails all the way in.

At the north end of the trail, I picked up the road around Merimere Reservoir and followed it back to the park.

Enroute I found someone bought a brand new fishing kit just to go fishing in Merimere Reservoir.

Yankees fans will derive some satisfaction knowing this Mets hat was destined for my litter bag.

I returned to the park and dropped off my second bag of litter for the day.

And, from the "Promises Not Kept" department: Remember back in July, I swore off pedometers?
Yeah, well; I caved. Bonus: this pedometer comes with a lanyard, so I can wear it around my neck. The only way it will find its way into the washing machine now is if I jump in with it. Look for mileage tracking returning next week, oh boy!

A parting shot of Miner's Island.

Heralding Fall

 

 Sunday's cooler temps, after a week of frequent rain, subtly heralds the coming Fall.

Visit #1153, Sunday 19 August 18, 8:40-11:20AM.

Temps in the low 70's, cloudy, with a drying breeze.

The trails were soft, with a number of puddles, after a week of showers and rain. But the hiking was perfect with low humidity and a breeze to keep the mosquitoes in a holding pattern, unable to land and sip from their hosts.

I hiked up to the trail behind the water tank and found I have some future work to do; a tree has fallen across the trail.

At the end of the trail I turned right to check on the lock securing the gate at the south end of Merimere Reservoir. My inspection paid off, in the form of five pennies left on top.

After pocketing my windfall, I turned around and hiked the trails up to the Halfway House, picking up litter along the way.

Cloudy skies stayed with us all day, but at least the clouds looked nice.

I hiked the rest of the trails below the peaks, and trimmed back the foliage on one trail I don't visit often.

Then I pointed myself down and over I-691 via the walkbridge, where I found myself useful.

Since March 2017 visitors to Hubbard Park have been provided the occasional reminder of Donald Trump's dietary habits. Perhaps The Prez would consider this Fake News. Maybe this is the work of Melania!

I was already packing the tools to keep Don's secret.

First I applied Goof-Off and let it sit for a couple minutes, then I scrubbed with a toothbrush.

Not as effective as I'd hoped, but it was a start.

Learning from a past mistake (the fluid gums of the sandpaper), I wiped off the fluid before applying elbow grease and sandpaper.

But I wasn't done. Whoever has inside knowledge of Mr. Trump's eating habits is also a member of the Antifa movement.

I'm an equal-oppotunity graffiti eraser.

One last time for our Fake News, Antifa participant.

If I remove the graffiti, does that label me a Conservative?!

I schlepped back to the parking lot and dropped off my bag of litter for the day.

Next week: Power tools!

Sticky

"Sticky Icky Wicky Make Your Mind Go Tricky

Make A Kind Man Wanna Be Rough,

Sicky Icky Wicky Make Your Mind Go Thicky

Make The Gentle Wanna Be Tough,

Sticky Icky Wicky Make Your Mind Go Tricky

Make A Good Girl Wanna Be Bad,

Sicky Icky Wicky Make Your Mind Go Thicky

Drive Sane Folks Totally...Mad."

 "Oil"-Jeff Beck

(Foxwoods Casino, 23 July 2016)

Well; it wasn't the same kind of sticky in Hubbard Park on Sunday, but it made me think

of these lyrics!

Visit #1152, Sunday 12 August 18, 7:40-9:25AM. Temps in the 70's, overcast and very humid, with showers or thunderstorms possible all day.

If you were a mushroom, you were lovin' the weather. 

I walked west from the playscape, on the trails toward the I-691 walkbridge, trimming all the drooping branches and brush, heavy with the rain of the last week. Upon reaching the walkbridge, I did a little housekeeping, removing the leftover grommets and tyraps which secured the two American flags to the fence. Both flags have been removed, due to their state of disrepair.

At the same time, I made note of the progress of the weed killer I sprayed several weeks ago on the vines growing at both ends of the fence. I call it a success.

I marched onward to the trailhead at West Main Street across from Belmont Avenue, picking up litter along the way, then turned around and pointed myself back to the park.

Crossing a small walkbridge across from Mirror Lake, which I've done many times, I spied this painted rock for the first time. I've found similar rocks before at various places throughout the park.

I ended the day walking around the Soap Box Derby track and the retention ponds, picking up litter, then returned to the parking lot, the trails a little bit cleaner, and me a whole lot stickier.

If I didn't know better, I'd say this is what a happy mushroom looks like.

I Got Hosed

Merimere Reservoir was glass-smooth on Sunday, which was a change from Saturday's rain.

Visit #1151, Sunday 5 August 18, 8:05-9:25AM. Temps in the high 70's, sunny and muggy.

Last week I used my chainsaw to clear two fallen trees from a particular trail. A few days later, I receive a report from someone who was hiking that particular trail earlier this week, and they said there were two MORE trees down. I was surprised, and skeptical of their claim, but trusted them anyway. So, on Sunday I saddled up the chainsaw for the second consecutive week to perform trail maintenance.

But first I had to GET to Hubbard Park. I planned to start early and avoid the heat, but Amtrak had other plans, and they included hosing me. The railroad gate had just closed when I arrived at the Britannia Street crossing. It sure was taking a long time for the train to show up. So long, in fact, that cars started turning around, taking left turns on red, and any other imaginable action, because the train wasn't comin' and the gate wasn't liftin'.

    (From later on Sunday)

But I'm a most patient and trusting person, and only decided to find an altermative route after precisely 10 minutes of waiting. But I also took action; I spied the handy sign at the crossing and made a call to Amtrak to advise them of the stubborn gate.

I eventually reached the north end of Merimere Reservoir and picked up the same trail as last week.

Except I hiked the entire length of the trail and didn't find ANY fallen trees. I was hosed AGAIN!

At the end of the trail and picked up the road and hiked back to my van, picking up trash as I walked.

It turned out to be a short hike, but at least I avoided the rising heat and humidity of this Sunday.