This Week In Hubbard Park: The Risks I Take

Visit 1162, Sunday 14 October 18, 8:40-11:30AM, 3.1 miles.

Temps in the high 50's, mostly cloudy.

I've gotten poison ivy, been bitten by ticks, come too close to snakes; all in the name of reporting to you my weekly work in Hubbard Park.

But this week, I took an even greater risk...

Last week I reported our habitual Christian graffiti vandal had struck again, this time at the small brick building near the water treatment plant.

I came to the park armed to remove this work.

I walked the road from the park to the building and, carrying a gallon of paint in my backpack, went to work.

Because the sill was so easy to paint with a clean line, unlike my previous work above it, I did not mind the contrasting color. But if this building continues to be a target of graffiti, I may just have to get matching paint; it's getting to be an eyesore. Either that or eventually the entire building will be Grizzle Gray.

Knowing the history of the Christian graffiti vandal, I expected to find their work elsewhere, so I kept my eyes open the rest of the day.

Hiking up to the Halfway House, I was surprised to see the Meriden Parks Department had mowed the area. Looks nice, and just in time for all the leaf peeping hikers to enjoy it.

I continued on the Main Trail and found this fallen tree.

Fortunately, it was easy to swing it out of the way.

I hiked all the way to the walkbridge over I-691 where sure enough, I found our Christian graffiti again.

Well, it says in Pete 10:2018 "Thou shalt eradicate any graffiti that doesn't belong." So dutifully, I obeyed and removed the Sacred Sandpaper from the tabernacle for holy use.

And as it is written, "Pete saw the result and saw that it was good."

On the walkbridge, the American flags, which are periodically put up by persons unknown, and removed by me when they are no longer serviceable, have been replaced again.

Whether our Christian graffiti vandal has secular leanings as well, I don't know. What I do know is I found A LOT of magic marker graffiti on the bridge and had to empty the tabernacle of Holy Sandpaper to eradicate all of it.

"420" is a number used to refer to marijuana culture.

100 is the grade sandpaper used to remove it.

Gone Wolf.

In case you can't read it, it says, "Work Will Set U Free" ... a reference to the sign over some of the Nazi concentration camps. The correct translation is, "Work Sets You Free".

...but it's followed by a swastika too weak to hold up its left arm. The artist must have been asleep when they were teaching how to draw swastikas in Graffiti 101, or they were under the influence of 420 when they drew it.

Well, I worked to remove it.

Then it was on to our park Trump-hater/gastroenterologist, who has struck before.

I soaked this in Goof-Off while I sanded something else. When I returned to it, it sanded easily.

My technique is improving. First I wipe off the liquid, which would gum up the sandpaper.

Then I quickly finish up with the sandpaper.

One more Trumpism.

I finally reached the far end of the walkbridge and headed back toward the park.

Enroute, a fallen tree had taken some branches down with it. I trimmed them back, and since the tree itself is not encroaching the trail, I won't be in a rush to cut it back, but will do so in time.

Reaching the parking lot, I dropped off my bag of litter.

By now you're wondering-so what risk was Pete going to take that was greater than poison ivy, ticks, and snakes?

In Hubbard Park on Sunday there was being held a U.S. Food Truck festival. For the purpose of reporting on it, I was going to partake of the festival, risking obesity and the unavoidable nap.

Of all the choices, I chose...