Keeping Ahead of Things

The early morning start was slippery as there were spots of black ice on the road. But conditions improved as the morning went.

Visit #1174, Sunday 6 January 19, 7:35-10:10AM, 5.3 miles.
Temps in the 30's, cloudy to start, then increasing sun.

Every year in late January, Hubbard Park hosts the Tradition Run, which is held along the road from the park to Castle Craig. When weather aligns with my trail plans, I try to clean up the road from start to finish in advance of the event. This year I got a head start, several weeks in advance, on sprucing up the route.

Early on as I walked the road, I found some new graffiti, which wasn't there as recent as two weeks ago.

 

It took me a few hours to figure out the last one represents a cross-eyed face.

I moved on, pondering what to do about the graffiti.

At the south end of Merimere Reservoir, I checked on the gate and found the Meriden Parks Department had replaced the missing lock on the gate.

I walked all the way around Merimere Reservoir and up to Castle Craig, where I cleaned up the parking lot, then hiked the trails down.

Along the way I found Season of the Missing Glove entrant #5.

 Hiking the trails back to the park, I found Len is back in the park after a long absence, and placing wood across the trails again.

I removed everything, including some branches that fell on their own.

 Back at the park, I deposited my trash collection for the week.

But that graffiti; with some precipitation forecast for later in the week, and winter in general upon us, today's weather would be my best, guaranteed opportunity to do something about it.

So I returned later on Sunday, just after 3PM when it was slightly warmer and drier, to take care of business.

In 40 degree temps, the paint would dry slowly, but they were the best conditions available to me.

Only after painting over it did I realize how beneficial it would be for the Tradition Run, as well as day-to-day park users, that not only the route be free of litter but free of graffiti as well. Let's see if we can't continue to keep ahead of things in preparation for this year's event.