Where did my tree go?
Visit #1241, Good Friday, 10 April 20, 10:00-11:45AM, 2.5miles, 15.3lbs. of litter.
Temps in the mid-40's, sunny with a brisk, raw breeze.
Visit #1242, Saturday 11 April 20, 8:00-10:35AM, 3.4miles, 18.0lbs. of litter.
Temps in the 40's, sunny and breezy.
Last September, I engaged in a special project on the south side of I-691 rerouting a trail due to a fallen tree which was leaning over the trail. I was surprised to see on Saturday that the leaning tree was gone and the trail restored, complete with gravel on the path. I assume it was the work of the Meriden Parks Department. A tip o' the chainsaw to them for such a nice job. I wish I were there to see how they safely dropped that hung up tree. I wonder who told them about it?
Last week, when I hiked up to Castle Craig, I noticed some new graffiti on an electrical distribution box. Since I was on-call I shouldn't stray so far but this was a special project which needed quick intervention. I was going to hike directly up there, remove the graffiti, and head directly back to the park to keep time away from my weekday job duties minimal.
I guess if the ends justify the means then it's okay to defile public property-not.
I packed a full suite of tools to deal with this, and started with something easy, Goof-Off.
Boy, did it work fast!
I sprayed it on, and barely needed to work it over with a toothbrush. The gray spray paint on the left was from older graffiti I covered.
Done in a matter of minutes. I love when a plan comes together.
The Special Projects Unit did have another task to complete on Friday. On that previous hike last week, I spied what I could not believe I was seeing-part of a swimming pool ladder, in the middle of nowhere, Hubbard Park. On my return trip from Castle Craig I was going to bushwhack off-trail and grab that piece.
When I reached it, I also found a traffic cone, FAR from any traffic.
This is the view of Castle Craig from where I found the items above; the trail is where the shade meets the sun.
I hiked a direct route back to the park to drop off my trash. Enroute, as I walked by this outbuilding for the water department, I spied more new graffiti. But remember, I was armed to the teeth today.
Goof-Off wouldn't remove it, but lacquer thinner washed it away with ease. I had to be careful to not remove the door's original paint!
The Special Projects Unit packed it in for the day.
But Good Friday's case was a hit-and-run operation; not long enough to qualify as real work. The Special Projects Unit returned on Saturday for another operation, which was created on the spur of the moment.
In March of last year I debuted my muck boots which I bought to traverse the brook flowing through Hubbard Park to make it easier to pick up litter along brook's banks. It dawned on me that Saturday would be a good day for the Special Projects Unit to clean it again, almost a year since.
I worked the brook from I-691 all the way down to the pond near West Main Street. Those ducks kept photo-bombing me.
This styrofoam clamshell drove me nuts-while the brook flowed south, the wind was blowing north, and the clamshell was going nowhere in a pool just below the photo. I couldn't reach it. I had to throw rocks to create ripples behind it to persuade the clamshell ashore. Sheesh.
Done with cleaning up the brook, I cleaned all the trails on the south side of I-691, where I discovered the Meriden Parks Deparment's handiwork.
The Special Projects Unit will now recline into the Easter holiday.
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