Is Hubbard Park Becoming Popular?

 Visit #1444, Saturday 22 September, 23, 7:00-9:15AM, 4.9 miles, 4.6 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 50s, possible intermittent showers.

As author of this blog, I'm given access to statistics about the number of views my blog receives.

On a typical day the number of views normally varies from the single digits to maybe twenty max, so we're talking as many as 300 per month.

But in the last month views to this blog have gone nuclear! For example, in August 2023 this blog received 7000 views, mostly because the numbers were inexplicably climbing from normal.

Well, September isn't even over yet and there have been - wait for it - over 22,000 views! Every day it's been thousands of views to the blog and I see no reason for it.

I'm wondering if I should hire an agent...

I knew the weekend forecast wasn't looking good as Meriden was going to see the fringes of Tropical Storm Ophelia so I was hoping to beat it by starting my weekend hike early. But checking the weather before leaving the house, I learned light rain was expected in fifteen minutes. Oh well, expect to get wet.

I arrived at Hubbard Park in cool temps but no rain. As I started out on the trail behind the daffodils I came across a fallen tree, which I was able to move aside.

Further along the trail on the south side of I-691 I encountered another fallen tree, which I wasn't able to remove. Next week will thus be a Power Tool Weekend®!

Crossing the I-691 walkbridge I found this Cabela fleece jacket hanging on the fence. 

Tell Noah he can find his jacket at Goodwill in a week or so.

 Just up the trail from Noah's jacket is yet another newly fallen tree, making next week's Power Tool Weekend even more certain.

I hiked up to West Peak where I addressed some graffiti I covered over last week in red paint. I wanted to use a more innocuous color, so this week I brought gray paint.

I was hoping the rain would hold off long enough for the paint to set up.

Walking dowhill on the road, it looked like this sign was eventually going to be taken over by brush if something wasn't done about it.

Fortunately, I was carrying the right tools to do the job, as I carry them every week.

The area needs a little bit more trimming which I'll address soon.

I returned to the playscape parking lot when those Ophelia-forecasted showers had just started to arrive. Perfect timing.