The Hottest Spot in Town

 Guess where that hotspot was.

Visit #1501, Saturday 26 October 24, 7:15-9:40AM, 4.7 miles, 43.5 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the low 50s, sunny and dry.

Very dry fall weather has sparked some wildfires (with human help, I'm sure), with a 100+ acre fire on Lamentation Mountain, and earlier this week, two smaller fires in Hubbard Park.

While I had a different agenda for this weekend's hike, I thought if I could smell the remnants of the Hubbard Park fires I'd gravitate toward them and take some photos. I never did so it may have to wait for another day.

I wanted to revisit some graffiti I found last week and remove or cover it if I could. See last week's post for the Before photos.

The first was the birch tree which will eventually become a black birch tree by me if the graffiti vandal doesn't stop.

Up over I-691 to this large rock. My gray spray paint covered the pink heart nicely.

I hiked up to the road splitting East/West Peak but still didn't smell any signs of fire. Maybe I'd hit paydirt walking down the road.

Reaching the north gate at Merimere Reservoir,  I found a pair of car keys held together with a paperclip, on top of the gate.

Adjacent to the keys was some graffiti. All I had on me was black paint. I may return with a better color match.

About halfway back toward the park, I found these two white trash bags discarded by the roadside. Want to know what was in them? (The third bag is mine.)

Inside EACH BAG was 20 pounds of store bought seafood and meat in their original packaging (I weighed them!) This was going to be a REAL chore carrying them.

I would carry them about 100 feet then stop to rest. "Chore" did not describe how hard this was as the bags sagged from the weight of the contents. However, the smell wasn't that bad. YET.

Along the way with my burden I found more graffiti, this time on the guardrail and this time I had a reasonable paint color match.

Thankfully, a bit further on, I was approached from behind by a couple and the woman offered to carry one of the bags. She was a real trooper, that is until the bag started to leak its juicy contents! My thanks for her efforts.

Anyway, we reached the water treatment plant where we dropped off the bags along with my litter bag.

As a post script, it seems the fall foliage has lasted longer than I predicted and you have a few more days to enjoy the colors.

Blink and You Missed It

 

Fall colors were at their peak this weekend and if you weren't in Hubbard Park this weekend well my conclusion is; you missed it!

Visit #1500,  Saturday 19 October 24, 7:00-9:00AM, 5.2 miles, 3.1 lbs of litter.

Temps in the low 50s, sunny and dry, rising to the low 70s.

A week away from Hubbard Park made this week's hike refreshing.

I walked the road around Merimere Reservoir and as I walked uphill was thrilled to see the Meriden Parks Department wasted no time in filling the many potholes I pointed out in an earlier post. I'm sure many people will appreciate the department's attention to this issue.

The road is now a later safer for cyclists who dare to bomb down the hill, hopefully avoiding injuries like this unfortunate cyclist received. It will be better for cars, too.

Oh, did I forget to mention the foliage was at its peak? That's Sleeping Giant State Park in the far background and near the center of the photo, the water "onion" at the top of Johnson Avenue.

Hiking down on the lower trails, I came upon some new graffiti which I'll take care of next week. This was signed by "Bella and Mom".

The gray paint is my previous effort at covering over other graffiti.

In case you didn't get the message yet, the foliage was at its peak this weekend. Of course, that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

Those colors always remind me of lemon-lime soda. I'll have to drink a can this week to celebrate.

And passing the birch trees which keep getting tagged by some vandal despite my attempts to dissuade them by painting over it with black paint, it's been tagged again.

I guess I'll have to carry black paint again next week.

Back at the park to drop off my bag of litter,  I found someone dressed Noah in a hoodie. I find this a great disrespect for Noah's memory. I removed the hoodie and will wash and deliver it to Goodwill.

I leave you this week with another foliage shot. It's only going to turn brown from here on!

This One's On Me

 

Visit #1499, Sunday 13 October 24, 7:00-9:30AM, 4.1 miles, 1.0 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 50s with occasional light showers.

A couple weeks ago I passed on the announcement the Meriden Parks and Recreation Department was hosting its annual Three Peaks Challenge, a nine mile hike encompassing East and West Peaks in Hubbard Park along with a hike to South Mountain, which adjoins Hubbard Park.

Back in July, Kathy Matula, the Recreation Coordinator for the parks department asked me if I ever hiked South Mountain as there was a downed tree across the trail. I told her I didn't hike South Mountain and didn't plan to hike that trail to clear that downed tree; I have enough to do in Hubbard Park.

Well, I had a change of heart.

On Saturday, I took a mountain bike ride to Hubbard Park and picked up the South Mountain trail to see what I was up against. Nothing I couldn't handle.

On the return ride to the north end I found the gate at the north end of Hubbard Park UNLOCKED. It wasn't unlocked when I entered the park.

Looked to me like someone cut the lock; the lock was still closed and there was a cut link.

Pretty ballsy for daytime.

Well, fortunately I was given a key to those locks in case I need to perform some "parkly" duties (and I don't abuse the privilege), so I dutifully re-locked the chain and the gate.

It was about that time that a car approached wondering how to exit the park. They told me a tree had fallen across the road and consequently they couldn't go anywhere. Which explains why the gate was open in the first place.

Good thing they caught me before I rode away! I unlocked the gate just as the police arrived to redirect traffic.

So let's take a look at what was blocking the road.

Yup; that's blocking the road alright.

I had been watching that particular tree for years, expecting as it was dead it would eventually fall and my eye said that when it did, across the road it would go.

Further up the road heading toward the park a backhoe was approaching, presumably to remove the tree.

Early Sunday morning I entered Hubbard Park via the north end with my chainsaw.

Like I said; nothing I couldn't handle.

Hope I removed all the fallen trees, Kathy!

You can see from the photos I brought my loppers too. I gave the trail a good haircut so if you get hit in the face with a branch, I'll give you a refund! But no refunds will be given without a receipt...

I don't know the route the Three Peaks Challenge takes on South Mountain; I just assumed it is out-and-back. But I did follow the red markers for a few hundred yards beyond the peak; time constraints made me turn around.

On the return trip I decided to check on how the parks department removed that fallen tree.

Looks like that backhoe managed to put that tree all the way into the woods, no chainsaw required.

The sign on that fallen tree is still employed.

The South Mountain trail should be good to go for the Three Peaks Challenge.

Sequels

 

Visit #1498, Saturday 5 October 24, 7:00-9:15AM, 4.4 miles, 12.6 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the low 60s, sunny and dry.

Thanks is in order for Chris Bourdon and the Parks Department crew. Last week I found a pile of bricks and concrete dumped on the side of the road around Merimere Reservoir. I e-mailed Chris and he reported it had been picked up the very next day. Thanks again!

While eating my peanut butter, honey, and wheat germ sandwich Saturday morning and creating vague plans on where I would hike in Hubbard Park, I suddenly remembered the love lock I discovered last week and promised to remove. Doh!

I properly equipped myself and headed toward the walkbridge over I-691.

After a few stumbles clumsily trying to grab the lock with my boltcutters, I severed the undying bond between K. and J.

Here are a couple cryptic notes I found on the trails Saturday, one of which shows the author is spelling-challenged.

I found a rock cairn as well.

Good views west and south while hiking up to West Peak.

Following the road toward Castle Craig, I found some graffiti which needed attention. Hold my soda; I got this!

Hiking down toward the Halfway House and Merimere Reservoir, I met a new hiker whose name was Dan. Dan lives virtually across the street from Hubbard Park, and started hiking on the trails in February after being read the riot act by his doctor. At first, three mile hikes left Dan sore for days; now he regularly hikes TEN MILES!

Just as I reached the water treatment plant, a truck approached from behind me. Scott introduced himself as a chief operator for the Meriden Water Department who clearly expressed he was a steward in keeping the reservoir area clean. He saw my trash bag and encouraged me to leave them at their gate any time I want, as he noticed I've done so in the past. My thanks to Scott; he represents the Meriden and the water department well.

On the Soap Box Derby track, I found graffiti I'd covered over in early September has been tagged yet again.

I returned Sunday morning before 7AM. Two can play this game.

Here it is mid-cover up.

When completely dry, it will be imperceptible.