Just A Dusting

 The trails received a confectioner's sugar coating, just in time for the holidays although not enough to make things festive.

Visit #1510, Saturday 21 December 24, 10:15AM-12:25PM, 5.4 miles, 1.0 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the teens, sunny but breezy. It was actually quite enjoyable if sheltered from the wind like in the woods.

So this confectioner's powder snow- if it was so light and dusty, and so easy to move, tell me why someone is using a leaf blower rather a brush and old fashioned muscle power? Am I out of touch? Am I a luddite?

If someone could overdress on such a cold day, it was me. Hiking generated enough warmth that I had to shed a jacket during the hike.

I was heading to the spot where last week I found more graffiti on trees. I couldn't even get out of my vehicle without spotting Season of the Missing Glove 2024/25 #3.

Picking up the trail, I removed more of the constantly reappearing foam leaf stickers I find on the trees. I removed what I could and painted over what's left.

I reached my target tree and true to my personality ignored their request, while the graffiti vandal ignored spelling rules.

Hiking the Red Trail I spotted footprints leading directly into the woods. I followed them expecting to find perhaps a homeless camp. Instead I found this...

...more of the same junk from our park vandal that I've found in the past.

I also see our vandal purloined a legitimate trail marker from the established trails and used it to mark their new trail through the woods.

I took this one home in case someone wants to repatriate it on an established trail.

On another trail I found two downed trees awaiting removal, hopefully next week.

At the end of the trail I see the Meriden Water Department STILL hasn't replaced the lock on the gate at the Maloney Canal which has been missing since at least the end of October, despite my attempts to remind them.

The road back around Merimere Reservoir was icy...

...until in the sun at the north end; you could feel the warmth and there was shelter from the wind. Yum!

This is the shortest day of the year-it can't help but get warmer from here on! I'm only kidding myself...

Alas, the Christmas tree at Echo Point is not decorated this year, which is understandable after reading newspaper articles explaining the detriment to wildlife.

We'll have to make do with the wreath hung near the water treatment plant.

Reaching the gate across the road, I noticed some graffiti on the signs.

If I waited until next week to address this, it would compromise trail plans I already have for then.

So I returned to Hubbard Park early Sunday morning to clean up things.

The sticker was too stubborn to remove and will have to wait until I employ other methods or it warms up.

It was so cold Sunday morning- in the teens to single digits- that my hands were in severe pain within minutes despite my gloves. Rewarming them, I even felt nauseous. After leaving Hubbard Park I headed directly to Lowes and picked up a bag of hand warmers. I had such a hard time locating them on my own after checking all the common departments that I had to ask for help. Aisle 25, to the rescue! But the stock is getting low and the display so minimal you too might overlook them.

But bitter cold is no excuse to not enjoy a hike, or an open sleigh ride; just ask Santa! Merry Christmas!