This Week In Hubbard Park: In Before The Lock

I beat the snow.

Visit #1572, Wednesday 24 December 25, 7:00-10:15AM, 4.0 miles, no litter.

Temps in the 30s, rising to near 40, mostly sunny

Visit #1573, Thursday 25 December 25, 7:00-9:50AM, 5.8 miles, 2.0 lbs of litter.

Temps in the mid-30s, rising to near 40, mostly sunny.

First, My annual offer: If you want to be removed from my e-mail list of blog updates, please send me an e-mail. If you prefer to remain subject to such painful drivel, do nothing.

Friday night into Saturday morning saw Meriden receive seven inches of snowfall. I spent enough time shoveling snow on Saturday to qualify as a workout, and my bicycle (on the trainer, naturally) misses me so I am taking the weekend off from hiking in Hubbard Park. Besides; I met my quota on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so let's call it even.

There were a number of fallen trees etc., that needed removal from the trails so I used those days off from work as well as the bare ground, to catch up with the recent wind damage.

On Wednesday I started the hike, with chainsaw, and soon found this tree across the trail.

This only required muscle for removal, but what puzzles me is, this tree did NOT fall across the trail but as you can see from it's initial resting place below and to the right in the photo above, someone PUT IT across the trail. With the snow cover we have now, I don't expect this to recur for a while, if at all.

I continue to get love notes left for me in this tree.

And this fence post continues to get stickers plastered on it. Between the two, I might keep a public, running tally of both in 2026, for my and your amusement.

The focus on Wednesday's hike would be to remove this enormous tree which fell across the Blue Trail leading up to the road to Castle Craig, which I reported finding last week.

Removing this tree took up just about two hours of cutting and dragging. I'd like to return and trim lower to the ground but for now it's plenty passable.

Here's a wider view of the debris field.

And the love notes just keep comin'.

There's that lingering question, what is a tree "huger"? I hope the author gets spelling lessons for Christmas.

Speaking of lingering questions, I did receive an answer from the Meriden Parks and Recreation Department as to why the Christmas lights in Hubbard Park remain on twenty-four hours a day: "Leaving the lights on continuously actually helps preserve the lifespan of the bulbs, as frequent on-and-off cycling causes drastic temperature changes from heating and cooling, which damages the bulbs more quickly." Seems valid as I imagine the lights are probably intended for indoor use only. But as an electronic technician I am obligated to inform you they are not bulbs, but LEDs. 😉

For some, getting out on the trails in nature isn't enough of a high.

I ran out of chainsaw gas removing that tree so that was the end of Wednesday's fun, but there were still trees to be removed so I returned with the chainsaw on Christmas morning before all the festivities and

soldiered on.

This tree was on the Blue Trail leading up to West Peak. Surprisingly, the two cut pieces rolled downslope to their eternal resting place without so much as a stern look.

Heading to my next appointment I found this religious themed bracelet hanging on a hemlock.

It was just prior to this, while leaving West Peak and walking on the road, that I encountered a man, walking alone, carrying a bouquet of flowers. I didn't have the courage to ask him what the backstory was.

Further down this extremely seldom used trail I found this.

I can't fathom what it would be like to lose the sole of my shoe so far from the park and having to walk back. But then again, if I continue to wear my current pair of low cut hikers, I might just find out.