Tools

 

Visit #1576, Saturday 10 January 26, 0945-1205hrs, 5.0 miles, 5.4 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the low 40s, cloudy with rain forecast for later in the day and overnight.

Visit #1577, Sunday 11 January 26, 3.1 miles, 3.4 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the low 40s, cloudy but clearing from overnight rain.

All men love tools. Some men "are" tools, as "tool" is defined in my brand new, 12th Edition Merriam - Webster's Collegiate Dictionary as informal: a foolish or unlikable person: JERK < "Before you compete on a reality TV show, you basically sign away your right to protect yourself from looking like a total tool in front of an international viewing audience." - Steve Tilley>

I could be both.

Last week I was stymied by a fallen tree which refused to yield to my pruning saw. As far as I was concerned, it was the saw's fault and I vowed never to use it again. But being male, and a tool lover, I sought out a new trail tool of destruct- 'er, I mean maintenance. It arrived. Oh goody!

I started my hike Saturday at the gate and ran into Season of the Missing Glove 2025/26, entries 11, 12, and 13, just as you see them.

Up the road I picked up Painted Face on Gravel #5 Since January 2025.

On the Blue Trail, I found this Turtle Fur branded hat. Expensive stuff. I'll wash it and drop it off at Goodwill.

Higher up the Blue Trail I removed my first fallen tree but it required no tools, just muscle.

Here was my first opportunity to use my new tool, but you don't get to see it yet; gotta build suspense!

Down at the bottom of the Orange trail, below Castle Craig, I found this dead opposum which I find unusual considering it was smack dab on the trail.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was not able to debut my new tool on that stubborn tree on Saturday. So I returned to Hubbard Park early Sunday morning to the scene of my torment.

And here it is, my new tool, at work.

It's a Gerber Bushcraft Hatchet. Lightweight, just the right length to use either one or two-handed, and be discreetly carried in my backpack. Of course, still being both male and tool lover I had to buy something to keep it sharp so I also picked up a Hults Bruk Grinding Stone.

The hatchet fits the bill when the tree is small, it's a onesy-twosey tree day, and the tree is not too large. I found it a good little shoulder and aerobic workout as well.

Done with that, I headed down toward Merimere Reservoir and while trudging through the woods discovered someone was piling up branches for an unknown reason.

Rounding the gate at the south end of the reservoir, I saw and removed Cat Graffiti #18 since November 2016.

But all the preceeding is not the REAL news in Hubbard Park.

For while hiking the Blue Trail high above Merimere Reservoir on Saturday I spotted THIS on Mine Island.

That's a blue tarp AND a tent on Mine Island. From a photo I took of the island on 3 January 26, the campsite was not there at that time. With the warm temps and melting ice I wasn't about to head out to the island to investigate so that will have to wait until colder weather returns.

 

Whoever got the idea to set up a camp there is a REAL tool. 

Here's a closer photo of the tent, from Sunday morning.

It wouldn't be the first time I found some homeless person trying to make a home in Hubbard Park. And I wouldn't be surprised if I find a frozen body out there...