Big Johnson and The Angry Chain

 Visit #1624, Monday 19 October 26, 5:15-5:55 p.m., mileage n/a, 7.5 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the upper 50s, sunny.

Visit #1625, Saturday 24 October 26, 7:10-9:55 a.m., 4.1 miles, 1.7 lbs. of litter

Temps in the 30s, sunny.

I received an e-mail last week from a park regular telling me about some new graffiti on a trail. I wasn't going to be able to take care of it this week because of tree cutting duties so I took some time after work on Monday to address it, and my e-mail contact felt it was offensive enough to need attention soon.

Their directions were good; I had no problems locating it.

First I used flat black paint, then gray. 

I wish I had a better color match.

Because of my experience, I thought it wise I should check the rest of this trail just in case, so I walked all the way to the I-691 walkbridge. Enroute, sho' 'nuff...

I returned later and added some gray to the black.

But that wasn't all. On Saturday I found a THIRD. I returned early Sunday morning briefly to address it.

If you've been paying attention so far, you've noticed the swastikas are backwards. This was likely intentional. My in-depth investigation has learned there is an extremist group growing in America-

Dyslexic Nazis of America

Done with covering the graffiti on Monday, I took the time to clean up the dirt parking area. In the Halloween vein, I found this dismembered doll. Scared?

I dropped of my bag of litter, most of which was picked up in the parking lot.

Now I was free to concentrate on removing that tree I found fallen across the trail last week.

I had to make special preparations, including a longer bar on my chainsaw and a more aggressive chain. I also packed a spare bar and chain because bad things can happen when cutting large trees.

But I wasn't prepared for this:

I hadn't even reached my target tree and I find another very large tree across a trail. Sheesh.

One tree removed, one to go.

In the process, things can happen.

I was prepared for this. It can happen when swapping bars and chains.

Now, pack up and head to that second tree, and hope I have enough fuel left to remove it.

Yes! I was thrilled I was able to remove this without complications, and with enough fuel remaining.

I made my way to Castle Craig and cleaned up the parking lot.

AND- I checked on the kleig lights. It was 9:11 a.m. and they were OFF. Someone's contention is they will shut off earlier on a sunny day such as it was on Saturday. I will still argue if the highway lights are shutting off early on cloudy mornings, then the kleig lights should not shut off two hours later just because it's cloudy vs. sunny.

On Sunday morning, while I made the brief excursion to address that third swastika, I found Cat Patootie Graffiti #51 since November 2016 and removed it.

Perfect hiking weather is upon us, colors and temps. Don't waste it!