Just a Hunch

 

Visit #1547, Sunday 17 August 25, 6:05-9:30AM, 5.2 miles, 7.7 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the high 60s, sunny and very humid.

Last week I addressed some graffiti on the spillway at the north end of Merimere Reservoir.

Oftentimes when I see graffiti like that I suspect I might find more of the same elsewhere in Hubbard Park. If anywhere, I expected to find it at Castle Craig although I can't tell you why. But I decided to hike up there to see if I was right.

Arriving at Castle Craig I was dripping sweat. I chose to sit down for five minutes to enjoy the morning view and cool off.

Cooling off was aided by a stiff breeze from the south. It was just what I needed.

When my break ended, I walked the perimeter of the parking lot to pick up litter, and turns out my hunch was correct! I found the same graffiti tag that I covered over last week.

Under normal circumstances I would use what tools I have with me to remove it. But there were yellow jackets flying around the cabinet and I was unprepared for that. Now you know what I'll be doing next week albeit equipped for bee battle.

While policing the perimeter of the parking lot, I found forty-five cents as you see it. Since I hiked 5.2 miles today, that works out to 8.65 cents/mile, much lower than the $1.50-$2.00/mile owner/operator truck drivers typically earn. I think I might change careers...

I hiked the Blue Trail along the western rim of the reservoir and it was a good choice for today as I found a newly fallen tree across the trail.

Today's humidity was making me dread having to schlep my chainsaw to this tree in a subsequent week to remove it from the trail but luckily I was able to manhandle it clear.

When the new guardrails were installed on the road around Merimere Reservoir back in May or so, I noticed a forgotten piece of metal left over from the old guardrail. I promised myself that someday I'd retrieve it and bring it back to the park. I was reminded of this chunk of scrap iron when I exited the trail so today was the day to take it away. It was well over ten pounds and I wasn't looking forward to carrying it so far but fortunately it fit in my backpack where it was not as much of a burden.

Last item on my list this week was to check on my paint job from last week, and show you, dear reader, that while the paint I use looks glossy when first applied, it dries to a nice flat finish.

Doffin' and Donnin', Week 2

 You couldn't ask for better weather today. The morning sun is just beginning to touch the road to East/West Peak.

Visit #1546, Saturday 9 August 25,  6:00-9:15AM, 4.9 miles, 8.0 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 60s, sunny and dry.

While heading to West Peak last week to paint over some graffiti, I discovered more recent graffiti on the spillway at the north end of Merimere Reservoir. This morning I kitted up again with the coveralls and walked to the offending spot.

The result looks so clean and orderly it makes the rest of the concrete look like the eyesore! I first used a wire brush to remove any loose material then engaged the creative side of my tiny brain. Geometric shapes like squares are about the extent of my creativity.

Occasionally I'll find one of these small painted rocks along the north bank of the reservoir. Today was one of those occasions.

On today's hike, like last week,  I met some wildlife.

These two nestlings- I couldn't find the nest and had no idea how they wound up on the pavement. One of them already expired. The blurry one was still alive.

Back at Mirror Lake, a turtle was having a better day.

I continue to check on progress of the walkbridge at the Lower Pond.  This week the railings were installed.

Will there be a public ceremony when it's complete?

Will there be elected officials wearing hard hats giving speeches?

Will there be a ribbon cutting?

Who will cut the ribbon with the big pair of scissors?

Sometimes after my hikes in Hubbard Park I go home and take a nap. Today was one of those days.

If I don't wake up by next weekend, close the lid.

Progress

 

Construction of the new walkbridge at the Lower Pond is moving along. That looks sturdy enough to support yo' momma!

Visit #1545, Sunday 3 August 25, 6:05-10:00AM, 5.9 miles, 3.1 lbs. of litter. Temps in the 60s, sunny and dry.

I got an early start to guarantee parking, since the Puerto Rican Festival was being held today and parking would be at a premium.

As I mentioned last week, I was going to address some graffiti I found at West Rock then. I followed the road around Merimere Reservoir and up to the peaks.

At the north end of the reservoir, I had a five minute stare down with a deer at close range. He eventually gave up on me and returned to his salad munching.

I found some new graffiti at the north end of the reservoir, but since I was packing the wrong color for this, it will have to wait until next week to get my attention.

Reaching the split to East/West Peak, I found someone left a bag of trash. I took it away.

Reaching West Peak, I set down to work, but first the artist must don his smock.

I still could not decipher who was being memorialized on these two rocks. Best I could do was one rock was for "Patrick". "Bri" could be Brian, Brianna... who knows? The dates weren't much of a clue either.

I doffed the smock and went back to hiking. I just wanted to use "doff" in a sentence!

Crossing the walkbridge over I-691, I found yet more new graffiti, but this I could handle without paint.

It took a few rounds of cleaner and elbow grease but in the end I was satisfied.

Next week will be a hike of a different color and more smock donning and doffing.

Return/Revisit

 

The view west toward Cheshire/the West Johnson Avenue area, from the Blue Trail up to West Peak.

Visit #1544, Saturday 26 July 25, 8:05-10:30AM, 5.2 miles, 7.7 lbs. of litter. 

Last week I found and painted over some graffiti I found on the perimeter wall of the Lower Pond.

I reported then I wasn't satisfied with the job. On Saturday I returned to the site to touch up the paint and make it look a bit more orderly. Well, I forgot to take a photo so I parked by the playscape vowing to return after my hike and do so.

Checking on the progress of my weedkiller application on the I-691 walkbridge after two weeks I was pleasantly surprised.

Hiking up the Blue Trail to West Peak, I found even more wild raspberry bushes than I found last week. I should taste some next week.

Up at West Peak I discovered some new graffiti. Looks like a memorial to someone. It's hard to read but from what I can gather the deceased died at 27 years old and was nicknamed "Bri". I did some searching and came to no solid conclusion. I will cover over it next week, as I've done before there. It's not the first time I have encountered such tributes, one one which was for a woman who committed suicide in Hubbard Park.

Find of the Week. Brings new meaning to "the shoe's on the other foot".

Walking on the road back to the park I see the fire department has spruced up this fire hydrant.

And then I moved on to photograph MY spruced up paint job.

This looks more orderly than what I did last week.

If I get blowback on this I have another approach to remove my work as well as the graffiti underneath. 

Inspection

 

East Peak on a low humidity summer morning. You can tell by the lack of haze in the photo. But the humidity is forecast to rise to stupid levels today through Sunday.

Visit #1543, Saturday 19 July 25, 6:05-9:05AM, 6.8 miles, 2.1 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the upper 60s, rising into the 80s with rising humidity that would even flatten Rod Stewart's hair.

I arrived in Hubbard Park early to beat the predicted rise in humidity and to enjoy the cooler temps of the day. I certainly didn't have to worry about it flattening MY hair, because I don't have any!

By the way, if you want to find out how Rod got and maintains his signature hair style, he devotes an entire chapter of his 2012 autobiography, "Rod" to the subject. I just finished it myself. Quite the honest, no-holds barred telling. Worth it.

I was greeted by a newly striped parking lot. Looks good.

I've found money before in Hubbard Park so I wasn't surprised when I found two bucks on the trail.

Gotcha!

At the top of the trail I found the telephone poles rolled back and I can tell by the tire tracks someone tried to drive down the trail. I replaced the displaced pole best effort.

The sign at the fork to East/West Peak was getting overtaken by brush and pretty soon people would have a legitimate excuse when they said "I didn't see the sign". Let's fix that.

Hiking down, I found some graffiti which needed attention. Simple and quick.

On this same trail is a stretch of wild raspberry bushes. Yet another treat to be found in Hubbard Park.

I later saw a hiker picking some.

Last week I said I would contact the Meriden Parks Department and ask they mow the area around the Halfway House. When I did so I received a reply from Director Chris Bourdon-coincidentally it was on their schedule for the very next day! And what a fine job they did.

On another trail I found what I believe is called a "sky lantern" hanging from this broken tree. This one appears to be a memorial to someone.

Back at the park, I checked to see if there was any progress on the walkbridge near the Lower Pond. There was; this past week the foundation walls were poured.

As I walked around the Lower Pond I stumbled upon some new graffiti. Hmmm; what to do?

Planning on a mountain bike ride early Sunday morning to avoid the heat and humidity, I packed up some gear and rode to Hubbard Park to address this and then hit the trails.

The wire brush wouldn't begin to touch it so I applied the lacquer thinner, the scrub brush, and elbow grease.

I was hoping for better results. Good thing I brought Plan B.

Not bad, but gray paint may have been more appropriate and there's a lack of feng shui. I may treat this again to "bring in more harmony". 😉

My plans to ride the trails in Hubbard Park were nixed when I reached the south end of Merimere Reservoir.

I found these two dumped fishing poles so I carried them back to the park and dropped them into a trash bin. I then changed my mountain bike ride plans to a road ride to end my Sunday morning.