Tools of the Trade

 

The view west from West Peak on a perfect Sunday summer morning. After a week-long heatwave, the cooler, drier air was champagne to the senses.

Visit #1321, Sunday 15 August 21, 7:00-8:45, 11:00AM-12:15PM, 3.7 miles, 9.1lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 70's, reaching the 80's, sunny and dry.

I entered Hubbard Park early to work under cooler temps. I reported last week of finding a fallen tree on one trail:

I brought my old reliable toy, my chainsaw, and on Sunday morning I returned and removed it.

I turned around and returned to the West Peak area to pick up litter. I found more fallen trees and branches which my chainsaw was more than eager to feast on.

There's a trail through there somewhere...

Ahah, I found it!

I also found some new graffiti at West Peak, which I'll deal with next week.

I would now like to introduce you to my new tool:

A lightweight, 15 foot extendable tree pruner. I'd been hankering for one of these for a long time, as many tree branches along the roadsides in Hubbard Park hang low to the ground. I brought it today merely for test purposes, trimming one side of roughly 1/4 mile near Castle Craig. Wildly exceeded my expectations!

Trimming the roadside will be a special project for me, separate from my usual jaunts in Hubbard Park. I will report on my progress as it develops.

After finishing my chores on West Peak, I drove over to Castle Craig. A kind hiking regular in Hubbard Park called me earlier this week to report of another tree fallen on a trail near Castle Craig. I parked the van and as I kitted up, I received an after hours service call so I left the park and headed to New Haven. Fortunately, the service call was not too involved, so I was able to return to Hubbard Park and tend to this last tree.

This was easy.

I performed some more chainsaw trimming while returning to the parking lot, then grabbed the new tree pruner for its initial testing.

Until next week, maintain.