I Wasn't Thinking...

 

...because if I WAS thinking, I would have hiked on Saturday and avoided the rain.

Visit #1430, Sunday 2 July 23, 6:45-9:10AM, 5.1 miles, 8.0lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 60s/low 70s, cloudy, humid, with light intermittent rain.

I had listened to the weekend forecast but didn't pay it much heed. I woke up early enough Saturday to get a hike in but I wimped out due to the humidity.

I got what I deserved.

The rain wasn't that bad; only at one point did I have to don my raincoat, and only for five minutes or so.

This week I walked the road around Merimere Reservoir and up to Castle Craig. With Meriden's fireworks scheduled for Monday evening, I thought the road would be closed to traffic as the fireworks were set up and I would stop to see how the work was progressing.

But I later learned the fireworks would not be set up until Monday. No big deal; the road needed some love anyway.

I reached Castle Craig with heavy cloud cover reducing visibility to near zero.

No, really; Hubbard Park is down there somewhere.

As I was picking up litter in the area, I noticed this new display.

Two signs accompanied the flags, explaining their purpose. I presume this was left over from Memorial Day, although I didn't count one flag per soldier.

It was then I noticed the flag was at half staff. At first I thought it was in conjunction with the above display. I later learned it was instead in honor of former governor Lowell Weicker Jr. who passed away last week. It's nice that Meriden pays attention to these protocols.

It continued to shower after I left Castle Craig, passing by the south end of the reservoir, and returning to the parking lot.

Try and keep all your fingers through this July 4th.