Is Hubbard Park Becoming Popular?

 Visit #1444, Saturday 22 September, 23, 7:00-9:15AM, 4.9 miles, 4.6 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 50s, possible intermittent showers.

As author of this blog, I'm given access to statistics about the number of views my blog receives.

On a typical day the number of views normally varies from the single digits to maybe twenty max, so we're talking as many as 300 per month.

But in the last month views to this blog have gone nuclear! For example, in August 2023 this blog received 7000 views, mostly because the numbers were inexplicably climbing from normal.

Well, September isn't even over yet and there have been - wait for it - over 22,000 views! Every day it's been thousands of views to the blog and I see no reason for it.

I'm wondering if I should hire an agent...

I knew the weekend forecast wasn't looking good as Meriden was going to see the fringes of Tropical Storm Ophelia so I was hoping to beat it by starting my weekend hike early. But checking the weather before leaving the house, I learned light rain was expected in fifteen minutes. Oh well, expect to get wet.

I arrived at Hubbard Park in cool temps but no rain. As I started out on the trail behind the daffodils I came across a fallen tree, which I was able to move aside.

Further along the trail on the south side of I-691 I encountered another fallen tree, which I wasn't able to remove. Next week will thus be a Power Tool Weekend®!

Crossing the I-691 walkbridge I found this Cabela fleece jacket hanging on the fence. 

Tell Noah he can find his jacket at Goodwill in a week or so.

 Just up the trail from Noah's jacket is yet another newly fallen tree, making next week's Power Tool Weekend even more certain.

I hiked up to West Peak where I addressed some graffiti I covered over last week in red paint. I wanted to use a more innocuous color, so this week I brought gray paint.

I was hoping the rain would hold off long enough for the paint to set up.

Walking dowhill on the road, it looked like this sign was eventually going to be taken over by brush if something wasn't done about it.

Fortunately, I was carrying the right tools to do the job, as I carry them every week.

The area needs a little bit more trimming which I'll address soon.

I returned to the playscape parking lot when those Ophelia-forecasted showers had just started to arrive. Perfect timing.

At the Crack of Dawn

 

The sun was just beginning to rise over Meriden when I arrived at Castle Craig Sunday morning.

Visit #1443, Sunday 17 September 23, 6:50-9:50AM, 2.5 miles, 7.7 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 50s to start, rising quickly to more enjoyable numbers, sunny.

I snuck in to Hubbard Park early, ahead of the hiking crowds, to avoid inquisitive eyes while I painted over some graffiti brought to my attention two weeks ago by another hiker. Seems she saw a posting on social media where the graffiti appeared in the background. I found the graffiti less visible in person than on a computer screen, but decided to cover over it anyway.

Yeah well; it may be old and faded but on second thought it is an eyesore.

The paint will dry to a flat finish and be less noticeable.

That task completed, I took the time to police the parking lot and surrounding area of litter.

Then I hustled myself over to West Peak where I continued with my roadside trimming.

I'm now heading away from West Peak and have maybe another half mile of roadside to trim and my project will be complete!

While trimming I noticed some graffiti on this telephone pole. I wasn't about to break out the brown paint again but remembered I had red spray paint in my backpack for marking my progress with the roadside trimming, so I used it. No Before photo, and I may return with a more discreet color at a later date.

I was done with my work and back at the park before the gate was opened for vehicles!

Call of Duty

 

Merimere Reservoir is invisible because of the high humidity.

Visit #1442, Saturday 9 September 23, 7:45-10:35AM, 5.8 miles, 4.7 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 70s, humidity in the 80% range (as you can see from the photo above).

Normally I would alternate weeks of regular trail maintenance with my special project trimming the roadsides to East/West Peak. This was to be a trimming week. But last week I was informed of some fallen trees on other trails. Rather than let them linger for another week I changed my schedule to address these trails.

Also last week, I reported the bollard at the people gate to the road had been missing. I assumed it was stolen. I notified the parks department and received a reply it had been repaired.

Looks like it's the original bollard so maybe it wasn't stolen but merely maliciously removed. Back in July 2019 I had predicted that a bolted bollard would eventually be vandalized. I wish I could predict the winning lottery numbers!

I hiked up the road already dripping in sweat, and had collected enough litter to leave a bag at the water treatment plant. I expected a long hike carrying a chainsaw and I didn't need the extra burden.

Based on the descriptions I received last week, I never did find the fallen trees they mentioned nor did I find evidence someone else did the work. Perhaps I didn't understand their directions. I did however, find several downed trees today so maybe I found what they were talking about.

The first fallen tree was on the Orange blazed trail leading up to Castle Craig.

I hiked the Blue Trail along the Merimere Reservoir ridgeline and never found the trees the hiker mentioned. At the bottom I turned left to another trail leading back up toward Castle Craig and found a hemlock tree partially blocking the trail.

There was no such thing as sweat evaporation today; I was soaked.

At the top I hiked the Blue Trail down and removed yet another tree which I failed to photograph. But I wasn't done yet.

Nearing the parking lot, on a trail behind the Spring House, was one last tree.

In an August 2023 post I listed reasons why I decided to carry bear spray. Well, the bear spray arrived but while the carrying case has a belt loop, it needed a little modification to strap to my backpack. That is now complete and will be a constant companion on my hikes.

The humidity, combined with the long hike and carrying the chainsaw really had me knackered when I was done. I went home and made good use of my couch for a couple hours.

Power Tool Holiday

 

Visit #1439, Saturday 2 September 23, 7:25-10:10AM, 3.6 miles, 3.0 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 70s, rising through the 80s, sunshine and moderate humidity.

Visit #1440, Sunday 3 September 23, 7:25-8:30AM, mileage n/a, 2.0 lbs. of litter.

Same weather as Saturday with slightly higher temps.

I was on the hunt for fallen trees this week, having seen them while hiking last week.

While hiking to the first tree, I found this microfiber cloth hanging from a branch.

In fact, I've found a lot of microfiber cloths in Hubbard Park.

Now let's get to that tree and have some fun!

That was what it looked like last week.

Thirty minute's work and the trail is clear.

While cutting up the tree I noticed this:

Someone drove nails into the tree in an attempt to foul my chainsaw. I can think of no other reason. Yeah; I have my haters in Hubbard Park.

Further up the trail was the second tree.

Next up was this branch which has been bugging me for a few years.

In this archival photo, you can see the branch has not broken away from the tree but hangs there. Throughout the past few years I would occasionally trim away some of the smaller branches supporting the branch from the ground.

Today I removed all but one, because it is too dangerous to cut the last support. I'm hoping the weight of the main branch will collapse all support and drop it to the ground. I also have another diabolical plan which will remain secret, but I may attempt it soon. For now, there's a safe path around it.

Down at Merimere Reservoir I started to trim around a No Trespassing Sign I discussed last week, to improve its visibility. I plan to trim more perhaps next week, and take better photos.

Before:

After:

Shortly after finishing this, I was approached by a hiker who noticed the other trail work I did today and was nice enough to tell me about more fallen trees on another trail in Hubbard Park. I told him I would remove them in the next couple weeks.

Then he proceeded to tell me ABOUT FALLEN TREES IN  GIUFFRIDA PARK, as if I should put them on my schedule! I kindly told him no thank you and kept my mouth shut.

Last week I was informed by someone of some graffiti up by Castle Craig, so I returned to Hubbard Park early Sunday morning in the hope of finding and removing it.

I had no luck finding the graffiti and will try again. While I was up at Castle Craig I picked up litter and did something crazy; I swept the inside of Castle Craig. I could have used stiffer bristles on my equipment, but I made do with what I had on hand.

Driving back down the road, I redeemed myself from not finding the graffiti I was in search of, and removed graffiti from a sign at the north end of Merimere Reservoir.

(Edit: I returned to Hubbard Park on Labor Day to discover the bollard at the gate across the road was missing. I reported this to the Meriden Parks Department. It was replaced the following week).

Now it's time to relax and enjoy my Labor Day. I hope do, too.