Rewind

 Visit #1551, Saturday 13 September 25, 7:20-9:50AM, 5.2 miles, 9.7 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the low 60s, sunny and dry.

A couple weeks ago, around Labor Day in an unrecorded visit to Hubbard Park, I followed a little known trail belonging to a regular park vandal who hangs little trinkets from trees. Occasionally I inspect this trail and remove what I find, as I did last July.

This I did so again on that hike.

Note the stars- I found more of them this week on another tree, which I check on regularly...

... as I also routinely find these religious tracts.

Fast forward to last week, where I found a small fallen tree across the trail behind the daffodils which was too long to move. 

I brought a small hand saw with me this week to remove it from the trail, but the blade was binding in the kerf due to something other than compression. So I gave up and discovered I was actually able to move the tree by hand. Yay!

Further up the trail I found a leaning tree with low hanging branches. I was able to trim the branches so there was sufficient clearance for hikers.

Once I solve the problem with my binding handsaw (something rough sticking to the blade) I may try my luck on removing these two trees.

This fence post at the entrance to the walkbridge over I-691 is a popular location for one aggressive sticker plaster and apparent avid hiker and park visitor. It has been clean since April of this year, until this week. These are stickers #17 and 18.

Revisit last week and you'll recall a fleece blanket I found at West Peak that was so sodden it was too heavy to carry. I hung it on the fence hoping dry weather would follow all week and dry out the blanket.  I love it when a plan works out!

Now a lightweight couple of pounds, I was just barely able to squeeze it into my backpack. Upon examination after washing it, I found it unserviceable so I won't be donating it to Goodwill.

Something else I left over from last week was what I then thought was a wet diaper. It too, dried out during the week and turned out to not be a diaper but foam packing, and much lighter to carry.

Rather than following the road down from West Peak as I did last week, I took a trail and good thing I did; I found a small fallen tree across, which I was able to remove.

Down at Merimere Reservoir I see the alligator is surprisingly revealed, considering last week's rain.

Compare this photo from last week to yesterday:

Walking back to the park on the road, I discovered some new graffiti by the same "artiste" who tagged the spillway wall and a transformer at Castle Craig back in August.

Fortunately I was equipped to tackle this job without a week's delay.

And a nice hike in the park it was.