Man on Fire II

I was on fire today; enough to melt the ice on Merimere Reservoir.

Visit #1060, Sunday 19 February 17, 8:25-10:45AM, 3.9 miles.
Temps in the high 30's, rising to 50 today, mostly sunny.

As I was driving west on I-691 to Hubbard Park I spotted something which prompted me to drastically alter today's plans, so much so that I turned around and drove back home, where I retrieved the proper tools, then returned to the park. Last time I was a Man on Fire was August, 2013.

What irked me so much was this:

Last week I walked across the bridge and the black, white, and blue flags (yes; there was one on the eastbound and westbound lanes) weren't there. So what do they represent? Read HERE.

I'm all for supporting our police (I myself was a police officer in the Air Force), but I won't let someone co-opt public property to promote their private cause-especially Hubbard Park. So I removed both flags.

To compound the irk, whoever hung the flags was SO proud to fly them but couldn't care less where they left the cut ends of the tyraps they used.

Same deal on the westbound lane, including the tyraps.

I've removed other banners promoting private causes too, so don't think I'm singling out one group.

June 2012

September 2012

Okay; after I had unwadded my panties and calmed down, I continued on.

My route lead me up to the road from West/East Peak, which I walked down back to the park.

My original plans prior to my flag diversion were to check on the flow of water from the brook which feeds Merimere Reservoir. A friend was curious whether we had enough snow to replenish the reservoir to pre-drought levels and I decided to see what's up. I think there will be greater water flow once the ground thaws.

These Canadian geese didn't seem to mind the ice nor the cold water, doing their version of a penguin plunge.

On the way back to the park I noticed a few sections of road where last week's high winds had either dropped trees or branches. The sections were cleared by others.

It was also during my return trip to the park that I chanced upon my Find of the Week. I don't think I'll get use out of it for the remainder of this winter, but I can count on it for next year.

Back at the park I dropped off my trash for the week.

The time wasted for the trip home to fetch tools to cut the flags down had to be addressed. In the past I've needed similar tools for short-notice work in Hubbard Park and was empty handed. Today was the day I did something about it. So on the way home I stopped at the store and equipped myself for the future.

Double Dump

I wasn't the only one who didn't mind the weather. Some people know fun can be found in Hubbard Park even in the midst of snow.

Visit #1059, Sunday 11 February 17, 8:15-9:45AM, 2.8 miles.
Temps in the 20's, snowing with 4" forecast, changing to freezing rain.

You'd think with 10" of snow dumped in Meriden on Thursday and another 4" expected today, that I would just stay home and not bother with  my weekly duties in Hubbard Park.

Wrong. If I'm not in search of litter, I can still enjoy a decent hike. So I grabbed my snowshoes and set out before driving became too dicey.

Tracks in the snow on the walkbridge over I-691. Nice to see others people getting out there even if walking was a slog. I only saw one other set of snowshoe tracks.

The beehive fountain reliably streams water, even in the coldest conditions.

The trampled path to the Halfway House.

While I knew I wouldn't find any litter on the trails, I decided I would police the parking lot before I left, as I saw some trash when I arrived.

While I can't remember the man's name, I've met a person who walks the road around Merimere Reservoir and carries a plastic grocery bag with him. On the outbound leg of his walk, if  he spies any litter he'll place it roadside. He'll pick it up on his return leg. I'm guessing that's his bag of trash as he probably dropped it off while walking laps within the plowed roads in Hubbard Park.

I hope I was right because I picked up the bag of trash and threw it away!

And I was not to be denied my own bounty. I didn't find it all in the same location, so I don't think there's a story here.

Afternoon rain showers are forecast for Wednesday, but I think it will leave enough snow to put on the 'shoes next weekend, too. Don't wait until then to experience winter in Hubbard Park; get out there!

Deep Winter

Visit #1058, Saturday 4 February 17, 9:00-11:00AM, 4.8 miles.
Temps in the high 20's, sunny with a chilly wind.

Thanks to Paul Bernier for joining me this week, venturing out cold weather to help keep Hubbard Park clean.

In the deep of winter, I don't expect to find much trash in Hubbard Park. But I head out there weekly anyway; it keeps one from getting lazy.

And the LAST word I'd use to describe Paul Bernier would be "lazy", which is why he joined me despite the cold.

We walked the road from the park all the way around Merimere Reservoir. A section of the road has been in a state of collapse for many years. This year, it is scheduled for repair. If you view the photos in the newspaper article, you'll see gray paint on the Jersey barriers-THAT'S MINE! I painted over graffiti several years ago.

My only hope is the repair work includes maintaining the aesthetic of the original stone wall.

Paul and I walked the road all the way up to West Peak. No matter there was so little trash to be found; we enjoyed ourselves anyway, and we stopped long enough at West Peak to take a few photos of the view.

We returned to the parking lot, dropped off our trash for the week, and went back into hibernation.

Repetition

A view of Castle Craig many don't get to see-from the Parks Maintenance Facility.

Visit #1057, Saturday 28 January 17, 11:45AM-3:00PM, 3.8 miles.

Temps in the high 30's with periods of sun and clouds and a brisk wind.

Today I performed my annual clean-up of the embankment between I-691 and the playscape area. People park against the fence and toss litter over it, and trash from the highway gets blown down the hill, making such a visible area look unsightly. Too bad the city couldn't get a chain link fence installed at the top of the slope to hold the trash back. I'd suggest a sound barrier, but it's been brought to my attention that would block the view of Hubbard Park from the highway, which would be bad publicity during the winter light festival.

But before I began my work, I had something else to tend to.

Last week I noticed graffiti on the liner of one of the water retention ponds. I walked up the Soap Box Derby track to take care of it.

Sorry Wally; I don't really love you.

My black spray paint actually did a better job than the photos depict; I doubt you'll notice it from the road. The paint went on reasonably well despite the low temps and the breeze.

Now on to the real work.

I repeatedly walked up and down that slope, left to right, picking up trash. Fill a bag, toss it over the fence, and start another. Doing "reps" up and down that hill was a good leg workout.

Find of the Week #1 was this purse.

Nothing of value was left; only some courtesy cards and personal effects. Both checkbooks were empty and the wallet was missing. The purse was obviously tossed there many years ago because anything in print was illegible. Ah, but the owner's identity...

My guess is Donna's purse was stolen and tossed some time prior to the card expiring, unless she kept the card for sentimental reasons.

A better Find of the Week was this sponge, still in its factory packaging. I'm currently removing wallpaper in my condo, so this sponge will come in handy.

In my continuing studies of what people drink at Dunkin' Donuts, I came upon this "also ran" in the calorie department, having only 3 creams. In the sugar department, they were a contender.

Then I found what must be the CHAMPEEN the cream department with ELEVEN! That's 220 Calories in cream ALONE. The "Yellow Sweetener" is actually Splenda. Splenda apparently refused to pay advertising fees to Dunkin' Donuts, hence the generic description. The "yellow" refers to the color of the Splenda packet.

Once done, I schlepped all nine bags of trash, two wheel covers, and some car parts, over to the dumpster at the Parks Maintenance Facility. I think I put on most of today's mileage walking back and forth to the dumpster.

Calling The Maytag Repairman!

Global warming? January thaw? Whatever it is, it was warm today, and it brought out the hikers, playscapers, and other enjoyers of Hubbard Park.

Visit #1056, Sunday 22 January 17, 1:05-3:30PM, 4.7 miles.
Temps in the 50's; a ridiculously warm day for January. Clouding up with rain and high winds predicted for Monday.

As Paul Bernier and I walked down from Castle Craig last week, I noticed the downslope side of the trail had trash which needed collecting. But we had already been out long enough, so I left the task of clean up to this week.

That's not all I noticed.

I started at the playscape and hiked my way to the Halfway House and up toward Castle Craig.

It's easier to work DOWN the slope, so I hiked to the high point and worked my down back down, traversing the talus slope and collecting all the discarded bottles, cans, cups, etc.

My vantage point on Sunday.

The other thing I noticed, which I had long forgotten, was this:

This abandoned washing machine has been in the woods of Hubbard Park for at least 20 years. I'd long assumed it would be too much work to move. That is, until today.

When Paul and I saw it last week, we had talked of making a joint effort of removing it. Many hands make light work; I wanted to see how difficult it would be as a one-man job.

First order of business was to remove the concrete counterweight to lighten my burden.

I'd brought a couple tools of destruction for my job, not knowing what I'd encounter. The hammer was a good choice. Fifteen minutes of beating on it, and the block was liberated from the washing machine.

Next came the fun part; dragging it through the woods. I wrapped my comealong strap through it, and would drag it about 100 feet, then walk back to fetch my bag of trash, and repeat. Eventually I reached the Yellow Trail, and found the smooth surface easier than the rocks, branches and leaves off-trail. So how far was it from its place of rest to the trail, you ask? It was easily 1000 feet. Have YOU ever dragged a washing machine 1000+ feet through the woods? I didn't think so.

I placed it to the side of the Main Trail so the Meriden Parks Department could reach it with a pickup truck. I wonder who will have had the tougher job; me dragging the washing machine through the woods,  the poor guys who  heft it into a truck, or the Maytag repairman who fixes it? I briefly checked it out. Looks like all it needs is a new switch...

I scribbled a note on the washing machine so no one would think it was dumped there. I added a little shameless self-promotion. After all that work, I think I deserved it.

Back at the park, I dropped off my trash for the week.

Pre-Tradition Run Tidying

Last week's 5"+ snowfall is gone already, and it didn't make much of a dent in our drought.

Visit # 1055, Saturday 14 January 17, 9:15AM-12:35PM, 5.6 miles.
Temps in the low 30's with mostly cloudy skies.

Thanks to Paul Bernier, who joined me this week in tidying up the route for the Tradition Run on the day prior to the event.

As you probably already figured out, I planned to pick up trash along the route of tomorrow's Tradition Run, so Meriden could look its best for the event. I think Paul and I did a fine job.

Considering Paul and I cleaned this route a mere two week's ago, we collected a considerable amount of trash.

By the time we reached the water treatment plant, we decided to combine our trash bags and leave them there, because they were already getting heavy and we had a long way to go.

As we walked the road north, I couldn't ignore the low water level at Merimere Reservoir despite last week's snowstorm, and this past week's rain.

By the time we reached the north end of Merimere Reservoir, we had to combine another pair of bags, and left it there for the Meriden Parks Department to pick up, hopefully before tomorrow's event.

While walking the road up, Paul and I were surprised to see the city of Meriden was starting to cut down the hemlocks alongside the road which were dying. That's a good thing; Paul was constantly voicing concern that one of those dead hemlocks might fall on a passing car or possibly even a hiker.
The city appears to have reached halfway up the road with their project. The city did a good job; preserving the tree canopy and only dropping dead trees.

Below is merely a sample of the trees dropped.

 

At Castle Craig, we cleaned the parking lot and surrounding area, then headed down to the Halfway House and back toward the park.

Down near the reservoir, I came upon my Find of the Week, a Gigawire Media Player.

Things got even more interesting with Find of the Week #2, a grocery list, and a pretty detailed one, too; they even specify brands and flavors, once you understand the shorthand. Maybe the author sent out minions to do their shopping.

 

Not to be outdone was our winner of the Find of the Week contest, this boxing heavy bag. So heavy was it in fact that I had to drag it back to the park for disposal. You can see my rope attached to the D-ring on the bag.

While I was dragging, Paul carried our last trash bag, which we deposited in the trash can back at the park.

The weather looks good for tomorrow's event, even though a steady but light snow has been falling from late afternoon into this evening.  If not the weather, at least the road now looks good.