The Big Johnson

This week I had to haul out the big guns.

Visit #1455, Saturday 9 December 23, 8:00-10:45AM, 5.1 miles, 4.3 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the comfortable 40s rising to the 50s, sunny with increasing clouds.

First, this week I'd like to welcome three newly elected city councilors to my blog's distribution list- Chad Cardillo, Joe Scaramuzzo, and Michael Zakrzewski. A few weeks reading my blog and they may regret having ever run for office. 😉

Last week I reported finding a large, newly fallen tree near the wooden walkbridge. My chainsaw's 16" bar and safety chain, while capable of handling the tree, would require much extra work. So this week I put my chainsaw on a regimen of steroids ( a 20" bar and aggressively profiled chain) so I could go mondo ape-poop on it and not spend all day making chips and sawdust.

Despite the early hour and the December calendar, it was quite comfortable outside.

Let's open up that trail.

Don't worry; that one wayward log was moved in-line with the others to maintain that trail "Feng Shui".

While imposing my will on that fallen tree, a passing hiker informed me of another tree that needed tending to, so off I went in search of it.

Is that it?! I was disappointed in the lack of a challenge. I removed it anyway.

I hiked up to the road heading toward Castle Craig, then walked the road down toward Merimere Reservoir, picking up litter along the way.

My Find of the Week-

It's the second consecutive week I've found underwear in Hubbard Park, although I'm not sure what it means. They say things run in "threes" so should I expect to find another pair next week?

Walking on the road around Merimere Reservoir and passing by Echo Point, I see that a wreath has been added to the holiday display there.

Continuing that "second consecutive week" vein, last week I reported placing a wayward sign against the fence of the water treatment plant assuming the water department staff would dispose of it.

I guess I was overestimating the abilities of the staff for this week I found the sign was merely cast aside.

You put one quarter in, you get ONE turn of the wheel.

Let's try this again.

I'll be putting the Big Johnson away until the next formidable foe comes along.

Once Upon A Daytime Dreary

Visit #1454, Saturday 2 December 23, 8:20-10:55AM, 5.3 miles, 8.4 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 40s, raw. Rain ended last night leaving dense fog and cloudiness.

This week's blog title is a riff on Edgar Allen Poe's poem, The Raven, as this is what I kept

thinking of while hiking in such gloomy conditions.

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,..."

While I was neither weak nor weary, it would have better matched the weather if I was.

Hiking up the road toward Merimere Reservoir I found this broken ceramic plate.

I occasionally find such plates of various incarnations in Hubbard Park, with personal thoughts or messages on them. It must be a thing. I must be out of touch.

This sign was found further up the road and had been there for many weeks, when the road around Merimere Reservoir was in fact closed for a reason I can't recall right now. For several weeks I'd been meaning to remove the sign from the roadside and just now had the opportunity.

I relocated it to the water treatment plant where hopefully the employees will dispose of it properly.

The dreariness continued as I walked.

Although it could have been drowsiness had I been under the influence of the empty contents of this found container.

Last week, while returning to the parking lot on the road, I observed a couple passing a joint between themselves. I've often thought of the wisdom of this practice. Could it lead to mouth sores, or even Covid?

On a lighter more seasonal note, the Christmas Tree at Echo Point has been decorated for the holiday season. Stop by and enjoy it!

Just around the corner at the spillway was some graffiti I recalled seeing a few weeks ago.

This would be the first opportunity to use my new steel wire brush. My previous brass bristle brush had worn out from use. I purcchased a steel brush this time hopefully for its more aggressive properties. It passed the interview.

    "Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor..."

Once upon the Blue Trail and off-trail picking up some litter, I spied this:

I had long ago heard of a Berlin/Meriden boundary marker being in the woods somewhere in Hubbard Park. While I had previously chanced upon an easier to locate marker, I thought for sure this other one would be deep in the middle of nowhere. I presume it stood upright at some time in the past. Looking at a map of Meriden's boundaries, might I wonder if there might be a third marker.

"Nevermore" (perhaps)

Well, no ravens were perching anywhere, but I DID find a pair of briefs perched on a log.

If you want a REAL laugh, re-read "The Raven", replacing all mentions of the bird with the word "briefs"! Go ahead and see if you can keep a straight face!

The trail peaked near Castle Craig. I hiked down and toward I-691 where I came upon my Find of the Week.

This large tree went roots up right near the wooden walkbridge. Looks like next week will be a Power Tool Weekend®!

Back at the parking lot,

"Then this ebony (glove) beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,..."

Black as a raven, it's Season of the Missing Glove 2023/24, #1. Let the counting begin!

Project Complete!

 Visit #1453, Saturday, 25 November 23, 7:30-9:30AM, mileage n/a, litter < 1lb.

Temps in the high 20s/low 30s, sunny.

I was so close to finishing my project, started 2 1/2 years ago, of trimming roadside branches along the road to East and West Peak, that I abandoned hiking and drove up to complete the last hundred yards or so.

My project's finishing point was where the road diverges to East/West Peak. It also happened to be the location of one of the signs posted for last week's 3 Peak Challenge. It seems they forgot to remove ALL the signs posted along the route, and missed this one. Doh! No problemo; I removed it.

While finishing my project near this spot, Meriden Parks Department employee Rob Zebora happened by. He was heading up to Castle Craig to lower the flag to half staff in memory of First Lady Rosalyn Carter, who passed away this week at the age of 92.

During our chat, Rob noted the two trees along the road around Merimere Reservoir which had fallen. He was concerned they would make plowing the road difficult should it snow, and planned to notify the proper department to have them removed from the road.

I told him to not bother; I would take care of them on the return trip.

Quality work at volunteer prices!

Surprises

 

A pleasant fall day for a hike, whether five miles or nine.

Visit #1452, Sunday 19 November 23, 7:30-10:25AM, 5.1 miles, 1.2 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 40s rising to the low 50s, sunny and calm.

Today, the Meriden Parks and Recreation Department was hosting a hike (The date was changed to Sunday the 19th due to Saturday's weather). I had no plans to attend although the lure of pizza was difficult to resist. Instead I started early and planned to be done before I might cross paths with the hikers.

Instead, I was caught in the act of my roadside trimming by Kathy Matula, Recreation Director for the Meriden Parks Department, and Dave Cooley as they were driving by in a city van posting directional signs for the hikers. Boy, was I surprised!

I finished an hour of trimming then hiked toward Castle Craig. Enroute I came upon my first Find of the Week.

I passed by this spot enroute to my trimming so it must have been lost between 8:00 and 8:15. The Cosworth embroidery reminds me of the Cosworth Vega, Chevrolet's mid-1970's attempt at a sports car, and the font is similar but I can't tell whether the hat is related. I'll wash the hat, drop it off at Goodwill, and always wonder whether the owner's name was Cosworth.

Just a bunch of feet away from the hat was one of the directional signs placed by Kathy and Dave.

I continued walking up the road you see and came upon Find of the Week #2.

Surprise- it's a dead black snake, roughly five feet long, using my pole saw for comparison. I imagine the snake had a late night on the town and couldn't find his way back to the den or his wife locked him out, and he froze to death.

(Aside-I rode my bike up to Castle Craig yesterday and the snake wasn't there at three-ish Saturday afternoon.)

Well, what's a guy with a sick sense of humor to do with a dead snake? How about give the hikers something to talk about?

Surprise! Unless he comes back to life or sobers up, he should be a topic of conversation among the hikers!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Checking Off That "To-Do" List

 

Did I get everything done on my list? Yep.

Visit #1451, Saturday 11 November 23, 7:30-10:15AM, 3.8 miles, 2.3 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 40s, rising to the low 50s, sunny with a slight breeze.

One month ago, I reported on a stolen Meriden Water Department sign at the south end of Merimere Reservoir. I sent in a work request to have the sign replaced, via the city's work request web link.

After several weeks of no reply or results, I took matters into my own hands. I contacted the Meriden Parks Department instead and asked for them to hook me up with a sign that I would install myself. They came through with flying colors.

But when I picked up the sign I was expecting a metal sign like this one:

Instead, I was given this flimsy plastic sign. This would never last. Budgets must be tight.

So as to not seem ungrateful, I bit my tongue and accepted the sign with a smile. Then I set out to correct this faux pas.

I bought a piece of galvanized sheet steel and glued it to the sign. First I had to prep it.

Hopefully the 3M Super 77 will withstand the environment.

 I even spray painted the exterior wood screws and washers, although in retrospect I think it was overkill and a tad visually unappealing.

I packed up my modified creation and set out for Hubbard Park.

Last week I received an e-mail from Kathy Matula, Recreation Coordinator from the Meriden Parks Department. The parks department was hosting a hike in Hubbard Park and she requested some trail maintenance on one particular trail. Happy to oblige,  I would pack my chainsaw for Saturday's hike.

Lastly, I wanted to continue with my roadside trimming along the roads to East and West Peak. I'm almost done with this multi-year project. So along with the sign and the chainsaw, I brought along my trimming tools.

Now to put it all together and wipe off that To-Do list!

First was to attend to Kathy's trail request. Late in the week I received a phone call from her; she and some friends marked the trail and removed some of the fallen branches and trees that I was initially tasked with removing. Did she take the gravy and the turkey bones for me?

I was reminded of the lyrics from Nils Lofgren's song, "Keith Don't Go". Keith is Keith Richards, guitarist for the Rolling Stones. Keith's drug use was affecting his health and his death was a distinct possibility. Nils's song was a plea for Keith to get his act together so as to not die and abandon his fans.

(Besides a long solo career, Nils Lofgren is the lead guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's band).

The song line goes-

Keith don't go

Don't take my fun

Well, did Kathy and crew take my chainsaw fun away?

I found some of their trail markings.

I also found the stencil they used for other trail markings. Took me a while to figure out what it was because at first I thought it was a self-cleaning litter box 😀. I trust leaving this was unintentional. I packed it out along with other litter I found.

Anyway, while I did use my chainsaw a few times, I saw nothing which would label me a trail hero.

Reaching the bottom of the trail I walked the road back up to West Peak and cleaned up the parking lot.

Among the litter there was my Find of the Week.

I almost violated HIPAA laws and didn't obscure the patient's ID!

Besides back problems they have kidney, heart, and ahem, "other" issues. It's nice to see they're concerned about their health, taking Vitamin C and a multi-vitamin, although author Catherine Price would take exception to supplemental vitamins. I've read this book and it is truly revealing about the vitamin industry. She also writes about our addiction to our smart phones. I've read that as well.

Links to the drugs and their usage are below.

medical cannabis

Nitro-Bid

Nitrofurantoin

Oxybutynin

sildenafiL What's interesting here is the paper lists the sildenafil ending in a capital "L" yet everywhere

else I look it's lower case. Maybe the "L" represents the erection you'll get when you use it?! Maybe it's just a typo.

I then turned my attention to my roadside trimming for an hour. I had previously trimmed around this sign for improved visibility but was not satisfied, so I returned and trimmed some more.

Now on to replacing that missing sign.

I hung it a bit higher, out of reach of idle hands.