Training Log Archive: bl

Snow saying "Goodbye!" to Spring

C • So cool! 3

With W over by the Arena in the hemlocks to the west - up onto Norwegian Ridge & back - an area very little used or seen as far as I can tell.

Great Hill from the north side with Beth & W. Full moon tomorrow with rain forecast so we went this eve but no moon - some low cloud banks and new weather coming from the SE. Nice muted colors, actually looked like November. Leaflessness provides great views. Saw/spoke with about 8 young people from Manchester, W breaking the ice so to speak.

Walker with W. Down Br. Londonderry to Eastman, to Stinger, Esker, Eagle, bit of Hemlock, Rookery & back. Shower came down as I was driving over, leading me to think I'd started too late. But it was off and on sun, spring peepers, very nice. No bugs yet.

Found one bagged poop by trail side - along a path way in the woods, far from anything, really. Why bag & leave has been considered. I don't think this was an out & back trail. Not 100 yards further along, I came across another poop right smack in the middle of the trail - poop golfed that one away. The other had presented a dilemma. Couldn't leave it there. Didn't have the where-with-all to push it a ways under an off-trail boulder & hide with leaves - so I carried it along in hand. I noted it didn't smell in the bag. I had a small day pack. Carried it several hundred yards to Eagle, then bit the bullet and put it in one of the pockets in the pack. Later I found an mostly plastic gallon jug (with spoiled choc. milk) - and easy to deal with. Back on Br. Londonderry, I checked out the now abandoned, junked-up area where people lived last summer - on private property right by the (dirt), otherwise attractive enough, road. When they left, much was left behind, much of it useful had it been treated properly. I felt it was fair enough to put the bagged poop right in the center of the mess as a statement of disapproval of what I was looking at: 1, 2, 3

C • Junk spot 2

East End Tr. at Kimball with Beth & W. Another prime spring day. The woods were so quiet - nothing heard for the longest time. Beth & W saw a big bird in low flight briefly, then 2 mallards flying off, a squirrel, a few birds at a marsh and back to nothingness. Didn't see any people. Took two 'stop and appreciate the views'. Two or three places at stream crossings where ice called for considerable care. Didn't try the beaver dam though I don't think it's flooded over yet. 1, 2, 3.

Hammond, Life Trail start around 5pm. Nicest day so far this year - T to 65F, a convertible day. Liked the open field (in contrast to a nasty cold nw wind earlier in the month) and the southwest facing slope on Life that was flooded with sunlight. Some mud, a few places of old ice and snow.

Went to Hopkinton center with Beth & W looking for the town cemetery which was right in the center of town. Had never paid any attention to it but I'd read an article in the local paper about Moses Cross, the long-ago town grave digger/cemetery sexton and eventual official custodian for the Hopkinton militia of yore. He worked at the cemetery for decades and was himself buried there (with wife and son) in October, 1858. The cemetery was lovely with many graves for a small town. I didn't think we would find it first visit but we did.

A link that may or may not work.