Training Log Archive: bl

Nottingcook with W, in part to look for a leash lost a while back when there was snow. That was a lost cause. Met 3 women walking two dogs. I was resting against a trailside boulder. They were quite surprised to encounter me, sitting there like a lame duck? So solicitation as to whether or not I was ok and with an affirmative, off they went walking and talking a mile a minute.
70+F high.

With W around Kimball Pond CW. Fine April day. Wondered if we'd get across dam - quite prepared to walk back the way I came but it was ok enough. Wet feet assured but decent footing with two sticks. Saw a garter snake which was pleasing. As a youngster, I couldn't get enough of snakes.

C • Native Pittsburgh snake 2

Bear Brook O walk with W from Podunk parking. Along Bear Brook itself, then eventually crossed off-trail, up-contour to a forest track that took me toward Hayes Field, passing right by the start triangle from the 2011 Boulder dash. I was course setter but can't recall the year. Took a coke break at the intersection , then proceeded along the first road to Podunk and back.

The trail along the brook, on the edge of the map, shows detail unexpected for the periphery of such a large map, this part field checked by Alexey Zuev.

I didn't have the energy/inclination maybe? to enter the woods and adopted the different perspective of one passing by, noticing surroundings vs the usual O map absorption of 5 colors, contours, water features, roads, boulders (esp. all things black here) etc. I encountered one pathetically plasticized, tidily-knotted dog poop on a narrow path by the brook in waste-land forest. What goes on in the brain of whomever who left it for forever...

I never met Clark but we occasionally carried on via A/P over the past five or so years. I went to grad school in Chicago in the 70s. I always thought that if I were passing through, we would meet at one of his favorite pubs near Lincoln Park. But time slips away. It’s not to be, and that saddens me in spite of his saying “don’t be sad”. I posted a simple, smiling poem on his log for his 76th birthday.

Goodbye for now. See you in the woods, Clark.

I spent close to 10' wondering where it was I wanted to go. Started toward HNP but passing Stoneybrook made me change my mind. Who woud have known how much "adventure" could be packed into say 1 mile of local woods. Followed Chadwick easement boundary for a while, skirted a swamp, finally following Bow Bog Brook, bailing out on Stoneybrook, where I'd left but walked home as I didn't care to go back for the car, walk into sun etc. Where the stream tumbled down some mossy granite rocks could be the prettiest stream section in town. I'd never been there. I was close to two homes on two occasions. I was chicken to cross the stream on mossy rocks at one point, walked upstream a bit, saw a bonafide bridge & used that, within 100' of the house.

Regreted bailing out on Stoneybrook. I had the idea of getting home thru Corey's backyard as I did maybe 10 yrs ago in winter and was only 2.5 houses way. I turned my back on concluding the 'adventure' of where to bail out from the stream & didn't realize I shouldn't have given up until I did realize it. Too late by then.

From end of WH around the bog, what I couldn't get done last time. Went CCW & stayed along the shore on the second half which had a flat table under a hemlock canopy so progress was pretty easy. The surroundings climbed considerably away from the bog, giving way to hard forest. Not much evidence of human visitation on the second half. Maybe I saw the last vestige of an old SVT but couldn't be sure.

Elm Brook with Beth & W. Fine Easter Sunday weather but not many people there which was a pleasant surprise. Willow met another Willow. We sat twice for a break.