WHOA - SNOW!
1.4 Mile Walk at Beaver Lake Nature Center
2.2 Mile Walk at Green Lakes State Park
Saturday, December 13, 2008

Tonight Ann had a holiday party to go to near Syracuse and even though I wouldn't be going this year (tomorrow starts at 4 AM so I can be at the Ward Pound Ridge Rservation by 8 AM for this year's Gail's Trail Run) I drove out to Syracuse last night so we could spend some time together during the day. When I got to Syracuse I really wished I'd thought to tell her to bring her skis - there was a good six inches of snow on the ground, and the weather today would have been perfect for some XC skiing. Oh, well. I did have two sets of snowshoes with me, but in the end we didn't walk far enough to really warrant to work of unpacking them and putting them on.

Beaver Lake Nature Center




click for larger image



After breakfast we left Ann's truck at a park-and-ride and headed west to the Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville. It's part of the Onondaga County Park system and I've wanted to go there ever since I first read about it last winter while doing research on another Onondaga park, Highland Forest. (Ironically, this morning was the Last Chance Trail Run & Pancake Breakfast at Highland Forest, which is where I was really introduced to what a wonderful park that is last December.) Beaver Lake includes 9 miles of trails, a 200 acre lake, and a nature center offering a variety of activities and programs. In the winter it's a popular area for XC skiing and snowshoeing.







It was pretty crowded when we got there, as it turned out they were hosting a pancake breakfast and a chance for kids to see Santa Claus. We explored the nature center briefly - a pretty cool place with lots of displays about local flora and fauna. Then, armed with a map of the trails, we headed outside for a short walk. We started out on the Lakeview Trail, which makes a figure 8 and has two viewing platforms for looking out across Beaver Lake. From there we headed down to Hemlock Hollow, which had a few more hills (though nothing too long or steep) and also let us walk an out-and-back along the Bog Trail, which would probably be a lot more interesting in warm weather. It was a great morning for being outside - sunny and not too cold - and the trails were beautiful.







Afterwards we headed back indoors - the breakfast was over, so it was considerably less crowded - and spent a while looking at the displays, including tanks with some turtles and a small snake. We were also able to get into a room which looked out at the bird feeding area, and spent a while watching a multitude of squirrels, doves, finches, sparrows, and juncos chowing down. A fun end to a really nice visit... given how close this park is to the Thruway (only 10-15 minutes) we'll definitely be visiting it again.





Green Lakes State Park





Ann and I first visited Green Lakes a number of years ago and I finally managed to get back there this past summer to explore a few more trails than we'd walked previously. It was a no-brainer to go there again today, since it's not that far from where she'd be going to the party this evening. After lunch we headed over there to walk around the lakes before calling it a day.







Unfortunately, clouds had moved in, leaving us with not only a much greyer day but also a much chillier walk. After checking out the huge flock of geese on the lake we walked the trail along the shore, passing a few other folks out walking and a few folks out on their skis. Lots of great views of Green Lake, which is meromictic (no mixing of the surface layers and deeper layers of water in the lake) and contains a good deal of dissolved minerals which absorb various wavelengths of light entering the water, leaving only the green light to reflect back to the surface and giving the lake a characteristic green color. We finished up a bit before sunset, which meant we were treated to a bit of color in the sky and also saw several deer coming out for their evening snacks. Another nice walk at a park I hope to get to visit more often in the future...


click for larger image





And then it was time for Ann to head to her friends' house and for me to head back to Albany. It would have been nice to have more time together and especially time to go skiing or snowshoeing, but I'm still glad I made the trip out there to be with my sweetheart.





JMH

ICE & WATER
5.7 Mile Run at Five Rivers
Friday, December 12, 2008

No school today, and for a good reason - ICE. A lot of places lost power, but I got lucky, even though there were a few branches down (and even one small tree) when I drove down the street this afternoon on my way to Five Rivers.





Debated a bit about where to run and finally decided on Five Rivers because it's relatively close, relatively flat, and running routes there are easy to modify if needed. I made sure to pack my screw shoes to deal with the ice on the trails... that turned out to be a good idea! The drive over was uneventful, other than minor detours around some limbs and in one spot sagging power lines. Lots of ice everywhere, except the road (fortunately!)







I started out heading down to the beaver pond and discovered the recurring challenge of the day - portions of the trail were underwater. No surprise, given that the pond was the highest I've ever seen it. Crossed the bridge and got damp feet getting to dry land on the far side. I had planned to go down the boardwalk and circle the pond, but the fastmoving stream covering the end of the boardwalk changed my plans very quickly. So instead I headed back across the road and out on the trails along the stream, which was also very high.









The further I ran, the more apparent it became that dry feet would be impossible, so eventually I gave up and just took to plowing through the cold water while getting pelted by falling bits of ice. Everything was very pretty to look at, with sunlight coming down through the branches and making all the ice glitter. I took the North Loop trail through the woods and had a long stretch where there was nothing but water to run in... brrr. Good thing I wore my thermal socks... once I got out of the water my feet warmed back up fairly quickly.











Looped through the woods and fields on the Wild Turkey trail and down to the Sunfish Pond, then headed back along the access road, where I spotted several deer and possible a fox or coyote (all I saw was his back end disappearing into the bushes.) Hopped back on the Vlomankill Trail for a last stretch along the stream and back down toward the Beaver Pond, then up the hill to the gardens outside the visitors' center where I spent a few minutes watching the birds and squirrels at the feeders before heading back to the car, dry shoes, and some well-deserved lunch/dinner.









JMH

UPDATE: Patrick Rothfuss' Heifer International Fundraiser
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The response to Patrick Rothfuss' fundraiser continues to be incredible... as of my writing this, the total is over $42000 with one day to go. The current total can be found on his donation page at the Heifer International site; you can also make a donation there.

It's almost hard to believe that in such tough economic times so many folks have stepped up and given money to this worthy cause (I know that being a bestselling author and having great prizes for the lottery helps, but still...!) Sometimes I get more than a bit cynical about the selfishness and stupidity of people as a whole... things like this give me hope that may not be as widespread as I sometimes think it is.

JMH

6 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Tuesday, December 9, 2008

After a couple of days of fairly cold temperatures, we had a (relatively) warm one today, though more than a bit windy as the cold air moves out and the warm air sweeps in. A good night for a run. Unfortunately much of the time my legs felt like they'd been filled with concrete. So it goes...

If it's not raining too hard tomorrow I'll try for another short run, maybe over on the bike path...

JMH

Don't You Just Hate It...
Sunday, December 7, 2008

... when you suddenly find yourself chained to a bunk bed across from a viscious velociraptor with no idea how best to delay imminent doom? (Because, let's face it, you're a goner, no matter what happened in Jurassic Park. In the end it's gonna be raptor-1, you-0.)

Well, good news... there's now a web quiz which will allow you to plan your strategy for just such an occasion, so that if it ever happens - you can live a few seconds longer.



Apparently I'd last a whopping 95 seconds... must be the years of martial arts training, though I can't recall ever practicing self-defense for use against lightning-quick razor-taloned dinosaurs. Heaven knows I haven't a chance of outrunning the critters!

I could survive for 1 minute 35 seconds chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor

Created by Bunk Beds.net

What the heck, at least it made me laugh!

JMH

WINDY & COLD - BRRR!
Sunday, December 7, 2008

As we listened to the wind blast through the trees this morning we began suspecting that Braddock Bay was not happening... stepping outside to brush the snow off the car confirmed that, since in the wind it was bloody freakin' cold! So instead we went to the Crescent Beach Inn for brunch (we had a gift certificate we needed to use before it expired) and enjoyed the incredible holiday display in the dining room (Ann was bummed I didn't bring my camera) and the sight of the wild waves on Lake Ontario from inside a nice warm building.





Later in the afternoon I did spend a while watching the birds at the feeder that I put up out front last winter (actually, the feeder that replaced the one I put up, since that one was chewed apart by the squirrels...) Only sparrows and juncos, but fun to watch all the same.





We'll have to visit Braddock Bay another time, when the weather's a bit more hospitable...



JMH

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Holiday Lights on Atlantic Avenue
Saturday, December 6, 2008

A couple of years ago Ann heard about an incredible holiday lights display somewhere east of the city and we spent a while one evening driving around looking for them, with no luck. This year she caught a news story about it - apparently it's the last year the family is doing the display - and got the address, so after checking it out on Mapquest we headed over there tonight to take a look.









My standard of comparison is my parents' house, where my dad has over the years filled the yard, roof, and every other available space with holiday lights and figures... I don't know how they afford the electric bill, and I generally think it's a little over-the-top, though he seems to get great enjoyment out of it, so it must be worth it to him. When we first walked up to this house, it was heavily decorated compared to the rest of the neighborhood, but looked like quite a bit less than my parents' house. Then we walked around the side and to the back yard... holy cow!











All I can figure is the folks who've done this year after year must really love it for some reason... it's got to be a ton of work and cost a fair amount to run. But maybe they love the pleasure it seems to bring people, especially kids. I know Ann and I were glad we went to see it, especially if it's the last year they'll be doing such an incredible display.





JMH

1.6 Mile Walk at Black Creek Park
Saturday, December 6, 2008

Got off to a late start so no stopping to run on the way to Rochester... bummer. Another week of pitiful distance.



After we'd done a few things around the house Ann and I headed over to Black Creek Park about an hour before sunset to walk a bit. Between the cold and the ever-increasing darkness we kept it pretty short... it was a grey dreary day in any case, and other than a few birds zipping through the trees we didn't see any critters.



Tomorrow we're hoping to go up to Braddock Bay along the lake and walk some of the trails... it's a stopover point for migrating raptors, so maybe we'll see some cool birds.



JMH

OPTIONS, OPTIONS, & MORE OPTIONS
Friday, December 5, 2008

Well, my plan to go for a run after work tonight was scuttled by my falling sleep after getting a home and having a quick bite to eat. Guess I'll have to try to get in a run on my way out to Rochester tomorrow morning...

But that's not to say that the evening was devoid of outdoor-related goodness, even if it came trickling in via Cyberspace. After I woke up from my nap I found all sorts of running and riding-related items in my e-mail inbox, including

• the first of many e-mails regarding the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Racing Series which begins (we hope) on Sunday, December 28. This one's a no-brainer for me, since I love running with the WMAC crew... the question isn't really which races will I do but rather which ones I'll skip so I can get out to Rochester and spend time with Ann. (note to self - get race registration for Woodford mailed out!)
  
• an e-mail from the Goose Racing/Roads Are Poison folks about registration not for a snowshoe race but for the annual Muddy Sneaker 20k Trail Race in mid-April... there are only 150 spots so they hold a lottery each year in late January/early February. I'd like to run Muddy Sneaker someday, but I think this year I'm going to once again try to get to the Muddy Moose 14 mile race in New Hampshire. Mort and Tim's e-mail also mentioned the upcoming Frozen Assets 5k Snowshoe Race (as well as snowshoeing part of the course recently) which I'm hoping to run again this year. (2nd note to self - get race registration for Frozen Assets mailed out!)
  
• notification from USA Triathlon regarding the 2009 Duathlon Nationals in Richmond, VA on April 25-26. Saturday features a variety of off-road du's and Sunday is the on-road championships. Why do I care, since I obviously don't have a prayer of actually being competitive in a field like the Nationals would provide? Because not too long ago the du coordinator for USA Tri sent out an e-mail saying they'd like to get 2000 people at Nationals this year (compared to 200 at last years races... heck, the Rochester Classic Du's manage numbers that can compete with that!) and anyone can enter. Richmond's only about an 8 hour drive, and how cool would it be to do the Nationals? Depending on how tough the mountain bike course is I might even be able to do the short off-road race on Saturday and the long on-road course on Sunday... anyway, it's an option I'm giving serious consideration...

But for now I should probably stop thinking about cool places I hope to snowshoe, run, and ride and get to bed to I can get an early start on the drive west tomorrow...

JMH

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...
Patrick Rothfuss' Heifer International Fundraiser
Thursday, December 4, 2008

A while back I wrote about reading a post on Amazon by author Patrick Rothfuss about how he spent an hour or so on a July afternoon escorting a duck and her ducklings on their journey through the center of his town... I have since purchased his 1st novel, The Name of the Wind, though I haven't read it yet (and since it's the first book in a trilogy I'll probably wait for the other two to be released and read the whole thing at once... one of the advantages of having an enormous backlog of books to read.) Some of the things he said in his post made me think I might enjoy reading more of what Pat has to say, so I've visited his blog once or twice a month since then, and recently discovered a fundraiser he's hosting which I think is worth mentioning.

There's a Chinese proverb which translates as "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." That was the first thing that came to my mind when I first heard about Heifer International (on some daytime talk show, I honestly can't remember which one or even how I came to be watching it) a charity organization with the goal of ending poverty and hunger by providing people and communities with a variety of types of animals and the training needed to care for them and then sking that they share the offspring and training with their neighbors. The idea is to provide people with something that can make a long term difference in their lives and ultimately help them to become self-reliant while also encouraging them to help others in their community to also become self-reliant. I think it's a brilliant idea, maybe because I'm a guy who's never had to be hungry a day of his life and pretty ignorant of what it truly takes to help someone living in horrible conditions in Africa or South America, but as a teacher it's always made more sense to me to do something for people in need that can help them change their lives for the better. The fact that Heifer International's philosophy aims for sustainability makes what they do even more attractive to me, and I'd had it in the back of my mind to make a donation to them this year.

Anyway, Pat started a fundraiser for Heifer International in which he would match the incoming donations and provide some cool prizes (various signed editions of his book and so on) as raffle awards. I think he set an initial goal of raising $5000, which probably seemed pretty ambitious at the time.

And then word got out... and money started rolling in... and more prizes were donated by an unbelievable number of authors and publishers... and Pat's fundraiser took off in ways I don't know that anyone ever dreamed it would. He has multiple posts for November and December detailing the additional prizes as they keep coming in, and he has currently reset the goal for $35,000 (as of yesterday he was just shy of the $30,000 mark.) I have no doubt he'll reach $35k by December 11, which means that thanks both his generosity and the willingness of all the folks who've donated, something like $70,000 will be going to Heifer International to make the world a better place for folks living under conditions I'm glad I can't even imagine.

Pat's blog features frequent updates, and his donations page makes it easy to assist his fundraising efforts. Feel free to help him reach his goal and spread the word about supporting this excellent cause, even if you're not interested in any of the "goodies" that are being raffled off.

JMH

6.4 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, December 3, 2008

A good night for a run in the woods - cool but not terribly cold (which unfortunately meant I overdressed somewhat) with a relatively clear sky so that I could see the crescent moon and lots and lots of stars.

I definitely felt the effects of not running much over the last month, both in the fact that an easy six mile run wasn't nearly as easy as it should have been and in that it took some getting used to running in the dark with my headlamp. I think it's time to stop being so lazy and slowly ramp up my distance again... especially given that in six to seven months I'm hoping to run both a trail marathon (NIPMUCK!) and a trail 50k (Finger Lakes.)

JMH

SNOW? SNOW!
10.6 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, November 30, 3008

At least, it was snow for a while... until it turned to rain, fortunately after I'd finished my ride.

Had I known I'd be riding during a snowstorm I would have used my mountain bike instead of my road bike... but really it wasn't that big a deal. Even after over an hour only half an inch or so of snow built up on the path, which just meant I rode slower and was really careful whenever I stopped or had to make any sort of turn. Not too many other folks out, and I suspect those that were (all walking) probably thought I was crazy to be out pedaling. I of course thought it was pretty cool... at least when ice crystals weren't blowing into my eyes (they sting like the dickens.)

Apparently the Canal Corporation has lowered the water levels for the winter - lots of exposed areas on the river that were under water only a week or so ago. The gulls and ducks seemed to appreciate it. Saw three herons hunkered down along the shore... well, two hunkered down and one hunting. And I'm even pretty sure I saw a bluebird... couldn't tell at the time, but that's sure what the photos I took look like.

So not as long a ride as I'd planned, and certainly not a tough workout... but a fun time all the same.

JMH

NOT-SO-LONG DISTANCE 2008 - Race #31
RT Turkey Run 5 Mile
Saturday, November 29, 2008

the short version:

the third year I've run this one, and this year on a new course along the Irondequoit Lakeside Trail rather than on the roads and trails of Mendon Ponds Park, so in some ways a guaranteed PR. Between the new, all-pavement course and my lower distance training this fall, this was another tough one - legs felt tight and cramping for much of the run. Overall a decent time for me for the distance - 52 min 25 sec - but not last year's 48 minutes. Still, a good way to spend some time on a grey Saturday morning in late November - and I got to run someplace new too!

the longer version:

When I first saw Camp Eastman in Irondequoit listed as the venue for this one, I thought it was a typo... but as more info became available it became clear they had changed the race course. I really liked the old course - Mendon is a beautiful place to run (after all, I did 5 races there this year) and the mix of pavement and trail appealed to me. But Ann and I had seen parts of the Irondequoit Lakeside Trail last spring and summer, so I was also looking forward to running someplace new...

The drive to a new race site is always a bit nerve-wracking, but the trip to the shore of Lake Ontario in Irondequoit was uneventful, even downright easy. Found a parking place right away and headed into the heated cabin (ah, luxury!) to pick up my race number and T-shirt. Then I headed down to the shore of the lake to look for a port-o-potty and get a few pictures while warming my legs up a bit before the run. Needless to say the breeze off the lake was more than a bit chilly!

A few minutes before it was time to start we all clustered around the starting line up on the road through Camp Eastman. The RD's comments were brief - a warning about ice and snow on the bridge over Tamarack Swamp and a brief description of the course - and then with a "Runners ready - GO!" off we went down the road.

Lots of gradual downhill for the first mile and a half and tough going - my legs just did not want to loosen up. There were a handful of us at the back, and the group was small enough that I didn't think I'd be seeing too many folks running near me... a couple behind, a couple ahead, and the rest passing me on their way back to the finish line. The bridge did look pretty slippery but fortunately the right edge was fairly clear, and then the fun began - a long climb up the hill on the other side of the swamp. I kept a pretty steady pace and only stopped once near the top to regroup and grab a sip of water.

Once at the top it was a short run down the path and then around a half mile loop through a local neighborhood, then back on the path to backtrack on the way to the finish. Legs started to feel a little better on the long downhill, and I started to close the distance between me and three runners not too far ahead. Over the bridge and then more fun - running back up what had been downhills on the way out. I pushed but not too hard - since I'd never run this path before I didn't want to blow up before the last half mile or so.

During the last mile I gradually picked up my pace and managed to pass all three of the folks in front of me, though the last one was a close thing - I had to really push hard for the last quarter mile to pass her. I'd hoped to break 50 minutes, but not this time. Still, 52:25 isn't a bad time at all for me, especially on an unfamiliar course and given the lack of distance I've put in this fall.

After that I staggered back to the car and changed into a warmer, drier top. I was going to head straight home, but when I got in the car my lower legs started seizing up so I drove down the road a little ways and walked out onto the beach. I was initially disappointed to see that the swans were gone from the lakes in Durand Park, but then I realized that the white spots I was seeing out in Lake Ontario were swans - eight in all. They seemed to be enjoying cruising around out there; I'm pretty sure several of them were asleep with their heads tucked under their wings! Guess it was a good day to be a swan on the lake. As for me, as much as I enjoyed the beach, the lake, and the swans... I enjoyed the warm house, hot shower, and lunch waiting for me at home even more!

JMH

2008 Event Totals
Run 260.7 mi / 59 hr 13 min
Bike 68.4 mi / 4 hr 59 min
Snowshoe 45.7 mi / 13 hr 19 min

states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, PA, RI, VT

A BIT O' FRESH AIR
13.2 Mile Ride Along the Erie Canalway Trail
Thursday, November 27, 2008

It was a grey, chilly day... but it wasn't raining! So after spending the morning helping Ann cook Thanksgiving dinner for some family that would be spending part of the day with us, and then of course eating some of that delicious dinner, I changed into my riding gear and headed over to the bike path along the canal (actually, along the Genesee River at first) to get in a little riding.

Between the not-so-attractice weather and the holiday I had the path to myself much of the time, just the way I like it! Looped through Genesee Valley Park and then headed east along the canal to Lock 33. All in all it felt good to be out in the fresh air getting a few miles under my tires when most folks were probably either slipping into a turkey coma or yelling at the television because their preferred football team wasn't doing so well...

JMH

GIVING THANKS
Thursday, November 27, 2008

I've been trying to be more aware of all the things I have to be thankful for on a regular basis... sometimes I manage it, much of the time I don't. So in the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday...

I've got it darn good. I'm healthy and able to do all the activities I love. I have great people in my life who I care about and who care about me. I have a good job that I enjoy, good people to work with, plenty of food to eat and a warm roof over my head. Can't really say I lack for much of anything, and definitely none of the things that are really important in life.

No question about it - I have a lot to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

JMH

A PRE-THANKSGIVING TRADITION
9.1 Mile Run at the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve
Wednesday, November 26, 2008

At least, it's a tradition if doing it for the last four years makes it one... the first year Ann was in Australia and I enjoyed a great run in the Pine Bush on a warm sunny day. Since then I've gone for a run the day before Thanksgiving - the p[ast two years at Thacher Park and this year at Vischer Ferry.

For the most part it was a cold, grey day... a tough day to get inspired about running. Didn't help that for the first few miles it seemed like most of the wildlife had abandoned the preserve... then I saw ducks, a muskrat, and I think a mink, and I reached the thickets where apparently the birds were hanging out - chickadees, cedar waxwings, robins, cardinals, titmice, bluejays, and a few others I couldn't identify. That helped raise my spirits a bit... I almost always enjoy watching birds.

I ran out to the parking area on the river and spotted a few more birds along the way - some type of raptor, a blue heron, and a pair of mergansers that flew off the moment I came into view. During the run back along the towpath between the old canal and the wetlands, birds were all over the place... many ones I had seen earlier, but also a couple of woodpeckers.

And at one spot I saw signs that beavers have moved in... freshly gnawed trees and what looks like the beginnings of a lodge.

As traditions go, it's pretty low key... but it's a nice transition from the normal work week on Tuesday and the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving on Thursday.

JMH

TRAVELLIN' TURTLE - 2 DAYS, 4 STATES, Part 6
(Charlestown, RI to Albany, NY)
A Visit to NWRS Kettle Pond Visitors Center
3.0 Mile Hike at Devil's Hopyard State Park
Sunday, November 23, 2008

I had hoped to make a short visit to Ninigret Park and the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge (just across Rt 1 from the area of the race) before heading to Burlingame Park, but a variety of circumstances kept that from happening. I did manage to stop at the HQ for the National Wildlife Refuge System in RI - Kettle Pond Visitor Center - right after leaving Burlingame Park, since it's only a mile or so down the road. What I found there was a really great nature center with a variety of hands-on activities for kids and some excellent informational displays for everyone else. I also ended up buying a couple of guidebooks I'd never seen before, including one for a trail that apparently runs the entire N-S length of RI. Would have liked to walk some of the trails there, but with the relatively late start of Lil Rhody (11AM) and a 90+ minute drive to the park I wanted to visit this afternoon, I decided it was better to get back on the road.

I also stopped very briefly at Nature's Art/Dinosaur Crossing a ways north of New London... mainly to take some photos of Monty, a statue of a Tyrannosaurus they have in the parking lot. Someday I'd like to stop there for a bit longer and actually go into Dinosaur Crossing, where they have over 25 life-size dinosaur statues along the trails... sounds like a cool place to wander around!

Devil's Hopyard State Park

CT DEC site for Devil's Hopyard State Park

According to the CT DEC page for Devil's Hopyard State Park, the origin of the park's name is something of a mystery. One local story says that a farmer named Dibble grew hops (for brewing beer) in the area and over time Dibble's Hopyard became corrupted to the current name. Another possibility is that the name comes from the legend surrounding the smooth potholes in the rocks near Chapman Falls - that the devil was passing through the area, got his tail wet in the falls, and got so angry that his hooves burned holes in the rocks. In any case, I'd seen the signs for the park on a couple of occasions in the past, so when I realized I'd be passing nearby on my way home today I knew I had to try to stop there.

With various delays along the way I got to the park a little later than I'd hoped, so the light wasn't the greatest and I was only left with about 90 minutes to walk around and see some sights before I had to get back on the road (I was a little bit worried about getting locked in when the park closed for the night.) Started out by hiking up to Chapman Falls, and got some great views of the waterfall both from a trail leading down to its base and the path up to the top. This was definitely a good weekend for seeing waterfalls in CT, even if the skies were a bit grey much of the time.

After checking out the falls I headed into the woods on a loop trail which included two side trips - one up a steep climb to a jumble of rocks called the Devil's Kitchen, and another to an overlook. The trail turned out to be pretty challenging, given that my legs were a bit tired from the race this morning... a decent amount of climbing, including some scrambling over cool rock formations with some amazing icicles. I opted out of the climb to Devil's Kitchen - probably would have been fine on the way up, but getting back down would have been a problem. The overlook came after a long uphill slog, and I almost missed it... fortunately, I stopped to check my map to decide whether to try to complete the loop or go back the way I'd come (in the end I chose the latter, since completing the loop would have meant at least a half more more hiking than backtracking and daylight was disappearing much too rapidly) and noticed that the overlook was also down a side trail. I almost didn't hike down to it, since I wasn't too keen on hiking back up the same hill just to get back on the trail to return to the parking lot, but in the end I decided I'd be kicking myself if I hiked all the way out there and didn't see the view. And it was well worth it.

After that I pushed to get back to the car both before it got much darker and before the gates were locked (no problem with either, it turned out) and then got back on the road for another hour or so of driving in CT before passing through my 4th state of the weekend, MA, on the way back to NY and Albany.

All in all, I had a pretty good weekend. Revisited some areas I haven't driven through in quite a few years and saw three parks I've never been to before, spent time with some old friends, and had a good (if challenging) run the Lil Rhody trail race. I'd like to spend a little more time in CT and RI in nicer weather - maybe next summer I'll take a few days and head down there to run, ride, and hike in a bunch of places I wouldn't usually get to... this weekend has me thinking that could be a nice change of pace and a lot of fun.

JMH