Training Log Archive: Fanatic

Hiked on the bike trails to the south of Reservoir Road in Lenox. Light drizzle when I started but gone after 45 minutes. The trails were a bit wet, but not much standing water anymore, so there was less getting off-trail to get past water.

Didn't see anyone else today--Sunday must be the sleep-in-late day.

Four short outings today, all screwed up a bit by unexpected rain. Colette and I were hoping to hike in Sheffield, but I hadn't brought rain gear, so we drove to Simon's Rock and walked on the track for a couple of miles. Then we went back to Sheffield where we did get to explore a new trail heading out to Black Rock, a town-owned section of the forest. Alas, the trail didn't go exactly where we wanted to go, so that was a short two-mile hike.

Long story short that type of exercise continued for a couple more outings, so rather than post them all, I've consolidated them.

After my shower, a close examination of the body revealed a tick... Promptly took care of that.

Multiple loops on the condo grounds.

Walk with Colette out past the black cows and back.

Just started right from the condo today--up the hill and into the cow pasture, past the water towers and onto the trails. Numerous wet spots today that slowed me down as I tried to keep the feet dry for as long as possible, an impossible task, since it was raining for most of the hike anyway.

Met an interesting character on my way out of the forest--guy with an old-school backpack, leather jacket, a bag filled with beer cans and a long-handled potato fork. He said he used the fork for cleaning out clogged waterways and picking up trash.

He said he's lived in Lee for over 50 years and now spends about 6-8 months of the year camping out in the woods. He also pans for gold.

Most interesingly, he claimed that there is a network of roads underground in the Berkshires, all centered around the former GE plant in Pittsfield, and that GE used them to move things around without being seen--defense work, he claimed. I'll have to keep my eyes open for those. ;-)

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move284059626

C • Tunnels 2

Drove to Alford Springs, a BNRC property in Alford. Very well marked trails to hike or run on, but I also did a bushwhack to find a geocache.

Only one fairly short section had a bit of mud and standing water, otherwise the trails were soft, but dry.

My running is pretty feeble and doesn't happen on any uphill. But I'll keep trying it.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move283916229

Walk in downtown Pittsfield while waiting to drive some students back to Simon's Rock. Light rain meant that it wasn't that warm, nor pleasant.

Walk with Colette on the condo grounds.

After-dinner walk on the condo grounds. Amazingly, the sun was out.

Walk with Colette out to the black cows and then a bit more on the condo grounds.

Drove to Goose Pond Road in Tyringham and hiked south on the Appalachian Trail for 4+ miles and then retraced my route.

Met three section hikers on the trail and one turkey.

I seem to have forgotten how rocky, rooted and wet the AT can be around here, but I relearned all that and more today.