Just let it go...

April 29, 2019 - May 7, 2019

Monday (6) - Reflecting on this run, while I could do it, and rather slow at that, an hour after the run my body was NOT happy.  This means the next one will be better and possibly next week and then maybe Shad Bloom.  Jonny puts stupid ideas in my head. 

Don't worry I didn't take all of them, only one package.

Tuesday (1 + 3) - Walked a mile on the treadmill at 6% grade, that works up a sweat and did Booty Core #20, it's been a while since I did a full class.  I felt that!

Jax is saying "Jeez o'Pete, again, again we are trespassing? You better not get me locked in jail, I don't do well in a cage."
We turned around.  Although I do think we were allowed here.
I thought they were no hunting signs.  Jax is clearly a better reader than I!

After work I took Jax to Candlewood Hill State Wildlife Management Area, it is part of the Groton Open Space Association complement of properties, this one is also partially state-owned.  There are no marked trails or trail map.  I was able to find quite a few Mountain Bike segments when I did a search on Strava and also found a heatmap that served well enough as an overall map.  I uploaded one mountain bike ride to Strava to use to guide me along with the map.  I was really looking forward to exploring this.  I knew it would be hilly and that Jax loved hills so we'd have fun.  What I wasn't expecting was the road noise from I-95, it really buts right up to the Highway at the south end of the property.  The noise and OMG the exhaust followed us up the first climb.  I could hear Dave bitching in the back of my mind, and me rolling my eyes (Jax too).  As we went further North in the property it was better, at least the smell was gone if you listened you could hear the road noise.

Heat Map makes it easy to see the trails ridden.
We went as far North as the A.
The blue line to the left of the F - J segment is where we saw the No Trespassing signs.

I'll try this again from the North entrance on CT184, it looks like you can park in the back of a bathroom showroom and access the trails.  There is supposed to be another entrance to the property off the road.  I couldn't see it when I drove by, definitely not going to drag Jax along on a leash along the side of CT184.  You can sort of follow along with the Strava image below.  We had about 3/4 of a mile to go to hit CT184.  Maybe when the trees leaf out it will be better.



Wednesday (1 + 2) - As it goes with my aging body, it isn't the day after it is the day after the day after what you did hits me.   While my body didn't hurt, no joint aches and pains beyond the normal level (annoying), I was tired, exhausted really.  Running a 10K on Monday probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.  I dragged along most of the day, taking the long way to get to the cafeteria in hopes that would help.  Not really. 

From Candlewood.
I'm impressed at how much he is allowing me to take his picture
He's a pretty photogenic fella.

I worked late and then Dave and I took Jax to Burlingame, parking at the Duck Trail (haha Jonny) and doing a Sammy C's, Secret Trail loop back up the Duck Trail to the car.



Thursday (3) - Surprisingly I felt rested when I woke up so taking it easy on Wednesday was the correct course of action.   I wasn't moving very fast for a 3-mile lunch walk/run.  It got my heart rate up a little quicker than expected, but it was pretty warm out being 60F and all.  HA HA HA...

Mean Old Tom - I like it!
I bought this a while ago, not sure why it sat for months before I drank it.
There will be more!

Dinner out with some friends was nice.  Got home to the sound of Dave's bass (yes it can be heard from the front porch - at times all the way to Jeff H's house, 3 doors down, as Jeff has mentioned to me) but Dave's truck wasn't there.  Jax was running around in a panic.  Did a bike inventory, one of Dave's was missing and discovered he left on the recording session with Cedric.  I fed Jax and then took him for a walk.  He was rather energetic for an in town walk, I chalked it up to being home alone at Dog Dinner time.   He's a goof and was remarkably well behaved too.

Friday (2) -  The day that started out with me wanting so desperately to say "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."  I didn't, I thought it, I didn't say it, ok I muttered it, to myself.  I didn't even say it when I scrolled back in the e-mail to find out they knew they needed this documentation Thursday morning yet, waited until 7:30 a.m. Friday to request the documentation from me.  There was no way for me to get this until after 10:00 a.m. and that caused a bit of whining and complaining and we are going to get an observation, IDGAF, I can only do what I can do.

Pole #13 by a dilapidated camp building.
Eerie

I had a lovely 90-minute nap, then Dave woke me up so we could take Jax for a hike.  I needed that nap.  We took a nice walk down the old camp road to Watchaug Pond where we were greeted by two off-leash dogs running around not listening to their guardian.  Eventually, the chaos barked and lunged its way up the single track and we went down to the pond.

Saturday (5 + 3) - Went out to Woody Hill for a mountain bike ride with a plan of 8 (I opted to skip the HS XC course and then I got lost by the quarry) so I made 5.  I'll call it a win.  One of the mud bogs was so deep my back wheel sunk past the axel and then the grinding of grit on the brake pads and disc break started.  For fucks sake (I told you I liked that phrase and will now overuse it, haha) I was happy I overpacked water was able to clean out the brake pads and disc enough to get the breaks working properly again and not grind the pads and the disc.  Fussy things disc brakes but now I want a road bike with them.  So much quicker stopping than rim breaks.

He's a lot less muddy with the last mud puddle to clean him off.
Barney got a bath when we got home.

Dave called and he wasn't going to be joining Jax and me on a hike.  Well, I could say I was sad about this, I was only mad that he waited so late to call.  We went out to a new to us Avalonia Land Conservancy preserve in North Stonington.  There are three that connect, probably a total of 12 miles out and back, so we tackled the closer one and the one with less climbing.  We didn't explore all the side trails and still logged 3 miles and a nice long dip in the river for Jax, I was a little nervous he was going to wade in too far or not come out at all.  60F and humid is not his kind of weather. 

Happy guy in the cool water.  He went in all the way to his collar.

Sunday (0) - Maybe this will turn into something else if the rain ever winds down, but for now (1 p..m.), I'm calling it a zero-day.

The covered bridge from Saturday's hike.

Reading:

"The Grapes of Wrath"
by John Steinbeck

The dialect has me cringing, as does the story.  What a horrible time in our countries history.  Funny how things never really change. 

Knitting:

Finished the first of Dave's pair of socks.  I much prefer knitting one sock on one circular.  I gave it a go with two socks on two circulars and it was making knitting not fun. 

Sincerely,
Beth, huh, that was a pretty full week, perhaps I've earned Sunday off!  Or brownies?  Or beer?  Or all three?