An Overnighter

It is hard to believe, but it has been 2 years since our last “official” Bimbler multi-day training run, the renowned Mohawk-AT Fastpack of 2006. Hence, some, particularly Ultra, were itching to recreate the experience. In an effort to cast a wider net, he planned a less aggressive and more casual run, with a minimum of running whilst wearing heavy packs, and a somewhat limited number of undulations. Still, it is the fall marathon season, and it is a Grand Slam year, etc… so it was difficult to get a large group together. In the end, there were only four of us who hit the trail: Ultra, me, Lamb, and Fruit Punch.

After performing my traffic control duties at the newly revived Stony Creek Road Race (Congratulations to The Barron, Booman, Allstate, gaZell, and a cast of hundreds) I headed out for the weekend adventure. I only got lost once, well, only once on the drive to the VERY rural abode of Downhill and Ultra. In relatively short order we were on our way, with a quick stop at NCO to try (unsuccessfully) to replace a broken piece of gear for Ultra. We had the opportunity to wish Ticket well at Breakneck, and we were back on the road again for a short drive to Wyassup Lake.

We planned to run south from the parking area, on the Blue Trail (Narragansett). We did run south from the parking area, then north, then south, then north… you get the picture. Having no luck finding the Blue Trail southbound, we changed our plans to run northbound on the Blue Trail. We had no problem finding the Blue Trail northbound.

The forest was very nice, the undulations small (until they got big), the footing not-too-technical, and the water crossings plentiful but easy. The CT Walk Book says that once you achieve the local high point, there is a spectacular view across the lake and out to the ocean. Having scaled the hill a little faster than Ultra, I waited for him at the “scenic overlook” and waited, and waited, and waited. I eventually came to the conclusion that he must have not stopped to enjoy the view, and hence run right past me! Well, the CT Walk Book indicated that the campsite we were seeking was just a little way past the “scenic overlook” so i was confident we would meet up there. After several more undulations, twists and turns, and shouts of “Ultra!” and “WooWooWoo!”, and no hint of the campsite, I grew a bit apprehensive. Finally, I heard a shout in the distance, and was reunited with Ultra, Lamb, and Fruit Punch. We then backtracked to the “scenic overlook” to restart our search for the campsite. Let it suffice to say that the folks who authored the CT Walk Book guard their best campsites vigorously. If not for Ultra’s GPS, and Fruit Punch’s superior sense of smell, we would still be searching. It was ultimately worth the search, as the site yielded distant views of an undetermined pond, a nice firepit, ample seating, split firewood, a couple of tent sites, and a very well maintained lean-to.

We then proceeded back to the north on our run, where we met a family who were learning orienteering. Eventually, we turned around and ran back to the car. We then picked up our HEAVY packs, and made our way back, uphill, to the campsite. I opted for the lean-to, while my three companions opted for the tent. While I went on a trek to filter as much water as I could carry, Ultra gathered supplies for the campfire, and Lamb and Fruit Punch practiced guarding our campsite. Upon my return, Fruit Punch issued the canine equivalent of an authoritative “Who Goes There!” in the waning light, and after licking my shins, decided I was eligible for entry to the site. Dinner was cooked and the fire was set ablaze shortly after sunset. We enjoyed the fire, and the beautiful CLEAR skies, with bright moon and a multitude of stars, before settling in for a chilly evening.

I think the scent of Lamb and Fruit Punch (or maybe me?) kept all forest critters, large and small, away for the evening. I have never slept out in the open without being bothered by racoons, or porcupines, or at least mice, before. My sleep was occasionally interrupted by the honking of geese on the distant pond, but this just enhanced the idyllic surroundings.

Unfortunately we awoke to a dim sunrise and RAIN, which was definitely NOT in the forecast.

A hearty breakfast for all brightened spirits (sleeping in didn’t hurt either). When we finally shouldered our packs, Ultra conjectured that the Sunday Morning Dog Runners were already sitting at Common Grounds, getting warm and dry. We trekked back to the car to drop our heavy packs, and miraculously found the Blue Trail southbound. It was as obvious as it could possibly be! But instead of following it, we drove to a point somewhat north of Saturday’s turn-around, with the plan to run further north, into the very cold, very wet morning. Those plans were brought to an immediate halt when we were greeted with a sign at the trail warning that the Blue Trail passes over the property of a hunting club, and that October is hunting season. Not sure of the legality of Sunday hunting on private land, we got back in the car and headed further north, to the general vicinity of Green Fell Resorvoir, and ran throughout this section of Pachaug State forest, on three different Blue Trails: The Narragansett, The Nehantic, and The Pachaug, as well as several connector trails. The land was quite flat, but very scenic, with lots of variety: wet, dry, soft and piney, rocky, fire roads, single track, mountain laurel “tunnels” and a beautiful lake in the middle of it all. I did much of the shivering for which I am infamous in the cold and wet but enjoyed it all thoroughly. Eventually, we found another campsite which was a goal for Sunday’s run. The setting was beautiful, with a nice stream and small “swimming hole” adjacent, although the lean-to was not quite as well maintained. We finally headed out of the woods back toward the car on a trail we were pretty sure would take us to the car… The good news: It did! The bad news: it didn’t do so before Ultra had the opportunity to lose the car key! Fortunately, he had stashed (another) spare. I think Ultra must have been a Boy Scout (always prepared). Lamb and Fruit Punch kept us safe from frightening wild animals by hunting and devouring them while we retrieved the spare spare key (see photos). A quick drive home, and I was ready for a good night’s sleep by 6 PM, but opted to eat dinner first.

Many thanks to Ultra, who is a gracious and generous trail host, freely sharing his Blue Trail “hidden gems” with the rest of us. I highly recommend a return trip for the benefit of more Bimblers, even if just a day trip. It is always fun to run new trails, and the drive was not bad at all. I think it might be nice to construct a 2 day run, similar to our Mohawk-AT loop from the multitude of trails in this area.

I could not figure out how to insert pictures here, so here is a link to Ultra’s pictures. Sorry about how sloppy the page is, I have never used Shutterfly before, and I can’t figure out how to transfer the pictures to Picassa…