Supersized: A long day on a CT Blue Trail

These long days on the trails are becoming the “norm” for my training during these last days of summer. There was no hesitation  from me to commit to all day on the M.T. Forrest is on a long distance training mission and I thought I’d tag along and endure it with him. He was looking for some technical ups and downs. This course had plenty to offer. This run is a repeat of the F.E.A.R. run of last Dec. Which consisted several Bimblers bimbling with headlamps starting at midnight.Fortunately it was a full moon and we could run through the woods without using our headlamps. This was very cool chasing your moon shadow. Unfortunately there were tons of trail puddles and it was chilly. After 12 miles I decided to bail from the run because I was wet and cold. So I’m excited to try this course again on a warm summer day.

We did some simple planning and created four aid stations along the course at the road crossings of Rte. 79,77,17,68. This worked out well. We had P.B. and j on whole wheat or bagel, Gatorade, pretzels, bananas, plums, cliff bars and blocks and plenty of water. “Eatin’ like a horse”. My water intake on the trail has increased a lot and is working out well. “Drinking like a fish”. There was Lefty, Shelly girl, Allstate, and Iggy joining Forrest and I at the start. They were committed all the way to Renee’s Way where their car was stashed. We had a car at Rte.66 and I was committed to eventually get there.” Run like a turtle”.

We started by 7:30 a.m. at Miller’s Pond and headed south on the M.T. The blue trail for the next 8 miles offers some nice easy running with some challenging short steep climbs and beautiful white quartz outcrops. There are lots of ferns growing along the trail with several brook crossings. Bear Rock is at mile 2 at 660’ ft. There are nice views on top but it was foggy. At mile 4.5 there is this huge Indian Cave called Cognichaug Cave. No doubt Native Americans once dwelled here. Though they didn’t drink from plastic bottles which filled the fire pit. Carry in Leave in? It should be Carry in Carry Out! At mile 5 or so we hit asphalt for about a mile. We cross rte.79 and hit up our first aid station for water refills. We then head up the hill to go back into the woods. After a steep climb up and around and up past the slippery rocks to the top of Pisgah Mt. (644’) at about mile 7. Still fogged in so there is no view. Pisgah is a nice exposed summit with views westward. Run down and down through a narrow small valley and up towards Mica Ledges. We pass this gigantic boulder called “The Pyramid” which it sort of looks like one. There is another steep ascent up to the Mica Ledges. You cruise the ledges for about a mile. We pass the Selectmen’s Stones which is a pile of stones that are initialed with selectman from Durham, Guilford, and Madison. This is a boundary marker for those towns and they have been putting these stones here for along time.  I guess for good will. Somewhere around mile 10 we leave those guys and head out towards the Bluff. Forrest and I continue on the Blue Trail in a southerly direction through the “mine field”. This is an annoying spread of rocks on the trail that you hop like hopping through tires in boot camp. Then up the trail to the jct. with the Genesee Trail area. Here we start heading westward on the blue trail through “Broomstick Ledges”. This is a nasty section of trail with small gut sucking knobs of hills and sharp rocks. We spit out of the woods at rte.77 at about 12.5 miles.

The sun is trying real hard to shine and burn off the fog. We are at another aid station. I’ve got to eat something even though I’m not hungry. The P.B.and J. was pretty good and so was the banana. We filled up our bottles and off we go up the “Escalator”. This is a very steep climb up from the parking lot. Forrest suggests the trail needs maintenance here. Once past the climb there is more uphill then a steep descent then another short steep climb. Once on top of the cliffs of Bluff head the fog was gone and you could see for miles. You could see long Island Sound to the south and the hills and ledges we just conquered to the east. Some more scrambling up a boulder and then your up on the Totoket Mt. plateau. (720’).There is some good running for the next couple of miles till you reach the jct. of L.P.T. west. This is the edge of Bimblerdom and few Bimblers have dared to venture beyond this point. I’m scratching my arm from the bee that just stung me. The best is yet to come. Soon the blue trail descends Totoket Mt. steeply like a roller coaster ride going down the track. The trap rock on the trail on this side gets very rocky and rolly. Mainly on the steep ups and downs for the next 12 miles or so.

The rte.17 aid offers more relief. Especially after another long stretch of road. We note that we are making good time and having fun. Its warm out now and the sun is starting to blaze. Its 12:30pm by the time we head out after snackin’ and hydratin’. Up we went shuffling towards the top of Pistapaug Mt. Once on top the blue trail starts heading in a more northerly direction. This is part of the M.T. that I always wanted to check out. So I’m excited for this section. A mile or so later we are heading down into Paug Gap and then straight up Fowler Mt. After yet another steep climb we get to the top. The views towards the west are really nice and this turkey buzzard is flying right over our heads. Another mile goes by and we descend sharply and cross an abandoned farm road (Wadsworth Farm Rd.). It is said that George Washington and his Army once used this road for travelling to Boston during the Revolutionary War. My belly is tweaking a little from last nights dinner. I’ve been trying to get rid of the pesto pasta and having a hard time at it. Anyway I stray off the trail and Forrest notices that and gives me a holler. I bushwhack through the woods to catch up and notice the trail now ascends very steeply up to TriMountain State Park. This is a park on the ridge that has no real entrance other than the M.T.  Tons of rocks rolling under our feet on this section going up. I yell up to Forrest who doesn’t seem to be a bit bothered by the incline. And tell him I’m taking my time up this short steep one. (Yet another gut sucker). He agrees but does not hesitate to keep moving forward. Once on top of this ridge the views even got better. TriMountain has “Three Notches” so this part of the ridge run had like a “rollie pollie” effect with short ups and downs with grassy flats. Soon we hit Tilcon land and the trail goes around the quarry and down into Reed’s Gap. We are at rt. 68 and about 23 miles in on our journey. It’s getting hot and the trail goes along the road for a little bit. The traffic is heavy. This is our last aid and last stretch of trail. There is about 6 miles to go and recognizing this it gives me a sense of relief. We stopped probably for too long. I tried sitting down for a couple of minutes but this was a mistake. No sense of trying to get comfortable when there is more trail to cover. I admitted to Forrest that I was tired. As soon as we headed out of the gap and across the R.R. tracks the trail goes up again. The blue trail goes up the backbone of the Beseck Mt. ridge. Once on top the views got even better. Running quickly turned into shuffling which turned into a fast hike which turned into mush. Much of my uphill energy was shot and my right calf was cramping up on those uphill rock hops. I definitely yelled out loud in pain a couple of times. So we shifted our pace to a fast hike. The ski lifts at Powder ridge are getting rusty and the landscape is overgrown. “Oh once upon a time “the memories of skiing here were shared. Heading due north the trail meanders right along these high steep cliffs with more beautiful vistas. Black Pond vista at mile 27.2 offers spectacular views south from where we came and west and north to Mt. Higby (892’). The sky is clear blue and the day on the trail is almost over. The blue trail now descends the ridge and goes down towards rte.147 and rte.66. We still have a good pace and I mention it seems like the day just started. Out of the woods and onto a busy hiway intersection. The blue trail has a personalized pedestrian road crossing here. We press the button on the poll and all traffic stops for us as we cross. Its warm and I’m beat up and still smiling. We scramble to find the trail on the other side. It’s sort of hidden but we soon find it and something else. Low and behold it’s a sign post for the blue trail with a map box on it.  Forrest is curious to see what maps are in the box. Well the map was not of The M.T. but of the A.T. A map version I’ve never seen on the A.T. It was put out by the Department of The Interior. It is a cool map. Forrest and I each grab a map to take home. Might this hold the key to what is to happen the next weekend of Forrest’s training? The trail up to the parking lot seemed to go on for ever. Though it was less than a half mile. We hit another “mine field” section of trail. Then we notice a spur trail to the car. Forrest and I thanked each other for a great day on the trail. We both felt satisfied with our accomplishment. After a quick stretch we got into the car and drove to Miller’s Pond. I complained a little about my legs feeling beat. We decided to go for a swim. The water was a little warm and was unbelievably clear. This was a great way to end the day.

This was by far one of my longest runs both in hard miles and long hours. Many sections of this course have short steeps up and down. Which pose a great challenge for anyone training for an ultra. The capability of the human body to stay moving forward for long periods of time on your feet is simply amazing!

Suds

Run Report: Mattabassett Trail Miller’s Pond to Rte.66 – Sunday August 30^th, 2009

Weather: Foggy start upper 60’s, Sunny finish lower 80’s

Trail Conditions: Mostly dry, slippery rocks.