Browse Category: New Jersey

An Early Saturday Morning at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation

Is that a porta-potty on my shoulder or am I just happy to see you?

Since it has been decided by unanimous executive decision (by me, myself, and I) to prepare for the Hyner Challenge 50K as best as possible over the next two months, today was my first of 8 planned weekly “long” runs. The object of this plan is to build up my distance each week until I reach the goal of 31 miles at the race on April 21. This is the plan of a lunatic, but I won’t get into that now. Maybe I’ll address the lunacy as I move along in the plan.

If you peruse my blog posts over the past year, it quickly becomes evident that one of my favorite places to run is Mahlon Dickerson Reservation. It’s close to home. It has varied terrain. I usually do a 6 mile loop there. So it made sense to start with that loop on my return to training after my latest injury.

Below are some photos from the trail with a few more comments mixed in.

Follow this link for a video from the same morning: February 24, 2018 – The Birds.

Good running conditions today
Around mile 3

Of course, my ankle was bothersome while running. That’s my new norm. My legs where a bit tired. My aerobic capacity has declined due to inactivity. Weighing 226 pounds now doesn’t help anything.

Beaver Brook

While writing this post I learned that a beaver’s home is called a “lodge.” I guess you could say I relearned it, because when I looked it up I thought, I knew that. But that spoiled a pun I was going to make for the next 2 pictures. I was going to say, “Beaver Dam” for the first and then, “Damn Beaver” for the second. You know, because the damn thing is eating the hell out of that tree. But that bit of wit got “lodged” midstream by my reacquired knowledge.

A beaver lodge
Beaver damage

What is interesting about the next 2 pictures is that one half of the sky was covered by clouds and the other half was perfectly blue. There was a demarcation directly overhead. When I faced the direction of the clear sky, my surroundings appeared more colorfully and the blue of the sky was reflected off the wet trail. (The photo does not do it justice.). When I faced the opposite direction toward the cloudy sky, everything looked bland. If you had seen me at that point, turning 180 degrees back and forth, you would have sworn I was lost. I was simply amused by the color observations.

Facing the blue sky
Facing the cloudy sky

And then there is graffiti on a tree. These letters were either sliced long, long ago and have expanded in width, or someone carved them with a spoon. Logic says it’s the former. I hope “JW” is still remembered.

Is that a “J” or a “V”? Did someone’s Volkswagen die here?

That’s a wrap until the next batch of photos from the woods.

Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 5 of 5 [PHOTOS]

Just a few more photos.

This time my son, Tim, joined me on the six mile loop through the woods. He could have run circles around me, an overweight guy with a gimpy ankle and 24 more years of age. But he was polite enough to not do so.

Please see Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 1 of 5 [PHOTOS]
for a few words on Fall running at Mahlon.

Enjoy these photos from November 3, 2017.

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Is that an optical illusion or is my head really twice as large as his?
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A section of the trail was lined with these pretty pink leaves that were enjoyable to run through.
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Closing out these Fall running photos with the most beautiful and tranquil one of them all.

More on Mahlon Dickerson Reservation can be found here:

Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 4 of 5 [PHOTOS]

Please see Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 1 of 5 [PHOTOS]
for a few words on Fall running at Mahlon.

Enjoy these photos from October 28, 2017.

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I do not recommend eating a lot of Sicilian pizza for lunch before running.
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I DO recommend running if you have the kind of physique that shows you like eating a lot of Sicilian pizza… like I have.

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A lot of trees are bare now.

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More on Mahlon Dickerson Reservation can be found here:

Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 3 of 5 [PHOTOS]

Please see Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 1 of 5 [PHOTOS]
for a few words on Fall running at Mahlon.

Enjoy these photos from October 27, 2017. I did my usual 6 mile loop but ran it in the opposite direction for a change.

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Lots and lots of leaves on the trail

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More rocks that are not visible during the summer

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Shadows are getting long. Racing against the sunset again.

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The three mile mark

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I had hoped to get to this pond before the sun set…
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… But I was too late.

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Ducks

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I love this one.
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Don’t leave your garbage in the woods. It really doesn’t fit with the scenery. I carried this two miles out to a garbage can.

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I not sure if it’s me that smells so bad… or something else around here.

More on Mahlon Dickerson Reservation can be found here:

Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 2 of 5 [PHOTOS]

Please see Fall Running at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation – Part 1 of 5 [PHOTOS]
for a few words on Fall running at Mahlon.

Enjoy these photos from October 19, 2017.

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Saffin Pond
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Lots of leaves on the rail trail section

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Since it’s hunting season…
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… I wear my bright orange arrow-resistant shirt.

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Still a lot of green on the trees

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A problem with the Fall is the shortening of daylight hours.

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As the foliage disappears, more rocks and other features of the landscape appear.

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Lake Hopatcong off in the distance
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The glove has been there for months. Now there is a pair of spectacles as well.
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Chasing the setting sun over the last mile of my run

More on Mahlon Dickerson Reservation can be found here: