Fabulous Weather

The weather today was perfect: 50 degrees, sunny and dry this morning. Some dry leaves are falling, but most are still on the trees to create a picture-postcard dappling of sunlight on the trail.

Near I-95

Today: 13 miles. This year: 1275.5 miles.

Arlington Town Day 2007

Arlington Town Day 2007 (pdf link) started this evening. Tonight's festivities included activities at Spy Pond Field and fireworks over the pond. Tomorrow there are the usual booths and entertainment along Mass Ave in Arlington Center, a 2.7 mile run, library book sale, and more. Read the brochure!

Fireworks over Spy Pond

Today: 16.5 miles. This year: 1205 miles.

Shorter Days, Lower Sun

The days are still long enough that it's full daylight when I leave the house at 7:30. They're also short enough that there's plenty of time to see the sun rising through the trees along the trail.

Between Revere Street and Parker Meadow

Yesterday: 23 miles. This year: 1175.5 miles.

Shorter Days, Longer Shadows

Behind Mal's Auto Body

Today: 13 miles. This year: 1131 miles.

Excavation at Woburn Street

Construction along Woburn Street in Lexington has reached the trail. An excavator was cutting a trench across the end of Vine Street and Hayes Lane this morning, stopping just short of the detoured bikeway crossing.

Today: 13 miles. This year: 1118 miles.

Heads Up!

I wore no hat today under the solid overcast, so of course a mature acorn crowned me near the Bedford end of the trail this morning. A full-size acorn doesn't weigh much, yet packs a quite a sting after falling thirty feet.

Someone repainted some of the distance-from-Bedford markings at half-mile intervals recently. They're fresh up to four miles from Bedford, old and faded after that. The full-mile marks nearly agree with the mileposts -- they're each within sight of the matching milepost without lining up exactly.

Eastbound approaching Hancock Street

Hancock Avenue in Lexington dead-ends at the trail and was a handy place to park while skating. And it will be again, once the full reconstruction and repaving are done.

At Hancock Avenue

I skated against the clock on Tuesday and Wednesday to reassure myself that I can still keep a 5:30/mile pace over long distances. A steady pace and minimal coasting let me strike small obstacles much harder and raise my chances of a fall. Even without falling, the staggering and flailing that follow these impacts really strain my shoulders. I'm backing off.

Today: 13 miles. This year: 1075.5 miles.

Lost? Forgotten? Discarded?

I expect I'll never learn the story of these skates.

At Hancock Street in Lexington

Today: 24 miles. This year: 1023 miles.