Hiking to Castle Craig at Hubbard Park in Meriden, CT

Hubbard Park in Meriden offers hikers the opportunity to hike to one of the highest peaks in the east within 25 miles of the Atlantic. Castle Craig, and the spectacular views of the central Connecticut valley await. The castle can be accessed via several trails starting in Hubbard Park. It is also part of the blue blazed Metacomet Trail. For those that make the climb, they will be rewarded with views that span from Massachusetts to the north to Long Island to the south. It is quite spectacular, and well worth the effort.

The path to Castle Craig includes a more direct trail hike, as well as paved trail. The paved trail (closed to vehicles) must wind around the local reservoir, so it is quite a bit longer. We elected to take the trail up and the road down. If time is a concern I would recommend taking the trail both up and back, although the paved road is a much gentler trip. The trail maps at the start of the trail within Hubbard Park leave a little to be desired. They do not show all the possible trails. However, if you goal is to reach Castle Craig, as long as you continue to go up, it's a good bet you will eventually hit it. Overall I estimate the trip was about 5 miles, but I have now official measurement.

The trail is moderate hiking. There are some steep areas with some loose stone. Although do-able by a reasonably fit adult, the trail proved difficult for the some of the younger children in our group (ages 3 and 5), and necessitated some carrying by the stronger adults. The 9 and 15 year old did not have an issue. Although a bit difficult, upon reaching Castle Craig at the top all agreed the effort was worth it. Hey, the difficulty makes one appreciate the view from the summit even more.

There was some whining on the long paved trail down, but considering all the kids spent about an hour running around the park playground at the conclusion of the hike, I suspect the limited whining that did occur was not due to tiredness.

Hiking Hubbard Park to Castle Craig was a good family experience. Just be aware that it may be more suitable to the older kids. If you are prepared for some carrying, by all means bring the littlest ones. I recommend this location for an enjoyable day hike.

Morning Golf at East Mountain Golf Course, Waterbury, CT

The Facts:
What: 9 holes, walking
When: 7-26-2008, 7 AM
Cost: $20
Where: East Mountain Golf Course
171 East Mountain Road
Waterbury, CT
203-753-1425
Tee times accepted.

3 friends and I picked a great morning to take in 9 holes. The weather was perfect. We teed off at 7 AM, so the dew was still on the greens.
East Mountain Golf Course was a challenging course. Although the course is tucked into a residential neighborhood, there is plenty of length to the holes. The layout was not filled with imagination, but it was acceptable. The par threes were especially tough, measuring 188, 203, and 137 yards respectively. The greens were in excellent condition, but the sand and fairways could have been a little better. Not unusual for a municipal golf course.
The course appeared well run, with friendly, unpretentious staff. We teed off right at our tee time. The course was busy, but definitely not too crowded.
Although I did not partake, the facilities did include a small restaurant and bar.
I would definitely go back to East Mountain Golf Course, and I recommend it for anyone looking to grab a round in the Waterbury area.

Urban Sprawl: Wildlife Habitat Down 11% since 1985

Yesterday I received the latest issue of Connecticut Wildlife magazine. Connecticut Wildlife is a publication produced by the Connecticut DEP. The magazine has articles about all the various wildlife projects being undertaken in the state. It is published every-other month. At $6 for a 1-year subscription, $11 for a 2-year, and $16 for a 3-year subscription, it's a great value. I recommend the magazine for anyone interested in local wildlife. You can get more information about the magazine at www.ct.gov/dep.

There was an interesting article in the July/August 2008 edition. The article described a new technique the DEP has enlisted for estimating the amount of land within Connecticut suitable as habitat for deer. The article explained that overall deer habitat is down 8.1% from 1985 to 2002. That's a span of 17 years. If we extrapolate that out to 2008 one can assume that habitat would be down 11% from 1985 to today. That may or may not seem like a big number to you. However, keep in mind that for the last several years, the state of Connecticut has actually lost human population. So while the human population has declined, habitat loss has continued. Also, although the overall number was 8.1%, Hartford County lost 26.2% and Fairfield County lost 15.1% of available wildlife habitat. Those are big numbers. Even while continuing to lose human population, Connecticut has managed to become the second most developed state, behind NJ (Some sources have CT as the 4th most developed state.).

I don't know the exact cause or answer to the problem, or even if it is a problem. However, I suspect that it is indeed a problem, and I strongly suspect that the relatively rapid loss of habitat is an indicator of an important issue facing the state: Urban sprawl. The issue of urban sprawl in Connecticut is not getting enough serious attention from our politicians. Urban sprawl is one of the greatest single threats to lifestyle here in Connecticut. It is exacerbated by a local property tax system that encourages development. Quality of life in Connecticut will be impacted if we continue on the current trajectory. New Jersey has already seen the lose of quality of life. NJ law makers have now begun to take the issue seriously. Connecticut would be best served to do the same.

I recommend checking out the Connecticut Wildlife magazine.

The GE 5K Road Race Benefiting the Petit Family Foundation -- Plainville, CT

Today I had the opportunity to be one of the ~2100 runners competing in the first annual GE 5K Road Race. Even with a 9:30 AM race time, temperatures were oppressively hot and muggy. No matter. The event went off great, and considering this was only the first annual race, I expect it to only get better in the future. The race included a kids run, a standard 5K road race, and a fitness walk. The cost was $30 with all proceeds going to the Petit Family Foundation. The race had many local sponsors that were quite generous. Free drinks, food, and various items were available. The post race festivities included food and music. Even if you were not a runner, it was a fun event for the whole family. I do not do many road races, but I definitely plan on participating in this one again next year. If you are considering entering the race next year, I strongly suggest pre-registering.
One note: The kids fun run was a little chaotic, in a comical way. Many kids were more eager to take off than a race horse at the derby. The organizers had everything they could do to keep the kids behind the starting line. Under these circumstances, the race organizer made one crucial mistake: While trying to explain to the kids how the race would start she used the words "Ready, Get Set, Go". Her intention was to explain to the kids that when they hear that signal they should take off. However, upon hearing these magic words, even out of context, the eager kids immediately broke from the starting line. The organizer tried in vain to re-group the kids for a re-start. Eventually she just gave up and let the mob take off. It was a funny moment. Each kid that completed the run got a medal.

Rolling Greens Golf Club -- Rocky Hill, CT

The Facts:

What: 9 holes, walking

When: 7-16-2008, 5:30 PM

Cost: $17

Where: Rolling Greens Golf Club, 600 Cold Spring Road, Rocky Hill, CT

One key word describes Rolling Greens: Tight. Rolling Greens is a 9-hole public course. The course includes a small pro shop and restaurant with bar. The course is totally surrounded by condos. Some of the condos are so close that they must get regularly pelted with golf balls. This makes for a tight, and challenging course. Rolling Greens is not short. It is standard distance. However, because of the narrow fairways and frequent, sharp dog-legs, the driver can not be hit off the tee on many holes. If you like to haul off and whack your driver, this is not the course for you. If you enjoy the challenge of course management, you will appreciate Rolling Greens.
The course was in good shape overall – nothing out of the ordinary for a small public course in Connecticut. The tees and greens were in good shape. The fairways were ok, but hard. The sand traps were a little hard. Because of the condo roads meandering throughout the course it was at times difficult to locate the next tee. Some of the holes required a significant walk from green to next tee. Not a big deal, but a minor annoyance. One negative I did notice was the lack of water in some of the ball washers. That’s a pet peeve of mine.
We arrived at the course at about 5:20 PM. We were on the tee by 5:30. There was absolutely no wait. It was as if we had our own private course.
Although the course will never be mistaken for Pebble Beach, the low crowd, fair price, and decent shape will bring me back to play Rolling Greens again.

The 19th hole was better than expected. The bar was well populated for a Wednesday night. It appears as though a lot of the condo residents patronize the bar separate from golf. Just be prepared for $4 bottles of beer.

Equipment Review: Schwinn Airdriver 1100 Bicycle Pump -- Piece of S*^t

A bike pump is an essential piece of equipment to bring along on any camping trip that includes bikes. It's quite frustrating to hop on your bike in anticipation of a nice ride around the campgrounds and find out that the tire is flat. Regardless of how diligent I am about pumping up the tires before the trip, somehow at some point during the camping trip we almost always end up re-filling with the pump for one reason or another. My previous two bike pumps broke. The Schwinn Airdriver 1100 is the third bike pump I have purchased in the recent past. My first two pumps were cheap no-name pumps. This time, I decided to spend a little money and upgrade to the Schwinn name-brand pump. I bought this pump at Target, and I recall the price being around $30. This pump has the standard bike connection, and also includes a built-in needle that's intending for pumping up balls and the like.

This pump has been a big disappointment. I do not recommend buying it. If I had inspected the product closer before my purchase, I would have noticed that the valve area is 100% plastic. The plastic connection valve is not able to make a strong connection to the valve stem of the bike tire. As a result, the connection leaks and you can not get enough air in the tire to get it up to the pressure required. Although this pump has a fancy design and the Schwinn name brand, it is your typical made-in-China-use-the-cheapest-plastic-possible piece of junk. Not unusual for many hard-line products available at Target stores. If you need a pump, spend your money elsewhere.

Readers can ignore this one. Just a post to set up a technorati account. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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A Note Regarding the Writing in This Blog

Just wanted to let everyone know that most of the writing in this blog is of the brain-to-finger-tips-to-keyboard style of writing. I have a full time job and a full time family, so I don't always have all the time necessary to craft perfect posts. Sometimes you may notice a stream-of-consciousness style. Other times you may see some grammatical issues, or an occasional spelling mistake. I want to take this opportunity to apologize in advance, and ask you to bare with me as I try to add content to the site.
As always, if you see a mistake, feel free to point it out in the form of a post. I'll do my best to make corrections.

J

Campground Review: Independence Day Weekend at Lone Oak Campground in East Canaan, CT

Let me start off by saying this was one of the most difficult camping trips I have ever done, and it was little fault of Lone Oak campground. Overall we managed to have a good time, but the trip was one incident after another. On Thursday I packed up the kids (ages 3 and 15) and towed my pop-up camper north to Lone Oak Campground. As I was registering in the office, the rain started. By the time I got to my wooded site it was pouring rain. I set up everything in the rain while trying to keep a precocious 3-year old from getting soaked. After getting set up, it was time to eat. Luckily I had planned ahead and pre-cooked some ribs. All I had to do was heat them on the grill. As I started getting everything set up I noticed that our site had no picnic table. Ugh! We survived with the little table from the pop-up. After dinner the rain stopped. We were able to walk around the grounds and check out the playground. I stopped into the office and they took care of the missing picnic table. That night we were able to enjoy a nice campfire. In my haste to get into our site I somehow inadvertently ran over something that bent the frame to the camper stairs. My wife was joining the next day, so luckily I was able to call her and have her bring the tools I would need to repair the damage. We had a good night's sleep (although it rained hard during the night), but for some unknown reason, upon awaking the next morning the 15-year old decided to jump up in his bed. The impact shook the whole camper. This dislodged our propane stove, a secondary stove I had resting on the main stove, as well as a Coleman lantern I also had on the stove. All 3 pieces of equipment were broken. I was able to repair the lantern, but the damage to the two cooking devices left us only with a grill for cooking the rest of the weekend. Aaargh! There went our plans for a big breakfast on Saturday morning! Later that day the misfortune continued when I got my keys locked in my car. Needless to say, this trip was quickly turning into something out of a Chevy Chase Vacation movie. On Saturday we awoke to more rain. By this time our site had a significant patch of mud, but it was far enough out of the way that we could mostly avoid it. We took a trip to the movies to see Wall-e while it was raining. Fortunately, when the movie ended, so did the rain. We returned to Lone Oak and had a good time playing in their swimming pools and playground. The day's activities concluded with a ride in the Lone Oak fire truck. My 3-year old loved it.

So, the trip was a little rough. But what about the campground? Lone Oak was well run, clean, and well managed. With all that being said, it was not really the campground for me. Typically when I go camping I look for some natural resources like a lake or hiking trails or a river, etc. Lone Oak does not have any of those features. Therefore, they must make up for it in activities. To their credit, they do a good job organizing softball games, DJs, water balloons, volleyball, etc. All that stuff is great for the kids. It's just not the kind of stuff I look to do on a camping trip. Generally I like to explore and enjoy the outdoors. Maybe do some hiking, or bike riding, or fishing. If that's what you're looking for, Lone Oak is definitely not the place for you. However, if you want a place that can keep the kids busy, definitely check out Lone Oak.

On the plus side, Lone Oak offered all the services any camper could want. They had a full deli, store, ice cream shop, rec hall, 2 pools, a large playground, a small outdoor movie screen, and a full bar. My son especially enjoyed the pool and the playground.

On the negative side, the sites themselves leave a little to be desired. They are close together with many seasonal campers. I was especially unhappy with my site since it featured several roots, and more mud than most sites. Also, since it is so geared towards kids, you can expect a lot of teenagers to be prowling around. I had forgotten how moronic a group of hormonal teenagers get when in groups, but I was quickly reminded. Although sometimes annoying, they were generally harmless. One final negative I need to mention is the price. I paid $236 for a electricity and water site (no sewer) on a holiday weekend (3 nights). I understand those are holiday rates, but I could almost have stayed in a hotel for that price.

I stayed at Lone Oak because I had to attend a birthday party at a home very close to the campground. However, I don't think I will be going back. It's not due really to anything Lone Oak did or did not do. It's just not my kind of campground. If you are looking for an activity-based campground that caters to the children, I would recommend considering Lone Oak due to how well it is managed. However, be sure to consider the high price in your decision. If you are looking for a true experience in nature, look elsewhere.

The Seasons in Connecticut

The great outdoors is not the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Connecticut. However, as I sit here in the middle of summer contemplating the different outdoor opportunities available in the area, it struck me that Connecticut could get a little short changed as an outdoor destination. True, Connecticut does not have the dramatic land features of the west. True, Connecticut can be overcrowded. Despite these realities, opportunities for great outdoor adventures exist. The small size and great diversity of the state offers variety within driving distance. Ocean beaches, lakes and rivers, wooded forests, and mountain trails are all accessible for a day trip.

For me, each season brings a different set of available outdoor options. In the summer I am able to devote a lot of time to camping and golf. Hiking, fishing, and trips to the beach are also annual rites of summer. As the leaves change, hiking becomes an even more attractive option. I also look forward to the fall hunting season. Last year I chased pheasant and deer in Connecticut. In winter I fight cabin fever with ice fishing and a rare ski trip. In spring, I count the days until the spring turkey season opens. Later this summer my wife and I plan on tackling our first kayak adventure together.

My point is, that each season brings presents us with different outdoor opportunities. I plan to take full advantage to what each season has to offer.