Saturday 22 November 2008

40°F, 4-4/9°C. Calm, cloudy with occasional glimpses of sun. No precip. Noticed a sign on the trailhead board that said "trail closed just past Crocker trailhead." I don't know why that would be, I suppose the result of flooding, or perhaps trees down? I'll have to go down and look. My runs don't take me that far.

Vet bridge no. 2, 1:15:41.41. I didn't feel too bad in this, got through the whole thing going fairly slowly. I was pretty tired by part 7, but slogged on through and finished. 

Not too many people on the trail today for a Saturday morning when it's not raining.

I heard what sounded like gunshots both on the way out and back. On the way out I thought it was coming from beyond the highway in the area near Arline Rd. On the way back it seemed to be closer to Orting than that, but in the Arline road vicinity. It's hard to be sure, as it could be an echo. Surely it is not legal to be shooting anywhere down there?

Saturday 26 July 2008

51°F, partly cloudy, promising to be a cooler day, perhaps with a bit of precipitation.

Vet Bridge No. 2 in 1:12:13.67. Felt terrible for some of it, especially the last two or three parts. But I did finish. Between the mile markers, I timed myself, and got about 13 minutes. That was on the way back, definitely not the best part of my performance, but still - - 13 minutes. Oh well. Slow and steady wins the race.

I saw the every day bike guy at about part 2. He made a show of looking at his watch. (On trail at 8:25) "A little late, isn't it?" he said. "Yes, we are," I replied. He was well past me at that point, behind me, I heard him cry with joy "weekend!" For some reason I found this very uplifting, and revelatory. He must work M-F, and perhaps his rides are just exercise. I used to think he must be a commuter. But I've seen him on the weekends often, and have gotten quite familiar with what he looks like, so I recognize him now. We are on similar schedules.

When I reached Arline, beginning part 3, he was coming toward me again, this time on the road from the Carbon River direction. He waved, I waved, he turned toward Highway 162.

No hat today, the shaved head shining.

Saturday 19 July 2008

58°F, slight breeze from SW, overcast. On the trail at 0910.

Pal was hunting in the usual place, no sign of IHK.

Morning glories are coming out now, big white trumpets. Lots of wheelers.

Vet bridge no. 2 in 1:13:07.37, I felt OK if a bit sore, and remembered that I always make it, and did.

The pillow case is gone.

Saturday 12 July 2008

65°F, very sunny, blue sky, calm, a lovely July morning. On the trail at 0830.

Vet bridge no. 2 -- 1:16:04.42

Many, many wheelers. Few with the understanding of the need to warn pedestrians (fat old joggers) before passing within an inch of their left elbow.

The pillowcase still rests in the cedar trees. Morning glories are growing around the base of the trees.

I felt fairly well through this, had some thoughts of quitting in parts 7 and 8, but no real prospect of same. I took yesterday off from a combination of laziness and what I think of as sciatica. This is a nagging pain that starts in my right lower back, goes down through my butt, outside of my right leg, behind the knee, and all the way down to the top of my right foot, although it's more intense up higher. I did take a nice walk in Brannon Park yesterday, though.

Friday 4 July 2008 Independence Day

60°F, cloudy, breeze from SW, humid. Nice day to run.

Morons are already making too much noise (1241).

Vet bridge no. 2, 1:13:24, which I think is respectable.
Part 1 - start to crossroads
Part 2 - crossroads, past Bar King, to Arline Rd.
Part 3 - to Keating bridge
Part 4 - to Picnic area
Part 5 - to Vet Bridge no. 2 (see photo right)
Part 6 - back to Picnic
Part 7 - to Keating
Part 8 - to Arline
Part 9 - to crossroads
Part 10 - to finish



Worthy of note: new wildflowers, some white ones and some new dark purple flowers that look like tiny foxglove. Also, tiger lilies at the south end of the beehive field.

Baby raccoons near Picnic, 3 little ones frozen, apparently scared, perhaps motherless, next to the trail. Couldn't figure out what it was until I got close, then realized I was looking at six little eyes in black masks, looking at me. They stayed so close together they looked like one six-eyed furry animal with three raccoon tails.



By the time I got to part 9 I felt pretty tired, and part 10 was mostly a blur, until I was overtaken by a young man piloting a motorized wheelchair. He had two dogs, one on a leash and one in his lap. The leashed dog was Theo, sort of a large blond terrier, and in his lap was Squee,(I hope I got his name right) a small dog -- I'm not good on breeds. He stayed with me until the finish line when I went to a walk, and he went on ahead. He said the dogs didn't appreciate the morons with their fireworks, and had been pretty frightened by the thunderstorms Wednesday and Thursday.

Which is the lame excuse I used for not running yesterday, there was a thunderstorm and hard rain, my knee hurt and I just didn't feel like braving all that. Knees have been rocky this week. Today they seem OK. It may be the adjustment to the new orthotics.