Today, as a nooner before the holiday weekend, I was able to do a really cool route with lots of climbing on C-Hill with a couple of people who could take the day off. And a dog, who can always take the day off. Calling it the 9x8, it covered a bit over nine miles in the general shape of a figure eight — in that there were two loops that interesected. The loops weren't even close to the same size and not even close to smoothly curved, as the image of the route below amply illustrates. So work with me a bit, suspend your disbelief and go with the name, ok?

Out of the 9+ miles covered, I think the total flat distance was about 5 feet. There was nothing but up and down, up and down (see elevation profile). Awesome. We did get to play on new trails too. The upper part of the EZ Trail was only just completed a few weeks ago. I think we were the fourth set of runner footprints on it. (Yesterday, when scouting it, I think my prints might have been the first.) It's a sweet downhill, and not a bad uphill either. The constructors did an outstanding job, and I really like the rock work. Too bad I didn't have enough speed to make the jump worthwhile. Dave Norvell did, and so did Gino. I didn't tote a camera to capture it, but I will next time.
Dave killed it on the downhill and after waiting a few minutes for us, we all regrouped at the base of Kamikaze Grasshopper. This is a tough but fairly short climb; I almost made it. We then closed the first loop by zipping back down EZ, then we hooked up with 12-Gauge to Shotgun Canyon.
As we were making our way up Shotgun Canyon, I spotted a single track branching off to the southwest. Our trek immediately became a Recon Run, as there was no doubt in anyone's mind that we would take the new trail. Yay! Recon Run! Joe dubbed it the Three Amigos. (I am wondering who he is leaving out? Himself, Dave, Gino or me? Hmmm...) I really liked that trail, as it is runnable in its entirety, a single track and avoids the nasty, too-steep climb up Shotgun Canyon over to Longview. It may get a bit marshy in the spring, though. There were a lot of grass and willows at the top. After being pointed down from the top, Dave again took off. We were so slow, that he was done and gone before we returned to the cars. Nice running with you Dave!

The route we took (Trail names are identified in the ccrunners_routes.kmz file (a Google Earth file) on ccrunners.com) started at the CMS track and encompassed the following (in order, in case you want to replicate): 
Fire road south, Rusty Bucket Spur, Cheeky Monkey, North Goat Trail (that's a walk-up), Flag, Flag High-Way, EZ-Trail, Fire Road northward, Kamakazie Grasshopper, Back on the EZ, 12-Gauge, Shotgun Canyon, Three Amigos, Longview Canyon, Kingsview Bypass, The Mark of Zorro back down to the Fire Road and out to the road. On the way back, we took the small single track to the east of the fire road, to (1) avoid a dog on the fire road, and (2) not retrace as much as possible. 
The run was great fun, and definitely a redo in the near future.
BTW, if you have a Garmin, I can make the course public on connect.garmin.com for download. 

Yesterday I got out for a short jaunt. The plan was a 4 miler with a day of rest (today) before a longer run on Sunday with a group. (Being the first run with a group in several months. We'll have to see how that goes.) I planned to do the CMS Short (& Steep) Lasso (route is on ccrunners.com in the downloadable kmz file). As I started out, I met the Ladies von Rumph out for a walk with their dogs, and in the brief chat, I was told in no uncertain terms that Today Would Be The Day, and the Kamikaze Grasshopper would be run, by me, to the top, for the first time. 
To make a not very long story even less long, that prediction proved out. I was able to run to the top. (average 26% slope (max 37%) for .25 miles, on a rough single track). I wasn't worth a crap once I got there, as my overall time was probably slower than when I would walk parts. Regardless, I conquered it. Now, to repeat. And do it faster. And do the whole lasso faster. And no blow chunks in the process.
See ya Sunday on McTarnahan.