Hard to believe I haven't posted anything for nearly three months, but that's the case. It's not that I haven't been doing things, I guess it's more that the things I have been doing haven't been particularly blog-worthy. If you read many blogs, you'll appreciate just how not-interesting things have been.
I did get out and do two relatively interesting runs over this weekend; one on Friday that was an exploration run on the Pacific Crest Trail where I haven't been before. The other was Sunday, after the weather changed. I think it might have been the change that prompted me to think about writing; summer in the Sierra is definitely over, and autumn may be short lived. Who knows, but when there is snow on the trail on September 22, things are definitely no longer summery.
First, on Friday I went south on the PCT with my intended target being Raymond Lake. Preliminary map-looking made it appear to be an approximately 15 mile round trip. Close, but it was a little longer at 17 miles. I don't know why, but despite both eating and drinking more along the run, and eating Endurolytes and Advil like Good 'N Plenty, my southern parts twitched, spasmed and all out cramped repeatedly on the return. As a result, I ended up walking close to 4 miles on the way back. My ego would have been sorely bruised, but I had the trail to myself the whole time. Immediately after leaving the parking area, I saw no one for 4 hours. Bliss.
The views were spectacular:
I did get out and do two relatively interesting runs over this weekend; one on Friday that was an exploration run on the Pacific Crest Trail where I haven't been before. The other was Sunday, after the weather changed. I think it might have been the change that prompted me to think about writing; summer in the Sierra is definitely over, and autumn may be short lived. Who knows, but when there is snow on the trail on September 22, things are definitely no longer summery.
First, on Friday I went south on the PCT with my intended target being Raymond Lake. Preliminary map-looking made it appear to be an approximately 15 mile round trip. Close, but it was a little longer at 17 miles. I don't know why, but despite both eating and drinking more along the run, and eating Endurolytes and Advil like Good 'N Plenty, my southern parts twitched, spasmed and all out cramped repeatedly on the return. As a result, I ended up walking close to 4 miles on the way back. My ego would have been sorely bruised, but I had the trail to myself the whole time. Immediately after leaving the parking area, I saw no one for 4 hours. Bliss.
The views were spectacular:
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Parts of the trail were challenging (as you can see above) and given the gusty winds bringing the change of weather, I really, really didn't want to trip. Tripping would have resulted in a Bad Time. Seven miles up a trail in a wilderness area is not where one wants to fall/slide 100s of feet down a mountain face.
I think the elevation profile and the elevation gain overall are a bit more than reality. The GPS can only get so close to where you really are, and when you're traversing a steep slope, the approximations laterally can easily translate to tens of feet up and down.
I think the elevation profile and the elevation gain overall are a bit more than reality. The GPS can only get so close to where you really are, and when you're traversing a steep slope, the approximations laterally can easily translate to tens of feet up and down.
On Sunday, the weather had definitely changed. The temperature at the start of the run was a brisk 36°F. Thankfully, there was no wind. My route went around Spooner Lake, and the mist off the water provided a great first view for the run. The trail wound up and up, until we encountered snow. Once I caught some of the other runners who were waiting at the saddle, we then did the big climb to the top of Snow Valley Peak. The name was fitting, and the view was worth the slog.
As an aside, you can see the respect my presence generates in fellow runners. It's no wonder I often run solo!
As an aside, you can see the respect my presence generates in fellow runners. It's no wonder I often run solo!
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All in all, the weekend was a great time running, despite the change of season. Who knows, maybe the pressure to meet my annual goal will let up... Nah. If you want to see more photos from this and other runs, check my Flickr site.
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