Running in the Sun...

...in November! What a fantastic weather day Saturday was. For November 13th, a perfect 10! Bills' Bad Ass 50K was taking place, there was a group run planned for the Towpath, but I needed to get a peaceful, quiet, long trail run in to help deal with everything that's been happening recently and running solo was the only option.

I made base-camp in the Pine Hollow parking lot with all sorts of things to refuel on in the trunk. With all the trails in that area I had many loops available to me and I could stop whenever I needed to. Plus, having a restroom with running water is indeed a nice benefit.

The "Sound of Music" hill was first on my list and I wasted no time running down from the parking lot only to slow to a walk when the grade really set in. I would revisit that later.

I had no distance or time goals. I really only had a vague plan of where to go. After cresting the Sound of Music hill, I turned and followed the course we ran for No Frills Just Hills. While the sun was warming things up on top, the dips and valleys were still frosty in the shady spots. The temperature fluctuations early in the run were dramatic!

After rounding Kendall Lake, I decided to follow the trail up to the Ledges, thinking the lighting on the rock formations would be more dramatic earlier in the day. It was too! Just me, the sun creeping over the top of the Ledges, the squirrels, some birds... and a noise in the distance I just couldn't place.

The noise was constant, and getting louder the further along the Ledges I travelled. At first I thought maybe it was a loud generator up at the shelter.

But as I got closer I began to recognize that incessant whining. A leaf blower! Actually, it was more like half a dozen! With someone to rake and another carrying extra gas too! There was a group of folks blowing the leaves off the trail! That was really the last thing I expected to see that morning. I'm sure it was the safe thing for them to do, to make sure the less than sure-footed wouldn't get tripped up, but it was annoying at the same time. They were travelling the same direction as me and it took me a few minutes to work my way through them all.

Once around them, I followed the signs for the Happy Days Visitor Center and left the noise behind. The Fools 50K goes this way, but I took a right when I should have made a left and ended up going a different direction to get to the Center. No matter, it was where I wanted to get to anyway.

Continuing to follow the Fools course, I passed through the tunnel under Rt. 303 and picked up the Boston Run loop. The parking lot was surprisingly full of cars so I prepared myself to be weaving in and around hikers.

But I never came upon any large packs of people out enjoying the nice November morning. Just a few here and there. I don't know where they were. It was out on the Boston Run trail that things began warming up enough for me to ditch the long sleeve tech shirt I was wearing. I was glad I decided to leave the gloves at the car. They would have just gotten in the way.

Finishing Boston Run, I passed back underneath 303 and ran across the big lawn in front of Happy Days to pick up the trail I had wanted earlier, which I followed back to the Ledges.

There were more folks out exploring the trails now, kids running in and out of the caves and nooks along the Ledges. There were also some amazing patches of breaking sunlight to run through. I could almost imagine following these trails many years ago, before the noise of cars in the distance or airplanes flying overhead.

Once I rounded the other end of the Ledges I began to hear those lovely leaf blowers again. I was wondering if I would catch back up to them. I did. They were just on the other side of the building in the photo below. I took my time approaching them, knowing I would have to work to get past them again.

After finally weaving through them again, tapping the last fellow on the arm to let him know I was there, I picked up the Pine Grove trail. Again, another trail loop we ran on the Fools 50K, but one I hadn't been back on since. This is where I encountered something very interesting. Something I've never experienced, although I've put myself into situations where I might have the opportunity to experience it. The unexplainable.

I was running along, minding my step with all the leaves on the trail, when I heard a child ahead of me on the trail. Looking up, I even saw a kid dressed in grey colored sweats running after what must have been another kid. They weren't right near me, but rather ahead and aside. I assumed the trail did a switchback ahead and I would soon be where they were. Making a mental note, I prepared to make room on the trail as we would pass each other, or to make a pass if we were traveling the same direction. I never passed anyone as I reached the spot I thought I saw and heard them. So they must be ahead of me still. I knew they weren't running faster than me and I would soon catch up to them. I'm not the fastest trail runner, but I was moving pretty good, and kids like to run stop-and-go style.

I never came across any kids. There were no other trails to follow, and I was close enough to hear someone running through all the fallen leaves if they had left the trail. They could have been hiding I suppose, but there were no giggles as I passed that spot in the woods. Nor was there any noise behind me. I could have imagined it, but I doubt it as I'm very tuned in to my surroundings when I'm out on the trails. I can't explain it. We weren't far from the Boy Scout camps that are nearby, so it could have been some boys goofing around. Or it could have been something I simply can't explain. The curious thing is that the thought of having a possible paranormal encounter didn't alarm me one bit. In fact, it felt perfectly normal.

Upon crossing Truxell Rd., I followed the Lake Trail until it met with the Cross Country Trail, which I turned onto. Now I was following the Run With Scissors course. It looked different in the light!

The Cross Country Trail comes out back at the Kendall Hills, and so I found myself back at a crossroads of trails. Decisions, decisions.

Back onto the Lake Trial, I went past the Lake Shelter, through the parking lot, and turned left, following the No Frills course. I went past the spot where the tragic car crash occurred on Halloween morning. While I didn't see any memorials, just knowing what happened at that spot created an eerie feeling.

Once past the lake I picked up the Salt Run Trail. This is a tough little trail with lots of ups and downs, roots, and whatnot. At Fools the trail was mud and standing water. Not so this time. The surface was perfect!

There were more than a few hikers going around Salt Run, but it was still quiet. Just what I had been hoping for. No deer though, and there are usually plenty to see through that section.

After finishing Salt Run I was back out of the trees and climbing the hill to the Pine Hollow parking lot. There I ditched my hand bottle and shirt, re-filled my Fuel Belt, had a bite, and headed back out for more.

Back to the Lake Trail for another loop.

There's an interesting story about this tunnel. You need to walk the trail to find out it's history!

Once more around Kendall Lake and back to the parking lot.

I decided to stop after 20 miles, but I still had a mile and a half to go, so it was back down and up the Sound of Music hill. This time I ran it, digging and pushing myself to the top. That hurt. Then I went down the other side, turned around, and ran back up. Nothing like a little hill work after 18+ miles! That last climb was what did it. I was spent and so decided to use the remaining distance as a cool-down. Back to the lake, but around it to the left instead of the right, onto the little Salt Run section and back out onto the grassy hills.

I was hoping for a little more than 20, but that was all I had in me. Time to cool-down and head home where I might get a little work done outside while the weather was still fine. We did get some work done too. Our wreaths and garlands are now hung for Christmas! I finally saw my deer too. On the way down Quick Rd. a young buck with a short rack stepped out of the trees and right up to the road. I saw him well ahead so I slowed down. He just looked at me. I'm getting closer and going slower and he's just standing there. So I hollar, half to myself, "What ya' gonna' do?" With all the windows down he might have heard me. I guess he decided what he wanted to do because he turned right around and went back into the woods.