Skunk on the Bridge

Monday morning in the dark dark I was returning across the one lane bridge and as I usually do now I flick on the light to check for my smelly little buddies. I did not see any, though the light must not have reached to the end and I head across. Much to my dismay, just about 3/4 of the way across I sense a little movement on the right hand walk. Flick on the light and sure enough, he is waddling along. His white fur seemed real dull or matted so I must not have seen him earlier. So I just walked slowly behind him.
Whew that was close.

Bushwackin'

Went for a run on Sunday looking for an annoying roster in the next canyon. I got over there and he was not crowing...so I looked for the next adventure. Demonstrating an amazing poor sense of judgement, I saw a line of telephone poles running up the hill and thought..." Ya know...if I just go up there I will get to that satellite road...and" Well I got up the line pretty well and even past it and up another meadow, but then could not find the road I was looking for. So I go around a big rock outcrop and start down a rabbit trail that soon ended. I am stuck in the brush up to my chest.
I bang away and am just struggling with it. I of course had on my shorty shorts and ankle socks and am now getting tore up but the chaparral and sage brush. Really dumb.
Finally I get to a stand of oaks and figure I am in for a Technu bath anyway, might as well brave the poison oak...and finally head down and home.
I looked like I had been in a cat fight. Really funny looking scratches all over my legs in every direction...
Cleaned em real good and they seem to be ok, but a stark reminder of my poor judgement.

Hootin' Owls and Shootin' Stars

Hootin' Owls and Shootin' Stars all week. Plenty dark and nice and clear so the sound travels and you can really see the stars. Saw five on Tuesday morning alone.
Good running. Trying the new mantra...Light Smooth and Easy.

Barefootin in the Dark

Barefootin in the dark and a shooting star. More to come...

First Rain of the Season

We got a big storm today...big for us and the first real rain of the season. I started out in a light sprinkle. The moisture made all the smells different and was a nice still and calming influence. As implied...I started out in a light sprinkle. By the time I got home it was coming down pretty hard. I got wet basically. Stretched in the rain, but was too wet for sit ups.
Nice to get the water.

New addition

I added a nice little piece to the usual weekend trail run. A trail called Live Oak that I had not been on prior that I can remember. It was so cool and just a perfect day for running. Felt like I could go a lot longer. Autumn with all its splendor or as much splendor as we can muster here.
Some color and fewer leaves on the trees. Just pleasant.
Not a lot of people on the trails either. Almost everyone I saw was down on the lower trails and all dog walkers by and large.
Live Oak trail...a nice new little addition.

Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon was up, though waning all week. It makes for great running in the dark mornings that are now the norm in early autumn. In particular, early in the week, I got to the trail portion of the run, and though the moon is there, I still need to turn on my little buster brown flashlight...and am just down a few yards when a big night bird flies right over head. The ghostly light cast by the LED flash is just enough to make it easy to miss the rocks in the trail, but certainly not enough to make one feel completely at ease. The bird was just at the top of the cylinder of light. Big like and owl big maybe...
This morning 10.9.09 I got up to be on the road by 4:30 am just in case I could get a view of the space capsule crashing into the moon. It was all foggy so a moot point but got a nice run in.