An early and late night run

This past week, I realize there was a perfect opportunity for a night run. What can get more fun than kicking up dirt under a lunar eclipse. While living in Kansas City, I would accompany the Trail Nerds on two weekly night runs - Tuesday and Thursday. I'm even the one who suggested they start running on Tuesdays, and 2+ years later (yeah me!), they're still having them.

Since I haven't done a night trail run since I left K.C., I set my plan in motion! I met w/ John Lehman, a fellow trail runner who just happens to live near Paris Mountain, and we set off on a 7-mile trip up the mountain around 9:30pm.

The Earth's shadow was just beginning to cover the moon when we started from his home. We'd stop every few miles to gaze into the sky to see how far the eclipse progressed. Even better than the eclipse was the view from the top of Paris Mountain. During the day, you can't see the number of houses, but at night, a sea of lights - blue, green, yellow - cover the horizon from 2,000 feet up.

I took a pic of the eclipse just before we left on the run. I just wish I had my camera on the mountain. Maybe I'll take it on a future night run that I recommended we do.



This past Saturday, Lucy and I were in Athens for my sister, Melanie's, and her fiance, Brad's, bachelor and bachelorette parties. Before the late night festivities, I had time to put in a few 'trail miles' on the trail that started me on my 'dirt only' running lifestyle.

Honestly, the trail isn't hard and is probably 2 mile round trip at most. The trail is relatively flat with a few small grade hills mixed in. I made 4 laps in an hour and made it back to the hotel just in time to meet the gang headed to the bar - WWEEEEEE!!!!

As I jogged on my old trail, I reminisced about some of my runs here years ago. The one that popped into my mind was a 6:00am rainy run during my last semester in Athens. I had stayed up the entire night doing work and had an 8:00am class. Instead of going home for maybe an hour, get little or no sleep then have to drive back to class, I decided to push myself, hit the trails for a few miles then go to class!!! If I could make it another half day without sleep, I could then crash and sleep all afternoon!

What I remember about the run is barely being able to see the trail while I crashed into multiple spider webs - one of the least favorite things for trail runners! It's just one of many great experiences I've had running trails.

weekend getaway

Welp...I finally got around to giving Lucy her Christmas gift - It's only a month and a half late. Actually this past Christmas, I gave Lucy a receipt.....a receipt for a weekend getaway to a cabin in Blue Ridge, GA, a small town in the north Georgia mountains. We were so busy around the holidays that I scheduled our trip for mid-February so we could make plans for it. I guess you could say it served as a Christmas/Valentines/birthday (mine - 31st) trip.

The weekend went wonderfully! The weather was perfect (mid-60s) which allowed us to visit downtown Blue Ridge and for me to run a few miles in the Chattahoochee National Forest. I only did about 5 miles...but it seemed like most of it was UPHILL! I brought my camera along so I had an excuse to stop and catch my breath. I had to preserved the moment, ya know (not of me gasping for air....but of the mountains of course!).

I had NO cellphone reception and Lucy's phone worked periodically (only had 1 bar though). Basically for three days, we sat around a fire or in a hot tub. We grilled and watch our doggies play in the woods! Can't beat that for a relaxing getaway.

I've always loved the mountains (MUCH more than the beach), and I think this trip converted Lucy to a 'mountain lover'. I'd love to move somewhere like Blue Ridge one day, but not right now. I'm addicted to (and need) stuff like....the internet....phones.....restaurants.....

When I become an old phogey though (not too long away I suspect), I'd love to get lost in the mountains though. Here are some pics from the trip.