Jolynn, I have to tell you something....

I cheated with your trail. I ran at Garin last Sunday.

I am so sorry, but what did you expect? You post your beautiful pictures and tell your wonderful stories... I mean, it puts ideas in a girl's head.

Here I am in a stale relationship with the Los Gatos Creek bike trail and you are so in love. Sure, I have had my dalliances at Baylands, but even he couldn't hold my attention anymore.

So I took your trail. And if I am really honest with you, he didn't put up much of a fight. Sorry, but I feel you should know the truth.

Garin is a player. Plain and simple. And I don't think I am the first time he has strayed. But, damn, he was good!

I am just sayin'...

My run at Garin

I needed to do a 2 1/2 hour run on the Sunday after the Cinderella Century and I have been feeling the need to just run somewhere pretty and new, so I made the 35 minute trek up to the East Bay to Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park.

What better way to recover after a century than a 10.5 mile trail run with 2100 ft of climb! Ok, probably not my wisest idea, but I had a BLAST!

Well, my spirit and psyche had a blast. My quads and hamstrings? Not so much.

Elevation for the "easy 2:25 run" that was on my training schedule for Sunday. Oops.


Entry to the park. There were two coots on this pretty pond, but the little suckers took off before I could photograph them.


Pretty single track start

Then wide open vistas (Yes, I am aware the sky is blown in all of my pictures. My bad)


I went through a gate, across a creek, up a hill...


And then I ran into this guy. He looked pretty shocked to see me, and I was worried I had ventured onto private land so I back tracked.



The REAL reason I came out here. I loves me some cows!


Do I look like I am working hard? 'Cuz I freaking am!

Top of the big climb. More cows chillin'.


I love the cows prints all around this bench. I just imagine them sitting their big, bovine asses on this bench catching the view!

This is the closest I have ever been to a turkey vulture! So cool!

After a pretty brutal downhill that my quads are still pissed at me for, I ran out of water (didn't wear the Camelbak. Stupid! My ever faithful bike trail has water fountains. When you run on the wild side you have to fend for yourself. Maybe karma for my little running indiscretion?) so I did what any good, bad girl would do. I hopped the fence out of the park and into someone's yard and used their hose. (I tried to knock first and asked the neighbor I saw walking his dog. I am not THAT much of a bad girl)

Then it was back on the single track to my car.

Side note: I will have you know, trail blazer Tracy and smug mug Mr. Willie, that I was only equipped with a shitty trail map that did not seem to match ANYTHING I saw and I did not get lost! Ha! I am getting better at this!

The run back wound (winded? Whatever) through a forest on a single track that has several of these tiny ass bridges.

WTF??

The bridge is a little narrower than the length of my arm! I know I have broad shoulders, but DAMN I had to walk over it with my arms in the air. But this was not nearly as distressing as the fact it was only a tiny bit wider than my ass!

A skill NO ONE hoped I would acquire, the ass self-portrait!
Note: There was a previous version of this picture that was deleted IMMEDIATELY. *shudder*

I reached a big pretty rock that I had forced my self to not stop touch on the way out (I have a problem with having to touch weird things. I don't know why. I am weird)

This time by I gave it a hug. I am not good at denying myself stuff. The obsession tends to escalate like this.

All in all a great therapeutic run. I was pretty beat at the end.


So, Jolynn, again I am sorry, but I am sure you understand why I did it.

Hell, maybe next time we can do him together. *wink*




What? too far?

My bad. It must be the Spring Break talking! Woo hoo!!