I have been trying to find a good running trail closer to home. Yesterday I found a VERY desolate trail fairly close. By desolate, I mean pools of water with algae forming on the top, leaves and berry brambles covering the ground, trees across the trail -and lots of deer tracks!!! It was a pretty awesome.
So I approach this tree across the trail. I have intended to take up tree climbing for quite some time so I thought this would be the perfect time to try climbing over it. Hah! After checking to make sure the branches weren't going to break off, I prepared to mount it. I put my knee up, held on to the branches and tried to bounce up on it using my standing leg as a spring. That didn't work as it was a bit too tall. I thought about running toward it and jumping up on it, but it had like a million broken off branches (mini-stumps) sticking out of it and the thought of landing on those deterred me. I decided to crawl under it, but realized it was too low to climb under without slithering on my face –which I wasn’t in the mood for. So I went around it. So much for my studly tree climbing abilities.
So this trail was super awesome, but I kept hearing a ton of noises that were freaking me out and I must have stopped 100 times in 30 minutes trying to figure out what bear or cougar or pscyho was lurking in the woods waiting to kill me. My personal alarm had been broken and I had not replaced it, and I had misplaced my bad-ass hawkbill knife. I was convinced I was going to die and finally picked up a stick with a sharp end and ran with it. What a dork. Cuz I’m sure I could have fatally wounded anyone or anything with a stick. Not. Other than my extreme paranoia, it was a very nice run. I can’t wait to go back “armed” so that I can enjoy it more. I really need to get some pepper spray for the bears and cougars (not the people) –which is the most effective thing you can use on animals that are trying to eat you.
So I approach this tree across the trail. I have intended to take up tree climbing for quite some time so I thought this would be the perfect time to try climbing over it. Hah! After checking to make sure the branches weren't going to break off, I prepared to mount it. I put my knee up, held on to the branches and tried to bounce up on it using my standing leg as a spring. That didn't work as it was a bit too tall. I thought about running toward it and jumping up on it, but it had like a million broken off branches (mini-stumps) sticking out of it and the thought of landing on those deterred me. I decided to crawl under it, but realized it was too low to climb under without slithering on my face –which I wasn’t in the mood for. So I went around it. So much for my studly tree climbing abilities.
So this trail was super awesome, but I kept hearing a ton of noises that were freaking me out and I must have stopped 100 times in 30 minutes trying to figure out what bear or cougar or pscyho was lurking in the woods waiting to kill me. My personal alarm had been broken and I had not replaced it, and I had misplaced my bad-ass hawkbill knife. I was convinced I was going to die and finally picked up a stick with a sharp end and ran with it. What a dork. Cuz I’m sure I could have fatally wounded anyone or anything with a stick. Not. Other than my extreme paranoia, it was a very nice run. I can’t wait to go back “armed” so that I can enjoy it more. I really need to get some pepper spray for the bears and cougars (not the people) –which is the most effective thing you can use on animals that are trying to eat you.