First Official 2012 Trail Run

Well it is now time to get serious.  The whole point of this blog is to document all of the trails in Ridge to Rivers system so here we go......
I'm a day late blogging...we ran this on January 6, 2012

For our first official run we decided to do the most well known trail. This one is in the Camel's Back Park area.  Start in the Camel's Back parking lot.  We have to make the "last chance" bathroom stop here.  When I opened the door to step inside I heard a MAN's Voice!  That was unexpected!  A few moments later when the maintenance worker came out we got the pleasure of a clean, nice smelly bathroom stop before our run!


We started our run at 8:30 AM.  The trail starts on Red Fox #36.

This is a nice easy trail.  When it is warm you do have to run briefly through or around deep sand.  But since it was so cold, we had nice hard packed sand to run on.  You can continue on this trail all the way to the Lower Hulls Gulch Trail.  But it gets very very B.O.R.I.N.G.  It is a wide gravel road that Michele and I both HATE.   So we take a side trail called Chickadee Ridge Trail #36A.

Chickadee has a great east climb.  It was at this point on our run that Michele started bragging again about her new Garmin 610 watch.  It vibrates to indicate a mile instead of beep (like my Garmin 405).  I had missed my "beep" because I don't hear it sometimes.  Well according to Michele she can "Hear her watch vibrate!"  Sonic hearing I guess.

Chickadee Ridge brings you back down to where Red Fox ends at the dirt road version of 8th Street.  We never look when we run across this.  I have never seen a vehicle of any kind!  There is a bathroom in this area if you find yourself in "need".  It's always good to know those kind of things.

Here we jump onto Lower Hulls Gulch Trail #29 (which is to the left).

This is a very rocky, pretty technical, uphill climb.  It seems like we always see people coming down this trail (wimps) while we are climbing up it.  Today was no different.  Two people coming down.  This led to a conversion about why we hadn't seen anymore runners than 2?  It was at least 25 degrees which is warm considering how it has been before.  I thought it was because we are just more dedicated.  Michele said there is a fine line between dedication  and stupidity. I wonder which side of the line we are on?



At the 3 mile mark (if you start at the Red Fox Trail Head) there is the coolest rock formation.  Michele has nicknamed it Little Zion.

We climb up and over this to continue on the trail.  Michele was suffering from a head cold and so I reached "Little Zion" before she did.  Side note: I always reach "little zion" before she does.  So does that mean she always have a head cold?  Anyway, I climbed up and waited for her and was able to get a shot of the trail.

It really is a great climb!  When Michele caught up to me she said that Mama Elephant was sitting on her chest.  Oh, so the head cold thing was legit.

It's only about a half mile more to the trail map station.  I like to stop here to see where we are and all the other trail options.

This map that Michele is looking at is the Ridge to Rivers Trail System Map.  I bought a copy at Shu's Idaho Running Company in Boise for $5.00.  But you can look at it online at www.ridgetorivers.org.  Here we cross the bridge, which was really slippery,

and then we ran for just a bit on #4 8th Street Motorcycle Trail (or aka Hulls Ridge Trail). But not long enough for it to count.  This puts us onto Crestline #28.  This is Michele's FAVORITE trail and I must admit mine too.

It is a wonderful gentle sloping brief uphill followed by a easy long downhill.  It is a great reward after busting your tail up Lower Hull's Gulch Trail. This trail run was not as entertaining as usual because Michele was sick and it is a rather easy run (considering what we usually do).  Our next turn is onto Kestrel #39A.  This is at mile 5.5.  If you don't turn right onto Kestrel it takes you to the Military Reserve connection (which will be another day).

Kestral is a fun downhill.  You can really let lose and burn rubber down this baby.  But today was "easy" day so no rubber burning for me.  We followed Kestral until it turns to Owls Roost #37 where we turned left.

On one run last year I saw two owls in a tree on the Owls Roost Trail.  Hand in the air I swear it is true.  Coolest thing EVER!  Owls Roost gives you the option of veering to the right and running on the Grove Trail #38 for awhile which I really like.  It's wide and there are lots of trees.  It is somewhat peaceful really.  That is if idiotic walkers with 50 dogs aren't there and one of their dogs is mean and needs a shock collar and comes after to you! Your sister yells and you kick at it and she  yells "Don't worry he has a shock collar."  If you dog needs a shock collar....KEEP IT OFF THE TRAILS!  OK I am done venting.  But those of you who know me well know I have serious issues with dogs!

The Grove joins back to Owl's Roost which then we turn onto Gold Finch #35,  and NO I have not yet seen a gold finch on this trail in a tree.

So, if yo u are keeping track... that is 8 trails so far!!