Warm, Wet, and Wild!

A short report on a beautiful run.

We had a great day on Sunday and 4 of us took advantage. We did an up an over run of Lookout Mountain.



At over 2,300 feet it is the tallest of the mountains within a 15 minute drive of town. We are so incredibly lucky to live in Bellingham and this run served as further proof. We had stellar views of the San Juan Islands, Canadian costal ranges and the Cascades. Meanwhile below, most of town was shrouded in fog and ice.

This was an interesting week for trail running in Bellingham. On Sunday I had a three plus hour run with 2 hours in 6 to 10 inches of snow. It was up on a bike riding Mecca of a mountain, Galbraith. This is a tough, very confusing trail system. If you count the roads there is more than 60 miles of runable terrain. With the snow making things all the more confusing and obscuring the views route finding was tough and I ended up running an hour more than I expected. I only realized I was going in circles when I saw my own foot prints. Unknown to me, this was a harbinger of things to come.

Question: What happens when the TrailHeads invade a local trail run?

We had a wonderful trail night last Wednesday in Bellingham. Seven runners turned out and one hooked up with us midway on the trail. We did a short one as we were unsure of the snow conditions up high and one of our regulars was going to run in the Canadian cross country national meet in Vancouver. As one of two registered U.S. runners he should make all American.

First of all let me say how much I hate viruses. The one that chose me as a host last month kept me off the trails for 3 weeks. Second of all let me say how much I hate water heaters. Anyway I'm finally on the trails again.

Scenic and well run Battleship 1/2 marathon is a treat for those who like a good road race. This year the course was a tad warm, but the post-race beer-fest help ease the pain of dehydration.

The Trail Angels have been at it again.

A new trail has "appeared" off of the washing machine trail back on the Bolin Creek side of our local network.

This trail is technical, has some great dips, and is the work of an obvious master trail builder (and mountain biker).

Thank you thank you Trail Angels!



My bike is at the fork of this trail. It's like a mishapen balloon - you ride in on the string and then, when you come to the fork, you take it.

I don't get a sense that's it's easier/harder one way or the other. I rode it both ways and it just spanked me....

I've named it "The Loon" because it's just goofy crazy....

Here's my report from the 40 mile race I completed in Greensboro last weekend.