Most folks just plain enjoy being outside and in the woods.  There is just something peaceful and satisfying about it!  And last Saturday was especially nice!

Since I couldn't run Uwharrie this year, I decided to run the Medoc Marathon course backwards and just see how far I could get.  The answer . . . 9.8 miles.  Not all that far but my furthest yet.  Recovery continues and I'm still excited!

Funny some of the things I think of while running.  At one point out there I decided that both rocks and trees were 1) beautiful additions to the woods, but at the same time . . . 2) they are evil! 

Of the two, rocks are much more honest.  I mean when you see a rock you know it's hard and can hurt you.  And many times you can stop and simply kick it off the trail.

 But trees  . . . trees just look so inviting and gentle.  But that is just one side . . . . the other is trees are the devils of the woods!

Luring your eyes with their interesting trunks and branches they have sent out their root out in a covert mission to attack both suspecting and unsuspecting runners and hikers.  Even when you think the trail is a nice, gentle pine straw section you better beware . . .  those frickin' roots are just hiding there waiting to catch your toe and throw you to the ground!  Luckily trees move really slowly . . . so you can get away before being eaten!












I also spent a lot of time trying to come up with a better way to mark the Medoc trails.  The current approach just simply sucks.  And the Park experimented with using plastic colored squares and circles instead of painted blazes.  Thank goodness Medoc rangers now has agreed to return to paint blazes and the park trail map is being redone . . . so the timing is perfect to re-design trail blazes.  I did come up with a more simple and easier to follow approach . . . but now we learn the map is too far along and the park wants to just go ahead and paint blazes marking the trails as they are marked today.

Damn . . . what a missed opportunity!