Day 54 - Cold but sunny

Today was a great day out on the trails. With all the hikers that were out in the last couple of days the snow is packed down and most of the rocks are hidden. You could fly down most trails and not worry about tripping on a rock. Its slower running up the hills but so much fun on the downs. I ran one of my favorite runs which includes Pulpit Rock, Blue Rocks Campground and the Pinnacle. I started from home and made my way over to the road up to Pulpit Rock which I run a lot and is a great way to get warm. There was good traction to the top with some truck tracks all the way to the top. Heading down to the campground I had first tracks. Heading up the yellow trail from the campground there were four wheeler tracks that made running a lot easier. The views from the Pinnacle were very clear and you could see forever. There was a guy xc skiing with his two dogs. The stayed right aside of him and didn't leave his side. I thought that was pretty cool.

The view from the Pinnacle

The view from the Pinnacle

View off of the Appalachian Trail

On my way back I looked over at some trees that I always run by and the sign below was nailed to one of them. Its funny you can run by things so many times and never see it and one day it pops out and you finally see it. On my way back down from Pulpit Rock I ran into a great runner friend Beth. She was out enjoying a hike with a friend. After I ran down to the bottom I looked to my right and there was another hiker. I said hi and we started taking about hiking and running. He said he has been hiking up in this area for many years and stopped running when he was 40 because of neck problems. He was out hiking today for about 12 miles. I told him I got a pic of a cool sign on a tree that read something about 1936. He said to me before I even showed him the pic "Was it made out of copper?"  and I said yes. I showed him the pic and he said his son and him found that sign around 25 years ago and never could find it again. You just never know what you are going to find or who you will meet on the trail. It happened so many times to me out on the trail with just the word "Hi!" Life on the trail is good!

April 15 1936
Please Protect These
Evergreen Trees
E.D.K & J.R.

1-23-2011 - 15 miles - 3:20 - run