the Way of the Turtle

PRE-THANKSGIVING DAY RUN
8-9 Miles at Thacher Park
Wednesday, November 22, 2006

A chilly day, but definitely a good one for a run. Thacher was pretty empty - I saw a total of maybe 6 other people the entire 2 hours I was there. And best of all - it was quiet. I get so used to the traffic noise down here, even over in the "wilds" of the Pine Bush, that it is absolutely wonderful to go run trails where the only man-made noises are of planes overhead and an occasional train off in the far distance.

Ran from Hop Field along the escarpment up to Hailes Cave and then along the very muddy XC ski trail back to Paint Mine Road. Up and up and up the hill... got to get back to the point where I can run that hill non-stop. Paused just before the top to go look at the beaver pond - 2 lodges and I may have seen the water trail of a beaver swimming off into the weeds. Then it was along the trails in the Paint Mine area and down onto the swamp trails - very muddy but also very pretty, going through pines and past cool rock formations. Just before I got back to the parking area, I headed off on a trail I'd never taken before, and ended up at the park maintenance area (which made me smile - that was where I parked the two times I ran the old Indian Ladder 15K course, out of the Glen Doone picnic area.) Then it was a fast (for me) pound down the road to try to get back to the car before the ranger locked the gate (apparently, he took pity on me, because he drove down there and then left but didn't lock up. Or maybe he just didn't want me driving over the grass to get out.)

And on the drive back to Albany I got to see bits of a really pretty sunset.

All in all, a good run and a great way to spend two hours the day before Thanksgiving. This is the 2nd year I've done a pre-Thanksgiving run, and I think I'll try to maintain the tradition...

JMH