the Way of the Turtle

5 Mile Run in the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve
Sunday, January 13, 2008

Ended with some errands to run out in Colonie and Clifton Park, so I headed over to the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve for today's run. After yesterday's trip to the Pine Bush I wasn't sure what kind of conditions I'd find, so I wore my screw shoes again just in case.

Initially it looked like they'd be handy for the mud more than anything else, but further in I hit some ice and snow and was very pleased to be wearing them. Unlike yesterday most of the snow was hard-packed and frozen, so it was fairly easy to run on.

I hadn't run on the access road along the river since about a year ago, so I decided to head down there today for a little variety. That had mixed results... on the one hand, I was able to run along the river for a long stretch, and the Sun broke through the clouds, which made for some great views, especially as the Sun started to set. On the other hand, one of the reasons the dirt road exists is for access to the area where the Canal Corporation pumps the sludge they dredge up to keep the Mohawk River/Barge Canal clear for boat traffic - and through the work area the path was very churned up and extremely muddy, so much so that I ended up having to walk through that section.

Along the way I saw a critter swimming in the water - either a very large muskrat or an otter, I couldn't get close enough to be sure. And after I rejoined the towpath along the old Erie Canal, I startled about a dozen muskrats who must have been out getting a snack... every few minutes I hear a loud splash as they jumped in the water between the shore and the ice that covered much of the pond surfaces. At one point I even saw one of them, as it skittered across the ice before popping into the water.

So another slow easy run... tomorrow will be a rest day, and then I'll shoot for runs of some sort on Tuesday and Wednesday. Right now there's a forecast for heavy snow in the Berkshires tomorrow, so there's a good possibility that the Savoy snowshoe race next Saturday will be a go. Rochester has snow showers predicted for much of the week, so the Mendon race has a chance of actually being on snowshoes too.

JMH