It is really a beautiful trail, so I decided to 'take you along' with me today by snapping pictures along the way. So here we go!
The trail meanders through several residential districts in town, following a stream/river. It ducks behind houses from time to time.
There are several little neighborhood parks along the side of the trail. I often pass by families playing. Today all was quiet, though, since school is in session.
The first field. Open and sunny! I usually try to not squash the insect life that crosses my path. It is not that I am a freak about 'honoring all life' or something. I just don't feel the need to squish everything I see. There are lots of grasshoppers that jump out of the way, and beetles that ramp up their back ends in defensive postures (so cute and funny considering their size relative to mine!). But today a spider came scuttling out of nowhere, right under my shoe as it came down. Oops. Tragic end for him.
I had to stop and take a couple of pictures of these sunflowers as a representative of the flowers along the path. There are a lot of sunflowers right now. Must be the season.
The trail cuts right through the middle of Art Dye Park, which is a sports park. There are baseball diamonds and fields on all sides. Weekend trail runs lead me right through baseball, soccer, and lacrosse games. It's awesome.
I had to take a picture of my self, too. There. See? My leg. That's all you're gonna get. Sorry.
Art Dye also makes an excellent watering hole so I don't have to carry water with me. On long runs, there is another water fountain, but it is another 4 or 5 miles up the trail, where I didn't plan to go, today. Art Dye marks the 2 mile mark for me.
Leaving the park, there is a new little avenue of trees leading into the woods that wind up behind and above the golf course, which is hidden in the trees to the left of the trail.
This is one of my favorite sections of the trail. It is so shady and beautiful! I have friends who don't think I should be running this part of the trail, especially at twilight, because it is pretty isolated. But I go anyways.
See! Look how pretty!
Coming out above the golf course, and out of the shade of the trees. This is field number 2. You've seen this one before, because I tend to take pictures of the snow levels. Notice that the snow is finally gone... in mid September. Just in time for new snow to arrive in a few weeks!
This is the end of the road for me today. If I was going farther, I'd keep going past the end of the pavement and continue on the dirt path. It connects back up to pavement in the next town over. I turned around, here.
Heading back home gives me a whole new set of views to admire! Here is the golf course below me and the lake in the distance.
My favorite part of the trail, again! This time going downhill.
A large part of the trail actually does follow the course of the water, so I thought I'd include this picture of the stream/river (depending on the season... it is a stream right now) so you can see what I see off the trail.
In the early summer, I posted a picture of these trees. They were in the water, then. At that time this was a river, not a stream. The city tried to put up caution tape to keep people off the trail while the water was so dangerously high, but people just tore it down and used the trail anyway.
Nearly home. The trail is the sidewalk. I wear sunglasses while running. That gives me the chance to surreptitiously watch the drivers. I noticed several men 'checking me out' as they drove by. Of course, dirty old men will check out anything female. Nothing new, there. But I also noticed some women checking me out as they drove by, too. That makes me feel good! Not in a creepy way. I just think that maybe they are noticing me and thinking, 'if she can do it, so can I. I should start running again.'
Nearly home! This is half a block from my house.
There you go. Home again! All totaled, our distance today was 5.25 miles. As soon as I get home from exercising, I mix up a protein drink to make sure my muscles have what they need to repair themselves and so I can recover faster for the next adventure!
I hope you enjoyed our run today. Don't you wish you could come with me for real next time?
2 comments:
Hey! Will you message me where this trail starts? It looks like such a pretty run. My run around town is pretty bland, but I don't know where any of the trails are around here.... :D
Sure! In AF, at the corner of 300 N and Center St. It is a sidewalk that has been converted to a trail (paved with asphalt). Follow it to the east for several blocks before it ducks behind a dentist office. There are bike trail signs you can watch for. Have fun!
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