Newcastle Trails revisited

Green!

 I'm pretty happy to feel ready for more substantial amounts of running. The knee can be twingy at times but I hardly notice it. The half marathon is now a month away and I feel like i can actually put in some training. The half marathon last week reminded me that I just need miles.  So 12 miles yesterday and 6 on trails today. It is pouring, of course.

Since the knee is just twingy, I really wanted to avoid long climbs and descents.  I realized it has been over a year since I've been out to the Newcastle Trail system centered around Lake Boren. 

I'll admit. It was hard to get out of the car but once I was among the trees on the Cemetery Trail, it was fine. The Cross Town Trail has had some big equipment on it although the trail was actually not disturbed. I wonder what they are doing there?  I couldn't tell. I remembered where the turns were and found one section very overgrown. The Power Line (Horse) Trail has always managed to slightly confuse me and I have to remember to run past the crown of the hill to get the connector that will take me down to the road and May Creek Trail.

New trail with May Creek on left.

I headed west on May Creek Trail just to add on some distance and it is is just really pleasant running. I was really surprised to reach the end of the trail and realize that there was a new trail kiosk and a new trail! The kiosk explained that this was the point on the Seattle Walla Walla Railroad (really just a spur) where the May Creek Trestle Bridge was located.

The Trestle Bridge - built 1888

It was a huge wooden structure and the largest wooden structure west of the mississippi when built.  The new trail was very wide and went down to the May Creek and seemed to devolve into little trails. There is no bridge and no easy way to ford across the river that I could see (it's bigger than what I would expect a creek to be!) and I didn't want to take too long to explore that at this time.  It is very exciting though as according to information on the kiosk, Newcastle and Renton are exploring options for seeking funding to cross that river and extend and connect the trail.

I turned back east to go explore the rest of may Creek Trail and was happy to see that some of the very dodgy sections past teh Waterline Trail have been expertly fixed. The forest is just beautiful along the creek and I did dawdle to take photos and take it all in. What rain?

Do I have to?

South Fork Snoqualmie River @ Snoqualmie Valley Trail

After such a gloriously sunny and warm week, the rains returned this weekend. And then some. The group run was out on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail which over the years has become my least favorite trail. Sure it's beautiful. Sure it's fully protected from cars except for some street crossing. But it is fairly dull and really straight in some places plus has a packed gravel surface. That surface has been bothersome for my hip in the past and i've just avoided it.  Well silly me has signed up for a race on that surface and so, i need to get back on it.  

And I had a great run and felt good after the half marathon of last week. It helped that as soon as we got in the car to drive back home, it started pouring. We'd managed to avoid all the rain. I'd hoped to get back out into the garden this weekend. Nope. Too wet!

Yard Fingers

It's the gardening equivalent to trail toes. Since I've been working in the yard every evening, i can't keep my fingernails clean. I had a suggestion to put bar soap under the nails and then put on gloves. That seemed a bit better. I tried latex gloves under the gardening gloves. That works well but I often need to take a glove off for some reason or another and that arrangement is hard to get back on. 

I'm planning on real trails again this weekend. I can't wait!

Lost in Lilacs

It feels like summer today as Seattle hits mid-80s! I mostly notice the spring lilacs blooming everywhere. They are very fragrant for morning runs and the walk home from the bus. why yes, I do stop to smell the lilacs.