Bradbury in the Mist

I met up with Valerie and Ian this morning for a fun, if cool and misty, run at Bradbury. Jim joined us for the first few miles too, but turned back early, since he had already been running up and down the summit for a while before we got started. I have yet to run on the new Bradbury-Pineland Connector, so we decided to head out on that first, turning around at the powerlines. The trail crews have done a great job with the new trail - it is soft and spongy underfoot, and wanders through the woods, up and over some decent hills, through a field or two, and across a few rivers too, before popping out at the powerlines along the Beautiful Loop. I was surprised to find the trail to be such a good mix of new single track combined with some long stretches on old woods roads. Very nice.

On a misty, grey morning such as today, the greens in the woods and along the streams seemed even more brilliant. We spotted a few patches of pink ladyslippers, and there was a fair amount of bunchberry too. Near the Tyron Hill turn-off, Valerie spied a neat bright orange fungus on a downed log. Too bad none of us had a camera! We had fun chatting and running along, and on our return, Ian took us on a few "new" trails, and we even discovered a bridge crossing the first stream! Cool. Once we got back in the park, we turned and ran up the Boundary trail to the summit, coming in on the Terrace Trail.

By the time we got back to the parking lot, the Garmin was reading 7.5 miles, so while we all headed out on the Scuffle course, I knew I'd end up cutting things a bit short. Ryan and Sam were planning on coming over to meet me, and to get in a bit of time playing outside in the meantime! I had figured two hours would probably do it, but we were moving a bit slower than that, which wasn't a problem at all, but I didn't want them out in the mist for too long, wondering where I was! So, somewhere off Ginn, Valerie and I peeled off and headed back in. Ian kept going, wanting to get in multiple hours on his feet. The Garmin beeped 12.0 just as we stopped by the cars, so it turned out to be perfect! Despite the cool start, it really was great running weather, and the cool temps and the rain/mist kept the bugs down, and provided us with some good sole-sucking mud on the Scuffle course, which is always a good thing! Definitely a great run :-) Always fun to have company - thanks guys!


Valerie had to get home, and Ian was still out in the woods, so it was just Ryan, Sam and I who headed to Edna & Lucy's for an after-run treat. We had the place to ourselves, and while thoroughly enjoying her carrot cake muffin, Sam danced to the tunes, and ran around, making friends with the owners :-)

Dancin' :-)