Turkey and Beaver

I knew I wouldn't get a run in yesterday morning due to the planned Easter festivities, but in the end, I didn't get in a run at all, as we ended going back to have lunch at Kristen's and then hanging out for the afternoon. The girls did very well playing together, Ryan got to watch some of the Masters on the big screen, and Kristen and I had some time to chat, although it was interrupted by frequent trips upstairs to check on the kids when things got just a little too quiet :-) By the time we got home, it was 4pm, Sam was exhausted (no nap), I was starved and Ryan wanted to get his run in. No big deal. I had already thrown in the towel on my 15 mile run, and was mentally rearranging the week to fit it in on a later date.

But today was not that day. I did, however, get out for a nice 7 miler during naptime. The wind was whipping around, making it feel cooler than it really was, and the sky was gray. I wasn't feeling the peppiest or the most enthusiastic, but in the end, the run went well and I felt pretty good. I decided to run the dump loop, which I haven't run for quite some time. I headed out on the powerlines with the wind at my back and turned towards Bay Park. Along the wide stretch of ATV/snowmobile trail near the road, I passed a dead beaver. A big one. I am not sure it he was shot or if it was an animal that killed him; there was blood at his neck but otherwise he was intact. I felt badly passing him by and wondered what had happened and how he had ended up there. There is a swampy area and a pond across the street, but I'm not sure why he would have been on this stretch of trail in the woods between houses. Very odd.

I wound my way out towards the dump and along the edge of the ponds back into the woods. I was keeping up a decent pace until I hit the hill right before Rt. 24 on the way back home. Then the wind hit me full-on, and things slowed down a bit as I pushed against it. It sure has been a windy month so far. I managed to sneak in under 9 minute pace in the end, though, so it all worked out. Saw lots of deer prints, along with one set of turkey prints, in the sand, as well as a lone turkey crossing the trail near Topsham Crossing. Sam wanted to know if he went squack squack squack gobble gobble when I told her what I had seen, but honestly, all I could hear was the wind in my ears! :-)

Planning to get in that 15-miler tomorrow morning, bright and early before work. I'm thinking the cart paths might be fair game at that time of day, which would be nice, but otherwise it will just be a random wander on the trails and roads around home.