Ocean Wander

With Run the Rock around the corner, this weekend's 'long run' was only 10 miles. I feel like I've been doing too many miles out on Highland Green Road lately, so instead I headed over to Pennelville this morning. It was cool and rainy and foggy, but I dressed warmly and it wasn't windy, so while not ideal, it wasn't all that bad. I decided I could check out the Coleman Farm trails first, which was a mistake. There was still way too much snow out there to make it runnable, and I just didn't feel like slipping and postholing in the soft snow, so I turned around and stuck to the roads for the rest of the run.

I had no real route in mind, so I took a short out-and-back on Old Pennelville Road before continuing on to Simpson's Point. The fields were still partially snow-covered, but the red-winged blackbirds and robins were flitting about regardless. No bluebirds, swallows or Bobolinks yet, still too early I guess. As I neared the end of the point, the air smelled of wood smoke and that wonderfully briney low tide smell. There was a huge group of Goldeneyes off the point but they flew away as I neared the water's edge. It was quiet and foggy and beautiful down there and I stopped to just take it all in for a moment before turning around and running back inland.

I ran out along Rossmore and then down to Wharton's Point at the low point of Maquoit Road. I realized as I was heading back up the hill to retrace my steps that I had miscalculated slightly and was likely going to get in 11 miles versus the 10 I was intending, but no matter. It was a nice, mellow run, if a bit soggy, and I was happy to feel good out there.

Along with the Goldneyes, red-winged blackbirds and the robins, also saw a pair of mallards, a hooded merangser, a number of cardinals, a mockingbird, many sparrows and juncoes and one male goldfinch showing his bright yellow summer plummage.