When The Sun Comes Up You'd Better Be Running

I had to run an errand this morning that took a couple of hours.  After I was done, and while heading back towards home I turned onto the Back Loop Rd and drove to a trailhood that I noticed yesterday while driving around and exploring. 

I had seen people off-loading mountain bikes from their vehicles yesterday, so wanted to check out the trail to see what kind of riding was available there. 

As many trails as I have been on so far in and around Juneau, I still have not found a trail yet that has moderately technical single track suitable for some challenging riding. 

Anyway, this was one more trail I wanted to check out on a Sunday morning.  Turns out  that this trail isn't quite what I am looking for either, in terms of mountain biking.

But after exploring it for a few hours this morning, I think I may have just found the right trails to begin trail running again.......

I did not know the name of this area when I first pulled into the parking lot.  But then saw a sign indicating that it was the Mendendhall Glacier Recreation Area. 

Mendenhall River was fast flowing to the left of the parking lot.  And there were residences surrounding the trailhead, so we were definately still in "urban trail" territory.

I started down the trail without really paying attention to the maps or posted signs.  Urban trail territory, so how complicated could it be??  I should know better......

Within just a couple of minutes of being on the trail I veered off, took a short sandy side trail, and found myself walking along the shoreline of the Mendenhall River. 

This river is a strange greenish color, and I have no idea what minerals are in the water that gives it such an unusual hue. 

On my side of the river there was woods, trails, mountain and pine tree landscapes, and on the other side of the river were very nice homes.  Early on the walk seemed to be a contradiction in terms (natural space butting awkwardly up against residential space).

Regardless, walking along the river and coming across the occasional person throwing sticks into the river for their big Alaskan dogs to happily retrieve time and time again was a fun way to spend a Sunday.

I did not realize that the glacier was visible from this recreational space until I wandered far enough down river, looked to the left and saw this......

Sure enough I called my Mountain Boy AGAIN, and started my conversation AGAIN with "you're not gonna believe what I've found.........."

He just laughs. Used to me babbling excitedly on the phone trying to describe in as much detail as possible whatever exciting view is standing before me.

I don't want to describe these things to him anymore. And I don't want him to just see these wonderful places in my pictures. I cannot wait for him to be here with me so we can see these things together.....

I love this glacier.  And I love that this glacier is so accessible to the very lucky residents of this city

Eventually, I ran into lots of mud and it became increasingly difficult to stay close to the shoreline, so I wandered a little further inland and began exploring some of the trails. 

I found a trail map posted along the trail (one of those "you are here" maps), and finally realized how extensive this trail system actually was. 

I had not eaten since yesterday afternoon, and had arrived at the trails with no plan and no gear (special clothing, food, water, safety gear, nothing) so exploring extensively was out of the question. 

But after taking a quick look at the map it became obvious that many of these trails turned back onto each other, so I would be able to walk for a while and still make it back to my car in reasonable time.

The trails were flat, open, non-technical and very user friendly. 

For today those were all good things, but as I told LC on the phone (while also rambling on again about unexpectedly seeing the glacier from the river) that by next weekend I will be ready to head up into the mountains and back country, and away from people again........

After walking on these open trails for a while, and after finally stopping to really study the map, I realized that this would be a great venue to start trail running again.  It is open, flat, non-technical, not busy but just busy enough to minimize opportunities of running into bears.  There are many opportunities to mix up the routes to prevent boredom.   

I jogged off and on while on trails today and my knee felt OK (not great but OK). 

So this is the week I give my old beat up joints a focused reentry into running, and we'll see how it goes...... 

As I popped out at a trailhead I noticed this sign.  Oh hell.....I had thought about bears but not about wolves. 

http://www.juneauempire.com/slideshows/042310/619478983/slide2.shtml

There were many people on the trails today - adults with dogs, adults with young children, old people walking and running together.  If they can use this trail I can use this trail.  I'm sticking with the running plan.......

I was only partially paying attention to the posted trail maps alongside the trails, and really just wandering and exploring and enjoying the day. So I was surprised when I got close to a trailhead and saw a building with huge antennae and satellite dishes in the yard.

Hmmmm........this was definately not the way I came in. Turns out I had wandered to a different trailhead, where both the US Forest Service and NOAA buildings were located.

I headed back in and came to another trailhead located behind an apartment building.  Alright Karin, you're getting very hungry and need a burger at Booyah in Auke Bay.......so study the stupid map already..........

I headed back the way I had come and about 30 minutes later was back at my car. A good and quiet morning.

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."......Author Unknown