Birthday Run and Ride

For weeks, I had been planning on running the Pemi Loop today. I checked the Mount Washington Observatory forecast before bed last night and saw that a high of forty degrees with 45 MPH winds and rain showers were expected for today. Then when I checked again this morning, the expected winds were slower, but the temperatures were expected to be colder. So I decided that if I was going to enjoy my time out in the woods today, I would have to stay lower. Kevin left the Pudding Pond area mountain bike map out on my desk as a hint, so I took that hint and drove to North Conway.

I ran the mountain bike single track all along both sides of the power lines. My legs felt fantastic! Next I headed off on the newly found single track that goes past Redstone Ledge and up over Rattlesnake Mountain. I continued on over Middle Mountain and meant to find the Black Cap Connector Trail somewhere about half way between Pudding Pond and Black Cap Mt. But instead I ended up on the same crummy washed out logging road as last time I tried this. This took me over Peaked Mountain and out to the Black Cap Connector, but at a point within a half mile of where I had parked my car. I ran across the Black Cap Connector to the top of Black Cap. I was tempted to run down Red Tail, but then I would have had to return on the road. So I ran back the same way. My Garmen read just under 18 miles and 5169 feet of climbing.

Back at the car, I changed my shorts and shoes and took off on the mountain bike. I didn't have much climb left in my legs so I tried to avoid as much climbing as I could. I rode for about 2 hours and really enjoyed it. It was so much fun that I didn't really notice how hard I was working. I finished up with two loops around the fun Sticks and Stones Trail. This has man made rock features to play on with the bike. I avoid any of the difficult ones, but there are a lot of fun little ones that are pretty easy.

I am feeling that good kind of tired that only comes from spending hours having fun outdoors. When Kevin gets home from work I will definitely be ready for a good glass of wine and a nice dinner of grilled Trout!