Tough 70-minute elliptical workout, also core and weights. I went out try running with my weight lifting friends. They ran a slow two miles. I ran nearly the entire way and got back before them. Progress.
In the afternoon I went on my first hike in six months. I hiked up Lott Canyon, a canyon I've run many, many times. The entire vast canyon and every side canyon was destroyed. I could tell the fire was very hot because on there is nothing left on the ground, no limbs, nothing, just black rock and about a half inch of ash. Once the rain comes, the steep slopes are going to really have bad erosion.
I reached the top and is was depressing to look down. All the maples the produced nice fall colors are gone.
The only bright side it that this now opens up so many running routes that were impossible to run because of all the brush and trees. I could see the deer trails left, which have been used for decades. They can now be used as running trails in this barren wasteland.
I decided to hike to the south up a ridge that used ot be rough going because of all the brush. I worked up it easily. Now the only obstacles are black rocks. Even all the moss is gone from the rocks. I noticed all the annoying bugs up there are gone. I kept going, going to ridge tops I had never been on before. The views were nice, but there was destruction all around me. I could see lots of red retardants on the ridge tops. They tried hard to stop the fire from going over the ridge but it eventually burned both sides.
Wow, this was easy going. I now will be able to run the entire Lake Mountain ridge top without difficulty. My leg was holding up pretty well. I used trekking poles the entire way.
Soon I came to massive Israel Canyon, the main canyon on the mountain. It was all destroyed except for a square mile or so near the top. I looked down and could see the Power company hard at work finishing up replacing all the power lines and poles going up the canyon. They were all weakened by the fire or completly burned. I saw some that looked like small burned logs.
Going down the road, it was ironic to see a cigarette butt, thown out of a truck by one of the workers. With all this fire destruction, still no common sense.
I ran out of water and the last few miles were tough in 90 degrees. But it was nice to be hiking again. My leg held up well and I was pleased that the leg muscles generally felt fine on this 12 mile hike. When I took off my shoes and socks, my feet were really black with ash.
I posted pictures on Facebook. | 