Maybe I'll Blog, Maybe I Won't

Drove down to Manti on Friday night to watch the Manti Pageant with my family, then drove to Monroe that night after the pageant and stayed at my aunt's house for our family reunion the next day.  Didn't get to bed until 1:30 or so.  Woke up just before 7.  Guess my bio-clock is set.  Got ready to go out on a run, expecting to find some hot dusty ATV trail somewhere that I'd have to stay on.  I walked out of the house and looked up and there were some big mountains to the east, but I had no idea how to get there, so I just asked my cousin if he knew of any ATV trails I could go run on.  He said I could get to some radio towers up on a hill east of town and directed me which dirt road to take.  So I went that way.  It was one heck of a tough grunt all the way up to the towers.  I probably hiked at least half of the first 5 miles.  It was hot too, even though it was only 7:30 AM.  I was about to just bag it and cut my run short at the towers, when wonder of wonders there was a trail that took off from the road!  It was called the Koosharem (Pron. Kooshrum) trail.  I happily took it and was more than adequately rewarded for the brutal hike/run up.  After a mile or so of sagebrush and spectacular views at 9000+ feet, I found myself suddenly dropping into a forest oasis.  I crossed at least 5 streams, ran through fir and aspen forest and wide green meadows, and was having the time of my life.  I could have run on that trail all day and not complained one bit about it.  Apparently it went on for quite a ways too, because there was a sign just before I turned around that identified some landmark as being another 11 miles away, with a promise of other trails forking off this one.  Wow.  I will know where to go next time I go to my aunt's house.  I'll try and post some photos and videos I took on my other blog one of these days.

3:35:14 (10:42/mi.)