sometimes i'm forced to make a choice: what will be less undesirable? would it be worse to sit inside on this rainy day and regret not having gotten out? or would it be worse to get out and have the weather be simply horrible. today, i chose the latter.
as i pulled the car off of the freeway, having already traveled an hour driving in the rain to go for a run in the same area as i did yesterday, because the road to the trailhead was a paved one. i decided that i would forgo my planned 12-mile run because of the possibility that the dirt (mud) road to it was likely impassable because of the steady rains that fell all night all night. but before i got to the trailhead of the consolation run, i was faced with an obstacle. the weather gate on Wyoming Highway 14 was down, red lights flashing, and a sign that read "violators may be fined up to $750". that would be one expensive run. but the paved road to the Sundance West trailhead lies about 3 miles past this sign, and i would only be traveling on Highway 14 for about a half a mile before turning onto the county road, so my choice was clear...
as i maneuvered the car around the gate, i glanced in my rearview mirror. thankfully, no coppers. not even another vehicle around, as far as i could see. so i drove with the dogs up to the Reuter trailhead, the same one we had been to yesterday, and we did a modified loop of the route we did the day before. the weather was foggy and threatening, and the trail was a sloppy mess. we were pelted by hail briefly a couple of times, but honestly i can say that i am glad we got out.
there was a "surprise" in the trail at one point on the descent ~ an egg. slightly larger than a chicken egg, and the same light brown color as my neighbor's black stars lay. i'm guessing it was a wild turkey egg that rolled down from the slope above. i set it off to the side of the trail, but i'm afraid it probably won't make it as i could not see anywhere nearby that would be a good spot for a nest, and no sign of mother hen either.
it was still raining when i got back to Gillette. i stopped for fries and a Frosty to treat myself for motivating to get out in the bad weather today. now i won't feel guilty about curling up with a book and a cup of tea this afternoon. no matter what the weather, the dogs are always exuberant for a run and today was no exception. they help to motivate me to make the "right" decision ~ the decision to get out more. i was pleasantly surprised today that the weather wasn't nearly as horrible as i imagine it could have been.
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| Sunday, May 29th ~ foggy and sloppy |
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| Saturday, May 28th ~ sunny and blissful views |
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