Notes from the Methow

Today qualifies as what you might call a bramble ramble. Looking at dotted lines on my maps at home, I decided to try to make the run from the Lone Pine campground up to the hairpin turn. At least, that’s where at least two maps claimed a trail existed. I’m not saying they’re wrong. I’m just saying I didn’t make it quite that far.

If I lived in Twisp I’d be out on the Twisp river more. That’s for sure. The valley connects to so much, and eventually terminates just over a pass from the Early Winters drainage! But it isn’t exactly close Winthrop.

I’ve attempted this little run before, in the other direction. It’s a surprisingly long haul AND STEEP, given that it’s all basically shrub steppe. Today, I had the time window to finish the run, so I was pleased to be able to keep pushing.

As much as I love the valley, I’ve spent long enough appreciating its beauty from within. I needed to get out into the high country or I was going to lose my mind.

As summer keeps rolling on, I keep rolling up valley. Another warm day sent me to Mazama to run, and I chose the old logging roads up Sandy Butte. Mostly to keep cool.

I saw a huge wall of smoke headed my way and I stopped. I worried it might be a grass fire, and tried to figure out my best course of action. Good practice, but I quickly realized it was just pollen. But it was a LOT of pollen.

In spite of all that driving, I went out past Mazama for today’s run. I went out to a little waterfall along Cedar Creek.

I rushed out of the house after inhaling a pint of green juice, two cups of coffee and a peanut butter and fried egg sandwich with chia seeds. I kind of felt all of that that on the way up. Good ultra training, if anything.

There are a LOT of old roads, game trails and side paths in this area! I see more every time I explore. I think it was good to connect that sense of ignorant hubris to the feeling of being lost. No doubt this is often how it happens, especially at dusk.

Ran too far. Mathematicians talk funny, but feel open to new ideas. Physicists love to tell stories, but can be pessimistic about new ideas at times.