Monday, March 9, 2015

Trail Beauty and the Protector of Eagle Peak



 This little beauty was not happy to have a visitor to his mountain peak. He buzzed me a few times and then landed and watched. He was quite big for a hummingbird, but I suspect when you have a mountain to protect, you beef up and take the job seriously.



 I climbed up a little further than I normally do and quickly realized that with my wonky ankle that keeps wanting to give....this may not be a bright idea. Going up is not a problem, but coming down would be hairy. Plus, honestly....the trail was making me a bit dizzy. I'm normally fine, but I think something about the perspective of the hill with the background....made me loopy.

 If you look close you'll see lots of reds, whites, and yellows.

I'll have another post up later today with yet another bobcat from this mornings run.

7 comments:

  1. Speaking of your backyard, have you seen the new Brazen 50K course for this year? I suspect it is way harder than normal. But you don't have to ride a bus. You probably have to face down many hummingbirds though.

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    1. Um, no. I've been blocking it from my mind, didn't know it's a new course but I'll sure check it out after I hit publish on this comment!

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    2. Man, Allen!! That kills me!! I know 90% of that course like the back of my hand!! I will say this....they put together a course somehow with even less shade than the original course, and some insane climbs and descents. Coming down Mothers and Burma near the end of a 50k....couldn't pay me enough. And the climb up Summit to the summit, and the climb up Eagle...long, and no shade at all. I love that they come down Bald ridge. It gets very little traffic, I would suspect most people haven't been on it before and it's really a fun little trail.
      It's a beautiful new course....but doesn't tempt me at all : )

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  2. I am really interested how people are going to get up North Peak. The last 100 yards is a 46% plus grade on loose gravel.....yikers......

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    1. and yet I'm sure you want to do it : )

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    2. Go for it Brian! They just posted the elevation chart and it just highlights the obvious - there is a TON of climbing in this race (8200'). There is a steady six mile climb starting at mile 12. And a lot of downhill on the finish. The rumor is that this is possibly a permanent change, I suspect because it does use some little used (and new) trails. I was planning to give this 50K a shot this year, but this course scares me. No bus ride though, and an 11 hour cutoff. All that exposure though could really be rough. Yikes!

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    3. Do not encourage him! There's only one 50k on our sched this year and I'm counting on him to be at my side and ready to go....I think Diablo would put a serious kink in that plan. #Quicksilver

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