On long weekends, I spend time running in a NPS forest known as Sope Creek. This is a trail that has from 3 to 12 miles of tree shaded running and cycling. The lower portion of the trail is loaded with daily runner and walkers. On any given weekend, you may see 500 of more people using the area most call "Columns Drive" or simply "The River." Once you leave the lower trails, it may be that you see 1 or 2 people at most.
Pics of what I see each time are below. I've seen an eagle, wild turkeys, a fox (I think) and it's all just about 30 minutes from where I live. There's a family cemetery deep in the forest that has headstones from the 1850's. Water crossings, mud and silence are parts of each run.
I'll post pics later this weekend.
If you're a runner and have a favorite place to unwind after a day riding the wave of paper on your desk, tell me about it.
