Take "5"

After last week's 30K 'round Payette Lake, I opted for the softer side of Boise and the foothills trails for this week's long run. As a change of pace (no pun intended), I took the Military Connector over to the Reserve trail system and up Trail 5 instead of the tortuous climb up Hulls Ridge. This climb is far more gradual, though still challenging, and offers great views of mountains and ravines all around. Of course, this eventually connects up to Hulls Ridge and the nasty hike up to the Zen Grove (five pine trees that offer shade in a very exposed landscape). From here the trail levels out a bit in the 5400' elevation range and the first glimpses of a different world to the north and east.

Here in Boise we have a tree line, but you have to climb to reach it. Much of that has to do with our precipitation patterns, as it snows a great deal here in winter and rains very little in summer, if at all. The snow pack can stick around for a while, particularly on north and east facing slopes, where pine trees grow (quite large) and the change from the desert landscape is most welcome.

Coming back through the burn area of '96, I connected back to Sunset Ridge (old logging road) and back down for a total run time of nearly three hours. Net elevation: about 7000'. I'll take the perfect weather, too.

After a short speed session this morning, I attended an afternoon conference up at our local ski area, Bogus Basin. It was a perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy the trails there afterwards, especially in sunny 70 degree weather. I opted for the one hour tour circumnavigating the ski hills with moderate elevation gain. A great way to cap off the day, even though I'm still a little sore from Sunday's quad pounding descent. No better way to work out the kinks...so I'll take the 12 or so miles on the day.