Training Log Archive: Funderstormin

Cold and rainy here today, so the full day adventure we had planned had to be postponed until (hopefully) tomorrow. Got out for a hike in between rains to look for a new running trail. Foiled yet again by promising looking old roads that turn into burro trails that turned into....fields which force me to turn around and go back the way that I came rather than in a satisfying loop.

Off on another scouting mission this morning, with instructions to Geoff about the general vicinity that I would be heading should a search party be necessary. Found a great loop out of town, up across and down a mesa and then back into town via the main road.

It was such a good idea in theory. Connect a couple of bike routes together to form a 2-3 hour loop. Started off well, with a quad burning 40 minute climb up to the top of a mesa. Shortly after we hit the flat parts, I blew a tire. We fixed it. Carried on. 4 km later, blew it again. Fixed it. Didn't even get back on it before it was flat again. Tried a different tube. Flat. 13 or so km from Jalcomulco, on the top of a mesa, at 12:00 or so, about 30 something degrees, no shade, and no chance of anyone coming along to help us out. So, we decided to carry on the loop, which meant me doing about an hour of hike a biking down off the mesa and into the nearest town. Decided the only smart thing to do was take a break at a little restaurant, regroup, drink some beer (me) and juice (Geoff). Found out a bus ran from this town to Jalcomulco and was coming in 30 minutes. Perfect. As we rolled our bikes across the bridge, I realized my front tube was flat too. WTF? Two new tubes on the bike now, and hopefully that's my share of flats for awhile.

I was going to create a new category for this called character-building, since by the time this was done I had about 20 bug bites and was bleeding from about 5 places. At one point, a giant green plant on the side of the trail attached itself to my leg and I couldn't get it off until I stepped on it with my other foot. This should make all of you who are jealous that I am here in the warm feel a bit better :)

C • OK I am not going to lie... 5

Left this a little later than I should have today and by 11:00 am when I headed out it was hot hot hot.

On a mission with Geoff and another guy who is down here to find a new running / biking loop. Geoff had a lead from his run yesterday, so we had high hopes. Unfortunately, shortly after he had turned around yesterday, the trail got narrower, and narrower, until it became kind of bushwhacky and then ended at a canyon. We followed the canyon up for about an hour and half, crawling over, under, around, and through the rocks. We were hopeful a couple of times that we had gotten to the end, but eventually we had to make the call to turn around or risk running out of daylight, and after all, there was a superbowl party to get to! Saw some cool rock etchings on the way back that we had somehow missed on the way out. May not have accomplished the mission, but the canyon was beautiful.