AN INTERESTING RUN

     FALL IS A STRANGE TIME, THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS OFTEN SEEMS TO BRING STRANGE AND UNUSUAL WEATHER. THE PAST 6 DAYS HAVE IN MY OPINION BEEN A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THIS, RAIN, CLOUDS, WIND, SNOW, MORE RAIN AND THE COMPLETE ABSENCE OF THE SUN. TODAY I AWOKE BEFORE THE SUN ROSE INTO VIEW BUT WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE CLEAR SKIES ABOUND! I GOT READY FOR MY NORMAL DAILY RUN IN THE FOOTHILLS JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN. AS I WAS GETTING MY THINGS GATHERED UP I REALIZED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE GLORIOUS SUN WAS OUT THE WINDS HAD NOT GONE. AS I ARRIVED AT THE TRAILHEAD IT BECAME IMMEDIATLY EVIDENT THAT I WAS REALLY WINDY NO WORRIES I THOUGHT, I JUST HUNKERED DOWN IN MY 3oz WIND JACKET AND HEADED FOR THE HILLS. HEADING ACROSS THE LOWER VALLEY THE WIND WOULD GUST AND AT TIMES COMPLETLEY STOP ME IN MY TRACKS! I WAS LAUGHING OUT LOUD BECAUSE IT WAS SO DIFFERENT. AS I REACHED THE TOP OF STADIUM PASS IT FELT LIKE I WAS HIT WITH A BRICK WALL. I TURNED NORTH AND STARTED MAKING MY WAY THROUGH THE UPPER VALLEY TRAIL, IT WAS VERY WINDY WITH WHAT SEEMED LIKE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS THAT WERE DOWNRIGHT VIOLENT. I WAS ACTUALLY FORCED TO WALK THE UPPER THIRD OF THE VALLEY TRAIL BECAUSE THE WIND WOULD SIMPLY NOT ALLOW A RUNNING GAIT. WHEN I REACHED THE INTERSECTION OF LOWER FOOTHILLS OR THE RIDGE TRAIL I PAUSED AND QUICKLY DECIDED THAT WITH THE CURRENT CONDITIONS(SUSTAINED WINDS 55-70MPH WITH GUSTS EXCEEDING 100MPH, I DISCOVERED LATER) THAT I WOULD NOT VENTURE DOWN THE WESTERN SLOPE WERE THE WINDS WERE BOUND TO BE STRONGER. SO I WAS LEFT TO DECIDE WHETHER TO TURN AROUND OR TAKE THE RIDGE TRAIL BACK, I CHOSE THE RIDGE TRAIL SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFERENT, I ALMOST IMMEDIATLY REGRETED THIS DECISION! REALLY, THE RIDGE TRAIL, REALLY. WHAT WAS I THINKING. IN WINDY CONDITIONS YOU USUALLY CANNOT FIND ANYWHERE WINDIER THAN THE HIGHEST RIDGE! AS I WAS STRUGGLING ALONG, I BECAME A LITTLE CONCERNED. I WAS CURRENTLY PERCHED ON A RATHER PERCIPITOUS RIDGE NO WIDER THAN MAYBE 3 FEET. LOOKING OFF THE WESTERN SIDE, IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A TUMBLE IT IS LIKLEY/POSSIBLE THAT ONE WOULD FALL ALL THE WAY TO THE LAKE SOME 500 VERTICAL FEET BELOW. LOOKING TO THE EAST, THERE ARE SECTIONS WITH A VERTICAL CLIFF NO LESS THAN 50 FEET HIGH. SO AS I WAS CREEPING ALONG A GUST OF WIND CAME UP (REMEMBER A GUST IS MORE THAN 55-70MPH) AND ABSOLUTLY BLEW ME OFF THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE TRAIL! LUCKY FOR ME THERE WAS NO CLIFF WERE I ENDED UP. I SAT THERE FOR A MOMENT TO COLLECT MY THOUGHTS, AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD BAIL OUT ASAP. I LITERALLY CRAWLED ALONG THE RIDGE TRAIL UNTILL I DROPPED DOWN THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN (CROSS COUNTRY) TO THE ROAD. RUNNING ALONG THE ROAD I SWEAR I WAS  LEANING INTO THE WIND WITH A 30 DEGREE BODY ANGLE. I MADE MY WAY BACK TO THE UPPER TRAILHEAD AND HEADED DOWN STADIUM PASS. MY USUAL CHARGE DOWN THE 500 FT DESCENT WAS HELD TO VERY CAUTIOUS JOG. I FINALLY ARRIVED BACK AT THE B52 AND QUICKLY PULLED ON SOME JEANS AND A JACKET . ALL IN ALL QUITE AN INTERESTING RUN!