RIDERS ON THE STORM "BA BOOM BABOOM BOOM BOOM" (THE DOORS)

     TODAY, DESPITE THE FORCAST CALLING FOR SNOW AND RAIN I AWOKE TO BLUE SKIES. I GATHERED MY THINGS AND HEADED FOR THE T.H.. AS I STARTED OFF IN THE LOWER VALLEY I COULD SEE SOME RATHER DARK AND SOMEWHAT THREATING CLOUDS BLOWING EASTWARD. AS I CRESTED HUGHES PASS I REALIZED THAT IT WAS ALREADY RAINING AT THE NORTH END OF THE LAKE. I QUICKEND MY PACE AND DID MY NORMAL ROUTE, FOOTHILLS OVER HUGHES PASS, LEFT ON THE A SUMMIT TRAIL TO THE SUMMIT, THEN SOME "ILLEGAL" TRAILS DOWN TO THE RIDGE ROAD TO THE DAY USE AREA,(THE PLACE LAZY PEOPLE DRIVE TO) THEN PLUMMETING DOWN THE WESTERN SLOPE TO THE LOWER FOOTHILLS, THEN CLIMBING BACK TO THE RIDGE AT SUNRISE T.H. THEN THE QUESTIONABLY LEGAL UPPER VALLEY TRAIL BACK TO HUGHES PASS. NORMALY I WOULD JUST HEAD OFF THE PASS AND BACK TO THE B52 BUT TODAY I DECIDED TO CLIMB THE A SUMMIT TRAIL AGAIN MAINLY TO JUST GAIN A BETTER VIEW OF THE IMPENDING STORM. I REACHED THE TOP AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE SNOW/ RAIN LINE HAD NOW REACHED THE DAY USE AREA! I HAD TWO OPTIONS, THE FIRST BEING TO HEAD DOWN THE SUMMIT SPUR RIGHT INTO THE INEVITABLY COLD PERCIPITATION (I NOW REALIZED I WAS RATHER UNDERDRESSED WITH JUST A T-SHIRT AND RUNNING SHORTS,OOPS). MY SECOND AND MORE APPEALING OPTION WAS TO HEAD OFF THE FRONT SIDE OF THE MAXWELL MTN, I HAD CONSIDERED THIS ROUTE MANY TIMES AS THERE ARE WHAT LOOKS LIKE RUNABLE TRAILS FROM THE BOTTOM ALL OVER THE MOUNTAIN. I THOUGHT IT WAS SMARTER TO STAY DRY AND HEAD OFF DOWN THE STEEP SLOPE. THE TRAIL I WAS FOLLOWING ALMOST IMMEDIATLY FIZZLED OUT AND I WAS LEFT TO BUSHWACK MY WAY DOWN TO THE "TRAILS" I THOUGHT I SAW FROM THE BOTTOM. AFTER NEARLY 20 MINS OF TRAILESS MAYHEM I FINALLY REACHED THE CLIFF. ALONG THE TOP WAS A VERY RUNNABLE TRAIL HEADING NORTH. I FOLLOWED THIS UNTILL I SPOTTED FLAT SPOT TRAIL, I TURNED AND HEADED DOWN THIS VERY WASHED-OUT AND EXTREMLY OVERGROWN RIBBON OF TRAIL DOWN TO THE ABRUPT END AT THE THE SIGN THAT WAS RATHER THREATING, TALKING ABOUT TRESPASSING AND TICKETS AND JAIL! FROM HERE I CONTINUED MY CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL DOWN TOTHE AQUADUCT ROAD AND THEN CUT ACROSS THE LOWER VALLEY BACK TO THE FOOTHILLS TRAIL. AS I REACHED THE B52 THE RAIN BEGAN HITING ME. ALL IN ALL A GREAT MORNING RUN WITH THE ELEVATION GAIN I HAD BEEN LOOKING TO ACHIEVE DAILY, SOME EXPLORATION OF THE SOUTHEASTERN FACE OF MAXWELL MTN., AND BEATING THE RAIN BACK TO THE TRUCK!
     ONE OTHER THOUGHT, I FEEL AS THOUGH A HAVE REACHED A PLANE OF FITNESS THAT WILL ALLOW FOR A QUICK AND EFFICIENT BUILDUP FOR RACES. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE A LEVEL OF CONSISTENCEY WITH THE LAST 5 WEEKS YEILDING 50MPW OR MORE. I AM HAPPY WITH MY RUNNING.