No Wimps - Pinckney 50K Ultra & Trail Half

Over the last few years, as I have continued to run and run and run some more, I continue to grow more attuned to what gives me the most enjoyment while out on the trails.  While I have, at least according to the basic numbers, been more successful in shorter races, my growing passion has been to see if I can continue to run farther and farther.  What started with a road marathon like the Chicago marathon grew into a trail marathon on the North Country Trail which then grew into the big challenge of the Pikes Peak Marathon.  It felt like a great progression over a handful of years and I believed that progression would continue in 2017 when I tackled the Two Hearted Trail Run (marathon) in the U.P. of Michigan.  That didn't go so well.  After having gained such confidence on Pikes in 2016 I thought I'd really nail this more basic trail marathon in the flatter expanses of the U.P. and I ended up having a bad race.  Did this mean I had already peaked?  Had I found my limit?  Was my niche in the running world to stick to trail halfs and the annual attempt at a full marathon.  I say no.  I decided I wasn't going to allow myself to settle.

Surviving the Colorado 14ers

I'd like to happily announce on my Wilderness Wanderings blog the completion and availability of a book co-written by myself, my brother, and father.  Ever since we completed our family quest of hiking all of the Colorado 14ers we've been looking for a way to bring some closure and finality to our decades-long adventure.  You may well know the challenge of devoting attention and heart and effort to something over months or years (or even decades) and the joy it brings when it can be finally realized and fulfilled.  Yet it also brings with it, shortly thereafter, this moment of emptiness where the question is begged: "what's next?"  

Mt. Yale Winter Ascent 2018

Route Name: Southwest Slopes
Trailhead Elevation: 9,925 ft.
Summit Elevation: 14,196 ft.
Distance: 10.37 mi.
Elevation Gain: 4,257 ft.
Start Time: 5:58am
Summit Time: 12:10am (25 minutes on top)
End Time: 5:29am

Trip Report:

This hike was all about my 13-year old son Luke's first winter* 14er. (* - yes, technically it was April, so not calendar winter, but winter conditions it was). He has grown and matured wonderfully in the last year and several months before our planned trip Ihad the idea that this was the year to let him give this a try.  The first step was to see if he would be interested.  That's the only way this would work.  I brought it up to him and explained how I thought he could do it and how I would prepare him for it, and he was up for the challenge.

Pinckney Blind Lake Backpacking Dec '17 (In the snow)

Potawatomi Trail:
Pinckney State Recreation Area
Trailhead Elevation: 888 ft.

Dec. 15 Hike In: 
  Distance: 11.06 mi. 
  Elevation Gain: 433 ft.
  Start Time: 3:01pm
  End Time: 7:38pm

Dec. 16 Hike Out:
  Distance: 4.30 mi. 
  Elevation Gain: 206 ft.
  Start Time: 8:20am
  End Time: 10:19am

Trip Report:
The opportunity once more arose to get a good backpacking adventure in this December. I've grown to love and enjoy these winter excursions as they add a number of logistical challenges not present in the summer. That, and hiking in 20-30 degree weather in Michigan is much to be preferred to hiking in 70-80 degree humid weather in the summer. About two weeks out I started watching the forecast and it appeared I would have low 20's and almost no precip to deal with on my planned dates. That was looking pretty good to me. Two days before my event I was thrown a curveball. Southeast Michigan was hit with a pretty good snow storm. Where I live it was only about 4 inches of snow, but at Pinckney it was more like 8 inches. As the storm was happening I didn't fully reckon how it might impact my hiking plans.

Island Lake Blue Loop

Island Lake Blue Loop:
Island Lake State Recreation Area
Trailhead Elevation: 919 ft.
Distance: 10.01 mi. (my Forerunner 230)
Elevation Gain: 238 ft. (my GPS)
Start Time: 4:59pm
End Time: 6:41pm

Trip Report:

On my drive up to northern Michigan I finally found an opportunity to try Island Lake once more. I planned an hour for myself to start out at the shopping center, run the 4/10 of a mile to the Blue Loop and do a 6-mile out and back run. The trail starts at the far east end of the shopping center which is just off of US-23. It is a fairly obvious trail near signage. The first four tenths are mostly flat and good trail which a few small side trails that break off. I found the "main" trail to be relatively evident. It picks up the blue loop at a bend in the blue and immediately heads south. I ran into two bikers in this early section whom I moved aside for.