Return to the Goodspeed Trail

This trail has kind of been like the holy grail in terms of my recovery process. It basically feels like it's what I've been working toward being able to do again. Prior to my injury Dad and I were doing this trail once a month, as a way to gauge how our training was going (based on whether it got any easier from month to month... it didn't). But my word, let me tell you- taking four months off only made it way harder. Although, the condition of my knees was definitely a contributing factor to its difficulty.

But we did it! It took longer than usual at 3.5 hours (7.1 miles), but we got it done! It was super foggy the entire way up and most of the way down, but I think we were both grateful 'cause it kept us much cooler than we would have been otherwise.

 

 

 

Alamere Falls

Sunday we went back to Alamere Falls at Point Reyes. (Two Sundays ago- Father's Day- we did a ten mile hike at Annadel, but neither of us really took any pictures, so there was no post). So! We hiked to Alamere Falls, and then from there continued to the Wildcat Camp Ground before heading back to the car. It was an 11.4 mile hike and it took about four hours.

 

Return to Tomales Bay

Last weekend we hiked the elk preserve at Tomales Bay again. In its entirety it's about ten miles, but the terrain was a little rougher and more hilly than I previously recalled, so with my crummy knees I needed to turn back after about three miles. So we clocked a little over six miles total for the day.

The wildlife count did not disappoint, though. We saw approximately a dozen bunnies, several herds of elk, and a weasel!! Fun fact about weasels: they're adorable. And they move like cartoon characters. Tragically I have no pictures of the bunnies or the weasel. Please enjoy these other pictures of less adorable things, taken by both my father and myself.

 

Lies. I have found no evidence of harbor seals living at Point Reyes. All lies.

 

Well, yes, citizen. That is a crow eating a snake. They are the worst. Crows, not snakes.

 

Full disclosure: The more amazing nature photos were taken by my dad. Remember this: if it's a zoomed-in photo that doesn't look like crap, Dad probably took it.

Disneyland as a Training Exercise

Per my last post, we finally just got back on the horse in terms of training. Last weekend was a Disneyland trip I'd been almost rabidly looking forward to and simultaneously dreading, as my knees continued to fluctuate between mildly to actually irritated. However, it finally arrived, and overall it was completely manageable. There were a couple of rough moments throughout, but they were handled as they arose and I think great fun was had by all involved.

My charming best friend actually thought to track our footsteps while we were there, so I actually have a mileage count for training purposes. Sunday: 15 miles. Monday: 11 miles (for me- I went back to the hotel a little earlier than they did due to the aforementioned knee issues). And Tuesday morning: approx. 5 miles. So not bad at all, I'd say.

Here are some photos from the trip. I am a wretched person and managed to go to Disneyland without taking a single picture of any of the human beings I was with.

The (Tentative) Return

Alright, friends, here's the deal: I've spent the last three months trying very hard to come back from a nasty bout of what my doctors seems to believe is patelafemeral syndrome. In short, my knees were incredibly painful and I couldn't hike at all.

Last weekend was the first time I was able to complete a full circuit at Anadel to Lake Ilsangjo and back, and this week we replicated that hike. It took about two hours and 45 minutes and was about 7 and three quarter miles.