Muntanyes de Begur, Cami de Ronda

Long time no blog ... well, commute runs along the city streets between home and work, same old trails around and about Edinburgh, no complaints, same time, no new eye candy ... anyway, yay for summer holidays, a couple of weeks in the sun, and the odd journey run.

Base camp is a low key resort sprawl at Platja da Pals on the Costa Brava. The beaches are beauties, for sure, and the sprawl is surrounded by pine forest clad hills, apparently Muntanyes de Begur. I can reach them along the roads, less than 1km from base, and the satellite images provide clues of dirt tracks and switch backs. I have no maps here, just a vague idea of a route, I guess it'll be a follow-the-nose run. I'm up and ready just a little before dawn, the colours of the early sky above the sea from one of the apartment windows, they are gorgeous, enticing. So off along the roads to explore the woods, but first I must find a witch. Really, a witch.

Lovely early morning skies from the apartment

On the roads through the woods ...

... to find a witch!

Looks like a nice restaurant, off the beaten track, away from the madding crowds, maybe have dinner there sometime. The hintings of the satellite images were spot on ... pine needles over sandy soft earth tracks. The sun is up now over the ridge to the north-east ... oh, wait, ... that's the ridge I'd intended to ascend, oopsie ... oh, well, never mind. The wide track has petered out, and given way to narrow footpaths, this is very fine running. Soon steep and the sandy soil has become, well, just sand, and roots, and stones. Every two steps forward comes with about half a step sliding back. Kind of like nano-scree! Difficult going, I'm breathing hard, I'm drenched in sweat already. Just three sounds for me here, my heavy breathing, my clumsy footfall, and the birdsongs, mostly wood-pigeon.  Bit of a shame about the dress choice, bright yellow t-shirt, the flies are finding me very attractive. Maybe four sounds, the dratted buzzing flies. Ok, five sounds, my cursing muttering about the flies. Good job there's nobody else around at the moment, just imagining what might happen if someone came across an older gentleman of not ungenerous girth, running through the woods, wearing ridiculously short shorts and a bright yellow shirt, waving his arms about wildly and muttering ...

The with has good trails!

Sun up over the ridge to the east-ish.

Lovely pine needle clad paths ...

.. and soon sandy rooty steep, puff, rasp.

The ground levels off and the going gets easier, but the path has twisted to the west and I really ought to be heading east. There's an enticing small side track which will take me in the general direction, but too soon is lost in overgrown undergrowth. Short back-track and all of a sudden I'm out of the woods and onto the roads. Not much of an idea where I am, but I'm kind of facing the sun, and it's morning, so at least the road is heading eastwards-ish. Ok, I'll take that for a while. The hilltop village of Begur is visible toward the north-west-ish a short distance away, I'm starting to get a bit of an idea where I might be now, and it's all good. Steep switchbacks should lead down toward the coastal village of Sa Riera which, luckily, is a key part of my vague route plan.

Enticing side-track soon lost in overgrown undergrowth

The roads again, heading about in the right direction now 

Hilltop village of Begur

Easy but somewhat boring downhill road running along the switchbacks, the camera has been stowed, but what is this I see below me. Looks like a little river, and dirt trails, and steps down. Oh, a river, always flows downhill, must lead to the coast ... and what's this thought ... river = riera. Aha, I'll definitely take that! The trail meanders up and down along the river side, getting rougher, and crossing the water a couple of times before a short stretch on the streets, a brief uncomfortable encounter with over-excited barking dogs, then depositing me at the beautiful beach of Sa Riera. Bullseye on nav!

Looks good, steps down to river-side dirt trail ...

... nice ...

... very nice ...

... and more of very nice, stepping stones over the river.

Platja Sa Riera, beautiful!

There's a footpath clinging to the crumbling cliffs from here back to the beach near base camp, Platja d. Raco/Pals. The path seems to be part of a bigger affair, a long distance coastal path, Cami di Ronda. Its roughly paved here, so no soft dirt trails, but a great view back over Sa Riera. It's easy to imagine that in times past, here was a quiet little fishing village. Of course, now tourism is the industry here, and the place seems to be popular with the sailing folk.

Cami de Ronda along the cliffs

Sweet view of Sa Riera behind

Lots of steps, a steep climb to the headland, but oh the views, gorgeous. Soon at the top of the climb I'm looking down to Platja Illa Roja, a super little beach. Junior calls it "shady beach", the free-standing red rock which gives the beach its name provides welcome shade from the fierce sun. This is a beach of two halves, the footpath charges steep downhill to the larger half, and then through the cliffs to reveal the grand sweep of Platja d. Raco/Pals. I decide to scamper over the rocks and down to the sea edge for a bit of a run along the sand, but before long I can withstand temptation no more, and a dip in the water cools my overheated body. I am thinking to myself, back here for several spots of barefoot at the water edge over the next week or so of mornings.

Steep, steps, but the views ...

... lovely little Platja Illa Roja ...

... a beach of two halves.

Cami de Ronda runs through the cliffs ...

... and over the rocks to the sweep of Platja d. Raco/Pals, lots of barefoot to come here.

Its not altogether clear where I've been today, except for some woods, and then some roads, and then the coastal footpath, along a few beaches ... worked out pretty well. How far? I don't know, didn't set the watch ... my head is guessing, about 12km. How much ascent/descent? I don't know, my legs are guessing, about 300m. How long have I been on the go, not sure, didn't set the watch ... maybe about 1:30. Nothing open for an early espresso break en route, family still sleeping when I get back to base.

Enjoy!

Geek Xing

Just a short one today. I've spent the last few days working at the Microsoft Campus at Redmond, near Seattle. Thursday afternoon, we managed to finish up a bit early, and the weather was glorious, despite forecasts of heavy rain. I've read about running "trails" around the campus, and walked a little of them between hotel and work, so I'm out to explore.

There are three way-marked trails, which can be joined a stone's throw from the hotel here. The longest,of the three goes around the west and east campus either side of Highway 520, so that will be the route for me today. I start at a way-marker, on gravel paths through the trees.  There are funny little 'runner' markers along the sides of the trails, just a few inches tall. I am so close to the busy streets and the buildings and car parks of the campus complex, but still its nice running through the trees in the late afternoon light. Then there is a very amusing signpost as the running trail crosses a cycle path.

Trail turn markers, at the start on gravel

Funny little trail side way markers

Nice later sun through the trees

Geek Crossing!

More way markers with the funny little running figure on top of the posts. I'm on the blue route, marked as five miles (which it isn't). The red route, three miles, and the yellow route, just one mile. Unfortunate but too much of the trail is on hard concrete side-walks around the campus, just as well that evening rush hour hasn't got into gear properly. There are lots of sports facilities here for the softies - anyone for some cricket? Now the route comes for the first time to the Redmond wetlands for just a few minutes, easier on the eye than the concrete and steel. The paths are mostly fine gravel, easier on the feet than the side-walks, and a chance here and there to run over the soft grass. The bane of this route, here and elsewhere, of course, is waiting at all these road crossings.

Route markers, yellow, red and blue.

Concrete side-walks in the campus, not so good on the feet

Nice evening for a game of cricket.

Redmond wetlands

Gravel paths and grassy fields, before ...

... more tiresome road crossings.

Soon the path passes again through the Redmond wetlands, much better now, where a rabbit runs across the path before me. Loving running through the trees here, a few muddy little side trails tempt me, but I must get back to the hotel and get out to dinner soon.

More of the Redmond wetlands ...

... lovely here.

Rabbit runs across the path in front of me and hides in the undergrowth

Really liking it through the tall trees here.

I've seen signs warning of Geek Crossing, well no surprise, this is Microsoft! I've seen a rabbit crossing, no surprise, these are wetlands. I am surprised at the next warning sign, really, possibility of a Sasquatch crossing?!*! Anyway, I'm running along the gravel path beside NE 28th St, the hotel complex is visible through the trees to my left, and the finish/start is just around the next bend.

Sasquatch Crossing?

Just approaching the start/finish on NE 28th St.

Well that was nice, very nice. The garmin shows 9km (which is not 5 miles) with a small ascent/descent of 160m, on the feet for 59:45, temperature 14C and I've got a good sweat. Sharp start tomorrow morning and fly off in the evening, so that'll be my last run on this trip. Here's the route.

Enjoy!

Sea-Tac Sixteen

I'm a week away from home in the Seattle area (Bellevue/Redmond) to participate in an event at Microsoft. I've run here before, early 2012, mostly on roads, seeking out scraps of trails. I'll be running here again, so something a bit different to blog. Just as well, been a long time since I wrote anything.

So, let's start ... for boring reasons I'm overnight Saturday in a hotel near Sea-Tac airport. Well, I say a hotel, its comfortable enough, I'd overnight here again if need arose, but same time it feels a bit like a prison, because I'm surrounded by endless parking lots, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, hotels, ... really not my kind of place. Only one thing for it then, free time on Sunday, get me elsewhere out on some trails. I'm thinking of Discovery Park, alas its more than an hour from here, but I do have a lot of free time.

Comfortable hotel, or barren prison?

Sunday morning, I had a long long day yesterday, slept late this morning, and perhapsdefinitely had an extra long workpigout at the breakfast buffet. Late for the start, I have to set dreams of distant trails aside, and do something around the area of the hotel. Quick look at online maps, there seems to be a creek trail a few blocks away, leading down to the Puget Sound. The start, heading south on Pacific Highway, not so inspiring ... but its got to beat the treadmill in the hotel gym? For sure, at least I am outdoors!

The start south on Pacific Highway, run away from here old plodder!

I remember now, one of the problems running in cities in USA, very often there are no sidewalks, so road running is a literal description. No matter the trail head is soon reached. I remember now, urban trails in USA, still road running. Oh well, at least I can run along the softer verges, maybe there will be some good side-trails. Just a few hundred metres and here is temptation to my left, a great looking little side trail, alongside the river, its got everything, mud, fallen trees to leap over, and to duck under, but alas it soon ends at "fallen trees swamp".

Road running in USA is often literal ...

... and trail running can be a form of road running.

Yay! Tempting little side trail ...

... running alongside a pretty little river!

Leap!

Duck!

Boo! Trail ends at "fallen trees swamp".

Returning to the asphalt I am reminded how close I am to the airport as a plane roars over my head on take-off. Its nice enough being among the trees here and near the river but one thing is definitely wrong ...the soundscape is unnatural. More side trails come into view, to my left a river crossing is on offer, to my right I can be straight into the trees.

The airport is near, lots of sound pollution, ...

... but pretty sights through the trees along the river.

Hmm, maybe a muddy scramble and a river crossing ...

... reckon I'll take the easier right and get myself into the trees.

Now this is more like it at last! The imprints in the earth tell me that these are mountain bike trails, so I can expect a lot of short steep ups and downs, sharp turns, ... fun!  Pretty flowers! Nature's carpet beneath my happy feet! I've got my rhythm now, it feels good, but it wont last forever. The trail peters out and I have to bushwhack a bit down to the asphalt again.

This is more like it!

Loving the carpet!

Bit of a bushwhack.

The asphalt now is less fun, the verges are not runnable, but I soon reach the Puget Sound. I take a little stop here to absorb the place. I like running, feeling my heart and lungs working, the movement of my body, even the sweating part, but sometimes its good to be still, to take time to sense the detail in the environment. Zen moment: Sitting still, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself. I'd hoped to run north along the shoreline and find another creek trail back into the urban sprawl. Unfortunately this is not going to do-able and I'm going to have to get back on the suburban roads for a while. I might get lucky and hit some more trail, you never know. Its unlikely there will be anything worth seeing for now, so the camera is stowed here. Slight problem, I did not think about a "Plan B", I have no route plan from here and no map to consult ... I'll just have to trust sense of direction and mental compass I guess.

The verge to my right is not runnable ...

...  neither is the verge to my left (but at least there is a duck).

The Puget Sound ...

... and Des Moines marina.

Nope, definitely not runnable.

I know I need to head north and at some point turn east. I feel like I've been running uphill on the same road for miles. I've been heading north on 1st Avenue South for the last couple of miles and climbed over 400 feet. I'm starting to tire, my top is soaked in sweat ... a short pause to take on water and I realize I've gone too far north. I've just passed 192nd Street, I'm sure I was on 200th Street at the trailhead. Hmm, backtrack and east along 192nd, more undulation, Seattle is not a flat place! I can see ahead, this street ends, I think it might be due to the presence of the airport complex. Turn south until 200th, then east, if I'm right then I know the way back from there.  More uphills and downhills then a familiar little monster appears before me, but at least I am found. Returning north on Pacific Highway I see a glimmer of light on my right and turn to investigate. Its a little park and a pretty lake, with a backdrop of dark and brooding mountains in the distance. Nice here, in an urban sense, folk kayaking, fishing, picnicing, smell of bbq smoke, kids playing, pretty blossoms in the trees, nice. Just a couple of minutes later and I'm back at the hotel, which curiously no longer invokes in me the notion of a prison.

I recognize this little monster ... I am found!

Angle Lake, a pretty little place ...

... lovely white blossoms.

No longer having that kind-of-a-prison sensation!

This was a bit of a mixed feelings run. I had some fun in the creek but was disappointed I could not run along the shore. It went downhill (and uphill, so much uphill) from there, in the end I was just relieved to know where I was and the route to finish the thing. Nevertheless, definitely glad I did that, definitely good to get out and about and explore a bit. On the go today for two hours and one minute, about five minute stop at Puget Sound, and another couple of minutes at Angle Lake, distance 16km dead, and approx. 300m ascent/descent. Here's the route ...

... with a bit of luck I'll be able to find some trails in Bellevue/Redmond later in the week, if I can get my lazy body out of bed early morning.


Enjoy!