Another rest day. A "down" day. And, of course, I'm going to use it up doing something very restful— I'm going to run the Sleeping Giant, a sacred rock formation famous to the region. Now you might say that this kind of activity is why the Blog has been so far behind, and so short on text, but the reality is that there is no internet and no cellular service. So none of this digital stuff will figure in my day. I actually took on this gig at Beyond the Giant Resort just so I'd get a crack at running the rock! It's less than an hour from Thunder Bay, so I'm up early and on the Big Road.
But the two-lane blacktop is quickly replaced by more interesting roads— maybe not well suited for the Lincoln. Damn, I'm taking her down anyway! These won't be the last hillbilly highways I push the Big White Pig onto!
Not bad, at all. I could do this in a borrowed sports car. I'm checking into my cabin on the shore of Lake Superior, after which I've got the rest of the day to run the Rock.
Nice digs. I'll get this little stove fired up tonight.
Here's the view out the window. Cool, eh? You can see the Giant sleeping out there across the Bay.
He's waiting for me. I'm off! Since I'm not doing a show tonight, I can run myself ragged if I want. I resolve to take it easy, as I'm not out as often on the Tour. What am I going to run? My map suggests it will be over 10km... maybe 12 or 13... OK, cool. That's an easy run on a beautiful day. At the trailhead it is a pretty good looking path.
It just goes and goes. Mostly a pretty smooth surface. Some rocks bruise my feet at one point. Yeah, I could run in more trail specific shoes, but I love my Mizuno gear, and it's not going to fail me here. My iPhone has died, so my Runkeeper app and my GPS are not helpful. The trailside sign advising me that the trailhead is now 12km behind me serves as a reminder! My short run is now going to be 24km!
I'm not racing, so I stop at 12km to puzzle my map and have some water. Yup, time to turn for home. On the return run I notice that huge parts of it are now uphill. That, no doubt, is why most of the first 12 km were so easy! The last couple of km seem to be steeper and steeper. I'm one beat up runner when I reach the trailhead parking lot! This is, in my experience, one of Canada's great runs. I can't wait to come back.
Tonight I'll warm my bones by the woodstove, enjoy the brilliant stars above, and the cool conversation of the waves breaking on the rocks next to the cabin. In the morning I'll start the set up for the long anticipated tent show.
Another rest day. A "down" day. And, of course, I'm going to use it up doing something very restful— I'm going to run the Sleeping Giant, a sacred rock formation famous to the region. Now you might say that this kind of activity is why the Blog has been so far behind, and so short on text, but the reality is that there is no internet and no cellular service. So none of this digital stuff will figure in my day. I actually took on this gig at Beyond the Giant Resort just so I'd get a crack at running the rock! It's less than an hour from Thunder Bay, so I'm up early and on the Big Road.
But the two-lane blacktop is quickly replaced by more interesting roads— maybe not well suited for the Lincoln. Damn, I'm taking her down anyway! These won't be the last hillbilly highways I push the Big White Pig onto!
Not bad, at all. I could do this in a borrowed sports car. I'm checking into my cabin on the shore of Lake Superior, after which I've got the rest of the day to run the Rock.
Nice digs. I'll get this little stove fired up tonight.
Here's the view out the window. Cool, eh? You can see the Giant sleeping out there across the Bay.
He's waiting for me. I'm off! Since I'm not doing a show tonight, I can run myself ragged if I want. I resolve to take it easy, as I'm not out as often on the Tour. What am I going to run? My map suggests it will be over 10km... maybe 12 or 13... OK, cool. That's an easy run on a beautiful day. At the trailhead it is a pretty good looking path.
It just goes and goes. Mostly a pretty smooth surface. Some rocks bruise my feet at one point. Yeah, I could run in more trail specific shoes, but I love my Mizuno gear, and it's not going to fail me here. My iPhone has died, so my Runkeeper app and my GPS are not helpful. The trailside sign advising me that the trailhead is now 12km behind me serves as a reminder! My short run is now going to be 24km!
I'm not racing, so I stop at 12km to puzzle my map and have some water. Yup, time to turn for home. On the return run I notice that huge parts of it are now uphill. That, no doubt, is why most of the first 12 km were so easy! The last couple of km seem to be steeper and steeper. I'm one beat up runner when I reach the trailhead parking lot! This is, in my experience, one of Canada's great runs. I can't wait to come back.
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