Arroyo Trabuco

Late this morning, I decided to run a different trail – Arroyo Trabuco Trail.  It runs for many miles, through several cities, beneath the streets (sorta).  I parked in Las Flores, in a strip mall lot and ran along the streets to one of the many entrances down to Arroyo Trabuco Trail.

First off, I came to this sign because about a mile away, a road crew was clearing away brush along the road.  Ah . . . I don’t think so!  I am so tired of things closed for my own safety!  I made the risky calculation and took my life into my own hands and ran along this sidewalk to the cement trail that travels down beneath Oso Parkway. 

I ran through lots of shade, through plenty of creeks.  The trail was as I recalled.  I remembered fun times along this trail.  I remembered hard times along this trail (though the elevation gain isn’t tough).  And I remembered crying along this trail (when I ran the Las Flores Marathon and thought that I couldn’t take it anymore – but I took it and finished intact).

In all I ran an out-and-back totalling 11.22 miles.  I saw very few people, around 5 or 6 cyclists.  And I was tricked by the ole’ “Y” intersection once again!  Running out (into the “V” of the “Y”), I didn’t notice another trail coming into mine.  But on the back portion, as I ran up the base of “Y”, I suddenly realized that I didn’t know which arm I came from.  I studied the land a bit, and decided on taking the right arm.  Pretty quickly the trail seemed wrong.  The creek crossings seemed suspiciously different.  I didn’t cross them as easily as I did on my way in.  The trail overall was muddier too.  Then, before I was absolutely certain that I took the wrong trail, but was pretty sure I did, I turned back.  Turns out, that was a good move.  Soon enough I was back on the right track, adding one mile to my overall out-and-back mileage.

A great day to begin my training for Twin Peaks 2014.