Trail Treats

This morning I went for a trail run for the fun of it.  Yes, the fun it of it.  My choices for today were to take in the little treats along nearest trails that I have discovered over the past years.  Without using mental math, I estimated my loop would run between 8 and 10 miles.  I was hoping for ten, but that’s me, I’m a distance and elevation junkie.

I ran down into Wood Canyon, which runs about 3 miles in length.  Along Wood Canyon, there’s several opportunities to run up to the ridge that takes you to Top of the World.  I ran the first opportunity to the ridge, Cholla Trail, a short trail, but a nasty incline.  This way, I was able to run the entire ridge to Top of the World, which is a delightful rolling hill run.

Top of the World is a neighborhood in Laguna Beach that overlooks the Pacific Ocean.  It’s a particular, upper-upper class neighborhood.  But laymen like myself, refer to all the neighborhoods at the top of the ridge as Top of the World, not just that exclusive neighborhood. 

First Photographed Treat / Top of the World:

I turned around at Top of the World and ran back down West Ridge.  Instead of continuing the downhill toward Cholla, I made a right onto Mathis Trail and took it to Car Wreck Trail – a steep, rocky single track leading down into a valley where an old car wreck rests on a slope.  The run is tricky and at times treacherous with jumps steeper than I feel comfortable with.  But I made it through okay.  (At times, I admit that I slowed to a snail’s pace.  Though, I never needed to scoot along on my behind).

2nd Treat / Car Wreck Trail:

Finally, I took a trip onto Dripping Cave Trail, which I haven’t run in ages.  It’s slightly steep at first, but runnable.  After all the climbing though, you arrive to one of the best treats in the park, Dripping Cave (AKA Robber’s Cave).

3rd Treat / Dripping Cave Trail:

Sitting on a bridge along Dripping Cave for the photo op / I’m a dirty, dirty girl (the scar on my right knee I got when I was 6 years old – it’s 42 years old!):