After fighting some kind of crap in my system for the last couple of days (Thursday and Friday; thursday was the worst), I got up this morning and picked up Sly Moon who is visiting San Antonio this weekend.  He wanted to do an 8-miler today and I was planning on an easy 3 for me as a slow comeback after the 2 days of crappola.

So I decided to make our starting point Brackenridge Park, where the San Antonio Zoo is.  This park gives access to Lions Park which, in turn, has a trail that goes to one end of the San Antonio Riverwalk.  This way,  starting from an end-point, Sly Moon would have the WHOLE riverwalk trail to run on - which goes much farther than 8 miles, plus he would be running back in the direction where his hotel was, which is easily accessible from the Riverwalk; and I could do a turn-around and head back to where my vehicle was parked, so I would not be pushing myself too much today.

So I got Sly Moon about 6:30 a.m and we headed to Brackenridge, with a quick drive-around in the historic King William district, so he'd know where one part of the other end of the Riverwalk came out and know how to get back to his hotel from there.  After we got to the park we did a short warmup walk to one of the the park trailheads - with me playing 'tour guide", pointing out my route along the Zoo fence line and the Egret birds in the trees, and the park bridge I once got chased over by the little tourist train that goes around the park - and then we were off and running.

Well, running/walking anyway.  Sly Moon was very accommodating about doing my run/walk thing because of my arthritis and he also kindly ran my pace, which is MUCH more slower than his normal running pace, I'm sure.   We had a nice chat along the way about this-and-that; and the weather cooperated too, it was a bit humid, but for the end of July in Texas, it was actually nice for a morning run.

We got through the Lion's Park trail and then headed onto the Riverwalk Trail, going along with Brackenridge golf course on our right. Went through an underpass...

...that took us up to a street we had to cross to get where the Riverwalk continued on - why the engineers that developed all this just didn't make the underpass connect with the other side of the Riverwalk, I have no idea -  and reached my turn-around point which is called Pearl Brewery area, so-called because of the old Pearl Brewery that used to make Pearl Beer.  It is now a thriving community development of unique condos, apartments, shoppes, restaurants, etc., that are all within blocks of the Riverwalk.  This side of the San Antonio Riverwalk is the 'quiet side", away from all the restaurants, shoppes, tourist vendor places, etc, that are in the heart of the Riverwalk.   It is called the "Museum Reach"  riverwalk side obecause the San Antonio Museum of Art is located on this side.  The end area of it, where Sly Moon and I parted ways is a very pretty area with flowers, gardens, etc.

I gave Sly Moon some info for continuing his run on up the Riverwalk, and this is what he - and you if you ever run here - encounters as he moves on up this dside of the Riverwalk.

An underpass that has 'fish sculpture" representing swimming fish in the river

At night...the fish light up...

The grotto fountain

The Museum Bridge - which is were the San Antonio Museum of Art is located.  The side of the riverwalk  Sly Moon was on dead-ends at the museum, so he would cross over this bridge to keep on going up the Riverwalk.  The museum is in the background behind the bridge.

This VFW post, which is one of the oldest buildings in San Antonio

The Riverwalk Locks, where the tourist barges 'get a lift" to continue their tours along the river

After that, Sly Moon would soon hit the 'heart of downtown" part of the Riverwalk, where all the restaurants, shoppes, barges, etc, are seen the most.   Since this was still early morning, would not be as busy as what it is in this photo.

He probably would not yet have 8 miles done so from here, it's over those steps and continue to follow the Riverwalk on down to the historic King William District where he'd run through a neighborhood filled with 19th century-style mansions and houses.

If he went farther down the Riverwalk than that, then he would've encountered the Outrigger Canoe Club, then the Blue Star Brewery - a very good local craft brewer, I often end my riverwalk runs here and sit on their patio post-run enjoying one of their lagers and the riverwalk view.

As for me, I turned around at my halfway point but before I went I got a couple of photos of Sly Moon along the riverwalk.  I would have got us both but we were the only ones around right then and I am just terrible at 'selfie' photos  - even more terrible than my usual photos, lol - so I just got  him

Sly Moon was wearing his Garmin and told me we had come 1.8 miles, so I headed back exactly the way we had come out to get in 3.6 miles total when I got back to Brackenridge Park.   I actually got 3.7 in, because I went ahead and ran back to where the car was parked, which was about 1/10 of a mile from where Sly Moon and I started on the trail head.   I was feeling pretty good going out with Sly Moon but I guess this stupid virus thing had drained me more than I though because coming back I had to do more walking that I'd intended to, which made for a very slow overall time for me; but that's okay, I got it done, and after I got back to the car I took out some gatorade I'd stored in a small cooler and sat by the river in the park and sipped my drink and cooled down, enjoying the view.

Sly Moon told me he and his family would be enjoying San Antonio Sea World today so he may not read this for a while.  Hopefully, he had a really nice run on the Riverwalk and enjoyed the 'tour'.  And hopefully he did get in his 8 miles.   I am terrible at estimating distances in my head, so I tried to figure out a route that would hopefully give him 8 miles, but if not, hopefully he and his Garmin figured it out  and the other side of the riverwalk from which we started is very accommodating as it goes a LONG way, now that the riverwalk extension is complete.

Nice FE and nice run with a very nice guy.

Sorry about the post length.  Only I could turn a 3-mile run into a whole story, lol.

Gosh, what a beautiful area!  I sooo need an excuse to go to San Antonio!

Nice FE and photos.  I'm always amazed that the Riverwalk has no railings, you can just go for a swim any time.  How deep is the water?

Fogo de chao!!!   Take him to Fogo de Chao!!!!!!!!!!

Gosh, what a beautiful area!  I sooo need an excuse to go to San Antonio!

 

Nice FE and photos.  I'm always amazed that the Riverwalk has no railings, you can just go for a swim any time.  How deep is the water?

Yeah, I've been for a swim in it, lol...not paying attention and ran straight where the path curved and did a splash-down into the water.    Luckily, I knew the water along the Riverwalk is only 4.5 to 5 feet deep so I just stood up.

Very cool!  Great tourguiding, Scotty, sounds like a fun FE!

That is one cool looking 3 mike run. Great report, Scotty.  Slymoon bears a slight resemblance to Henry Rollins .

A 'little' bit more when I had hair and was bulky - non-runnerish build.

It was fun and yes I traveled all those areas,  very cool place to run.  Grotto fountain sweet!  Bridge over Riverwalk with the barge shot will tire you out!  Several areas that have 3-5 steps or 8-12 steps up and / or down that are 'fun' to negotiate.

hahah.

Only when I looked down.  But that was dangerous on the riverwalk...  no rails.