Tim
Today I had one of my better runs in a while. Weather was nice, temps were lower, mild humidity and light breeze. 14 miles on the trails at a nice pace. Maybe a redemption from my last 2 miserable runs or maybe my body just needed the better temperatures and less humidity.
When I got to the trail head, I was shocked to see the trees all marked for logging. Looks like one of my go-to trails is going to be decimated by bob cats and chain saws. Very sad, as at least the first 1/2 of my run today had blue marks on the trees for cutting. The last 1/2 didn't have any marks, but it will be difficult to get to that section if they are logging.
QOTD: Ever have logging issues in you area trails?
Michaux forest has an arrangement with Gladfelter Paper Co. for logging. They are supposed to leave trail systems as they were when they finish in an area, but it never works out that way since they remove beautiful single track trails and when they are done they are all much wider.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Planning on a 7 mle loop on the roads around the house today. DW will probably come to meet me so the last 2 miles or so will be a walk.
QOTD: Nothing so far. R.B. Winters State Park which is where I often park for my long trail runs really should have some thinning done. The other day a nice breeze came up while I was in the parking lot and just with a breeze dead limbs were falling. Some really old trees in there that are deteriorating. I can foresee them either cutting or having to close some of the nature trails in the park due to safety concerns. None of the other trails in that area have mature timber.
9 miles 1 hr 30 min. Fire Rd 5050 This is probably the largest elevation gain in the east. 2000' to 6100' in just a few miles.
I had to stop at 4900' because they have let the rd. grow over again.
QOTD Logging is part of the process of owning timber. Visit Homes Educational Forest and Forest Discovery Center.
I was running in a green tag forest today where the timber has been harvested correctly since the late 1800s and it is amazing to see.
The only true virgin forest in the east is near Andrews NC.
I was running in Oregon along the Salmon river a few years back and everything looked so different. The I looked closely at the trees and realized there were old growth, never cut.
We're so used to seeing "new" forests on the east coast. Where I run, Michaux Forest, was a busting with iron furnaces many years ago, so all the trees are "new".
NHLA - Fire Rd 5050 - with 6100' elevation, is that near Mt. Mitchell?
Faster Than Your Couch!
3.5 in the morning with DS biking with me. It was fun, but already warm and humid.
In the afternoon, I went playing/running/biking with the kids and met a lady in her 70's, who still swims competitively, bikes, and runs. She did the Hawaiian Triathlon several times, and Tri World Championships. We had fun talking and exchanging experiences.
QOTD: So far only on one particular trail, which I might or might not use. Alternatives available, so not really a big deal. But it always stuns me how different an area looks when the trees are removed, or the brush cut back.
Run for fun.
running under the BigSky
AT and I must have posting at the same time
very nice 10 mile run along Helena Ridge this morning, weather was perfect upper 50's and overcast- legs felt very strong and ran all the uphills, sadly the weather appears to be short lived- supposed to be back up into the 90's early this week, this has been the hottest summer I can remember and hopefully not to repeat
qotd: they are removing trees periodically along our trails; lots of beetle kill pine and a fire hazard, so they need to go They (loggers) move pretty fast and typically small sections of trails are only closed for short time periods
fun factoid- I was a logger for several years in NW Montana (late 70's), even got to stay in what I think was the last logging camp in the state- bunk houses, cook shack and some really old time characters I got to hear stories from at night while playing cribbage. I remember we would fall enough trees to make a $100 and then go home (that seemed like huge $ to a early 20's guy back then). Now almost all of the logging up there is mechanized, we wouldn't have believed that back then.
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
I ran a nice 7 miler this morning. I feel my mojo coming back. Considering 12-15 tomorrow.
Qotd: I don't live in an area with large enough forests. They logged an area last year to chnge single track into a bike path, but it was minor compared to your areas. The state park I run in does controlled burns every year....but that is about all.
January , 2022 Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 25k
very nice 10 mile run along Ridge this morning, weather was perfect upper 50's and overcast- legs felt very strong and ran all the uphills, sadly the weather appears to be short lived- supposed to be back up into the 90's early this week, this has been the hottest summer I can remember and hopefully not to repeat
Upp
Le professeur de trail
22 glorious, super technical (some of it), crazy miles today. I think will write a little report up on it later since it was a FA event.
QOTD: AT - I told you about the logging that is going on on top of Stony Mtn I think - lots of big machines.
Have a great night!
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
Back to my real home now, feels good. DW had some hard to find seasonal beer in the refrig waiting for me. I am so spoiled. Planning another little adventure in a week out towards Salt Lake City and then up into Idaho with my daughter. Not totally sure of everything yet but there will be some more mountain backpacking for a few days anyway. Did a somewhat fast paced run of 7 miles out at Donald park this morning. Cool and overcast which felt pretty nice for a change.
NHLA--I have hiked some in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial forest south of the Smokies, large protected tract of virgin forest so I'm wondering if that is what you're referring to?
QOTD-Most of northern Wi. is in public ownership or commercial timber land so logging is constant. I have no issues with most of it especially since grouse hunting is a passion of mine. Sometimes though our forest managers just can't seem to be able to quantify the aesthetic value in some sensitive areas though they are getting better. So yeah some areas I run do get impacted by logging but usually I look at it as another place of grouse habitat in a few years. A couple of my favorite running spots are thru large tracts of protected virgin timber (Sylvania and the Porkies) so my pace generally slows as I admire some of those beautiful pine and hemlock. We do have pockets of virgin timber left around (incl. a beautiful tract of white pine a few minutes form my shack) and a few ironically were owned by logging barons who kept these little pockets for themselves.