Elk Meadow - Meadow View Loop

Another steady run around the home trails. 


Time: 49 minutes
Distance: 5.89 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Weather: Hot & Sunny


Late afternoon run from the house around the Meadow View Loop at Elk Meadow Open Space.


As I was headed down the Sleepy S Trail, I saw a runner about a quarter-mile ahead running strong. I thought I recognized the gate, so I picked up the pace to see if it was who I thought it was. Turns out, it wasn't.  As I was passing the guy, he mentioned he was recovering...from the Pikes Peak Ascent no less.


Turns out the guy, Chuck, was an an age group winner in the 65-70 age group. We ran together for about a mile, chatting about the race and other racing plans. His daughter also ran the race (and beat him by a bit). It's cool to think that one day I might be running a race with one or both of my adult kids. Congrats, Chuck, on a damn solid (and first-ever) Pikes Peak Ascent.


I left Chuck right where the trail begins the slog up to the intersection with the Too Long Trail. I cruised the rest of the way at a steady pace in order to get home in time to get cleaned up and over to a local church for the monthly Mountain Area Land Trust board meeting.


I noted today that JeffCo Open Space is doing a lot of forest management work on the southeast corner of the park. They are removing a lot of small diameter trees, mistletoe-infested trees and a number of really nice, large ponderosas. I'd love to know the criteria they use for determining what trees to remove. I wonder whether some decisions are driven by wanting to ensure the contractor has a certain amount of merchantable timber to sell to offset some of the project's costs. They are taking out some really big trees right next to the trail. It's weird to see how the views and feel of an area changes after big trees you've been running by for eight years no longer are standing. I'm sure I'll quickly adjust to the new scenery, but it may take a few runs...