Double Shut-In and 40 Miles of pure winter suffering...I mean Fun!

After a couple busy weeks and a missed blog last week, I felt it was a nice weekend for another epic adventure. As most adventures come to fruition, so did this one. On Monday I had the great idea that it was time for a double Shut-In. Winter was also staging some fun throughout the week as well and decided to show up for what seemed like the first time all season. The best part about planning wild and sometimes crazy, and to most people,  stupid weekend adventure is we have enough crazy friends who share the same passions. Mountain running, and sometimes mountain running in adverse weather, which always makes for a great story and epic memory. With some roughly 40 miles ahead of us and plenty of climbing and painful descending for all, Damian, Hayley and I set out Sat morning from the French Broad Bent Creek parking lot. Damian and I would be running to the top of Pisgah, which was certain to be a view shared by no one else on a day like we had, and then back to the river. As we set of the snow began to fall, the wind began to blow, and the hands began to freeze!

The run went great. Lindsey was able to take Bent Creek road to the Gap and do some hiking there and stage some much needed nutrition for the long descent back down. As we crossed Bent Creek gap and continued our climb towards Pisgah, winter began to let her presence know each step of the way. The accumulated snow began to grow and grow and the wind began to howl. But nothing was going to keep us from making the top, and thanks to the weather and a closed parkway, nothing was going to keep us from coming back down, since there would be no temptation to escape the wintry mix then to run faster.  

As we approached the summit of Pisgah the center of the storm had passed over us and we were presented with some gorgeous clear views of the winter wonderland we had all to ourselves on this bitterly cold day. The view was shared as long as we could endure and then my legs reminded me that they were wearing shorts! Yes my own fault, but regardless it was time to make the return journey because as you remember there would be no option for opting out of the return adventure. On the trip back down spirits remained high as we laughed and ran our way down thinking about how awesome the adventure was. Winter gave us all she had. The wind howled and tried to keep us down. Cold hands tried to take me down and did a good job. Even the trees took a swing at us, as a branch creaked, cracked and almost hit Damian, just missing him by a couple feet as it landed in the middle of the trail. But still in high spirits though with some sore knees and feet we approached the parking lot to the joyous sounds of honking horns, meaning the heat was going inside the cars! 

All in all, an awesome day in the woods, briefly the sunshine, and mostly the cold windy snow. It never ceases to amaze me how different things appear in a different setting. The way the trail looks in the winter verse the summer, in the rain verse sunshine, and how awesome mountain running is in the snow. It was also a great way to wrap up the week and culminating run for my longest mileage week yet. The body is recovering fine and against my will I am bound to a day of rest today but not complaining too much. Thanks Damian for the great company and being as crazy as me. That was an epic journey and as always opens the door for so many other great adventures.