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quote:
Originally posted by StubbyLegs:
I haven't run the Usery Park trails yet because I don't
feel comfortable running out there all alone.
I'll bet you are going to suggest that we run them together ! ?
Yup !
quote:
My husband would flip out !
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I am sure you aren't an ax murderer or anything but you can't be too careful !
No worries !
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You (and your husband) are safe.
The East Valley Runners sometimes
http://www.eastvalleyrunners.com/[/URL" target="_blank">
meet at Gilbert High School Wednesday afternoons at 17:30 and use their track, or meet at Freestone Park (same day/time) and run around within the park.
They divide up into two running groups:
those who can maintain an 8-minute mile for 10K and the slower).
I'll check when the next G.H.S. workout is and we could meet with the group of East Valley Runners (I'm not a current member, but everyone's welcome to run along).
Or:
let me know where/when you plan to run with your husband nearby so I could join you both. I have a feeling our speeds aren't too different.
quote:
It would've been fun to meet you at the race and I sure could've used a friendly face for a while there...
10-4.
My fault for the delayed responce to your post.
quote:
I am thinking of running in the Runners Den 5K/10K in P.V. coming up in Feb.
I ran the 5K last year and would like to see if I could beat my time.
Good idea.
That's a good race.
I'm going to stick to 5K's or helping others with short distances therein. I can't seem to find the time to train competitively for a 10K.
Here's the month's waterflow at the Blue Point Bridge guage
on the Salt River midpoint of where we tube.
900 -> 1200 Cu ft /sec is good tubin'
Hope no one was picnicing alongside the river when the Jan 04 (almost) 3000 cu ft /sec rushed through.
quote:
Originally posted by MarkVoss:
I ran on the trails at Usery Park on Sunday (1-16) for the first time. I parked at the Wind Cave Trailhead parking lot, but ended up running the Pass Mountain Trail loop clockwise plus some additional loops on the Cat Peaks Trail.
Holy Moly !
That's a lot of running !
Welcome to COOLRunning MarkVoss !
You probably ran around nine miles over some pretty rough
- and beautiful terrain ! When/If you went up and over
Cat's Peak Pass Trail did you notice the side-hill trail
heading south-west from the high point ?
That will take you to a pek from which you can see a lot
of the park, pretty neat view, windy too !
Did you see any coyote, deer, javelina, quail, round-tail
or rock squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies or interesting birds ?
quote:
Pass Mountain Trail was fairly rigorous with a huge downhill (approximately 1 1/2 miles long) about 2/3 through the loop. I don't think I'd like to climb this if I was running the other way. The footing was very good and smooth for about 1 mile in each direction from the trailhead. But it got very rocky the farther out I got. I strongly recommend sturdy trail running shoes for this loop.
Well said !
That incline/descent down/up to the Meridian (northern)
Trailhead leaves the bottoms of my feet sore the next day.
quote:
The back side of the mountain is definately a lot more beautiful than the front (Apache Junction) side.
10-4.
You can telephone USFS for their location south of Falcon Field:
Tonto National Forest
Tonto Basin Ranger District: 928-467-3200
Mesa Ranger District: 480-610-3300
They'll give you a free brochure of Bulldog Canyon (the
backside of the mountin) with gate access codes (pad-
locked, code changes monthly), map, what-not-to-do, etc.
if you'd like to 4WD the area.
Kind neat, lots of mini-exploring one can do once within.
quote:
I only saw about 20 hikers during the entire run.
Yup, Pass Mountain Trail is a toughy !
Sunday was actually pretty busy.
I was there from 11:30 to 12:30.
Here's a money-saving tip if you don't have an annual pass for
Usery Mountain Park in Mesa, Arizona:
(View with Adobe Acrobat)
At the McKellips/Crismon intersection (actually a right angle corner),
one can park on the north side of McKellips beside the horse gate.
Step over the rubber bar into the Park, slide out a daily pass
envelope from the stack in the white box, fill it out (pen should be
there) rip off your receipt tab and place it in your sock or pocket,
insert a single dollar, slide the envelope into the second box slot.
Return to your vehicle.
Drive south on Crismon to Jensen (first through street you can take
heading east), drive east on Jensen to 103rd St.,
turn north on the dirt.
Drive up to the corner of McKellips and 103rd. If first time here
you might want to head east on McKellips to the 105th St. corner
to reconoiter.
You will see parking areas at both corners and that each has
a horse gate. Park at whichever corner you prefer and follow the
trails north up onto the levee. Between both of these corners lies the
"No-So" (North-South) trail which guides one straight (more or less)
up to the south side of the ramadas/picnic tables and water at the
park's Horse Trailer parking area. Amigos Wash trail is beside and
parallel to it.
Note:
the "Jensen" label is not visible on the map, but 103rd, 105th and
McKellips are.
No-So is labelled "NS" on the map.
The (bottom left of sheet) magnified map of the Blevins Drive/Usery
Park Road loop identifies the Horse Trailer parking area as the
"Trailhead Staging Area", offering access to North-South, Blevins,
and Pass Mountain trails.
I believe a vehicle day pass costs $ 4.00, but it's been a while.
Park info at (480) 984-0032.
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