Playing in the PRD

The reason for my lack of recent posts is not because I haven't been doing anything but instead because I have been doing too much. It is winter in Pisgah and the trails are ripe for playing. Instead of exploring new and exotic lands I have been sticking closer to home and enjoying some old favorites in the Pisgah Ranger District. 

Some highlights from January include finishing a run on John Rock at sunset with Yuri. Art Loeb > North Slope with Duma, Buck Spring > MST > Pisgah Inn out and back with Duma, running Laurel Mtn. > Pilot Rock alone, and two big mountain bike rides.

And then February got off to a bang yesterday with an afternoon run in Shining Rock Wilderness with Duma. We did the classic Shining Creek > Old Butt Knob > Shining Creek loop and it was as epic as always. We hit it hard on the way up Old Butt but by the time we hit Dog Loser Knob both of us had blown a gasket and I gave up on pretending to run. Then on the rocky descent we were hit with a heavy snow at the top that turned to driving rain as we slipped our way down the mountain. It was very slow going and we finished the eight miles in just under four hours...

I haven't even been taking many pictures but here are a couple. I hope you enjoy them.