<p>I did sorta almost have a dog event on my run.</p>
<p>Early on, well before the frost had submitted to the day's clear, blue, sunny sky, two big white Great Pyrenees sheep dogs seemed quiet eager to have a taste of me, but were thwarted by a wove-wire fence right next to the road.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I had penciled in my mind to do a 40 miler/12 hour today but before I fell asleep, I came to my senses, and decided to reroute to something more modest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was my first kilted run of the season.</p>
<p>I loaded my pack, 2.5L water, 20oz chia fresca, 4 boiled eggs, a little can of pineapple juice, some gorp, shot blocks, 2 Gus, cellphone, headlamp, lighter, salt & IBU,. On my belt I hung my 12" machete, and a KaBar army knife -a little overkill in the cutlery department.</p>
<p>The temps were still in a the mid 20°s,when I set out at 8:30.</p>
<p>After a half mile out of the neighborhood, it was a mile and a half to Alvarado on the Creeper where I took to the pavement and headed straight for the mountain up through the Sweet Hollow community.</p>
<p>After few miles, I came to the Government Rd and took a right back back onto dirt and mostly walked a 3/4 mile climb before the road turned nicely down into Sharp Hollow.</p>
<p>I turned off road up the mountain proper into Sharp Hollow, mostly walking again, but on a good trail.</p>
<p>A pretty good climb for a half mile or so, then I turned off trail into the brush. It wasn't terribly thick brush, but the machete came in handy -a few sawbriers, mt laurel, and stuff. . I've been this way before.</p>
<p>It was a mile, maybe more with several very steep bits. I switchbacked wherever I could apprise a good path.</p>
<p>You could tell I was having fun because the sweat was freezing in the tips of my hair, and my breathe in my beard.</p>
<p>I finally made it to the top where the Appalachian Trail generally follows the ridge line. A few miles toward town, I took a break and chopped a 4" snag in two that had fallen across the trail, but that was the only trail maintainin' I could see to be done, short of a chainsaw in one other place.</p>
<p>It was about 7 miles, mostly downhill, to the caboose in Damascus at the Creeper. On this same route a couple of years ago at this point, I baled and called MomaBonn to come get me.<img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was almost 9 miles back to the house on a mind-numbingly flat grade. But my mind goes numb pretty easily. The walk breaks got a little too numerous toward the end.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, ~23.8 mile, in ~6:03, I'm callin' it a day.</p>
<p>JJJ</p>
