Changing Seasons

Went running today. Left around 8:35AM with the two dogs. Planned a 10 miler. The sky was overcast with low clouds that were fog but ascended to a higher plane and a different name. This layer of fog/cloud was many levels of grey and in some areas, thin enough to see what appeared to be blue sky above. The first leg of my journey took me down a dirt/partially paved road for 1.5 miles. Only a couple of vehicles passed me during this stretch. The road was wet and there was wet/melting snow on the trees and grass. The only sounds were the klop, klop, klop of my sneakers hitting the pavement, an occasional caw from a crow, some geese flying South and a domestic sound here and there--dog barking, child yelling. There was an intermittent wind from the NW which caused the tall grass and some of the tree branches to sway. Under those trees that hung over the road, there was what looked like dandruff but was actually small aggregates of wet snow that had fallen out of the tree and landed but hadn't melted yet. Plop! Another large aggregate landed on the pavement. About 6 miles into the run I entered a dirt road, one lane, that was lined with trees on both sides. It was like running in a tunnel that was paved with swatches of watercolors as the wet leaves of gold, yellow, red, brown and green lay on the dirt. The snow was so wet and heavy that it not only clung to the tree branches and leaves but also pulled the branches down to form a bower. So, for the next miles, the carpet of leaves wound through the forest up and over knolls while the klop, klop, klop of my sneakers kept a steady beat on the wet mud. There were craters in the road that were filled with water and it was like running on a speckled mirror. Where the craters and water were I could see the trees and sky above me interspersed with patterns of mud and leaves. The wind would blow and an aggregate of snow would fall down and land on my face, melting immediately from the heat of exercise or would go pooof against my wool hat. Another turn and 1.5 miles to go. Slowing down now and back out into the more open spaces. The cloud layer has lifted higher and there are hints of blue and sunlight here and there. I feel energized, revitalized and at one with nature. I have been to church today.

-- Doug Kibbey

Prev Article

Front Page

Next Article