Night Run

I just got back from a wonderful 4 mile run in the dark. By the time I finished work, cleared the driveway, and did sheep chores it was dusk. But I'd put the sled on the roof racks, loaded my gear and brought the entire team when I went to check sheep. My heart was committed. So I decided to try a local paved rail trail.

It was glorious.  Winter had dropped over the trail.  The route is not well maintained, trees leaning over the way heavy with snow draped like wedding veils.  Running with a headlamp the backdrops came upon me suddenly then were gone, lost in the silence behind us.  The snow was still falling, reflecting the beam of my lamp.  Snow filled fields and woods alongside the trail returned every lumen.  Softly visible they drew the eye. 

The dogs wore LED collars making it easy to watch how they were working, and they were working well.  It was heavy going.  After the first road crossing, I came to some trees downed across the trail.  I almost turned for home, but saw a bit more clear way after so took a bit of time to break a way around the obstacles.  I decided to turn for home before the second road crossing, but after ducking under a silvery tunnel woven of trees draped over the trail I saw the lead dogs were already on the shoulder.  We continued across for another stretch. 

I turned around reluctantly.  My dogs are not that fit and the heavy snow made hard going.  The return trip lacked the magic of surprise.  The trees we’d brushed through were now taller having lost their snowy load.  The dogs settled to a moderate pace and worked strongly to the end.

I did not have my GoPro which does well with night.  I did what I could with the iPhone, but given the regular need to duck behind the handlebars as we pushed through the heavy powdered trees I could not keep it out.