Journal of Past Runs:
Joseph Grant
County Park (July 2, 2000)
Examples of Past Run Notifications
in the California Days:
Skyline Loop
South
Hi Folks,
We're planning to do the Skyline Loop (southern
version, 16 miles) this coming Sunday. This is one of our classic, standard courses which
traverses a wide variety of terrain through four parks:
- Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
- Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
- Upper Stevens Creek County Park
- Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Most will do the regular 16 mile version, but some may
not want to stop there. If you'd like to continue with me for the extra credit version,
just let me know. The extra loop will make the perfect training run for the Way Too Cool
50K which is two weeks later.
I've attached a JPEG image to this email with a course
profile. The image makes it look like it's only 14.76 miles, but it's really longer.
Trust me. The good news is that the difference spreads out the vertical a
little. The bad news is that it's on a downhill section; all the uphill is accurate.
Details:
- Meeting Place.....Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
(north lot)
- Distance..........16 miles (with the option to go
farther)
- Difficulty........This course will get your attention.
- Water Stops.......If you're interested, one can be
arranged.
- Special Features (deserves a section of it's own):
- Can you say, "flat and fast?" Neither can I.
;-)
- Starts uphill.
- Mud
- Nice views if it doesn't rain real hard.
- Mud
- Huge plummet down to Stevens Creek on "real"
singletrack.
- Mud
- Multiple stream crossings (roaring torrents possible;
washes off mud).
- Mud
- Four mile uphEll finish (may slip and fall into mud).
- Probably won't be real hot and dry.
Expect this run to take as long as your normal
marathon time. A perfect taper run for Napa Valley the following week (NOT).
If you go the extra credit route, it will take much longer, but no special features will
be lost (in fact, you get one extra torrent crossing).
Please let me know if you are interested.
Best of it...!
Doug
Zinfandel/Fremont
Older Loop
Hi All,
This Sunday, we are planning to do a trail run in the
Stevens Creek County Park and Fremont Older areas. I'm estimating that the course will be
a little over 16 miles, with plenty of hills.
We'll begin at the Stevens Creek County Park parking
lot, run out on the Zinfandel Trail, up to Garrod Farms, and into Fremont Older Open Space
Preserve. From there, we will do a few loops and hills then return to the parking lot via
the REI Trail. I have a distance breakdown (estimates only) at the end of this note.
Details:
- Meeting Place.....Stevens Creek County Park (normal
Saturday
-
group run parking lot)
- Distance..........~16.4 miles
- Difficulty........Moderately Hard
- Special Features..Mud from HELL!
Please let me know if you plan to join us.
Doug
Trail Distances:
- 1.6 Stevens Creek Canyon Road to Zinfandel Trail
- 3.0 Zinfandel Trail to Bathroom
- 1.4 Bathroom to Garrod Farms
- 0.5 Garrod Farms to Toyon Trail
- 1.6 Toyon Trail to Golf Loop Start
- 1.0 Golf Loop
- 2.0 Seven Springs Loop
- 0.5 Seven Springs up to Ridge
- 0.7 Ridge to Lookout Trail
- 1.0 Lookout Trail to REI Trail
- 3.1 REI Trail to Finish
- ----
- 16.4 Total
Portola
Redwoods From Skyline
Hi Folks,
This Sunday, we're planning a trail run to Portola
Redwoods State Park. Here are the details:
- Meet Place: 1.4 miles north of Saratoga Gap on Highway
35 (parking where trail crosses Skyline Ave road)
- The Course: Run to Portola Redwoods and Back (~14.4
miles)
- Difficulty: Moderate (about 3,000 feet of climb, mostly
on return)
- Water Stop: One (at Portola Redwoods State Park
Headquarters)
I like this course; it's pretty remote. We run down to Portola then back up to Skyline. Portola is really nice, and the
climb back out will, most likely, get your attention.
Disclaimer: Some parts of the trail are faint. If you
get lost, you'll be sad. As usual, we'll run in rain or shine.
Please contact me if you plan to join us.
Doug
Skyline North
Loop
This Sunday, we will do a 13.5 mile trail run which starts and finishes
at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. Here's a web site with more information on Skyline
Ridge OSP:
http://www.openspace.org/SKYLINE.html
Details follow:Meeting Place: North Parking Lot of
Skyline Ridge OSP
Course: 13.5 mile loop through four
OSPs in this order:
- Monte Bello
- Coal Creek
- Russian Ridge
- Skyline Ridge
Difficulty: Moderately hard (lots of
ups and downs)
Water Stops: One, at the half way
point.
Weather Preparations: Yes, I would.
Please contact me if you plan to join
us. Hope to see you out there!
Doug
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