Some adventure's just aren't very fun...

I love a good adventure, but today’s unplanned adventure wasn’t very fun.

To begin with, you should know I could not have a worse sense of direction.

I even carried a map with me today but it was little help when all the trails I have ran in Nederland aren’t marked.

I started off today’s adventure on a trail at Magnolia Road. With the unmarked trails I soon ended back up on Magnolia after only 2 miles. I then ran down the road to where I could jump on a trail again. I’ve ran from there almost two years ago and I remember it took me back in the direction my car was and would again take me to Magnolia Road.

Unfortunately, the trail looked very different from how I remembered it because of some of the snow on it. I was also running with my head down as the rain turned to hail and the hail turned to lots of snow. I came across side trails I didn’t remember and then lost the trail completely in the snow. I then found another trail and then lost that trail.

Soon…I was completely lost without a trail. I thought I heard cars so I started heading down towards the sound. There were tons of trees down and I soon ripped a bunch of holes in my tights and had blood coming out the wholes. The trees also made progress really slow and I was soon shivering in the cold with frozen hands and feet. I was starting to panic after no sign of a road after a half hour of bushwhacking.

Thankfully, 10 minutes later I was sure I heard cars again and headed towards the noise, tripping over plants in the process. After crossing a large creek I popped out on a main road. It took me a second to realize where I was and then it hit me. I was all the way on Canyon Road (how you get to Nederland from Bolder) and I was 5 uphill miles away from my car! (For those of you know the area, you can now probably grasp how directionaly challenged I am.

My legs are now covered in scrapes and bruises
 and my tights are full of holes!

 I was shivering, but luckily my adrenaline kicked in. I was running fast! I barely noticed the incline and went at it hard. I was miserable as the snow was making it almost white out conditions and I was in my cold and soaked clothes, but I knew I could make it to my car without asking for a ride.

Finally, I reached my car. I immediately turned up the heat but it was no use. The adrenaline rush had stopped and I was soon shivering uncontrollably and didn’t warm up for two hours after.

The moral of the story: Don’t go exploring in bad conditions or just retrace your footsteps immediately when you realize you don’t know where you are! 

Today’s Animal Sightings (I may regularly start adding this to my posts):

1 Coyote

1 Ptarmigan

1 Female Moose (right on my driveway!)

Stay tuned for my health update, what happens when Sage and I move to a new place and he leaves to travel the following day (I may have had too much fun painting...), a review of the awesome Simple Hydration bottle, some more informational posts, and whatever I else pops into my head!

Run Wild, Run Wisely,

Sandi