Finertias Quest

Today I set off on something Ive been wanting to cross off my list for a while but never made the effort. From the Bear Track trailhead in the rock creek valley you can go up and over the Silver Run Plateau and end up in the West Fork of Rock Creek valley. I’ve always been fascinated by the trails that bring you up onto plateaus. It’s usually pretty grueling to get up there but running or walking across a plateau is a pretty epic feeling. The bear track trailhead is tainted for me as well from an injury years prior, nothing bad, just hard not to think about it when I’m on it. Anyways, I was feeling kind of skeptical about making it over to the other side. The idea of turning around danced in my mind here and there, and I don’t really know why. Sometimes when the weather isn’t quite right I get shyed away from doing solo missions. This time I was determined to get a little uncomfortable and see what was in store for me at the top of the switchbacks. The climb up there is what feels like a never ending maze of switchbacks. I don’t hike this trail to often so each turn feels like its gonna be the one that brings me to the top. After chugging a long for a bit with determination in my heart to at least make it up to the top and check it out, the trail finally leveled out and next thing you know I was opening my stride and running up and onto the plateau. All the clouds that appeared to be socking in the rest of the plateau stopped before they took over the trail. I had a great view of Silver Run peak popping in and out of the fog, almost teasing me, and to the east I could see the beginning of the plains of Montana as well as the priors standing proud. The Silver Run trail down to the west fork side was steep and snowy, but quite a thrill to run down, definitely kept me on my toes for fear of slipping in ice snow or mud. As you descend down the tail you eventually end up on the double track jeep road. Running back on this I thought was going to feel more grueling than it needed to be, but I ended up enjoying it and reveling in the little adventure I did. I think what clicked most in any head today while running was something a coworker told me a couple years prior. I asked him about skiing in the wilderness, and his simple, and to me, profound response was “Do it, do it hard”. I catch myself saying this quip about things to people when they get excited about going to do something. It really stuck with me and today it felt like it clicked, I’ve been in my own way for a long time. Maybe afraid of failure, maybe a little bit of laziness, but today I did it, and that felt good. Just go and do it.

Also Mel Brought home sour dough! :))

Soup Time!