Road Trips and Trail Runs

On our recent road trip across 2,900 miles, through parts of eleven states, we woke up to a sunrise view of Albuquerque from our hotel balcony, beautiful snow covering the Plaza in Santa Fe, and stunning colors playing off the Rocky Mountain foothills in Fort Collins. We shared the journey with thousands of other vehicles and a variety of road and weather conditions. As I shared with others this past week and answered their questions about our trip, I further concluded how much we enjoyed the travel approach we took. Our next planned big excursion is not a road trip, but I do look forward to the next time we hit the road. It’s the best way to see the country really.

And that is how I feel when I hit the trails for a run. The trails I use are paved, but they take runners, bikers, and walkers through some beautiful stretches of our community and the surrounding area. Yesterday, I was able to hit my favorite stretch of trail for the first time this spring. The snow is gone and the trail clear and open. This stretch isn’t much more than half a mile, but it twists and turns along our local river and seems longer. It is the best place I know to watch the changing seasons. The birds were singing. A couple of deer stood in a harvested field. I could see the river clearly, but I also look forward to when it is hidden from view by lush green trees and ground cover.

We covered new roads along with well-traveled routes on our road trip. I cover familiar territory as I run the local trails near our home. The beauty and awe of both trips is that new or old, no stretches are ever exactly the same from one day to the next. The light. The weather. The seasons. Other travelers. They all make for fresh experiences.

That is what I love about getting out there. The world, even just our little corner of it, is waiting to show me what it has to offer today. When I look with curious eyes and listen with open ears, it is amazing what I see and hear.