Following a green lne up a hill.
Don't know where it's going,
but that's part of the deal.
Get to the top, look around.
Take a deep breath,
and run back down!

From this evening's twilight run through El Escorpión Park.

Follow the wind,
Run to the sky.
Find what you're searching for,
Near or far.

Even in Southern California, Spring can be a fitful beast. This afternoon the temperature was in the low 50s, and the wind was blowing hard enough it was difficult to take a photograph. Just one week ago it had been a stifling 95 degrees -- a temperature swing of more than 40 degrees.

Colors on the sky,
and a chill in the air.
Lost in a moment,
that's running away.

Chasing a sunset,
Trying to catch its tail.
Up a trail, down a trail,
Before it scurries away.

From today's trail run.

Not the green of shamrocks or jade, or an emerald sea,
but of new growth along a trail, softly seen.

From a run of the Trailer Canyon - Trippet Ranch loop, described in Garapito Trail Runs.

Here is a Live Browser View of the run using the Google Earth browser plug-in (Chrome, IE7, IE6, Firefox).

Related post: Ferns Along the Garapito Trail

One hundred degrees
A willowed stream
Late afternoon sun
And linear green.

Study of cattail leaves in afternoon sun.

From a run to Las Virgenes Creek from the Victory trailhead of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch).

Racing the sun,
Waiting for rain,
Listening to a meadowlark sing.

From a run at Ahmanson Ranch -- now Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. Here's a larger view of the full 16:9 frame.

For an update on this Winter's austere outlook for rain, see my November 29 Weathernotes.

Blazing star,
Dancing shadows,
It looms above...

The Baldy Peaks 50K (currently in hiatus) is without a doubt the most challenging 50K I've done. This race climbs to the summit of Mt. Baldy twice, once from the village and once from Manker Flats. And after climbing Baldy twice, you get to amble over to Thunder Mountain as well. The total elevation gain (and loss) is reported to be 10,775 ft.

Race organizers asked endorphin influenced runners to write a poem on the second ascent of the peak.

This particular Blazing Star (Mentzelia laevicaulis) was on the Manzanita Trail, between South Fork Campground and Vincent Gap. In the Baldy Peaks race they were along the service road between the Notch and Manker Flats.

Technorati Tags: poetry, Mt. Baldy

Fanged and clawed, death waits,
On a highland of lavender, near a saffron spire.

The silhouette of a crab spider on the petal of a back lit Purple nightshade (prob. Solanum xanti). The blossom is about 0.8 inch (~20 mm) wide, which would make the span of the spider's crab-like grasping forelegs about 0.25 inch (~7 mm). From a run at Sage Ranch Park on November 2, 2006.

Note: This is not a photo of Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna).

Technorati Tags: poetry, spider