Observant, clever, mischievous and adaptable, the coyote often plays the role of Trickster in American Indian mythology.

This short Chumash story is from the course notes of an Introduction to Classical Mythology class at the University of Texas:

"Coyote begs to accompany the Sun one day, promising to behave himself. Coyote persuades Sun to let him carry the torch, and Sun warns him not to let it get too close to Earth. Coyote (of course) forgets, drops the torch, and almost burns up the world before Sun rescues it. Thereafter he stays meekly behind Sun."

From a run at Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch) on May 15, 2007.

Related link: Native American Trickster Tales

Wildflowers at the Slippery Rock put-in on the Lower Kern River.

Bob and Joe Setting a Slalom Course at Riverside Park

Thanks to Bob, Joe, Tom and Smiley for another great GMC. As always, the paddling instruction was exceptional.

Training sessions were held on the Upper Kern River at Riverside Park in Kernville, and on the Lower Kern at the Miracle Hot Springs Slalom Course. Instruction ranged from fundamental skills to advanced techniques -- all of which can be applied to paddling whitewater rivers, freetyle boating, or slalom racing.

Here are a few pics:

Getting ready to start the morning paddling session at Riverside Park.

Former Olympic Team Coach Bob Campbell and the slalom group watch Olympic Gold Medalist Joe Jacobi demo a slalom course in Riverside Park.

Joe Jacobi explains the intricacies of paddling a series of gates on the slalom course at Riverside Park.

Smiley -- former National Slalom Team member Anne (Mitchell) Long -- keeping warm on day 2. It was windy and cool, but not bad in the water!

Drying wet gear at the host motel, the Kern Lodge.

If you're curious about slalom, or whitewater boating, the 2009 Kern River Festival is April 18-19 at Kernville's Riverside Park. The Festival will feature two days of non-stop action with a steep creek race on Saturday, and a downriver race and the T.J. Slalom Race Sunday. It looks like the weather and water should be great!

Related link and post: Gold Medal Connections, Whitewater Slalom Racing

From Sunday's run of the Will Rogers - Temescal loop.

Related posts: Spring on the Bent Arrow Trail, Will Rogers - Temescal Loop

Gary Gunder Paddling in Falls Gorge on Piru Creek

Today President Barack Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Act, extending federal protection to more than 2 million acres and 86 rivers in nine states. Included in the Act are provisions to create new wilderness areas and expand existing wilderness areas in California, and to extend Wild & Scenic protection to eight rivers in California, including 7.25 miles of Piru Creek downstream of Pyramid Lake. Piru Creek is the first stream in Los Angeles County to be protected by inclusion in the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System.

The following segments of Piru Creek have been added to the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System:

(A) The 3-mile segment of Piru Creek from 0.5 miles downstream of Pyramid Dam at the first bridge crossing to the boundary of the Sespe Wilderness, as a recreational river.

(B) The 4.25-mile segment from the boundary of the Sespe Wilderness to the boundary between Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, as a wild river.

The reach of Piru Creek downstream of the Ventura County line -- which includes spectacular "Falls Gorge" -- was not addressed in the 2009 legislation. This section is within the congressional district of Rep. Elton Gallegly, and hopefully will be extended Wild & Scenic status in future legislation. In the meantime, a large part of the reach is within the Sespe Wilderness, and is afforded the protection that the wilderness designation, and having a Wild & Scenic section upstream, provides.

The photograph of Gary Gunder paddling in "Falls Gorge" on Piru Creek is from March 2005. More photos of Piru Creek can be found on my Southern California Creeking page Piru Creek - Frenchmans Flat Campground to Lake Piru.

Encelia Along the Bent Arrow Trail

I usually do the 21 mile Will Rogers - Temescal loop once or twice a year, and that's just long enough to forget the difficulty of the strenuous climbs, and remember the outstanding downhill on the Backbone trail, great views of the city, and lush growth in Temescal Canyon.

If the day is warm the return from the coast can be particularly brutal. Today it was cloudy and cool for much of the run, and it wasn't until the final mile on the Bent Arrow Trail that the sun broke through.

From what I can tell looking at the topo, Hill 1842 is the high point of Ahmanson Ranch -- now Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. Here's a wider view of Lasky Mesa from this vantage point, and then here's what Hill 1842 looks like from Lasky Mesa.

After a nostalgic hike to the bottom of Switzer Falls, drove to Islip Saddle to check out the snow conditions. Clouds ahead of Sunday's storm prompted a short run along Kratka Ridge to photograph some of the stunted sugar pines. Here's the unaltered version of the title image.

Hummingbird Trail

The Lower Stagecoach - Hummingbird loop is a shorter, somewhat less strenuous alternative to the Chumash - Hummingbird and Chumash - Las Llajas loops. Approximately 6 miles long, about a mile of the route is on pavement, with the remainder on single track trail and fire road. The elevation gain/loss on the loop is about 1300 ft.

Tiered Falls Downstream of Switzer Falls

I have a passion for the outdoors, exploration, and adventure. I'm always looking for a reason to be outside, and this has inevitably led me to activities such as climbing, kayaking, skiing, hang gliding and running. The common thread in these pursuits isn't necessarily the challenge, or the adrenalin, or attaining a particular goal, but is the pure joy of being in the mountain environment and relishing what it has to offer.

To feel the sun and imagine the clouds. To listen to the wind on the pines, and the song of a stream. To savor the taste of a wild herb, or the sweet smell of a wildflower. To revel in the purity of untouched snow, or the green of a mountain meadow. To run from a thunderstorm, or feel the relief of a good handhold. Climbing to airy summits. Hiking to heart-pounding passes. Descending "impassable" canyons. Experiencing cold bivouacs and star filled nights. Simply to be there.

The photograph of the tiered falls is from today's hike to the plunge pool at the bottom of Switzer Falls in the San Gabriel Mountains, near Los Angeles. Gary Gunder and I kayaked the double falls when we paddled Arroyo Seco creek from Switzer Picnic Area to the JPL in Pasadena in 1998.

Related link: Kayaking Arroyo Seco from Switzer Falls to Bear Creek

Study of ground pink (Linanthus dianthiflorus).

From a run at Sage Ranch Park.

Steep climb on the Bandit 30K and 14K Courses.

Low clouds cling to the slopes of Rocky Peak, and a cool downslope breeze stirs through the runners gathered at the start line in Corriganville Park. Three... A race organizer holding a "turn on your Garmin" sign is counting us down. Two... Runners anxious to get on the course collectively take a deep breath. One...  Go! The first steep climb is just minutes away...

You never know what you're going to get in the first edition of a race, but in this case the Bandit 30K/14K organizers appeared to have considered every detail. Check-in went smoothly, the race started precisely at 8:00 a.m., the course was challenging and well-marked, aid & water was where it was needed, volunteers were great, and the finish line had an assortment of tasty treats!

Overall, elite mountain runner Jon Clark edged Kevin Gillotti and Jason Perez, winning the 30K in 2:22:29 -- averaging 8 minute miles over the demanding course. Among the women, Lisa Fink placed first, finishing in a time of 3:08:28. In the 14K, women took two out of the top three places, finishing first and third. Jen Todd was first in 1:15:22, followed by Karl Bowers and Meredith Davidson. Results and photos are available on the Bandit 30K/14K web site.

Many thanks to the Bandit Race Committee -- Randy & Sarita Shoemaker, Larry Lee, and Todd Baker -- and all the volunteers and sponsors for a great race! Also, thanks to Tommi Diaz for her photos of the 30K.

Here's a Google Earth image, Google Earth KMZ file, and Google Earth browser view (Chrome, IE7, IE6, Firefox) of my GPS trace of the course.

The photo of runners on Rocky Peak Road is from a run in November 2007.

Some related posts: Bandit 30K Course Preview, Las Llajas Hill 2484, Running Rocky Peak Road, Chumash Trail Rocks & Snow