Dirt Diva

Open Doors

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.
Alexander Graham Bell

Can someone please tell me when my Ohlone wilderness trail became THE OHLONE WILDERNESS SUPER HIGHWAY??????
Yesterday on the run I counted at least 65 hikers and backparkers heading or on and coming back from Rose Peak. It is a 10 mile hike in to get to the peak for them starting in Sunol. Some do the 3 day hike that starts from Fremont and ends in Del Valle 28 miles.
I also counted 10 horses when I was coming down. So much going out out there yesterday. They had the wildflower festival going on in Sunol.

We started at Jerry's house 1 mile from the trail head. It was a beautiful morning cool and a little breezy it warmed up enough to shed my jacket in Sunol.
I saw Kelly one of my favorite rangers in Sunol, he is the head of Ohlone/Sunol wilderness. Haven't talked with him for a while. It was nice catching up.

We all headed out to Rose together. I ran with Fast Jerry most of the way to his turn around point at mile 14. He left us to go back home and take care of some stuff.

My goal was to get back to Sunol by 3:30 I wanted to check out the festival.

I ran alone all most of the way, waiting just a couple times to regroup with Mylinh and Joe.
I made it to the top at 1:30pm and waited for them and it was cold so said lets head down a bit to eat our snacks. We took off together but I decided to run hard and got ahead. I thought I would wait in Sunol for them before we headed back to Mission Peak.
I got charged 3 times by a big cow. There were 2 cowboys with a pack train. They were very impresses by how little and crazy I was for charging back at the cow. I told them you have to run at them and scream it works every time they just laughed.
They ask about my run and said wow you ran to Rose Peak cause that is where they were headed. I said yeah, but I didn't start in Sunol silly boys. I started in Fremont Mission Peak trailhead.
There eyes bugged out out of their heads. They said WHAT??? I said yeah it's just 40 miles..
They were shocked, I said it's nothing really, when you are passionate about something it becames fun and you love doing it. I told them about Ultras and then I was on my way.
I made it back to Sunol at 3:36 I wanted to be there at 3:30 but made it back in close enough time. I had fun litening to music and hanging out. I waited for Joe and Mylinh. I kept seeing hikers I past and no sign of them.
I did see a hiker I said hi to earlier who called me stars because of my stars on my legs. I ask if he say them, he said he saw her and she stopped to wait for her husband at backpackers camp.
I was going to leave but wanted to make sure they were ok.
I waited 25 min. and they finally came. Joe said he was just low on energy.
I said I wanted to keep going and they were fine. I started my clock again. I had stopped it while waiting for them.
My goal was to run the last 20 miles from Rose peak, every step of the way which I had done. I only stopped to wait for them.
I got going again and felt good not 100% i did slow down a little.
I was thinking if I wanted to hit the peak and do 42 or just head down the side of horse heaven and do 40. I thought 40 miles is fine ;)

They're were lots of hikers still out and I counted 10 hang glidders. Some were flying and some already landed. I made it to the gate and thought I wonder if I can get in under 5 hours for the last 20 miles. I knew I could.

I so wanted to walk at many points but pushed on. I rolled up to Jerry's house in 4:45 for the last 20 miles not bad at all. I finished the whole 40 miles in 10:15. I was super happy. I only counted the running time. We took a few breaks like in the morning in Sunol and the times I stopped to wait. I had a very good run.
Just another beautiful day on my favorite trails, with friends. I'm off now to take Rocky on his Birthday/Easter trek on Mission peak. Have a beautiful day friends.

Your Success

You do not determine your success by comparing yourself to others, rather you determine your success by comparing your accomplishments to your capabilities. You are "number one" when you do the best you can with what you have, every day. Zig Ziglar