20 Miles in Summer Weather

Ouch! blister measuring more than 2 inches in most directions... and 3 large blisters on the other foot.
Note to self: remember everything you know about blister prevention and don't try a new model of shoe on a 20 mile training run.

In Minnesota we know sometimes we skip spring and go right to summer (and then we might get snow the next week.) We started out yesterday on Gateway in jackets... and shorts, later shedding jackets.

The temp was in the high 60s all day.
The WIND was reported to be 29, and we witnessed noisy huge gusts much stronger.

Here is Sweet Pea at Mile 8. We parked between Mile 8 and Mile 18 and covered the distance both ways twice for a total of 20 miles.

Dear Runner Dude.. always a cheer to know we will be meeting him somewhere along the way.

This new underpass for the trail was built last year. We used to have to wait, look both ways again, and run like hell across that road.

Saw 4 egrets yesterday, this one in flight... a testimony to awesome creation.
Also saw 5 fuzzy caterpillars on the trail. Thought we usually saw those in the fall.
And a tiny little brown snake that froze when we stopped to look at it.
Wishing I knew bird songs better: am sure we heard chickadees, cardinals, red winged blackbirds.
And OH the frogs!! Little ponds were alive with the thunderous mating croaking that we could hear even in the roar of the wind in the trees.

This is me at the north end of the trail. Notice me dressed for SUMMER!
Twenty miles yesterday and we are ready enough to enjoy a marathon.