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Michigan Bluff to Devil's Thumb AS with Callie Alice

February 6, 2015 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 50s + overcast --> hella windy --> progressive rain

Comments:
Slept in a bit and awoke to dry conditions. Got some coffee and sausy-Bs in prep for what we thought would be a 26-mile day.

Got to MB and suited up, and were on the trail by 11ish. Dry at MB, but threatening... Dry and windy, with a lot of pollen swirling, as it turned out.

Easy descent to El Dorado, then an EASY climb: pure pow-hiking for the first kilo or so, then a slow, easy shuffle. Kept the HR under 150, which was good, and felt pretty OK. Some good chats and story time with CA as we gradually made our way to Deadwood.

From there, more super-easy shuffling, but as we got closer to DT, it got cooler...and windier. The storm was on its way. We ignored tresspassing signs for the logging+harvesting ops at DT and pressed on.

Man, the view at DT was crazy: the whole NE side of the canyon is just...GONE. They've pretty much clear-cut that entire section (basically the north side of the trail) and they're cutting a bit farther on the south side, too. Just...OPEN.

We stood around at DT for a while, but the weather IMMEDIATELY went to shit, just as we were about to descend. We got past the first switchback and the wind started gusting to 30+mph. With the huge remaining snags swaying, I said, Fuck It, and we got out of there - barely in time to avoid huge chunks of bark raining down!

Oh well...but we survived! Live to run long[er] another day.

From there, an easy run back: stopped for water at the pump and a quick stop to check out the cemetary, then a FUN descent. It was then that I TRULY began to enjoy myself - such a fantastic descent!

From there, a VERY EASY climb - a lot of power-hiking - to MB, with CRAZY wind and gradual rain.

All in all, still a good 17-mile day with 5k' vert! Did the inbound in 40:40, which is solid.

PM: visited BGD at Starbs, then met up with the Keyes family at AAH, which was fun! Love those guys!