Jenny Creek Sunday Trail Run!

[cewtwo]

Jenny Creek trail is a rather unique trail for Jeeps in Colorado. It follows along a creek and at times it enters the creek and follows it for a while. A lot of fun to run. This picture is of a falls right next to the first water crossing.

It is a short trail but it can keep you busy as you drive it. Water entries and exits, very rocky, tight turns, and the scenery can keep you busy. It also smells great. This is a wonderful time of the year. You can still see snow near the trail. The wildflowers are resplendent. Just beautiful.

I had the best of all worlds on Sunday. I got to drive the Jeep up the trail to the top. My plan was to run down the trail using two-foot drive.

At the end of the trail there is a snow drift on the trail. Above the snowdrift is a hard mounted point you can attach your winchline on to. We arrived at the bottom of the snow drift. We looked it over and debated it. As we were deciding, a small group of fellow trail runners gathered. We made the decision to winch the Jeep up and over the snowdrift.

I ran the winch line up the snowdrift and hooked it onto the Hard point. Tom tried to drive the Jeep up the snowbank. As we suspected, the jeep's back tires went in about a foot and all four tires were spinning with no grip. He tightened the winch line from inside the cab. The Jeep started to follow the winch line up the hill. Tom stopped about half-way up and wanted pictures.

We got to the top. The trail at the top goes to Yankee Doodle lake. We looked around and then drove the Jeep back down over the snowdrift again. After all, the Jenny Creek trail is much more fun than the forest service road from Yankee Doodle Lake.

We got out and had some lunch. I drank some gatorade. I changed my clothes to a running outfit. I took off down the trail. I stopped at the water crossings to wait for the Jeep to catch up. At first I got way ahead and ran back up to it, then back down to the water crossing. As he drove the trail in the creek, I ran a footpath alongside. I even rode the running boards on two of the crossings.

It was a fun distance run. I really got into the freedom of a back-country run. At one point, some ATVs passed me, slowed down and offered me some gatorade. People are so friendly back-country!

My boss offered me a nice dinner as a partial compensation for the day before, so we stopped at a casino in Blackhawk, Colorado. We ate at a very nice buffet. So, its probably good I had a long run that afternoon!