Biltmore Estates Trail Run [Entered 8/5/05]

This morning, we trekked down to south Asheville for a nice run. When we arrived at our parking place, a shopping center, there was a big bicycle race going on there. Several different races going on one after the other. It was cool to watch the guys blast around the 2 or 3 mile loop course time and time again.

Anyway, it was really nice, maybe 70 degrees, clear and crisp compared to Austin. We walked to our trailhead, and took off down a steep hill towards the Broad River. After that descent, we had to sort of skirt around a big fence across the road and trail, and started on more flat ground after that. Jeff, Andy and I just cruised through monstrous forest land, along the river, enjoying the cool temperatures and almost natural cathedral conditions. Nice and quiet, we figured out that we must be on some portion of the 3000 acre Biltmore Estates property. No worries. It was an organized trail, so obviously they are used to folks running there. Andy fell back a bit, nursing an injury, and then Jeff and I had to turn around at 2.5 miles in when we reached a second big gate and fence that didn't offer a way around it. We turned around and made much quicker time on the way back, and I did just fine until we had to blast up that big hill at the finish. I felt a little like one of Lance Armstrong's teammates as I set a good pace up the first half of the hill, and then had to let Jeff go by to the top as I shuffled the rest of the way.

For the day, 5 miles, 9:05 average pace, but more like 9:40 pace going out and 8:20 coming back. We got a little frisky on the return lap, that's for sure. It was a fun run and a great start to another fun day.

The rest of the day was all about eating, packing, registration at guitar camp, unpacking, one last "off-campus" meal of good pizza and beer, and then time to settle into the routine of the Swannanoa Gathering. Nice. Oh, yeah, we also found time to cruise out into the mountains after lunch for a couple of miles on the Appalachian Trail, up a long series of switchbacks to an overlook. Great view up on top, too. The hiking felt good after the running of the last few days.