fool on the hill: a blog by matt kirk: December 2008

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Saturday, December 13, 2008

12.12: After gorging at Dragon Lair, Lily, Uwharre and I head out to Curtis Creek to begin our night hike up Snooks Nose to the Green Knob fire tower. Lily tells me that this is the biggest moon of the year. It's a beautiful night and COLD.

We reach the tower and the wind is ferocious. Having forgotten all the windows are missing, we only brought our sleeping bags. Now we have to sit on all our gear to keep it from being blown off our mile-high perch. Miraculously, this powerful wind dies down and gives way to a calm and bright panoramic night...

And that night gives way to one of the most amazing sunrises. I'm in my running gear and Uwharrie and I are off and down to the parkway before the sun is up. We descend Heartbreak Ridge and meet Adam and the gang at Graphite. We then venture up to Starr Gap on Jarretts Creek Road to return to Curtis Creek, a good 20 mile journey.

Lily is there to pick us up at 10:30, and we're all thinking this weekend is off to a good start.

Monday, December 08, 2008

life thru time

a beautiful journey in image and sound

Sunday, December 07, 2008

across again

Saturday’s early bird special: Uwharrie and I park at Roper Hollow and run the 16 or so miles across the South Mountains and into the Jacob Fork River gorge to meet Mo. He furnishes authentic Arabic aid and joins us for our backtrack to the falcon.

After returning his flavorful favor with some Lara bars, we send him quickly on his way back into the park. Uwharrie and I complete the run (with 6200’ climb) in 5:30. This is the first double crossing (dad and I completed a point-to-point recon a few weeks ago).

My running hasn’t been anything near to what it was last winter. I’m getting by thanks to local weekend runs put on by folks like Adam. His 3rd annual Bent Creek Gobbler 50K was on the 29th. As usual, it was a great experience.

I’m definitely inspired and plan to step up in 2009…