I'm sure there are people who hit the trails when it's still dark, but I'm not one of them. The center trail is nice and wide, without any real hazards, so if the sun's not quite up yet, that's where I feel most comfortable.
There was a lot of mud there today, but I think there's been even more water flowing through there lately, because there are now some streams forming in the trail.
Bad news for bikers, maybe, but good news for me. Instead of mud all the way across, I'd much rather have to step over a foot-wide stream. It's great. I imagine when they overhaul the area, a lot of drainage issues will be addressed on a larger scale, too.
I briefly toyed with the idea of hiking up to the Western side and leaving from the Southwesternmost entrance. The BBA trail was really muddy, though, and by the time I got up to Rusty Car, I didn't feel like losing the altitude I'd gained. I also figured there'd be plenty of muddy spots there, too. So I just headed out the way I came.
It was a nice visit, and I think I'll try starting at the bottom again soon. That's the best way because I like getting the climb done first.
