I've had it at the house for a couple of weeks but decided it was time to put it up when the order of large air plants came and I didn't really have anywhere to put them. We have a knick knack shelf in the dining room that acts as my emergency backup spot, but I don't like to leave things there very long. I had a little trouble getting the top screw to go all the way into the wall, so when I got home, I unscrewed it and used a drill. What that has to do with today's walk is that I used the socket that my phone charger goes in, and I forgot to put it back.
I got to the parking area by the dog park, grabbed this photo, but then got a low battery warning when I was recording a Snapchat video of the area.
That's when I realized my phone hadn't gotten its normal overnight charge. My phone case is able to charge my phone, but I'd used half of that power yesterday, so I switched it on and hoped for the best. I wasn't super worried about my phone dying while recording my workout because my plan for the day was just a basic hike up the center to the end of the access road and back. If my phone died, I could just as easily copy it on the MapMyRun site from another time I've done the same route. And I've done it a lot.
But I couldn't resist a quick Snapchat joke as I headed out. This ended up becoming the 350th photo in my Japanese Gulch flickr album!
I used my trekking poles today and while I was checking them before heading out, a runner went by me wearing a huge backpack and headed up the trail. My best guess is that he works at Boeing, made his way up to the recreation center, and had a shower there before taking a shuttle to his final destination. Mainly I think that because there aren't many other places up there to go and jogging is banned on the roads leading into Boeing. Of course I could be completely wrong, but I don't know why a morning runner would need to carry anything other than work clothes and maybe a lunch in a backpack like that.
Typically I don't think so much about everyone's backstories, but he made me think of my morning walks back when I worked at the office and they were part of my commute. I really enjoyed those times and had to be pretty systematic when it came to what I wore and how I packed everything. Thankfully we had a fantastic cafeteria so I didn't need to bring my lunch, and the locker rooms at work had towel service. My walking outfit was a hoodie covering the t-shirt I wore to work the previous day, cargo shorts with tights underneath, and my walking shoes with two-layer blister prevention socks. In my backpack, I carried a fresh t-shirt, socks, and underwear, and wore them at work with the same cargo shorts I showed up in.
And just in case I showed up to work soaking wet, I kept a spare pair of shoes and some old shorts in the office. I also learned to keep a big plastic bag in my backpack in case I needed to wrap up my clothes or laptop on a rainy day.
3.53 miles in 1:20, 8,310 steps, 408ft gain
It was nice to do this old standby of a route.
