Today was a bit different as it was made up along the way. I got up about 6am and started rounding up my running stuff, like I’ve done every morning, with the plan to run somewhere different. I’d looked at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, which is just a few miles north of where I am staying, as something with checking out. There is a “spit,” a long sand bar, that stretches out into water of the Salish Sea and has a lighthouse on the end. It seemed worth exploring and a place to run a few miles.
I got my running clothes on and pulled my Levis on over them as well as my riding jacket, and headed in that direction about 7am. As usual, it felt great to ride the bike first thing in the morning. I arrived at the trailhead parking lot and only found 3 other cars there.
I went to the fee station and found that my Interagency Pass would get me in at no charge. Next, I sipped off my Levis and got ready to run. As I started down the trail I saw this sign:
No Jogging? Hmmm, well I guess it’s because when the trail is busy there could be conflicts. Being at oit seemed no one else was there I “jogged” down toward the beack. I stopped for a few photos.
When I got to the beach I found that the tide was out and at the high water mark the sand was compact and perfect for running. Off I went, stopping for the occasional photo.
I didn’t have a goal but I felt so good with the sea level air, the great temperature of 52, and only a light breeze, I just kept going. Eventually I could see the lighthouse in the near distance.
I arrived at the lighthouse about 8:45, a hour and 18 minutes after I started, and my watch indicated that I had covered a bit over 5 miles. I was happy to find that they had a water faucet as I was feeling a bit dehydrated.
One of the lighthouse keepers was setting up the signs that indicated that tours started at 9am. He said that as long as I was there he’d open up. The rooms at the first level had displays showing the history if the facility, build in the 1850s. The other keeper showed up and sale took me up the 74 steps to see the light itself as well as the views from there.
I drank lots more water and then headed back.
I thought I would take it easier in the return route but when I got back to the parking lots my watch indicated that I had run the return route in the same time as I had the first one, 1:18.
For having run 10 miles, I felt pretty good. I got my riding gear back on are rode back to my mom’s place where I grabbed a shower and then accompanied her for lunch where I had a great visit to a salad bar.
She had a mid-afternoon commitment so I got on the bike and rode to my sister’s place where we had beer, snacks, and conversation. We made dinner plans and since my mom wanted Mexican, we made a plan for that. I rode back to my mom’s and she drove us to a nearby Mexican place where my sister and her partners joined us. It was great fun and I had a very good black bean tostada.
Now, with the blog updated, I’ll settle down, do a bit of reading and probably sleep well.
It was a 10.4 mile day.
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