Preserve Rose Canyon

Tonight I was running through Rose Canyon when I had the good fortune to run into Debby Knight from Friends of Rose Canyon. Having just moved to the area, naturally I want to help preserve the open spaces that San Diego enjoys, and I would think everyone else does - not only is it nice to have somewhere quiet to get away, but nature preserves increase property values.

This makes it all the more astonishing that, per Debby, the City of San Diego has twice tried to build a major road right over top of the canyon, perpendicular to it. Never mind for the moment the huge number of people who enjoy the canyon - what did the people who live along the canyon have to say about this? Whatever it was, I bet it wasn't printable. Fortunately, the first time and the most recent time the city tried to do this, Friends of Rose Canyon prevailed.

So what can we do to ensure the canyon's future? For one thing, get involved with Friends of Rose Canyon by going here. Or just go down to the canyon one evening for a little walk along the south edge. Easiest access is from Genesee south of Decoro and north of Governor, or from the end of Regents Road north of Governor. It's already one of my favorite places in San Diego; helps that I live right next to it.

One idea I've been kicking around in the short time I've lived here: I've noticed a dearth of trail races in San Diego County relative to NorCal. Maybe it's because I'm just not integrated with the community yet, or maybe it's the dearth of online resources listing races. (By all means, point me to resources!) Or, maybe there just aren't any - which is all the more reason to start a new one. So maybe it's time to start, if only informally, the Tri-Canyon Challenge? Including the full lengths of Rose, San Clemente and Tecolote adds up very roughly to 14 miles. The bonus would be a whole new group of people interested in preserving these canyons. Other (very cool) races have been started specifically inspired by the need for preservation and ended becoming local favorites.

Watch an Avalanche From Inside

This video is incredible, and scary as hell. Definitely a keeper if you've a) been on a 38 degree slope and wondered how set the layers were and/or b) in movies, you hold your breath while the protagonist is underwater. A back-country skier in Alaska triggers an avalanche seconds after starting his run, and fortunately his mates dig him out (all videoed from his helmet cam, complete with sounds of him gasping for air) less than 5 minutes after he goes in. Can you watch the whole thing until they get to him? I couldn't, and it wasn't out of boredom that I stopped it.

What is the Greatest Gift of All?

In this holiday season,* it is important to remember the greatest gift we can give to our fellow humans. You may be tempted to say: "It's nothing that has monetary value; it's nothing tangible; in fact, it's love." But you would be wrong. Because it's Yuengling. I have been presented with not one, but two cases of this nectar of the gods by one Garron, a truly stand-up individual. I am eternally indebted. I'll try not to drink it all at once.

*The Feast of St. John Chrysostom, according to Wikipedia.

Run and Swim

For all my kvetching about "I miss the Bay", I do have to admit it's nice going for a swim in reasonably warm ocean water at the end of the run. Today I lapped Mission Bay and took a little swim next to the PB pier after I was done.

Below is an image tracking where I've run in the last couple weeks (in red) and which will be updated as I explore more routes and trails.

Goddammit, Now I Have to Run This Trail Too

I refer to San Diego's Trans-County Sea to Sea (Salton to Pacific). Not finished yet, but neither was the Bay Rim Trail (or whatever it's called, I already forget).

In fact, I think for my next little projecty (in the spirit of my around-the-Bay run) I'm going to let my many thousands of readers vote. Should I:

a) Run around the seldom-referred-to San Diego Bay
b) Run some chunk of the Pacific Crest Trail
c) Run the bad boy referred to at the start of this post
d) Run the whole San Diego Coast (about 57 miles; IMHO, the most boring project mentioned here)
e) Some other program of devious intent to be suggested by readers

Thoughts?