Long Canyon - In Search of Sedona UFOs

Watch more videos on Flotrail
  12 NATRA runners, newbie Garrett and Bob the dog headed to Sedona to run Long Canyon in search of alleged UFO landing pads. As we drove out Dry Creek Road we saw dozens of runners pounding the pavement and a sign that read "Sedona Marathon Event Ahead!" No worries though, it was just a training run for next month's big race. While it was 2 degress when we left Fort Tuthill, the 22 degree reading in David's Subaru at the trail head felt balmy.

Once we got to the end of the trail we bushwacked to the pancake flat slickrock where Charlie found a piece of a flexi-capacitor that could only have come from an alien spaceship. After marveling at the silver o-ring we scrambled down to the sandstone tinaja filled with icy cold water. Susan looked as though she would take plunge but Bob the Dog tested the waters and immediately jumped out. If it was too cold for Bob, it was certainly not plunge-worthy! Somewhere along the way Sabrina the desert scrub impressively bloodied Sabrina's leg.


(Thanks to David Blanchard for the photos below!)


Returning to our favorite Sedona patio we noticed an owl statue above the bagel shop meant to scare off the pigeons that now had it completely surrounded in force. We expected if we zoomed in on Google Earth we would also see a big white spot on top of the owl's head. Next week's run, the Mountainaire 100 pot luck ski, snowshoe, and run. Meet at Mountainaire Tavern at 8:45 AM! Visit http://www.natra.org and click on next run for more details!

New Year's 2013!

(Thanks to Sabrina for the post!) Fifteen runners and two dogs met at the middle school baseball fields to welcome in the New Year on the first chilly morning of 2013. Despite temps being a frosty 8 degrees F, spirits were high and NATRA welcomed many old faces and greeted some great new faces as well. The morning was clear and quite beautiful, and being a hardy bunch, we donned our microspikes and took to the trail. We ran along the urban trail for as long as we each felt needed; some of us did about 4 miles, others went for >6, but we all met back at the baseball fields with faces shining and ready to take on the new year.

Happy new year to Neil, and all the wonderful folks of NATRA! May the trails of Flagstaff bring us together and give us our passion and strength for yet another awesome year!

NATRA's 2012 Top Ten

As we wind down the clock to the first group run of the New Year tomorrow, I have decided to make my own top 10 list for NATRA’s finest moments of 2012 (according to me that is!).

10. 9/30/2012 – Fall foliage run at Aspen Corner when more than 30 runners participated.

9. 10/6/2012 – War Dog Run attracts a record number of newbies and a history by race co-founder Rusty Knott.

8. 12/1/2012 – Beaver Creek Polar Plunge has record 3 runners take the icy leap, finally including me!

7. 3/31/2012 – Getting our butts kicked on Historic Route 66 Ash Fork Hill run.

6. 4/211/2012 – NATRA joins Albie Masland for a few miles of his epic Forrest Gump run across the country in support of the Travis Manion Foundation.

5. 3/17/2012 – NATRA takes an adventure run to the abandoned historic Johnson Canyon Tunnel west of Williams.

4. 2/5/2012 – NATRA’s Running Dead Aid Station full of Zombies and Flagstaff Katzen’s polka music win best aid station at Sedona Marathon.

3. 10/13/2012 – A most memorable Soulstice with a blizzard making course marking challenging, and then on race day the first Soulstice wedding between Sabrina Blackledge and Terrance Langham.

2. 12/21/2012 – NATRA’s virtual Mayan Apocalypse 5K Run to End All Runs and its commemorative Ramble Brothers shirts attract 350+ runners from across the globe.

After nearly 30 years of grass roots efforts (with NATRA’s David McKee a driving force), NATRA in part sponsored cleanup efforts, and what many said was impossible……

1. 10/30/2012 – the City of Flagstaff purchases Picture Canyon one of the most significant archaeological sites in the region. This gives Flag residents access to the Arizona Trail and an extension of the Flagstaff Urban Trail for future generations.

 

I Brrrrrrrr Huckaby!

In 2012, NATRA hosted 50 free group runs with over 750 participants!  Figuring an average of about 6 miles per outing, we ran more than 4500 miles of trails!

(Thanks to Sabrina and David for the following report!) It was a cold morning for the final NATRA run of 2012. With sunrise temperatures near 0°F in Flagstaff, we weren't surprised at the low turnout. Braving the cold temperatures were Sabrina, Susan, and David. It was warmer in Sedona with a temperature of 34°F but there was a brisk down-canyon wind.  Per David, cold air would be drifting off the rim and into Oak Creek Canyon, so we were to expect a windy, cold run down Huckaby. He was absolutely correct, and we began our run facing into the wind and well-layered up. As always, however, Huckaby proved to be a heart-pounding ride and we soon became warm. We made it to the creek and returned with the wind to our backs. 

Post-run was coffee and sandwiches at Indian Gardens, where we enjoyed a world-class view of the canyon and discussed the superiority of old-school photography and tube-screen TVs! Meanwhile, Sedona only got even colder as the day turned overcast, so it was no trouble heading back up the mountain. 

Also, we have all agreed that Neil needs to put Boynton Canyon back on the plan for the new year!

 

 

 

Chicken Point Wine and Cheese Run

Watch more videos on Flotrail
  We had a small turn out for the Chicken Point run in Sedona but it proved to be quite an eventful post-Mayan Apocalypse run. In search of mistletoe, Bruce hit the jackpot finding and abandoned bag of three Modelo beers and a bottle Casillero del Diablo from Chile.

Feeling lucky, we set off to Chicken Point from Broken Arrow. This 5 mile jaunt was shorter than normal, but we all enjoyed the slickrock climbs and descents much better since we were not nearly as tired as usual when we run from Schnebly Hill road.

As we joked about the wine, we thought we better get rid of the evidence so we had a wine and cheese party on the patio by New Frontiers. We sampled Collier's Powerful Welch Cheddar, Ewephoria from Cheeleland Inc, and White Stilton with blueberries. A perfect start to the new Mayan calendar!

Flagstaff's Free Mayan Apcocalypse 5K Fun Run

Watch more videos on Flotrail   On December 21, 2012, dozens of Flagstaff runners defied predictions of gloom and doom on the Mayan Apocalypse by gathering for the Run to End All Runs - A free (and virtual) 5K into the sunset in a snowy Buffalo Park! Flagstaff Brewing Company provided drink specials to all runners who donned their handsome Ramble Brothers Mayan Apocalypse 5K shirts.

We survived and collected well over 100 cans for food bank donations! Ran or exercised on the Mayan Apocalypse? Shirts are still avaiilable at Ramble Brothers. Also, great coverage of the event at the Arizona Daily Sun

Finally to see the event and pics from across the world, visit our group page on Facebook

Snowy Pre-Mayan Apocalypse Run

Watch more videos on Flotrail
4 NATRA runners kept the 11+ year tradition of never canceling a run by celebrating Flagstaff's first raging snowstorm at Fort Tuthill. Bruce and Neil trudged through about a 3 miles of knee deep snow before their knees gave out, while David and Susan laid tracks with their cross country skis.

The run comes in anticipate of our "virtual" Mayan Apocalypse 5K. On December 21st we ask as many runners as possible to join us in this celebratory event. On Facebook, join in at http://www.facebook.com/neil.weintraub.92#!/events/225524970913930/ - You can also order the hilarios and spiffyshirts at http://www.ramblebrothers.spreadshirt.com - If you join we will share photos of runners wearing the shirt from across the globe!. Simply like our page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northern-Arizona-Trail-Runners-Association/218377476572?ref=hl Hope that many of you will join us in this fun way to celebrate the end of the Mayan Calendar!!!!