Brins Bermuda Triangle Run

Sara Wagner leads the way.

Determined to successfully navigate the myriad of trails around Brins' Mesa, 14 NATRA runners set out on a 5.2 mile run...a 5.2 mile run....The weather was not rough (perhaps too perfect), but once again we felt as though we were on the set of "Lost". Our first sign should have been the sound of beating drums near the sink hole. After this point, despite our best efforts to keep the gang together, the unpredictable power of the vortices redirected half the group, with some running as much as 8
miles!

 

The up seemed pretty straight forward.

 

Simply beautiful.

 

Then we heard the drumming.

 Luckily, we all found our way out of what can now only be described as the Brins' Mesa Triangle. With everyone safely in tow we enjoyed the fastest food service in Northern Arizona at Garlands at Indian Gardens. Their enormous breakfast burritos, coffee, and cinnamon rolls somehow nearly beat us to our seats.

 So what happened out there? Bruce Higgins came up with the scientific explanation. See the Brins' Triangle map. Thanks to Bruce and Sara for providing additional images. Next week, Buffalo Park 9 AM to run the Lower Oldham trails we think we know!

 

 

 

 

 

Icy Dicey Fort Valley Trail System

2015 is proving to be a series of firsts for NATRA. Last week the snowy trails of Beaver Creek, and today, the iciest most challenging winter run of our 13+ year existence. Eleven runners including newbies Kristen, Mary, and John paid full attention to every foot plant. As is typical for any NATRA run on the Fort Valley Trail System, we split into the upper crew following Moto, and the lower crew taking a shorter, but slicker route. All returned unbruised to a jam packed KickStand.

A Very Snowy Wet Beaver Creek Trail Run

Fleeing the single digit temps in Flagstaff, 7 NATRA runners could not believe the wintery landscape as far as their eyes could see. Hopping out of the cars at the Wet Beaver Creek Trailhead, they looked in disbelief that several inches of snow still blanketed the desert scrub. Never before in our 13 years of winter runs in red rock country had we run in snow. The powdery white fluff still clinging to trees and the edge of the trail, actually made for good traction, and only got deeper towards the turn around spot at the "crack". As I lagged behind, the lead group thought they could outsmart me, and said they had all taken the annual polar plunge and that it was my turn. Noticing no one's lips turning blue, I decided this was the year to break tradition. After all, we were going to need all of our wits to avoid traffic jams in town. By the time we headed north, there was near gridlock in Flagstaff caused by visitors chasing fun in snow. Luckily, we all found alternate exits to get to Lone Tree road and were pretty pleased with ourselves finding a relatively mellow Wildflower Bakery, an island of no traffic in Flagstaff. Next Saturday join us at 9 AM and we will run up Schultz Creek from the "Y".

 

Snowy New Year's Run

 

Seven NATRA runners, including two from Hawaii, rang in the New Year running in the last snowflakes of the big storm. We ran mostly in powder along the Karen Cooper section of the Flagstaff Urban Trail System. Running with former City Councilman Nat White, we learned that in the late 1980s this trail was the first section of FUTS. The City obtained a Heritage Fund Grant and since Coconino Estates residents had already created what was known as the "Ditch" trail, this was the most opportunistic place to start. After the run Bruce Higgins treated all to coffee at the KickStand. Our next run is this Saturday along Wet Beaver Creek up to the "Crack" (About 7 miles round trip). We meet at 8:15 AM at Fort Tuthill at parking lot in front of Flagstaff Extreme parking.

 

Refrigerator Gulch Run

 

With the temperature hovering around 20 degrees, snowflakes from the cloud over Elden pelting us, and a howling wind that made the wind chill well below zero, 9 NATRA runners ran 5 miles on the Flagstaff Loop Trail. As a result of the season, their outfits looked more like a Christmas light display than anything else; today NATRA left no color behind. After ascending "Refrigerator Gulch" the frozen snot icicles beneath their noses began melting on the Flagstaff Loop Trail. Once off the mesa and back on the Urban Trail, the winds pushed us all the way to the KickStand where we all successfully defrosted over coffee and easily won the where is Abe on sabbatical now game. Don't forget to kick of the New Year with NATRA at 9 AM Thursday at the Marshall School parking lot for a tour of the Urban Trail and a run through neighborhoods along it!

 

"White" Christmas Day Run

 The snow began just before our Buffalo Park jog. Cold, but very pretty, as five humans and two dogs jogged or walked a lap or two. Coffee was at the only known open place - the Cedar Safeway Starbucks, where the dogs attracted the attention. Merry white Christmas! (Thanks to bruce higgins for the post.)

2nd Annual Mayan Apocalypse Survivors Run

 

We had a nice 2nd reunion of Mayan Apocalypse survivors celebrating the Winter Solstice. Runners came from as far away as Sedona. What was the Mayan Apocalypse run? Here is some history: https://www.facebook.com/events/225524970913930/

 

This group outing looked more like a Thursday evening run with the Flagstaff Trail Divas outnumbering the men and dogs 10 to 8. Despite the balmy winter and lack of snow for the first time since we started celebrating the shortest day of the year, the winds kicked into high gear reminding us that we still had a chance for a real winter. After 3 miles the Solstice runners said goodbye to each other and disappeared in the golden late afternoon light. Happy Winter Solstice to all and Join us at 9 AM Thursday in Buffalo Park to celebrate Christmas! Ramble Brothers, you get a free pass...I realized what game was on...... #wintersolstice