December Morning at Ridley Creek State Park

It was a gorgeous day for what is likely my last trip to RCSP in 2013. The temperatures are supposed to reach 50 today but at 8 am it was still 34. I could see my breath as I started out on the trail. It was  a perfect December day. Besides being cold and mostly clear while I was out it was also that perfect time when there are no leaves to obstruct the view. One might argue that this takes away the mystery of the trail because you can see all the twists and turns before you get there. But there are plenty of other days in the year to be 'surprised'. 

Today you could see things you normally wouldn't see - the contours of the park; the views from the top of a climb; the extra paths of the creek (many of these were frozen while the creek itself was rushing); lots of birds - all of this is camouflaged during the other seasons. The sounds of the park are different on day like this too. You can hear sounds from farther away. Yet, despite the location of the park you really don't hear much in the way of traffic from 252 or Gradyville Road which surround the park. 

I don't have many photos.I took some but they just look gray and brown muting the beauty of what I saw today. Here are two you might enjoy though. 

I was by myself today. Originally there were 4 of us. Two were sick and one had unexpected holiday company. It may have been just as well. My back spasmed yesterday. I got out of the car (a simple task that I really have mastered in my old age) and BOING! my lower back was pulsing. I tried to baby it all day; stretching and trying not to give in to the hunchback formation it wanted. I took an alleve before bedtime and this morning it felt a little better. No more pulsing but still sore. So I ran slower than my usual slow pace. About halfway in I just gave up running and walked the rest of the way. My back wasn't happy and my left hip started bugging me too.

I did wonder to myself whether I should just give up running and stick to hiking. I shook that off pretty quick though. I had such a wonderful time last weekend and today's issue is just one of those things. I'll be fine.