Talking Trash, and Other Things, in the High Lonesome

AJW, Mike, Brad, and me - top of Summit Creek Trail, Idaho

I've been keeping to fairly low mileage since my six weeks off in early summer, just giving my knee some rest through 2010, and it's only been recently that I've logged enough miles to be able to take part (even partially) on the classic Gang of Four group runs in the Sun Valley area - occasional and often masochistic outings with Brad Mitchell, AJW, and Mike Stevens. 

This past Saturday, they charted a 17 mile (7 hour) "run" (read: bushwhack across five major drainages on new snow) on the northern end of the Pioneer Mountains high line route, and I was able to meet them at the top of the final climb for a victory lap run-in to the trailhead.  It was short, but rich as always in trash talk and gossip, and tales of races and training runs past.

It really reminded how hard it is to beat the shared experience of a good run with good friends on backcountry trail.