I'm back on my normal running routes again, anywhere from 12-17 miles at a time in the mornings. I usually stick to the bike and bridle trails, which remind me of the crunchy, small-diameter limestone gravel roads I tooled around on in Riley and Pott counties back at K-State. At about the five mile mark (if I'm taking the normal route) I get off the main trail and take an access road past this lake (above). Usually I just go right on past it, but lately I've been noticing it as a glide by and the sun is coming up and bouncing around on the water. There's canoes there, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone out on the lake. It's beautiful little spot. The regular single track trails that loop near it are some of the best in the park, but I haven't seen them much. Usually at this point in a run - the point that I'm really grooving with nature and stuff - a passenger airplane groans across the sky right above me to remind me that there is an international airport about half a mile on the other side of those trees. At least I get to check out for a little while. It's been quite cold lately, most of the wildlife is hiding out still, the little deer come out and run around sometimes, and there are squirrels jumping around in the dead leaves, often chirping their complaints at me as I pass.

Note: The rangers have recently closed the water fountain at the intersection of Group Camp road and Reedy Creek Trail. It hadn't worked for months. They did install a nice new one near the Reedy Creek road entrance though. I could always use a drink at the old one, but the one at the horse trailer parking lot is up and running again.