Sweet, Bitter, Sweet, Bitter, Sweet, Bitter, Sweet, Bitter, Sweet

On Canada Day, Mike, Ryan, Kevin and I went to run the first half of the Knee Knacker course to familiarize ourselves with it for next Saturday. It was to be a quick 3 - 3.5 hour run along some beautiful trails. It was, as the title suggests, sweet and bitter.

Sweet - Actually getting out on the trails ten days after Bighorn with the feet feeling good again

Bitter - The first huge climb up 3000' in a five km stretch, including scrambling up huge boulders as far as the eye could see

Sweet - Getting to the top of this climb and appreciating the amazing view of Horseshoe Bay and the Gulf Islands

Bitter - Continuing on and running into crazy amounts of snow, sometimes hard-packed and six feet deep in spots, and not
being able to find the trail in between the markers on the trees. Also Ryan going over a bridge, losing hand-held
bottle with car key in the pouch into a river under a patch of snow.

Sweet - Finding Ryan's bottle and key and retrieving it after only fifteen minutes of fishing for it with a stick

Bitter - More snow and finally descending to dry ground but missing the Skyline trail turnoff

Sweet - Getting back onto the trail after a stretch on the road and running back to Cleveland Dam, appreciating this view as
well

Bitter - Heading home after a 4:30 run/hike and finding the Ironworkers Bridge closed due to a distraught teen standing
outside the rails. Waiting for six hours while they tried talking her down

Sweet - Enjoying the sun while waiting, having the police incident end successfully, making it home finally and getting an hour
in of Kick The Can with the neighbourhood kids

As a side note I can confidently state that the record will NOT be falling this year at the Knee Knacker. There's way too much snow to be making time like that.