A reflective loop

Shelly Girl and I have been hearing about the Spring Loop for as long as we have been bimbling so with summer coming to a close, Saturday seemed like the right day to take on the challenge. Like most things events often don’t turn out the way one plans.

The day started off well enough with me and Shelly Girl joining Spuds and Mr. Bimble for the drive up to Mohawk State Park . The drive was uneventful, except for Mr. Bimble’s realization that he had no socks. Luckily, I had a spare pair in my bag for after the run. Even though they were one small step away from having holes Bimble apparently thought they would be better than going without any at all and “borrowed” them for the day.

We arrived at the trailhead and almost immediately Ultra and Forest pulled up ready to “loop, loop, and loop”. So we got ready and “looped. looped. looped”

Going into the day I thought I had heard enough about the loop to be prepared. Thinking about it during the run I realized I did not know anything about the Spring Loop. I knew words like “magical bit” and “Dean’s Ravine”, and had vague memories of talk of waterfalls, but I somehow missed the part about how hard the loop is to run. I actually was surprised and I greatly underestimated the challenge. The result was I would eat a lot of humble pie over the course of the day.

The first part was petty easy, compared to the rest, and the day started out about how I expected. Bimble led the way and the rest of us sort of hung in a pack. I don’t know about anybody else but I simply tried to go slow and conserve energy. We mainly walked the ups and ran everything else. I think we stopped once at a place I will call “Denise’s Leech Pond” for a bite to eat and a few photos. About 2 and ½ hours in we arrived at a road and the end of section one.

After some more food and photos we headed off for section two of this fun run. I think it was in this next section where a couple of things happened that would alter the day significantly for me and Shelly Girl. First, we arrived at the base of the climb to the famed “magical bit” and the group split up. Having done the loop many times, Forest and Ultra decided not to include this section in their day while Bimble and Spuds were heading up. For Shelly Girl and I there really was not much choice. As first timers we needed to see the magical bit. I can’t explain why but the splitting up of the group had a negative effect on our frame of mind. The second change on the climb to the magical bit was Bimble and Spuds kicked our ass! Gosh those guys are strong hikers. For me school was now in session and I would be learning about my limitations and my fragilities for the rest of the day. After seeing the magic, we headed off the back side of the mountain and eventually landed on a road that took us to the end of the Mohawk trail and the beginning of the real fun that was to be had on the AT. By the way, if you decide to loop know that AT stands for Amazingly Tough!

To say the 12 plus miles on the AT was a struggle would be an understatement. I think it was a struggle for all four of us in our own way. Bimble had to go slow all day and wait for me and Shelly on numerous occasions, Spuds was keeping up a really tough pace and Michele and I were wondering what the hell we were doing out here. For Michele, I think it was mainly a frame of mind issue. Having done a twelve and a half hour run two weeks ago she was simply a little depleated mentally. Once she figured that out she was fine for the rest of the day. For me, I somehow got off my hydration and eating plan and would have a pretty tough time with the foggy mind and sour stomach stuff for the rest of the day. I had experienced this at the Pacific Crest Trail 50 a few years back and knew if I stayed at a certain pace I would probably not get sick. Unfortunately this trail was much tougher than the PCT so I had to go really slow to stay under what I call “puke pace”. At this point the trail was challenging, lots of ups and fairly technical, so I don’t have many fond memories to relate. I was grateful for Mr. Bimble and his water pump. Filling our water a couple times really was helpful. I also think there were a couple of nice vistas along the way but in general I just focused on not getting sick and putting one foot in front of the other for about about 12 miles and 3 and 1/2 or 4 hours. Good times! As I was firmly placed as the back of the pack guy I also was keenly aware of folks waiting for me a lot. I am usually not in this position but I have always known it is much harder in the back. Harder mentally, nobody likes people to have to wait for them or to be the slowest person, and harder physically, when you are last you get the least amount of rest! It was what it was and I just struggled on until we finally got dumped out on the road. Next up the famed Cornwall Bridge deli. I think one of the challenges of the loop is the lack of intermediate goals, which help to keep you in a positive place mentally. It is one thing to say only four miles to the aid station as opposed to “okay only 12.5 miles to the deli”. I don’t know about anybody else but I was REALLY looking forward to the deli and a break.

The deli was a blur. I was totally out of it and simply sat at the table hoping Michele would bring me some food and drink. My only hope in completing this day was resting and recalibrating. Solid food was not sounding good, so I had a coke and a really nice smoothie, which then made solid food sound better so I had some chips. Bimble had a tomato because “he fancied some food and they had no fruit” I love the way those British folks talk! Michele and Spuds seemed to be doing fine and soon enough we left the store to take on the final roughly ten mile section.

In the last section things did not work out the way one had expected. In a nut shell, Spuds developed severe stomach problems which caused him to abort the run about three miles into the final section. He felt it was best to turn around and head back to the deli and Bimble felt it was best for one of us to go with him. I was the logical choice. Spuds and I headed back, Jerry went ahead with Shelly Girl and that was that. Bimble arranged, via phone, for Ultra and Forest to pick us up at the store and Ultra was there right when we got back. Thanks Boo!

I suppose this is where the tale might end but there is a little more. We drove back to the finish and I decided to run up the trail to meet Shelly Girl and Bimble. I really did not care about not finishing the loop; in fact I did not want to run another step. I simply felt like I needed to go out and meet up with my girl. I knew she would be fine, and I knew Jerry was with her, but I just could not see myself sitting at the car for well over an hour while she was out on the trail. I ran for a about thirty minutes and got to the Mohawk Mountain ski lifts. It was pretty hard to follow the trail up there, and I was worried we might miss each other, so I sat down on the ski lift and waited. After 15 minutes I started to worry I had missed them so I decided it would be best to head back. I imagined them being done and everyone now looking for me! Before I left I went to the opening to the trail and yelled down “Jerry, Michele are you there?” and funny enough I heard “yes”. We hooked up and finished the damn thing.

As I sit here my thoughts on the Spring Loop are varied. Most importantly, as with all experiences, I learned a lot and am confident I will grow from the experience. Will I go back? Too soon to tell but one thing is clear I will be much more prepared if I do. I suppose that is why I write these reports. They are a combination of reflections for my own growth and, hopefully, some good reconnaissance work for others who are interested. It is great to hear about the magical bit or the diner and the rest but I will never again lose sight of the fact that this is a really hard run approaching 40 miles in distance. Thanks to Spuds, Ultra, Forest and Mr. Bimble for helping me survive the day. Shelly Girl, as always there is nothing you can not do. You are my hero!

See ya on the trail,

Lefty