GPS Quarry Run – ‘Dogged By Indecision’

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The Sunday group run is affectionately known as the Dog Run in honor of the many four legged friends that normally accompany us. At today’s outing there seemed to a few more than the usual pack and as they darted about in the parking lot the air of confusion they created emanated into the runners. Organization for the run was created to GPS based on the fact that he posted the announcement on the bulletin board. He tried to pass that responsibility to Forrest, a frequent BB contributor, but his runs tend to involve full moons, severe risk of hypothermia, plus the word FEAR is often quoted!

The dogs tried to inspire us to head in a number of directions but we eventually managed to get GPS to lead from behind and we headed out. Within a few minutes we were struggling over large boulders trying to find the main trail, shortly after that we were precariously balanced on think ice (metaphorically it was thin!) that caused at least Mort and Eraser to make close inspections of the surface. Half the group turned back to find better traction, the others slid on.

Once on a surface that resembled thawed organic material we regrouped and debated which direction to go. The majority followed whoever was leading, I think at this stage that might have been Sweeny. Another junction and more indecision. The words Moosehill Road were heard and we set off again, no one really sure if the words and direction held any correlation. We reached a dead end and debated where to go next, as if the options provided several alternatives. Another junction and Master Po (MPN) tried to convince us we had run out on the trail to our right, so we should now stray straight. Others were convinced we had in fact come from the trail ahead and MPN said he was just creating more confusion for fun. MPN though has ‘previous’ for being directionally challenged. In fact he once brought a Garmin GPS just so he could tell us with greater clarity when we were lost. Now he leaves it at home in the belief that it might function more effectively as a homing device. We went straight.
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The trail suddenly came to an end at a cliff top. It wasn’t a long way to the creek below, but once again indecision surfaced resulting in some turning back to find a less steep trail down while the remaining lemmings took the shorter route. When we congregated and marveled at the partially frozen water fall, Shaggy took pictures. He was probably the smartest one amongst us as rather than run with the pack he had wondered aimlessly alone. He had completed a loop through the woods without once experiencing the dilemma of where to go next.

He sent me those images and this is the reason for this short account of today’s run. Shaggy, thanks for taking the pictures. GPS, thanks for providing so many possibilities and to everyone else, thanks for deciding to join the fun. Hope you like the pictures!