So...i was scheduled to run 8 miles for training Saturday or Sunday. But, since I jumped in the car on a whim Thursday after work and headed south, I had to do it on my own. I landed in Fortuna on Friday night. It is a small village along the 101 in California. I've stayed there before, and remembered there was a trail beside the river, so decided i'd make my run first thing Saturday AM.

Looking North from the midpoint of the Riverwalk trail across the street from my hotel...it is a 2 mile trail so my plan was to do with 4 times, out and back. The sun was shining, and when I started out, there was a breeze blowing.

The trail runs beside the Eel river.

Cow pasture on the other side of the dike...no scent of cows....the wind had picked up a bit.

Still heading south

Hills of Humbolt County and a ranch house at the south end of the trail in the background.


More pics of the Eel river



heading North now. the wind had really really picked up, I've never run in wind that strong before, and it sure did make a huge difference in my speed...plus running on gravel, UGH!

In the end, I ran to the farm house in the south, then to the north end, back to the midpoint where I went out and ran along the road back to the north starting point of the trail....back to the farmhouse, and then back to the hotel...7.2 miles total, run on gravel, felt like WAY more!!!

Here's some more pics I took along the path.








And....this was a bit of a shock, coming down from Oregon where I thought gas was high at $2.79 a gallon!
right across the street from my starting point on the path.

OUCH!!!!
(I discovered gas cheaper at a reservation/rancheria casino!)