A run up and over Witham Hill to Walnut, a quick stop at the Co-Op and back again

Tonight, Samantha didn’t feel like going jogging, still being sore from the last two nights of exercise.  She stayed home to watch the first presidential debate.  My route took me up and over Witham Hill past the Witham Hill Oaks apartment complex where I lived with Rick F and Sean all those years ago.  The place still looks exactly the same.

Down on Walnut, I passed another runner going in the opposite direction.  He was doing the long grind up and over toward Harrison Boulevard.  Maybe in another few nights, I’ll go out that way again.  It’s been at least six months since the last time I had the time and motivation to do that route.

At the Co-Op, I stopped to buy some organic lemon juice to use in a soy sauce and lemon juice chicken dish that Samantha and I are going to cook tonight.  I managed to get in and out just before they were getting ready to shut down for the night.  Running back up Grant toward my house I reflected on the fact that I didn’t pass one group of drunken college students or even a house party.  Where are all of the beginning of the term parties these days, anyway?

In total I ran 4.4 miles.

My Route Map

Night-time jog around Witham Hill and to the Co-Op

Tonight we went jogging as the night fell across Corvallis.  The streets were dead due to the OSU vs USC football game at Reser Stadium.  On one of the paths near Circle Boulevard, we saw a small rodent very much dead.  Its entrails were spewed across the sidewalk a few feet away from the body.

Going through one of the neighborhoods on the top of Witham Hill, not one but two cats followed us in succession.  The first cat came up to Samantha and let her look it at its collar.  It said “I am not lost.”  The second cat just about jumped into her arms demanding love.  We left the two kitties behind and ran down the hill to the Co-Op where we purchased supplies for dinner.  In total, we went three miles.

Our Route Map

Jogging in the first rains of Fall

This evening’s run featured the first real rains of the fall. Samantha and I were caught in a small deluge for most of our 2.2 mile run. The rain soaking through my running shirt felt good against my skin.

At first, we took a small detour up to the end of Lincoln Street. I always forget where the cutoff is that ties back into Witham Hill Road. Running up the hill toward our favorite local plum tree, we found a blueberry bush covered in fruit. It was perfectly ripe and quite delicious. At the plum tree, I pulled out a cloth bag that I had brought along for the express purpose of smuggling plums. There are now several dozen plums sitting in my fruit bowl waiting to be eaten.

Our Route Map