Went up Quemazon Trail to Pipeline for 6 miles RT. Afterward, I decided that I'm officially retiring the Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7 trail running shoes (I don't run but hike on rough trails) and sending the unworn one back for a refund. They've never felt as good as the the street running version of the Adrenalines GTS on which they are modeled. Now I'm forced to wear my street running shoes on rough trails which makes me more vulnerable to slips and slides due to the lack of beefy tread. What to do? Time to visit REI again to search yet again for real, mid or high hiking boots that would have good tread and would better support my posterior tibial tendon yet feel comfortable in the toe box (I need a wide toe box). I realize ahead of time that this is a lost cause but I'll try again anyway because I'm desperate. At least with REI's excellent return policy, I can easily return the rejects. Tonight I have to wrap up the Adrenaline ASR 7's to take to the post office tomorrow and pay big bucks to ship them back!
The Quemazon Trail is experiencing lots of regrowth after the 2000 Cerro Grande fire. This is a good but all the young trees and shrubs along the trail creep me out because I can't see if any 4-legged animals are lurking by the side of the trail. I picked up a stout stick whilst walking through the bushes today and kept looking backwards just in case.
Several sections of the trail were resplendently fragrant with the smell of pink wild rose and white choke cherry blossoms. I dubbed them Perfume Alley!