Good Friday Run

"One should get away once in a while as far as possible from human contacts.
To contemplate nature, magnificently garbed as it is in this country,
to restore peace to the mind."-- Harold Ickes

That's what I did today as I proceeded on a new (to me) section of the River Mountains Trail. This dirt trail began next to St. Jude's, and although that was as close as I would get to attending services on this Good Friday I knew God was all around me as I climbed a moderately strenuous trail.

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corp, by hand, between 1935-37, the 6-mile up and back course begins at 2415 feet and steadily climbs to 3480 to the top of Black Mountain where there is a spectacular view of Lake Mead and a permanent bench.

Along the way I saw blooming cactus flowers and wild flowers as a late spring has finally arrived in the desert.

The trail was anything but straight as many switch backs were put in to enable hikers (and this crazy runner) to ascend to the top.

After the run I celebrated with a Venti Green Tea Vanilla Soy Milk Latte at Starbucks while reading some of John Steinbeck's Sweet Thursday. It was a sweet Good Friday for this desert explorer.