If you like rocks, you will love Turkey Mountain
With daylight savings time in effect I can resume my trail running after work on Tulsa’s Turkey Mountain. A couple years ago I tried running it at night. Too many trips and falls for me. I have a good headlight but you lose enough of the depth perception to where I was tripping not on the many rocks and roots but just the uneven ground. I wasn’t just stumbling, I was pancaking flat on the ground. I’m too old for that!! So daylight running only on trails for me.
Somebody laid some of the flatter rocks down like flagstones in this stretch
So I ran twice this week. Once on Wednesday evening after work and again early Saturday afternoon after dropping the kid off at his Improv class.
Enable Midstream Partners’ high pressure natural gas line. It has probably been there for 60 years or more. There are two other pipelines on the mountain that I know about also about the same age. No problems from any of them. By the way, nowdays, they wouldn’t take the pipeline across the valley above ground like this. The line would be bored under ground about 30 to 40 feet.
It was kind of like seeing an old friend again. Both days the weather was not the best, cool, and a bit rainy but that meant I basically had the place to myself.
If you look close you can see some ducks who were swimming around before I showed up and then they scrambled.
The ponds (for some reason called lakes) on the mountain are full.
I love the overlooks on the yellow trail over the Arkansas River.
I injured my right leg somehow early this year. It is okay now. I did a self rehab and it worked based on the treatment I got for my left leg about a year and a half ago. Stretching, rest, lots of walking, patience. So now that my leg is fine, I am slowly building up mileage to help with my conditioning. Getting old is for the birds is what I say.
I have yet to take a bicycle on Turkey Mountain. I’ve seen some incredible riding and some incredible wrecks.
I intend to be one of those old crusty guys who are still getting after the trails in the 80’s. So I have to take care of myself.
Wednesday night’s run on the upper and lower Yellow Trail along the river.
Saturday’s run from the upper parking lot into the more remote and less visited west side of Turkey Mountain.
Speaking of Improv, Logan had a show Friday night. This is his last semester as he is aging out of the youth theater. We have been watching him and the other kids for years. Who knows what the future holds for him.
Saturday morning we did our family volunteer gig at a local Pet supply store on their rescue cat area. We clean out the cages and litter boxes, feed and water them, and play with them. We do it ever two weeks and it is a lot of fun. The critters are starved for attention so I think they appreciate it.
Best you run in daylight and save those legs for your 80s.
This looks like a tricky trail to run. I would trip a lot if I have to run here 😀… It looks great for a walk and cycling 😀
Lovely series of photos ~ great rocks on Turkey Mountain ~ love the kitty too ~ thanks,
Wishing you a fun week ~ thanks ~ ^_^
Everyone who walks the path should put a stone slab in place.
Great place for walking, I leave the running to you ultra fit guys.
What a lovely area for a run or walk.
I hope that pretty little kitty got a forever home.
I think I’m a bit too clumsy to run around plus my knees don’t handle it so well, walking works better.
You are right to be cautious! An injury can lay you up (down?) for a long time, and that makes you out of shape. I should know! I like walking but haven’t been able to hike since last June due to a foot injury. The surgery is just about healed but my ankles are unstable and it is driving me crazy! I have another month of physical therapy still.
Looks like a pretty good world.
Coffee is on
I hate to tell you this, but it’s in the genetics to not be able to trail run or walk at night. It seems we’re a clumsy bunch who needs full visibility when out on the trails. 🙂 I’ll be right there along with you with when I’m 80.