Perfect Day For a Run: Fall Photos

I was off today and the weather was unseasonably warm (it reached near 80F), which meant I spent every hour I could outside. Inspired by the sunshine and warmth, my BFF and I (my dog, Marvin) went for a long run...with a fair amount of walking and stopping to take pictures (...and to catch my breath).

Marv made it 6 miles with me and I dropped him off at home to finish up my last mile, but I'm rather impressed those little legs can keep up!

While I live in a densely populated suburban area, I'm lucky enough to live walking distance to a beautiful trail that runs alongside a parkway and train line. When you're on this trail you can easily forget you're so close to an urban/suburban area, but then you'll get a reminder.

The trail provides a welcomed retreat from the grind of everyday life, and running it is one of my favorite things to do. I guess others feel similarly, because I see this guy doing tai chi all the time in the exact same spot (and I'll be there at irregular times from 6 am - 5 pm and I feel like he's there 8 out of 10 times).

There are some beautiful curves in the path, fences, wood bridges, and foliage along the trail. Here are a few of my favorite spots.

I guess I'm still a tween at heart, because that sign "Caution: Slippery when wet" makes me chuckle every time

Marv and I also had the pleasure of watching some ducks.

In addition to the beauty provided by nature alone, the trail offers some cool architectural landmarks, like this stone church which is my turn-around point.

And also a bunch of bridges, most covered in graffiti, giving it an industrial feel. Usually graffiti isn't my thing, but I like it here; you're surrounded by trees and ponds and then on the next curve you'll be reminded again of how close you are to people.

not much graffiti here

That one above is probably my favorite shot from the day. But I'm also partial to these:

Eh, who am I kidding? It's this: