Beyond the Blog Day 5 (May 2) - Lake Junaluska to Asheville

Our day started with a beautiful sunny morning, waking up from the dubious Waynesville hotel,  sitting atop a high hill overlooking the tangle of highway below us, and mountains off in the distance.   It was a copasetic moment, with Mike and Sheley, Matt and his dad..the five of us sipping coffee and being in the moment.  But there were miles to be rucked, and we hadn’t completely decided on where I was going to start.  The Route Tracker had me starting on 74, just below us.  I began insisting that I could hike down the very large hill directly to 74, and just start rucking from there.   My compatriots, especially Matt, began explaining that if I didn’t die getting down the hill, all I had to do was look at traffic, and clearly I would die there.  It was a convincing argument, and the hill did look dangerously steep, so we all agreed to meet at the Dam Park at Lake Junaluska and we’d take it from there.  We almost didn’t make it because Mike got totally turned around on the ridiculous cloverleaf on-ramps to 74, but GPS eventually got us there.

The Lake Junaluska Dam Park was a great starting point, with plenty of parking and adjacent to the paved lake trail.   Running around Junaluska was really a pleasure and a great change from running on the road facing traffic all day.  As I said in my blog post for this day, “Lake junaluska is absolutely gorgeous, surrounded by church property that is well-maintained and pedestrian-friendly”.   Running a lap with Mike and Sheley, good friends with whom I was happy to share the moment.   I had two laps to run by myself, and it was good head-time.   I wasn’t exhausted, had minimal hills, and a safe and scenic place to run.  Looking out at the mountains beyond the water, feeling the lake breeze, watching life happen in front of me...children with parents, young couples, and older folks carefully picking their way down to the lake’s edge.  There were times when I just felt completely connected, totally there but not there as well.  I am forever grateful for those moments.

This was also the day we met Rico, who was a teacher from Huntsville, AL spending time at the lake with his girlfriend.   Rico is an ultra-runner like me, with an incredibly easy-going attitude.   We all liked him immediately.   He had an autism connection as well, having taught special ed classes during his long career as an educator.   He certainly didn’t look it, but he was getting ready to retire in a few years.  We had a few laps around the Waynesville Greenway and had some great conversation about races we had done, races we’d like to do, and people we knew.   The ultra-running community is growing but its still small, and you tend to see the same people at these events.  I think we all appreciate our sense of community and we all share an aversion to big commercialized races, and a love of pain.   In any case, it was great to spend time with him, regardless of whether our paths cross again.

I finished my laps at Junaluska with Matt and Mike B. but still had a few more miles to knock out.   Looking at the map, we found an extensive collection of trails near the Asheville Botanical Gardens.  This was the Bent Creek recreational area.   So, after an outstanding Subway Tuna Sub in Mike’s Tacoma, off we went.   I had four laps of four miles then another three on the greenway.

Bent Creek is a hugely popular spot for mountain bikers, and it is easy to understand why.  There are endless miles of well-groomed trails, as well as many side spurs that probably offer greater challenges.  I had about six miles to go, but was starting to feel tired and mentally down.   I was sad that our tribe was changing again, I was still getting used to the idea that every new team provided new adventures and experiences.   But Mike and Sheley were there for a very tough part, and I was sad they were leaving.   My mental game fell apart and my physical energy left me completely.  I could barely get through four miles before packing it in for the day, not hitting my goal of 25 miles.  

We left Bent Creek as some light rain fell, a precursor to the following day of total deluge.   We met Joe at our hotel for the next two nights..the infamous Rodeway Inn in south Asheville.   Let me tell you about Rodeway….it has seen better days, and its tucked behind two or three hotels that gradually get cheaper as you pass each one.   Rodeway is the last hotel at $50/night.   On the positive side, I must say that the manager of this hotel was outstanding.   Friendly, efficient, accommodating...he really did a lot with what he had.   But what he had wasn’t much, as far as the hotel itself.  Reeking of ganja, the front desk featured a thick glass designed to keep out bullets when Covid wasn’t even a thing.   My first non-smoking room reeked of smoke, and our nice manager took care of that, putting me on one of the upper levels.  Joe was stuck on the ground floor.  When I asked him what he thought of the place, in typical understated Joe style, he said, “I’ve stayed at worse.”....Where?  Uganda?  

Then we struggled to find a place for a beer and a burger.  With our first option closed (New Belgium), we circled back to the mall across the street from the Rodeway.   We straggled into the food court and were among the last patrons of the day.    I wanted a few slices of pizza but the guy at the Italian restaurant would only make a whole pizza….he was really grumpy about it.  Long day, I guess.   So we ordered some pasta and it was decent, returning back to our luxury accommodations for an apres-dejeuner in Joe’s luxury suite.    Tomorrow would prove to be a very challenging day and lots of rest was needed!