Sandcreek Middle School
Run Time: 57:29.5 + 2-minute kick
First snow run and first night run on the year. The lady at the Hertz counter in SLC wisely recommended an upgrade from a compact to an AWD mini-SUV. Woke up in the morning to 27-degree weather but did not see snow till I got up into Idaho in the afternoon.
My hotel in Idaho Falls was in the sliver of urbanity, with strip malls all around. I found a school not too far away, so I was able to get away from the traffic and run on the relative safety of the track. Lane lines are easy to follow after dark, and the surface is consistent and forgiving, which would be a good personal disposition to which one might aspire.
There are always risks. No place is completely safe. The unfamiliar can be unpredictable. The key is to perceive the surroundings keenly and accurately, to see things for what they are. This all goes for the familiar as well. We should always scan with fresh eyes. There is no upside to being complacent or asleep at the wheel.
It was good to get back into the mountainous country. Moving to Michigan has been very low elevation. I made an appointment for my old dentist in Payson to have my teeth cleaned while I was there, and the sun came out as I drove south from SLC, and the snowy mountains were a welcome sight. I drove into Santaquin afterward to pick up prescriptions my wife had called in to the Macey’s pharmacy, and I bought a container of lactose-free Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream and ate it right there in the parking lot and appreciated the mountain scenery.
And I love the drive up I-15 to Idaho Falls. There was one stretch of thick fog for about five miles, in which the temperature dropped down to sub-freezing, so we all had to slow down from 80 to 50. Weather is good for keeping one alert, but I will admit that I like driving in the spring, summer, and fall about 83% more than driving in the winter.
Don't Make It a Habit. Make It a Ritual. 