Author Archives: nicholaskemper

Sunrise Ridge Park Run Time: 60:26 + 2-minute kick I finally found the nice slice of Surrey. My previous trips here have unimpressed. I could not tell by looking at the phone map that the greenspace with the trail was a higher elevation than the houses on either side. The word “Ridge” should have givenContinue reading “Surrey, BC”

North Middle School Run Time 60:24 + 2-minute kick My semi-annual west coast swing. Flew through Dallas to Seattle. You really see the different ends of the chaos spectrum visiting Grand Rapids, Dallas, and Seattle airports all in the same day. Flying out of Grand Rapids is like levitating from a zen garden compared toContinue reading “Everett, WA”

Centennial Trail Run Time: 60:08 + 2-minute kick What I have seen of Ogden is not the garden spot of Utah. It is more like the weed patch. Actually, there is a lot of Utah that looks pretty rundown close up. What I saw on this run might actually be some of the best ofContinue reading “Ogden, UT”

Bonneville Shoreline Trial: Hellspot Tower Run Time: 60:06 + 2-minute kick Back to the altitude. Life elevated, indeed. A sunny, beautiful Memorial Day. Too many people at the trailhead, but none of them went to this trail, which just ran along the feet of the mountain range, just above the houses. I could not figureContinue reading “Orem, UT”

Billings Senior High School Run time: 59:46 + 2-minute kick Two visits in two weeks to Billings. This run was not nearly as picturesque as the first. Different hotel, different part of town, different run route. The school was a mile or so from the hotel, which was downtown. The track had some wear toContinue reading “Billings, MT”

Campbell Collegiate High School Run time 59:44 + 2-minute kick This was another forgettable run. I literally forgot to take any photos while running. First of all, this was no Lethbridge. There was nothing picturesque about the locale. I exited the back of the hotel parking lot, went through a dingy neighborhood that looked asContinue reading “Regina, SK”

Coulee Trail Loop Run time: 59:42 + 2-minute kick A hidden gem in the Canadian prairie. As soon as I saw the terrain on the satellite photo, and the trails on the All Trails map, I knew this would be good running. The hotel was right at the upper border of these ridges that runContinue reading “Lethbridge, AB”

University of MT Helena College Run Time 59:38 + 2-minute kick Somehow I jumped right over Helena when I wrote the Great Falls post. Something about the Helena run was forgettable, apparently. Oh yes, it was on a dirt track. Yes, dirt. So not so much forgettable as wannabe forgettable. It is possible that thisContinue reading “Helena, MT”

Missouri River Trail Run Time: 59:40 + 2-minute kick Tried for a run when I got into town, but the thunderstorms were discouraging. Ran the next afternoon instead, and again the morning after that. A rare 3-night stay in one hotel, the inglorious Extended Stay America, which had no coffee maker in the room, andContinue reading “Great Falls, MT”

Billings Bench Water Association Canal Run time: 59:36 + 2-minute kick Hello, Sunshine. Hello, Warmth. Hello, Montana. Who knew I would have to go to Montana to find warm weather? We have had the odd semi-warm day in Michigan this “Spring,” and we have seen the sun a few times, but this was a gloriousContinue reading “Billings, MT”