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On a fall October day the UPJ Cross Country team set out to meet their coach for afternoon practice. The team drove to a small rural parking lot in the middle of Pennslvannia. Their coach gave them slim directions and told them to meet her at the end of the trail. Solve your way through through the trail and meet the coach in a parking lot on top of a very large hill.
[[Running on the trail]]
<img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bvx4AF2yFLk/Wwpx8XFH3UI/AAAAAAAAlU8/otWh88sHnM8TD8X4iTVlJVCIU68snkqBACLcBGAs/s1600/SBT2.jpg" width="450" height="250">
[[Running on the road]]
<img src="http://www.jorba.org/sites/default/files/DSCN18160128.JPG" width="450" height="250">After running down a steep road for a half mile you come to a three road divide. We checked out all three options, but only one leads to the trail connector that we were searching for.
You have the choice of...
[[Running up a steep hill]]
<img src="https://archive.triblive.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/164574canton180.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Running towards a park]]
<img src="https://advancelocal-adapter-image-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/image.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/width2048/img/news/detroit_impact/photo/18313617-large.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Heading through a residental road]]
<img src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1600/1*kL_UswtiTu02y0M5CwIayw.jpeg" width="450" height="350">We made a left, heading down the long narrow lime stone covered trail. After two miles of running we came to another fork in the road...
[[Back to the Parking Lot]]
<img src="https://www.nps.gov/alpo/planyourvisit/images/100_0167.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false" width="450" height="350">
[[Head through the tunnel]]
<img src="https://npplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Allegheny-Portage-RR-43.jpg" width="450" height="350">Although running through the old mining tunnel was really cool, it led to a dead end. We ended up running all the way back to the parking lot and starting over.
[[Back to the Parking Lot]]
<img src="https://www.nps.gov/alpo/planyourvisit/images/100_0167.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false" width="450" height="350">We tried the steep hill first but the road led to a power plant with a strict no trustpassing sign. Time to head back to...
[[Running on the road]]
<img src="http://www.jorba.org/sites/default/files/DSCN18160128.JPG" width="450" height="250">The park was empty, overun with weeds, and in deep need of a makeover. One of our teammates attempted swinging on the old rusty swing set that probably hadn't been used in 10 years. We continuted exploring.
[[Continue through the park]]
<img src="https://nashvillefunforfamilies.com/old-fort-park/2014-01-20-13-07-35/" width="450" height="350">
[[Running on the road]]
<img src="http://www.jorba.org/sites/default/files/DSCN18160128.JPG" width="450" height="250">
[[Running up a steep hill]]
<img src="https://archive.triblive.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/164574canton180.jpg" width="450" height="250">After a couple minutes of running we finally find the trail connector!
[[Head down the trail]]
<img src="https://cloudfront.traillink.com/photos/path-of-the-flood-trail_72070_sc.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Back to the Parking Lot]]
<img src="https://www.nps.gov/alpo/planyourvisit/images/100_0167.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false" width="450" height="350">
After about 10 minutes of exploring the park we knew that the neighboorhood was the only way to find the trail connector.
[[Heading through a residental road]]
<img src="https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/8b5e6845-15fa-49f6-a596-978e42fc5ed8/d29txb9-139d145b-eeca-45ed-b90b-6609c89679b5.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzhiNWU2ODQ1LTE1ZmEtNDlmNi1hNTk2LTk3OGU0MmZjNWVkOFwvZDI5dHhiOS0xMzlkMTQ1Yi1lZWNhLTQ1ZWQtYjkwYi02NjA5Yzg5Njc5YjUuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.FRsaNs7VR3Cr2HHGR1Vt19D9DH2rdETbX-7IjvCuKBY" width="450" height="350">After a mile of running, the trail has a small side path that leads to a sharp left turn around a corner. We debated whether or not to check out this park of the path.
[[Head down the path]]
<img src="https://cloudfront.traillink.com/photos/path-of-the-flood-trail_72069_lg.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Continue straight down the trail]]
<img src="https://npplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Allegheny-Portage-RR-49.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Back to the Parking Lot]]
<img src="https://www.nps.gov/alpo/planyourvisit/images/100_0167.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false" width="450" height="350">The path led to a cliff overlooking a large stream of running water. Although it made for a nice Instagram photo it was another dead end.
[[Continue straight down the trail]]
<img src="https://npplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Allegheny-Portage-RR-49.jpg" width="450" height="350">After 20 minutes of running through the trail you come to a stop in the trail and enter a town. The town was old with buildings in desperate need of being fixed up. As we looked ahead to our next three options we thought "Is our coach trying to kill us?1".
[[Head into town]]
<img src="https://cdn.onlyinyourstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/800px-Downieville_California_at_Main_and_Commercial_St._looking_south-700x525.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Head straight up a large hill]]
<img src="https://ridermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Stayin-Safe.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Head left into a neighboorhood]]
<img src="http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wpsu/files/styles/large/public/201801/rural_pa_school_lede_01-800x450_0.jpg" width="450" height="350">The town was empty with no people or cars going up and down the roads. We spooked some of our younger teammates and then quickly turned around.
[[Head straight up a large hill]]
<img src="https://ridermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Stayin-Safe.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Head left into a neighboorhood]]
<img src="http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wpsu/files/styles/large/public/201801/rural_pa_school_lede_01-800x450_0.jpg" width="450" height="350">After climbing a large hill we finally felt like we were getting close. A few minutes later we found our coach anxiously waiting in the parking lot. Every different senerio and picture listed is a wrong turn we made that day. We joked to this day about how lost we got that day and revisit the site to practice every so often.
<img src="https://www.alltrails.com/api/alltrails/photos/21272588/image?size=extra_large&api_key=3p0t5s6b5g4g0e8k3c1j3w7y5c3m4t8i" width="450" height="350">We went through the neighoorhood and came to a culdesac. At this point were tired and ready to be done. Some of the guys started really pushing the pace just so we could finish up faster.
[[Head straight up a large hill]]
<img src="https://ridermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Stayin-Safe.jpg" width="450" height="350">
[[Head into town]]
<img src="https://cdn.onlyinyourstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/800px-Downieville_California_at_Main_and_Commercial_St._looking_south-700x525.jpg" width="450" height="350">