Quiet in the City.

I grew up walking trails in the woods of northern Minnesota with my dad, grandpa, and our two yellow labs. All four of them taught me to love, enjoy, and treasure the beauty of being out in nature. 

I think that's why living in/near a big city is so hard for me sometimes. It just doesn't feel...well, natural. I love it for the convenience and social aspects, but it wears on me after awhile. That's why I love hiking. That's why I love mini road trips just to get out of the city. 

That's why today I got so excited when I discovered, one mile away from our condo....is this: 

It's some sort of wildlife refuge. So it's not totally untouched, as there are trails, fences, bridges and those outlook posts, but it's quiet and I can run to it, so I'll take it!

I totally killed my pace time taking all these pictures on my phone, but I'm pretty sure I've never had a better run. 4.5 miles of trees, a lake, no people, no billboards, and no freeway noise. 

My soul is happy :)