This morning, I was coming up the back side of the toughest hill on the Clementine Connector, which, I’m sure you want to know,  is between Auburn and Foresthill in the Sierra Foothills.  So what does the Clementine Connector connect?  This well-maintained trail links the American River Confluence trail system with the Foresthill Divide Loop trail system.  Both the Confluence trails and the Foresthill trails can connect you to the famous Western States Trail, site of the Western States 100 and the Tevis Cup. 

Anyway, I was up on the Clementine Connector running easily with my indispensable partner, Dharma the Wonder Pooch.  I crested the hill top to find two beautiful women resting on their bicycles.  They had just powered up the tougher front face of the hill.  One woman had long, dark, curly hair; just my type.  The other had a long, silky blond pony tail; just my type.  (Except for red heads who are also . . . just my type).  Long legs, athletic builds.  Oh my.  They were startled, briefly, with my unexpected appearance, but quickly gave me big grins.  I had spread my arms wide with my palms to the heavens as if to say, “Oh Lord, thank you for this exquisite sight!”  They totally “got it,” my response to their tableau.   Without slowing down I ran between them, a quick exchange of pleasantries:

 “You made it!”

 “You, too!”

 “How you doing?”

 “Wonderful!”

 “Me, too!”

As I ran past the brunette, she gave me an opportune high-five.

 <slap>

I dropped down the front side of the hill, still grinning my face off and thinking, “Life is GOOD!”   I was also pleased to be wearing my sleek black running tights and my “Marines” muscle T-shirt.  As they continued on with their ride, they might have had a complimentary word about the Marine with the handsome yellow lab.  Hey, you never know.