TUR FENS 30 K
Jordan River Trail in Utah Valley
7January 2006

Can't get much better weather for a little stroll down the Jordan River Parkway in January.
Temperatures in the 30's at the start (frost on the ground) but by the time we were past the turn around in the Narrow, temperatures were pushing 50 when the sun came out.  Very pleasant.  The course runs from near the shores of Utah Lake to the "Narrows" between Utah Valley and Salt Lake Valley and returns back to Utah Lake. There are more new homes encroaching on the course every year and more people discover it but it still is a very rewarding run and not very busy with traffic.  We saw maybe six bicyclists all day. There is usually wildlife along the way and lots of livestock such as cows and horses.
   The group started off together but seperated within a half mile when some of the gang decided to run.  Can you believe it?  I saw Dave first, then Brent when I was between 7 and 8  miles out (about 11 to 12 miles for them) but evidentely Brent overtook Dave on the way back finishing first.  Olaf and Tony were not far behind.  It gave all the runners a chance to stretch out those winter legs on a fun paved course.   Sometimes we get snow most of the way but this year, we get spring weather.  Go figure. 

1   Brent Rutledge    2:33:00
2   Davey Crockett   2:43:00
3   Olaf Ouestereit    2:57:40
4   Tony De Arcos    3:35:45
5   Paul Hart            4:04:00
     John Moellmer   4:04:00
7   Irv Nielsen          4:32:00
,,,,,,,,,,,,others,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Darren Anderson      12 miles
Mindy Niitsuma        12 miles

I think Darren & Mindy started at Willow Park which is 3 miles north of the start so 6 miles short of the 18 or so miles done as an out-and-back.  I'm apoligizing ahead of time if this is not the case.  Anyway, they overtook me going up to the narrowes when I was about 6 miles out and since I turned around sooner than they did (having aready done the Narrows section that morning), they passed me again a little before 11 am. I had really started enjoying the day starting out at about 7:15 am with an absolutely gorgeous sunrise in florescent red and orange above the white coated Timpanogas Mountain.  I ran a little bit out from the turn around above the pump house in the Narrows after dropping off aid-station supplies and enjoyed the two windmills with their three blades spinning around.  A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) with a wing span of over 6 feet took off from the Jordan River and later after I turned around a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) flew close to the trail above the pumphouse.  I was much too fresh to bother the carrion eater, however. 
   To our surprise, much of the Utah Valley Jordan River Trail has new asphalt layed down and this made it slightly wider for a number of miles.  Excellent!  Plenty of room for bikers and hikers with dogs to pass.  We saw plenty of Robins (Turdus migratorius)and Brewers Blackbirds (Euphagus cyanocephalus).  I saw two American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) and a few ducks.  John, Paul, and I saw some Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) on the way back. 
Another successful Tur Fens run and not just for the birds.
ps  If anyone wants to have their times corrected or provide new info - call Irv at 561-2308. 
You can also email me through the Wasatch 100 page : info at wasatch100 dot com  
Ask Claude Grant, the webmaster, to forward it on to me.