Catawba Run Around - pre-run report (Kaitlyn and Dylan's Aggressive Excitement edition)

On Dec 4 Kaitlyn wrote some friends about doing the run around...Kaitlyn and Dylan's Aggressive Excitement edition...Here are a few tips for Saturday, December 16th Catawaba Runaround. A conglomeration of input...Checking the weather indicates temps from 27 to 46, winds 7-9 mph, sunny - great running/hiking weather.

OTHERWISE - PACK EARLY! Take it from me, it is no fun scrambling in the morning after a short night's sleep. Put down a towel and lay out all the stuff you think you need, and then pack it up the night before...prep your coffee, breakfast and post-run food too ahead of time! Fuel up your car; check your alarm; make sure your friends/family know where you'll be and when you are likely to be home (by about 4-5 pm if things go well). OH YEA - REMEMBER TO CUT YOUR TOE NAILS!

• Jordan posted: 6am will mean headlamps at the start...a clockwise loop starting at the Mt tabor road crossing with a water drop at the mcafees lot. Dragons tooth-->north mountain--> tinkers --> mcafees-->PUDs--> done!  As for what to bring, I would pack food (gels and solid) for 7-12 hours, cellphone, headlamp, light jacket, gloves and small water filter. 



• just carry more food with you than you think you will need...the simpler the logistics, the more fun it will be.
• We'll all stick relatively together-meet up at all the overlooks and parking lots. 
• My buddy Matt will drop 3 gallons of water at the Andy Layne trailhead tomorrow morning..

• Josh re. (natural) water sources: There would be water after dragons tooth and again as you are finishing up the north mountain section (just before AL road crossing). The ‘dry’ section would start with the climb up tinkers and last until the puds. 

• Katie asked: Is the CRA a "bring music" thing or a "talk and run" thing? 
• Sean replied: I'd plan for both. The CRA is everything and nothing you expect lol

Random helpful quote: "I'm going to be slow. Could be an 11 hour day..."

As Jordan said, the route is a clockwise loop starting at the Mt Tabor Road crossing (which is actually labeled "Newport Rd" since it changes from mt Tabor Rd at about Gravel Hill Rd) to Dragon's Tooth (Cove Mountain), and then down to Dragons Tooth parking Lot (and across 311), along North Mountain for about 9 miles where you turn right/east down to Andy Layne Trail to Tinker Mountain to Macafee Knob to the Macafee Parking Lot (aka., "311 Lot") another 4 miles back to the Mt Tabor Road Crossing. The closest Strava route is https://www.strava.com/routes/11391706, which starts at Dragon's Tooth Lot (but we will start 4.2 miles earlier, starting at the Mt Tabor Road crossing, labeled Newport Rd).

CRA, July 2016