The Wild.

"The Fig Tree Loop":

Wungong Gorge has been on my mind for about a week now, and when I woke up early this morning I thought it was a good time to pay it a visit.

Wungong is my “Local”, it’s the nearest good trail close my house and I’ve neglected it lately in favor of more exotic and distant trails, but after today that’s going to change…In fact, I’m going to make it my running home base!

I got to the trail around 8:00 this morning; I parked on the western side of the Gorge and decided to run along the valley floor to warm up. It’s fairly easy going along this bottom section and is suitable to horses and hikers alike. My feet were thanking me for taking them off road, not only for the more forgiving surface but also to change up my gait from road running. The further you run into the valley the larger the walls loom and engulf me in thick foliage and welcoming shade. Occasional beams of sun poked through the trees and revealed Orb spider webs high in the branches.

The terrain turned from flat to undulating and large rocks litter the trail like icebergs in the sea and just as treacherous. I paused occasionally, to play with my new camera and take photos. After a while I reach the eastern side of the gorge and can see the mighty Wungong dam. Turning right I head toward the southern ridge. Here the trail comes to the valley floor and then turns abruptly upward as you make the climb up out of the valley and into the more exposed and rugged southern ridge.   

I struggle to make progress uphill as the pea gravel gives way below me. The incline is unforgiving and in direct energy zapping sunlight. I reach the summit exhausted and let the cool easterly breeze blow on my face for a long time. Around me monarch butterflies have filled the sky and it’s like a surreal dream, I sit back and watch them swirl around and land on spiky bushes.

Once I’ve recovered sufficiently, I make the zigzagged decent back toward the valley.

Luckily its wild fig season and I come to my favorite fig tree. (Yes, I do have a favorite)It’s loaded with fresh figs and I spend several minutes squeeze testing them to find the ripe ones, I eat two or three and they’re delicious, refueled now I feel great and proceed back toward the valley. Here the trail turns west again and skirts the valley for a while before the big climb back to the ridge. The terrain here is very steep and the only way to climb it is to zigzag your way up. I climb for what seems like and eternity and eventually reach the top. Spying a new trail here I get my bearings and check my water to see if I’ve got enough for some “bonus k’s” luckily, I do.

Going east again I’m exploring and in my element. The running on the ridge is easy and I’m feeling great. The trail later merges back with one that I’m familiar with and I start to make my way back to my car. Getting off the ridge proves to be very hard; the decent is very steep and covered with pea gravel. I make very short quick steps as I scramble down, my feet are singing “the black toenail blues” as my toes relentlessly slide forward in my shoes.I reach the valley floor and cross a stream, I suck down the last of my water and lightly run my way back to my car, three hours have passed. I’m not sure how far I went, but I’m happy to be back where I belong.