Exploring the Island

On the weekend of Oct. 23, I took my first trip to Bald Head Island, NC for a friend's wedding. Even though it has a reputation as an exclusive locale, I had always heard great things and was excited to see it for myself. As soon as I boarded the tram to our house, I was struck by how beautiful and truly untouched the island was. It was late at night and our tram entered a tunnel of foliage, created by the mature trees of the island. Even in the dark, it was amazing.

The next morning, I knew immediately that I had to explore the island on foot. I made up my course using the map of the island at the house, pulled on my Brooks and set out. My first objective was to find the ocean and, from there, wander the trails across the island.

When all was said and done, I ran close to 7 miles. I found the ocean after running along the coast for a while, searching for beach access, then saw a few deer and got turned around close to home. But the views were amazing and I couldn't have picked a better run to help get me back to the love of running. These photos don't do the island justice, but I definitely recommend exploring it if you ever get the chance! :) (More photos on my Flickr account.)