I began at the Bald Mountain trailhead and despite a busy Memorial Day weekend crowd, I was lucky to do the requisite fire tower ascent without a line. I tapped the roof 10 minutes after the start and that would end up being one of the few time checks along the way.
From Rondaxe Road to Eagle Bay, one can opt for faster pavement but traffic and sun, or a softer old railbed with shade. I tried a little of both.
Rocky was especially busy, but the wide trail afforded easy navigating and and thank you's along the way. I saved Black Bear for last and followed the blue trail both directions. A wet but enjoyable run out, especially so as this capped a weekend that included the Patch Sprint a day prior. I can't wait to see what future trail runners put down on a route that's both fast and technical.