This morning's run was set against the backdrop of nature's own amphitheater at the Bluff View trailhead. My friend Ty and I were the early birds, with a plan to meet others, but a small mishap with communication led us to different starting points. Nevertheless, the trails decided we should reunite, and they wove our paths together in their own time. What felt like a swift journey through the Bluff View and Zombie trails culminated in an 8-mile adventure that surprisingly left me no more fatigued than when we started. The trails here have changed character over time, mostly due to the Greater Ozark Off-Road Cyclists (GORC) reshaping them with mountain bikers in mind. Though it's lost some of its allure for those of us on foot, the trail retains a certain charm that keeps us coming back. I’ve noticed a shift in my trail running habits; where once the trails were my weekday sanctuaries, they've now become weekend retreats. Perhaps it’s the natural progression of growing