Run 173 - Midland Road and thereabouts

June 1, 2024

I started off by going to the Y and checking to see if there were any runners showing up.  It was all walkers so I took my map and drove to Midland Road and parked by the hotel (used to be a Holiday Inn.)

The route is one I’ve put off.  It is uninteresting, except for the Midland Road part, noisy and somewhat dangerous. The part on Laurel Road I really didn’t want to do because there is no sidewalk and the cars are traveling pretty fast.  I figured I could skip it if it looked too bad.

I got started at 7:12 am.

The route first takes me over to Mullowney and under the I-90.

It continues on uphill over Laurel Road to where I have to make a decision.

What the heck.  Just do it.

I’s early wasn’t that bad but most of the cars drive close to the right hand line where I was, partially because the ramp to the freeway is closed and the closure is forcing them over to the right.

I made it back to the top and ran over the railroad tracks.

                                         

My turnaround is where King Ave West turns (weird) and heads east.

I ran back the way I’d come, staying on Mullowney, past Midland Road to Holiday where I turned east.  I’d run Holiday in the past but this was the shortest route to Songbird and eliminates a big out and back on Midland.  

At Songbird I turned north.  This takes me next to the Franz bakery and it smelled like they were making cinnamon rolls.

Now east on Midland.  I did a short out and back on Maggie.  At the end I saw a truck with an interesting ad.  I’ve not heard of that brand.

I stayed on Midland until South Billings Blvd.  I turned around and headed back to where I’d started.

A bit over 5 miles.  I’m glad this one is done.

Update:  Later the next day, there was a stabbing at the casino across the street from where I parked and the arrest was made at the Econo Lodge next door to it.  Over the past almost year and a half that I’ve been doing this project, Shelley and I have noticed how many times there is a major criminal activity just after we’ve run past it’s location, usually within 24 hours.  I swear it has nothing to do with us but just the nature of the city.  There may be a rise in crime here but with few exceptions, those crimes take place between people who know each other.  Picking who one associates with is key to one’s safety.