What are the two most dangerous things while going for a summer run here in AZ? I’ll have to say that an unknown route and streets that are named the same but are blocked somewhere in the middle would be my choices. How can I be so sure? because I just found out.

Since I could not find the access key to our gym, I decided to go for a run on the streets. It is the first time that I have done so since we moved to our house and while I haven’t had the opportunity to drive around the area much, I was under the impression the neighborhood was nicely laid out in normal (square-ish) blocks.

So I took on the streets and what I thought would be a short 20 minute jog turned out to be a 45 minute jogging/survival adventure. The following is a little map that you can use to visualize my adventure. I started by going south on 117th way to Mountain View. Mountain View eventually lead to Via Linda, where I headed north toward Shea. From Shea, it was a straight shot back to 114th where I basically had started the run.

click to enlarge

1. This is where I started the route.
2. Not quite ready to turn yet.
3. I had no idea that 111th would turn into 110th and lead to Shea.
4. I am glad I did not turn here. Aside the fact that I thought it was a gated entrance, it would’ve been a huge loop to get close to Shea.
5. I don’t recall seeing this street but I think it was also a gated community since I saw quite a few on this part of the route.
6. Finally I street I knew would (eventually) lead me to Shea. However, I did not know it curved like that around the park (which I just discovered too!).
7. This section of Shea did not have a sidewalk. Being a busy street, I had to sprint a few yards on the asphalt and get back on to the side of the road to avoid cars. Three sprints later, I was back on a sidewalk.