Because Fridays are for peaks, I was back at Mission Peak for my 18th time this year. Hit the Stanford Ave trailhead at 6:45AM, greeted by low light, cool air, and a sky determined to keep the sun on snooze.

No inversion magic today—the cloud ceiling stayed well above the summit, but the views were still solid with those moody, dramatic skies. By the time I reached the top, it was a brisk 43°F (felt like 37°F according to my watch)— perfect weather for keeping the pace up and questioning my life choices.

The usual suspects were out: cows, and a gang of wild turkeys strutting around like they owned the trail. Had to take a slight detour when a cow and her calf decided the middle of the trail was the perfect spot for a morning hangout—trail etiquette says yield to moms with calves, especially the 1,000-pound kind.