Sugary POW happy trails oh my

The morning air was cold and crisp.  The skies were bright blue.  Made freshies on my  run up and around Evergreen mountain.  it looked and felt like running through fields of granulated sugar. I had the trails to myself, which is a good thing, if someone would have seen me they would have thought i was mental. Smiling thinking mornings like this is why i moved here. Coming off the backside of the mountain I thought I saw mountain lion tracks.  The first few times a large clump of snow would fall off the trees, it would spook me and make me think I was being hunted down. Oh how my mind wanders when I'm running.  

She's the cheese and I'm the macaroni

Flew into CVG(Cincinnati Very Good) on Friday and arrived in time to head to the Colerain VS. hamilton football game with sweaty Bob and his wife.  In seven years, never went to one high school game in what I consider, the second best place for high school football behind Warren of course.  After the game, Bob and I were birthday crashers at pebble creek golf course, couldn't find a wedding on a Friday night.
Saturday: played 18 holes of golf at Miami whitewater, went out to eat and went to a Halloween barn party with live music and games for the kids with about two hundred other people.  
Sunday:  Stonesteps 50k.  The goal was to go out a little slower and try to pick up some time on the last few loops, which I stuck to that plan but after two bathroom breaks, I knew I wouldn't be able to PR and enjoyed running with Brian, Kyle and  Gregg.  You would have thought we were teenage girls as we  chatted and giggled but it made for some easy miles.  279.61704 miles accumulated on that course excluding training runs.
Spent the next few days in covington Ky hanging out, got to eat at Tim + Chee for lunch( grilled cheese)  keystone(best mac n cheese anywhere sorry Mom) a stop at Arthurs( fried cheese) and played trivia at MLTs.  Best team name from trivia was "my couch pulls out, I don't" I think they came in last. Back in Colorado before the snow fell and planning my next adventure, which appears to be the start of the Colorado trail, starting this Saturday, weather dependent.

One week catch up

Took care of some everyday life things over the past week, paid some bills picked up mail, laundry etc. .  Life is pretty simple. Had three decent runs. Hung out at the stagecoach bar and grill and watched the browns lose( nothing new) and went to little bear on Monday night to watch football.  Excited to head to Cincinnati for stonesteps 50k number 9 .  Only one more after Sunday and I can pull the plug on this streak.  Not that I don't want to run more but since I am now calling Colorado my home, I don't see myself coming back to Ohio for a 50k.  Plus 10 of anything is a nice stopping point. For example; Ten day, month, year relationship, ten tacos, ears of corn, beers, etc. All seem appropriate. Now eleven of any of those, that just seems excessive to me.  Been researching new cars and will buy one when I get back to CO from Ohio.  Narrowed it down to three not in any particular order.  Subaru, Volvo and Audi.  On a side note, I wish people would spare me his/her political bullshit right and left wing on facebook. I don't care that you hate Obama or love the GOP, or vice versa. I research who I vote for on my own and just because your church, union, chess club tells you to vote for this person or that does not mean I have to. Proud of you for copying what someone else wrote and making it your own. If I want your opinion, I'll ask. Educate yourself and stop being such a follower of the blind. Ok my box of soap has toppled.

October 13/14

I find myself in Ridgeway CO, after a good run in Ouray.  Twin peaks to the box canyon and camp bird road above the ice park.  How many miles? Don't care. Elevation gain/loss? Don't  care.  Felt good to move on the trails with no goal/time/agenda.  I find this happening more and more.  I hope it is a precursor to my personal secret goal at stonesteps 50k in a week and some days.  My Colorado legs are stronger than previous stonesteps and my lungs feel bigger but I question my "running" legs.  We shall see come Ohio.

Hello chilly weather

October 11-13

Spent the last few days in Silverton and Ouray CO.  It is so different visiting these towns during the off season.  Very few tourists, totally different vibe hanging with the locals.  Getting to know people at the coffee shops by name creates more of the experience.  It is getting colder in the high country with a light dusting of snow.  I can see my breath when I go to sleep and the windows are frosted when I get up.  Perfect blue skies by noon.  Time to get my warmer sleeping bag.  

Grand Canyon 2011

October 9 2011

Hung out in Durango before heading to the big ditch, lost my phone and left my credit card at a restaurant before meeting up with Megan and Connie.  Drove to our campsite on Saturday, set up camp, got dinner and talked with the rangers regarding water and trail conditions.  Went to bed early Saturday night and got up at 5am to start our descent into the canyon around 5:30am.  It was a cold night and a chilly morning.  We started from South Kaibab down to phantom ranch, It warmed up fast.  If you want a steak dinner at the bottom of the canyon, it is only $42.00.  I hung out at blue ribbon falls, soaked in the stream, saw a snake(dont know what kind but got a pic) and scared the group hiking behind me as i jumped and squeled like a little girl.  I hate snakes.  The lemonade(four glasses and a water bottle filled) quenched my thirst and the summer sausage provided me enough energy for a long slow climb out from the bottom. Only saw one other person the seven miles or so back up south Kaibab with a full moon  The Colorado river was muddy unlike my last trip to the bottom, in which it was a bright green  Famished and starving we headed to the cafeteria for a turkey dinner and then a two dollar shower which was wonderful.  Heard a few elk bugle  and coyotes howling very close to our campsite.  The colors of the canyon are breathtaking as is the climb.  I guess that is why they call it grand

GABF

Volunteering at the Great American Beer festival.  Awesome.  I was stationed in island "E" which was considered the Midwest. Rock bottom Cleveland and cincinnati. We served one ounce of beer in small little tasting cups. The people I got to work with were great. 433 brewers, 49,000 people attended.    My friend Massie came in from C-bus which means the party would not disappoint, she doesn't allow it.  
Freshcraft,  pedal cab races through downtown Denver.
Falling rock tap house, Denver Chophouse, getting to meet the brewers of three floyds, back to falling rock. 
Qoute worthy
"Look at those calves, makes me want to lick honey off of them"
" you smell like fried pickles and shame".


Which has intrigued me to look into becoming a pedicab operator. Ride a bike all day. That wouldn't be so bad.

If you like beer, it is a must go to.