21 runs
316 running miles (average 15 miles/run)
111,200' vertical change
5,115 driving miles
2 bears (3 if you count the one Chris saw at Yosemite)
4 snakes (2 rattlers, 1 king, 1 garter)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Updated Totals
for all of you stats geeks...well, really just for Chris...here are trip totals so far...
Back To Eugene
Day 28 (Seattle/Eugene)
Nothing exciting happened today. I woke up (still very tired from concert and sleeping on a cot) and drove to Eugene. I wish I could make it sound more glamorous, but that’s really about it. I did hit 5,500 miles of driving, so that was fun.
Day 29 (Eugene)
I met Calvin this morning for another run. This time it was on my turf, the trails! We drove to the Ridgeline Trail and headed up to the top of Spencer Butte, roughly 2 miles and 1,000’ vertical away. I knew my only chance of staying with Calvin would be to hammer the downhills, since he is more accustomed to running on road rather than trails. I was surprised at how beautiful the views from the top of the butte were. I forgot to take my camera but will go back tomorrow and post pictures. Sweeping views of the mountains to the south and rolling green hills all around. We added an extra out and back section to give us an even 8 miles on the day. I then dropped Calvin off and went to get a haircut at South Eugene barbers. Getting a haircut at an unfamiliar place can be tricky, but I’m not too particular about how I look. Short hair and don’t mess with the beard. He obliged. Dropped my car off at the Subaru dealership (shares parking lot with my hotel) to get my oil changed (yeah, it’s been a long trip) and grabbed a shrimp and chicken pizza nearby. Did some laundry and have been trying to organize my car ever since (no luck so far). Just another nice day in Eugene. I love little college towns like this. I’ll be here until Saturday morning and then will head to Calvin’s parents’ house in Sunriver (via Bend and a stop to run the McKenzie River Trail along the way) for a few days. Then back to Lake Tahoe for my 100 mile stroll through the woods. I can’t wait. My legs have never felt this strong. I’m curious to see how it translates over that kind of distance.
Widespread Panic
Day 27 (Bellingham/Seattle)
(Chuckanut Trail System)
(View From Teddy Bear Cove)
(Great View of the Canadian Rockies)
Sara and I loaded up and made the 1.5 hour drive down to Seattle, with me gawking at the beautiful mountains the entire way down. We parked, met Doug, and then headed down to the Pike’s Place Market for lunch (while Doug finished up some work at his law firm). Nate, one of Doug’s friends from law school, flew in for the show and met us out. We walked around and then checked into our hotel, the Hyatt, right across the street from the concert venue.
The show was great (as most Panic shows are), and the venue was even better. The Paramount is an old theater, and seeing Panic there was memorable. Another great day in the Pacific Northwest.
4th of July In Bellingham
Day 26 (Bellingham)
Sara had to work this morning, so Doug decided to take me on a running tour of the local trails. We debated whether to drive to a park but decided it would be nice to run from his doorstep. Nice indeed. Having trails and mountains just minutes from your house is something I don’t have in San Antonio but would love to enjoy. We ran along the waterfront, across the Interurban Trail, past the Chuckanut Trail system, then turned around and headed home. It was a nice mix of road, dirt trail, and crushed rock. Had we gone further, we would have had access to some big climbs and lakes, but Doug was already running further than he had before, and I didn’t want to put in too big an effort with Tahoe now less than 2 weeks away. We cooled down with a walk to the marina, netting close to 14 miles on the day, not a bad start to the 4th of July festivities.
When Sara got home, we headed out for Mexican food (felt like home for me) and a margarita. Bellingham is way up north, and sunset was scheduled for 10PM tonight, so we would have to wait until 10:30 to see the fireworks. Once home, we watched TV and waited, each of us fighting off sleep. The fireworks display was nice, but nothing spectacular. Soon after, we all headed to bed. Doug had to work (in Seattle) tomorrow, and I planned on waking at 5 to get in one last run before Sara and I drove down to Seattle to meet Doug for the Widespread Panic concert we were attending that night.
Navigating the Nooksack
Day 25 (Bellingham)
We arose early and hopped in the car for the 45 minute drive to the ski town of Glacier, located near Mt. Baker. We were going to be rafting down the Nooksack River, a river whose water is fed primarily from Baker snowmelt. In fact, the guide told us the water we were currently rafting was only 12 hours old, a cold 42 degrees. I had only been rafting once before (outside Vail, CO) and loved it, so I was excited about today. Doug, Sara, and I loaded into a bus with 10 other people and were soon in a boat with a guide (ironically from Wimberly, TX), headed down the raging Nooksack River. The rapids were good, nothing too technical, but enough to get us thoroughly soaked and keep us interested. Had the day not been so cloudy, we would have been treated to amazing views Mt. Baker and the canyon we were rafting. Despite the clouds, the rain held off, and we had a great day. We stopped on the shore for lunch and then finished up the trip and drove back to Bellingham, where we ate seafood and walked around town. By this time the clouds had parted and we were treated to great views all around.
(It's Hard To Look Tough Wearing Full Body Neoprene)
(Mt. Baker)
(Doug and I)
Travel Day & A Tempo Run
Day 23 (Yosemite/Sacramento/Oregon)
We got up early enough to pack up the tent, load the car, and still make it to breakfast before we needed to leave (food is a priority, always!). Chris had a flight to catch in Sacramento, and I was headed to Eugene, OR for the night. The drive was uneventful, and soon I was headed north to Oregon. The highlight of the drive was most definitely seeing Mt. Shasta in Northern California. It’s snowy mass is made even more impressive by the fact that the surrounding land is at a relatively low elevation, less than 2,000’ in some places. I snapped a few photos and continued on, stopping in Ashland, OR to grab dinner and peek in the Rogue Valley Runners store (owned by Hal Koerner). Hal wasn’t around, but I needed a few things anyway (I wasn’t there just to stalk him), so I grabbed my gels and Clif Shot Blocks and headed up the street to my favorite restaurant in Ashland (well, I’ve only eaten in Ashland 3 times, but each time it’s been at the same place). I tried the local beer sampler and a buffalo burger, then walked around town for a few minutes before hitting the road again. Ashland is a really neat town, sort of like a weirder Austin (think lots of hippies) with green mountains all around. Definitely a place I could live! Another couple hours on the road, and I was pulling into Eugene, my home for the night. I checked into the hotel and immediately went to bed. 12 hours of driving made me pretty tired.
(Mt. Shasta)
Day 24 (Eugene/Bellingham)
I met Calvin, one of my former cross country/track runners, at his grandparents’ house in South Eugene for a run. He’s fast, especially on road, and my legs were feeling less than fresh from all the mountain miles I add accrued. He agreed to “take it easy” on me, which generally means I would run at my tempo pace while he graciously ran at his “slow” pace. I was expecting a nice flat road run. Instead, I got a very hilly run around Spencer Butte, with a couple miles added on the end at a local sawdust trail, giving us 12 total. The distance was manageable, but the sub 9 minute pace (including a few walk breaks) up and down the hills felt tough. I hadn’t run that “fast” continuously for quite some time. I still had fun and was glad Calvin gave me a tour of the area. I showered at his grandparents’ house and ate a fantastic breakfast that his grandmother cooked, then I was off, headed north again, this time with Bellingham, Washington as my final destination.
My fraternity brother Doug and his fiancé Sara had recently relocated from Tampa to the town of Bellingham. I figured that I might as well add a trip there to my summer itinerary, and I’m sure glad I did. On the drive up I was treated to views of Mt. Hood (east of Portland), Mt. Rainier (near Seattle), and Mt. Baker (east of Bellingham). In addition, I had the ocean on my left (backed by the Olympic Mountain range) and the Canadian Rockies in the distance to my north. Definitely not a bad drive. I passed through Portland and Seattle and was soon (about 6 hours after leaving Eugene) pulling into Bellingham.
Bellingham is a beautiful little town. The ocean (bay) lies right in front of Doug and Sara’s condo, the Canadian Rockies are visible to the North, the Olympic Range shows up on a clear day, and Mt. Hood’s snow-capped peak rises over the horizon in the East. I met Doug and Sara, hung out on their porch as we enjoyed the cool weather, and then headed “downtown” (about a 5 minute walk) for dinner. We ate at a Cajun restaurant, and the food was really good. Knowing we had an early morning awaiting us, we retired home for the night to get some sleep.
(View of Olympic Range From Doug & Sara's Porch)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Best Run Ever???
Day 22 (Yosemite National Park)
After a day of cold rain, I awoke (sleeping bag was still a little wet from the previous day) to a cool, crisp, blue sky. The forecast called for clear skies with a high around 75 degrees. Perfect running weather. I had a rough idea of the route I wanted to do for my long run today, hitting much of the same trail Chris and I ran on Tuesday. I was excited about today, unlike Tuesday when I was in a foul mood. I geared up and jogged the ¾ mile from our tent to the Four Mile Trailhead, ready to being my climbing for the day. The plan was to log 6-7 hours in the mountains, and I knew I would be going up or down most of the day. Not too many flat trails here. Certainly none that I wanted to run. I started with a nice 6+ mile hike up the mountain, ascending over 4,200’. Once on top of Sentinel Dome, I was treated to (in my opinion after having been here 4 days) the best view in the park, and quite possibly one of the best views I have ever seen in my life. At over 8,100’ feet, Sentinel Dome affords hikers 360 degree views of the entire park. This would never get old.
(Four Mile Trailhead)
I paused for a few pictures (as if I hadn’t taken enough already) and my way back down to Glacier Point, where I would hang a right and hop onto the Panorama Trail. I was really excited about this section today. It was my kind of trail – smooth dirt, with just enough rock to keep things interesting. I passed numerous people out enjoying a hike in the beautiful weather. My friend Joe once told me before the Portland Marathon that I should try to have fun a smile during the race because we are lucky to get to do these things (long runs) and not everyone has such an opportunity. I totally agree and try to say hello to everyone I pass when I am out for a run. This can get exhausting at a place like Yosemite, where (in a 7 hour run) one might pass hundreds of people. I had a great time seeing people, greeting them with a quick “hello”, which was often returned with a stunned look (that I was running these hills). Anyway, I was having so much fun!
(View of El Capitan From Sentinel Dome)
Down Panorama to the falls, up 700’ and then down again to Nevada Fall. I had seen the falls 2 days prior, so I didn’t linger too long, turning around after a couple quick photos. Here’s where the really confused looks began. As I hiked back up (only to run back down to the other falls), I passed many of the same people I had said hi to only minutes earlier. I was greeted with many of the usual questions (how far, why, what are you training for, etc.), which most ultra runners are used to. The climb up Panorama to Glacier Point was exposed to the sun and getting a bit warm (I’ll get no sympathy from my San Antonio friends for saying that).
I filled up my bottles, bought 2 Gatorades, and ate a Clif Bar at Glacier Point before making a return trip up to the top of Sentinel Dome. I had run 20+ miles at this point, but my legs felt good, and my mind felt totally fresh and ready for more. Just before the turn the takes you up the final ascent of Sentinel, I decided to explore the trail to the right, which led out to Taft Point. I quickly descended the forested singletrack, taking me deep into the woods and away from the crowds – PERFECT! Well, it was perfect until I ran into snow and fallen trees. After several of these, I turned around, headed back up the same trail, and made one last ascent to my favorite Yosemite spot, Sentinel Dome. I could have stayed here forever. The weather was perfect, I was having fun, and I knew we were leaving tomorrow. I was, however, excited about the 6.2 mile, 4200’ descent I had to finish out the run. Not wanting to delay my fun any longer, I bombed down the hill, passing more people along the way. When the dust had settled, I had logged 30 miles in just over 7 hours, netting close to 17,000’ of vertical elevation change, quite a burly run.
(Me On Top of Sentinel Dome)
I can’t begin to describe how perfect this run was. My body felt great the entire time, my stomach never revolted, and my mental frame of mind was fantastic as well. I was able to push out all the unnecessary junk in my head and just enjoy the here and now. Running in such a beautiful setting has a way of clearing my mind and making things right. I only wish I had mountains in my backyard. Hopefully some day soon.
(Half Dome In the Evening Sun)
I enjoyed a couple local brews at the campsite, then joined Chris for a much-deserved pizza. We then headed to Camp Curry and the showers. I had 4 days of dirt and sweat built up (nice mental image) and needed my first shower since Monday. Warm water has never felt so good. We then headed back to the tent and sat around the fire with our neighbors, telling stories and having a great time.
(Some Local Flavor - Not All At Once :))
(Sign Outside Showers)
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