Sunday, June 30, 2013
What the Hell Did I Just Eat??!!
This thing was gross! Not sure what was in it and I don't want to know.
Operation: Bacon
Where to begin...
This is a sensitive and yet comedic subject, so I will do my best to bring some humor as well as an open-mindedness to this post. At any point while reading this, should you find it offensive, please refer back to "...I will do my best...", above.
I have nothing against vegans. I respect their choice just like I respect the decision of those people who smoke or drink or drive Mazda Miata's. One thing I don't like about any group of people in any situation is when they pass judgement on those who don't adhere to their beliefs. Get off yer high horse and don't take yourself so seriously, okay? Thanks.
Camera Crew and I ran the Race For The Animals 5k this morning, a run organized by Northwest VEG. They are a Portland-area group that endorses the vegan lifestyle - they attend health fairs; hold vegan potlucks and other gatherings; educate health professionals; and help people who are considering this path by answering questions and providing literature/guidance. Check them out at www.nwveg.org On the website, under their mission statement, it says:
"It's a very powerful choice to respect your body, the earth and other beings."
I disagree with the 'body' and 'other beings' part. Man has been eating meat since the day we figured out how to catch it. It's part of the balance of nature. This should be a responsible process, though. I try to learn and know where my beef, chicken, pig, lamb, fish, etc comes from by buying direct from those who are raising the animals. I avoid: chemically enhanced meat or 'forced fed to fatten', and I refuse to eat veal. I strive to be learned about what I am consuming. Same goes for my fruits and veggies. I believe this is the way it was centuries, centuries and more centuries ago, and I love seeing a gradual return of 'food awareness'. People are getting smarter and the providers of said food stuffs are taking notice. It's fantastic, really.
I consider myself to be an indirect vegetarian - I eat things that eat plants. Okay, that's silly, I know. Seriously, I use as a guideline author Michael Pollan's food advice, seven little words: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Yes, I fail a little at the last one - I enjoy bacon and pork and beef and... Sometimes too much, but CC keeps me in check. We eat 'veg only' meals a night or two a week. Like tonight's dinner, for instance.
Today's race was fun and well done and there was no judgement passed on me or Camera Crew. But that's because we were undercover!! Everyone there thought we were one of them! We considered wearing bacon logo'd clothing as a joke but I'm glad we didn't. It may have been humorous on some level, but it would have been disrespectful as hell. We did see the funniest damn shirt, though. A woman (who looked very sad to me) was wearing a t-shirt that had a cute little pig on it. The shirt read "Bacon had a mom". I couldn't stop laughing, especially when Camera Crew said "If I had that shirt, I would put on the back '...and she was delicious." The shirt is an example of the judgement thing I mentioned before. Go ahead and be vegan, wear a shirt that says 'I'm vegan and I'm proud' or 'I don't eat bacon' - but don't wear a shirt like this one that is very blatantly laying a guilt trip on everyone who has ever eaten bacon. The shirt may as well have said 'I am better than you.' As stated, don't take yourself so seriously.
Besides, I think she was sad because she couldn't eat bacon. That would make me sad.
We had some fun pre-race, shooting some videos for this here blog. Poking fun at the vegans. Don't take any of it seriously. The race started late - not sure why, other than the race directors kept letting people wander up to register instead of cutting it off to start on time. It also seemed that the volunteers were showing up in random packs. There was lots of frantic explanation of what to do, then shooing them off toward their area of responsibility. Our worry was that it was getting hot(!) and we wanted to get done so we could head home.
Mt. Tabor is a beautiful park. Portland is the only major US city to have an extinct volcano within its city limits - that be this one. The neighborhood surrounding the park is filled with nice streets, great homes, lots of trees. It would be a nice area in which to live. The park itself has a huge network of trails - paved, gravel and single track. It has a great playground and views of the city.
The 10k runners went out and we started 15 minutes later - all in all, about 25 minutes late. The course started up hill, about 50 yards, then we dropped down a hill, ran on the flat for a bit, then dropped some more. It was fine and all, except we knew we would need to gain all the elevation back to get to the finish line. Ugh. The part of the course that was in the trees was nice but there was plenty that was in the direct sun and it was toasty.
We hit the one mile mark and I checked my watch to make sure I didn't go out too fast, which has been a problem lately - 8:47. No way in heck I was running that pace, not even 20 years ago. The mile marker had been placed in the wrong spot, obviously. As much as I like to know the mileage so I can check time and pace, I didn't bother looking the rest of the way. It was kinda nice, actually. We looped around three of the reservoirs and then started to climb back up to the top. Although we descended in a series of short downhills, apparently the climb back up was going to be one long hill.
There was a little walking on this hill, probably because of the BBQ PULLED PORK SLIDERS and the HAMBURGER I had for dinner the previous night. Mmmmm... so good.
Take that, vegan course lay-er outers.
I could hear the noise at the finish so I picked up my pace, especially when I heard someone trying to pass me. No way, buddy. I didn't have the energy to ham it up but his goose was cooked. He probably has a beef with me but he was too chicken to say anything.
Camera Crew finished right behind me, then we stood there sweating a LOT and hoping for a breeze. We had a little food - grapes, peanut butter and bread, bananas. After cooling off a little and drinking a fair amount of water, we walked down to the car and made our way home. It was a beautiful race, albeit a little disorganized. We're glad we did a race this weekend, too!
Next up, we do '4 on the 4th', a four miler on Independence Day. Then we head out of town for the Wallowa's to run the Lostine River 10k, just north of Joseph, OR - way over where Oregon, Washington and Idaho meet. Never been there - I hear it's stunning. We'll do some mountain biking, too - and we're sleeping in a tepee!!
See ya!
This is a sensitive and yet comedic subject, so I will do my best to bring some humor as well as an open-mindedness to this post. At any point while reading this, should you find it offensive, please refer back to "...I will do my best...", above.
I have nothing against vegans. I respect their choice just like I respect the decision of those people who smoke or drink or drive Mazda Miata's. One thing I don't like about any group of people in any situation is when they pass judgement on those who don't adhere to their beliefs. Get off yer high horse and don't take yourself so seriously, okay? Thanks.
Camera Crew and I ran the Race For The Animals 5k this morning, a run organized by Northwest VEG. They are a Portland-area group that endorses the vegan lifestyle - they attend health fairs; hold vegan potlucks and other gatherings; educate health professionals; and help people who are considering this path by answering questions and providing literature/guidance. Check them out at www.nwveg.org On the website, under their mission statement, it says:
"It's a very powerful choice to respect your body, the earth and other beings."
I disagree with the 'body' and 'other beings' part. Man has been eating meat since the day we figured out how to catch it. It's part of the balance of nature. This should be a responsible process, though. I try to learn and know where my beef, chicken, pig, lamb, fish, etc comes from by buying direct from those who are raising the animals. I avoid: chemically enhanced meat or 'forced fed to fatten', and I refuse to eat veal. I strive to be learned about what I am consuming. Same goes for my fruits and veggies. I believe this is the way it was centuries, centuries and more centuries ago, and I love seeing a gradual return of 'food awareness'. People are getting smarter and the providers of said food stuffs are taking notice. It's fantastic, really.
I consider myself to be an indirect vegetarian - I eat things that eat plants. Okay, that's silly, I know. Seriously, I use as a guideline author Michael Pollan's food advice, seven little words: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Yes, I fail a little at the last one - I enjoy bacon and pork and beef and... Sometimes too much, but CC keeps me in check. We eat 'veg only' meals a night or two a week. Like tonight's dinner, for instance.
Today's race was fun and well done and there was no judgement passed on me or Camera Crew. But that's because we were undercover!! Everyone there thought we were one of them! We considered wearing bacon logo'd clothing as a joke but I'm glad we didn't. It may have been humorous on some level, but it would have been disrespectful as hell. We did see the funniest damn shirt, though. A woman (who looked very sad to me) was wearing a t-shirt that had a cute little pig on it. The shirt read "Bacon had a mom". I couldn't stop laughing, especially when Camera Crew said "If I had that shirt, I would put on the back '...and she was delicious." The shirt is an example of the judgement thing I mentioned before. Go ahead and be vegan, wear a shirt that says 'I'm vegan and I'm proud' or 'I don't eat bacon' - but don't wear a shirt like this one that is very blatantly laying a guilt trip on everyone who has ever eaten bacon. The shirt may as well have said 'I am better than you.' As stated, don't take yourself so seriously.
Besides, I think she was sad because she couldn't eat bacon. That would make me sad.
We had some fun pre-race, shooting some videos for this here blog. Poking fun at the vegans. Don't take any of it seriously. The race started late - not sure why, other than the race directors kept letting people wander up to register instead of cutting it off to start on time. It also seemed that the volunteers were showing up in random packs. There was lots of frantic explanation of what to do, then shooing them off toward their area of responsibility. Our worry was that it was getting hot(!) and we wanted to get done so we could head home.
Mt. Tabor is a beautiful park. Portland is the only major US city to have an extinct volcano within its city limits - that be this one. The neighborhood surrounding the park is filled with nice streets, great homes, lots of trees. It would be a nice area in which to live. The park itself has a huge network of trails - paved, gravel and single track. It has a great playground and views of the city.
The 10k runners went out and we started 15 minutes later - all in all, about 25 minutes late. The course started up hill, about 50 yards, then we dropped down a hill, ran on the flat for a bit, then dropped some more. It was fine and all, except we knew we would need to gain all the elevation back to get to the finish line. Ugh. The part of the course that was in the trees was nice but there was plenty that was in the direct sun and it was toasty.
We hit the one mile mark and I checked my watch to make sure I didn't go out too fast, which has been a problem lately - 8:47. No way in heck I was running that pace, not even 20 years ago. The mile marker had been placed in the wrong spot, obviously. As much as I like to know the mileage so I can check time and pace, I didn't bother looking the rest of the way. It was kinda nice, actually. We looped around three of the reservoirs and then started to climb back up to the top. Although we descended in a series of short downhills, apparently the climb back up was going to be one long hill.
There was a little walking on this hill, probably because of the BBQ PULLED PORK SLIDERS and the HAMBURGER I had for dinner the previous night. Mmmmm... so good.
Take that, vegan course lay-er outers.
I could hear the noise at the finish so I picked up my pace, especially when I heard someone trying to pass me. No way, buddy. I didn't have the energy to ham it up but his goose was cooked. He probably has a beef with me but he was too chicken to say anything.
Camera Crew finished right behind me, then we stood there sweating a LOT and hoping for a breeze. We had a little food - grapes, peanut butter and bread, bananas. After cooling off a little and drinking a fair amount of water, we walked down to the car and made our way home. It was a beautiful race, albeit a little disorganized. We're glad we did a race this weekend, too!
Next up, we do '4 on the 4th', a four miler on Independence Day. Then we head out of town for the Wallowa's to run the Lostine River 10k, just north of Joseph, OR - way over where Oregon, Washington and Idaho meet. Never been there - I hear it's stunning. We'll do some mountain biking, too - and we're sleeping in a tepee!!
See ya!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
What 25 Looks Like
Love my crazy morning hair!!!
This is a visual of what completing 25 events looks like. We have all our bib numbers and race keepsakes (for those events that didn't have an official bib) strung along the hallway. It gives us a sense of pride, accomplishment, and motivation every time we walk down the hallway.
XOXOX - D
This is a visual of what completing 25 events looks like. We have all our bib numbers and race keepsakes (for those events that didn't have an official bib) strung along the hallway. It gives us a sense of pride, accomplishment, and motivation every time we walk down the hallway.
XOXOX - D
Monday, June 24, 2013
50@50 Project - Event 25 - Wrap
Note that while I am at the halfway point, Camera Crew is actually at 26 events!
50% of the 50@50 Project is 100% Complete
Woohoo and hallelujah!! We are at the halfway point in the 50@50 Project! This has been an amazing journey for us and I have enjoyed all of it, even when the wrap vids may lead you to believe otherwise. You see, loyal readers, the whole point of this epic crazy adventure in my 50th year is to:
Motivate, Accomplish, Challenge, Achieve, Believe, Re-energize and Enjoy
And that spells 'macabre', people. That's right!
Er, wait a sec... um... let's see... The dictionary defines 'macabre' as 'eerie, deathlike'. So - YEP - that works!
Even though we celebrated Event 25 and this important milestone, here is how the day really started:
"BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT..."
David: (hitting snooze button) "Noooooooooooooooo! I don't wanna!! We already ran three friggin' 5k's! Do we hafta go ride?! Look outside, it's raining! Ugh!"
(Seven minutes later)
"BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT..."
David: "Okay, okay, okay, OKAY!! Geez!"
(hits snooze again)
(Seven minutes later)
"BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT..."
David: "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr..."
You get the picture. Camera Crew was a little more awake than I - nothing new there - but she was feeling much the same. The weather was iffy, at best, and we were pretty sore and tired. But as they say, the show must go on. And this is a show, folks - determination, resiliency, a dose of insanity. I got out of bed, dressed in my bike gear, stumbled to the kitchen, made coffee. I grabbed the bike rack and headed down to the SUV, noticing how incredibly sore my quads were as I descended the stairs. With the SUV racked, it was back upstairs to double check my bike, my bike stuff (tube, patch kit, bike tools, etc.) I grabbed some snacks, filled the travel mug and it was time to load up. Took a couple of trips. Stairs = pain.
We have a great system for loading the road bikes. It's pretty straight forward. The mountain bikes, on the other hand, are a hassle. Because of the full suspension frames, they don't easily fit on the rack without first having to disassemble part of the rack itself. I gotta look into that more - some day. But today was road bikes!
We were heading south to the wine country, which is never a bad day in my book. The ride was being put on by the Bike Gallery, a popular local bike shop in Portland. www.bikegallery.com The wine rides they organize are fundraisers for the Oregon chapter of the Children's Heart Foundation. You can read about the work they do here: oregon.childrensheartfoundation.org Our meet up point was Stoller Vineyards, in Dayton, OR. As is true for almost all wineries in the Willamette Valley, the views were spectacular. It seems it's a prerequisite for wineries and tasting rooms to be located on the top of a hill, overlooking the vineyards, valleys and rolling hills all around. Go for a visit and find out more: www.stollerfamilyestate.com
We had mapped our travel time at about an hour but arrived in 40 minutes! It rained off and on all the way out, at times coming down hard. This just made the feeling of dread toward the ride even more palpable. However, I tend to have a more upbeat attitude when the weather is crappy. For me, it's like 'we're here, we signed up, we're doing this thing - so Mother Nature, bring it on!' Don't get me wrong - I was still considering how I could turn the car around, drive home, pop some ibuprofen and climb back into bed. Camera Crew wasn't brimming with enthusiasm, either: "What am I going to wear? This is gonna suck if it's pouring." More in the spirit of the area: "Hey, look! A winery! And another one!" That sounds more like my wife! Dayton is farther south than we ever get on our wine tasting excursions, so all the wineries were new to us. We made a mental note to try to get down this way on our next trip. Hard to do when it means passing the likes of Erath, Argyle, Winter's Hill.
We unloaded the bikes and walked up to the check in table. They marked us off the list, handed us route maps and dealt us two playing cards each. Seems we were playing a little poker today - two cards at the start, three more at the rest stop. Best hand would win a bottle of Stoller vino. I started with a pair of twos; Camera Crew had an unsuited seven and nine. Haha! Oops, I mean "Don't worry, sweetie - you'll fill that inside straight at the rest stop." After everyone gathered (looked to be about 45-50 people, tops) we rolled out. The course was well marked, it was a 'ride at your own pace' deal and the roads were so quiet. Sunday morning in wine country is idyllic.
We are happy to say that the rain held off and that the course was only 30 miles! It sprinkled a couple of times, kinda 'chipi chipi' as the Mayans say. Except for a few short stretches of rough road, the course was smooth rolling. Cruising through wine country is fantastic, with only a few hills of any measure. When we hit the first challenging climb I was, of course, in the wrong gear. I gutted it out, not being able to shift without risking a mechanical issue. Lesson learned. We made good time, enjoying the scenery and all the little towns we passed through - Carlton, Lafayette, Dayton. At the rest stop, we both got crap cards so, for us, poker was over. Meh.
The roads after the the stop were gorgeous and smooth. It was a perfect ride. As the rest of the world started waking up, traffic increased but drivers were obviously used to bikers on 'their' roads, giving wide birth and being respectful. Toward the end of the ride, we went past the entrance to Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey. As monks the world over are wont to do, they've incorporated the needs of the local economy into a little slice for themselves. They run a pretty large wine storage and shipping operation for the area wineries! I love it! Read up at www.trappistabbey.org
Besides worrying about the weather, which proved to be unnecessary, we were concerned how we'd hold up. After our triple 5k venture and knowing how sore we both were, it was nice to realize that biking uses just enough different muscles. Other than a little quad burn up the hills, we both felt great at the end. A very nice lunch was provided along with wine tasting (of course). We enjoyed food and drink, and the accomplishments of our crazy four event weekend. As usual, the lovely Camera Crew was all smiles!!
Good times, good times. We drove back into town, got home, showered and went downstairs for what should have been counted as an event: Julep Fest 2013 put on by the Pope House Bourbon Lounge. Mmmm mmmm!
Motivate, Accomplish, Challenge, Achieve, Believe, Re-energize and Enjoy
And that spells 'macabre', people. That's right!
Er, wait a sec... um... let's see... The dictionary defines 'macabre' as 'eerie, deathlike'. So - YEP - that works!
Even though we celebrated Event 25 and this important milestone, here is how the day really started:
"BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT..."
David: (hitting snooze button) "Noooooooooooooooo! I don't wanna!! We already ran three friggin' 5k's! Do we hafta go ride?! Look outside, it's raining! Ugh!"
(Seven minutes later)
"BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT..."
David: "Okay, okay, okay, OKAY!! Geez!"
(hits snooze again)
(Seven minutes later)
"BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT BLAT..."
David: "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr..."
You get the picture. Camera Crew was a little more awake than I - nothing new there - but she was feeling much the same. The weather was iffy, at best, and we were pretty sore and tired. But as they say, the show must go on. And this is a show, folks - determination, resiliency, a dose of insanity. I got out of bed, dressed in my bike gear, stumbled to the kitchen, made coffee. I grabbed the bike rack and headed down to the SUV, noticing how incredibly sore my quads were as I descended the stairs. With the SUV racked, it was back upstairs to double check my bike, my bike stuff (tube, patch kit, bike tools, etc.) I grabbed some snacks, filled the travel mug and it was time to load up. Took a couple of trips. Stairs = pain.
We have a great system for loading the road bikes. It's pretty straight forward. The mountain bikes, on the other hand, are a hassle. Because of the full suspension frames, they don't easily fit on the rack without first having to disassemble part of the rack itself. I gotta look into that more - some day. But today was road bikes!
We were heading south to the wine country, which is never a bad day in my book. The ride was being put on by the Bike Gallery, a popular local bike shop in Portland. www.bikegallery.com The wine rides they organize are fundraisers for the Oregon chapter of the Children's Heart Foundation. You can read about the work they do here: oregon.childrensheartfoundation.org Our meet up point was Stoller Vineyards, in Dayton, OR. As is true for almost all wineries in the Willamette Valley, the views were spectacular. It seems it's a prerequisite for wineries and tasting rooms to be located on the top of a hill, overlooking the vineyards, valleys and rolling hills all around. Go for a visit and find out more: www.stollerfamilyestate.com
We had mapped our travel time at about an hour but arrived in 40 minutes! It rained off and on all the way out, at times coming down hard. This just made the feeling of dread toward the ride even more palpable. However, I tend to have a more upbeat attitude when the weather is crappy. For me, it's like 'we're here, we signed up, we're doing this thing - so Mother Nature, bring it on!' Don't get me wrong - I was still considering how I could turn the car around, drive home, pop some ibuprofen and climb back into bed. Camera Crew wasn't brimming with enthusiasm, either: "What am I going to wear? This is gonna suck if it's pouring." More in the spirit of the area: "Hey, look! A winery! And another one!" That sounds more like my wife! Dayton is farther south than we ever get on our wine tasting excursions, so all the wineries were new to us. We made a mental note to try to get down this way on our next trip. Hard to do when it means passing the likes of Erath, Argyle, Winter's Hill.
We unloaded the bikes and walked up to the check in table. They marked us off the list, handed us route maps and dealt us two playing cards each. Seems we were playing a little poker today - two cards at the start, three more at the rest stop. Best hand would win a bottle of Stoller vino. I started with a pair of twos; Camera Crew had an unsuited seven and nine. Haha! Oops, I mean "Don't worry, sweetie - you'll fill that inside straight at the rest stop." After everyone gathered (looked to be about 45-50 people, tops) we rolled out. The course was well marked, it was a 'ride at your own pace' deal and the roads were so quiet. Sunday morning in wine country is idyllic.
We are happy to say that the rain held off and that the course was only 30 miles! It sprinkled a couple of times, kinda 'chipi chipi' as the Mayans say. Except for a few short stretches of rough road, the course was smooth rolling. Cruising through wine country is fantastic, with only a few hills of any measure. When we hit the first challenging climb I was, of course, in the wrong gear. I gutted it out, not being able to shift without risking a mechanical issue. Lesson learned. We made good time, enjoying the scenery and all the little towns we passed through - Carlton, Lafayette, Dayton. At the rest stop, we both got crap cards so, for us, poker was over. Meh.
The roads after the the stop were gorgeous and smooth. It was a perfect ride. As the rest of the world started waking up, traffic increased but drivers were obviously used to bikers on 'their' roads, giving wide birth and being respectful. Toward the end of the ride, we went past the entrance to Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey. As monks the world over are wont to do, they've incorporated the needs of the local economy into a little slice for themselves. They run a pretty large wine storage and shipping operation for the area wineries! I love it! Read up at www.trappistabbey.org
Besides worrying about the weather, which proved to be unnecessary, we were concerned how we'd hold up. After our triple 5k venture and knowing how sore we both were, it was nice to realize that biking uses just enough different muscles. Other than a little quad burn up the hills, we both felt great at the end. A very nice lunch was provided along with wine tasting (of course). We enjoyed food and drink, and the accomplishments of our crazy four event weekend. As usual, the lovely Camera Crew was all smiles!!
Good times, good times. We drove back into town, got home, showered and went downstairs for what should have been counted as an event: Julep Fest 2013 put on by the Pope House Bourbon Lounge. Mmmm mmmm!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Are There Balloons At The Festival of Balloons?
Five videos!
Search 1:
Search 2:
Three Down, One To Go
We are finally home from our third 5k of the weekend - in fact, the third one in 24 hours - and I am not too proud to admit that I am feeling pretty wiped out. The legs are, anyway. Living in a third floor walk up was a cruel reminder of just how tired the legs are feeling! The hardest part of it all was having to get ready and leave the comfort of home. The distance is easy enough. But having run last night and again this morning, the overwhelming feeling was to stay home and prep for the ride tomorrow. But, see, this is why I tell you about our plans, so that I'm committed to you and so you can hold me to it. Keeps me honest and all that.
Thus, we drove out to Tigard this evening to do the Twilight Run 5k, a race that is part of the Festival of Balloons. It was Event 24 in the 50@50 Project, which is still mind boggling to me. Twenty-four! I can't help but feel proud of myself and Camera Crew for this accomplishment. Pretty amazing stuff. Thank you to all those who love and support us in this venture. Knowing that people are following along is a huge motivation.
We weren't sure what to expect for traffic, parking, finding the race start so we left the house about 5; race start was 7 PM. As it turned out, getting there was quick and easy. So was parking and finding check-in for the race. It was all very well organized. With time to kill, we decided to go hot air balloon hunting. It was, after all, the Festival of Them. We walked to one end of the park. No balloons. We walked around to the soccer fields. Nothing. We wandered into the carnival area. Nary a balloon in sight. We felt a little short changed, to be sure.
The search did manage to kill the requisite amount of time, so we wandered back to the start area and waited for our race to begin. They ran a one mile kids race first, with the winner coming in at just under 8 minutes. He looked to be about seven years old. The announcer called for all us 5k'ers to line up by estimated finish time. Quite a large crowd! I was impressed with the turnout. Because the route runs on park paths, they released runners in small groups of about a dozen, this to control the congestion on the narrow paths. Smart idea although I wasted time pre-race sharpening my elbows. We were off! There were a couple of small hills and a stretch in the middle that was right in the setting sun. On a warm night this made it feel even toastier. Fortunately, a lot of the course went through the trees so there was some shade.
I went out a little too fast again, realized this, and slowed up a little. I can tell ya that I felt every bit of the previous two runs, especially in my quads and ankles. Just plain sore. However, I am always amazed at being able to dig deep and grab a little ooomph at the finish. I ran the last mile with a group of 7-8 others and when we got within earshot of the finish line, well, apparently everyone decided to sprint to the end. I couldn't feel left out so mustered the energy to keep up with them. Yoinks. Gonna feel that in the morning.
As difficult as it was to get motivated to leave the house and as sore I felt, I also felt pretty damn fantastic about finishing three races in 24 hours. I was still smiling as CC crossed the line. What a weekend - and it isn't even done yet.
We got some water and walked around a bit. Grabbed a little food, then headed for the carnival. For some strange reason a corn dog sounded pretty darn fantastic, so I got one. Camera Crew was feeling a little unsteady, so she passed on this wondrous delight. For a minute, anyway. She had a nibble of mine, at which time she immediately perked up and got one for herself.
We walked around a little more and then - we saw them!!! They were inflating the balloons!! We crossed through the midway and watched them inflate several hot air balloons, which I find fascinating. I think it's the primitive nature of this mode of flight. A few years back, we went hot air ballooning and it was an amazing experience. It's so quiet, except when they fire the burner, of course. We wanted to stay and take it all in. Having finally seen balloons and knowing we have a 35 mile bike ride in the morning, we reluctantly headed for home.
We're going to sleep well tonight!
Thus, we drove out to Tigard this evening to do the Twilight Run 5k, a race that is part of the Festival of Balloons. It was Event 24 in the 50@50 Project, which is still mind boggling to me. Twenty-four! I can't help but feel proud of myself and Camera Crew for this accomplishment. Pretty amazing stuff. Thank you to all those who love and support us in this venture. Knowing that people are following along is a huge motivation.
We weren't sure what to expect for traffic, parking, finding the race start so we left the house about 5; race start was 7 PM. As it turned out, getting there was quick and easy. So was parking and finding check-in for the race. It was all very well organized. With time to kill, we decided to go hot air balloon hunting. It was, after all, the Festival of Them. We walked to one end of the park. No balloons. We walked around to the soccer fields. Nothing. We wandered into the carnival area. Nary a balloon in sight. We felt a little short changed, to be sure.
The search did manage to kill the requisite amount of time, so we wandered back to the start area and waited for our race to begin. They ran a one mile kids race first, with the winner coming in at just under 8 minutes. He looked to be about seven years old. The announcer called for all us 5k'ers to line up by estimated finish time. Quite a large crowd! I was impressed with the turnout. Because the route runs on park paths, they released runners in small groups of about a dozen, this to control the congestion on the narrow paths. Smart idea although I wasted time pre-race sharpening my elbows. We were off! There were a couple of small hills and a stretch in the middle that was right in the setting sun. On a warm night this made it feel even toastier. Fortunately, a lot of the course went through the trees so there was some shade.
I went out a little too fast again, realized this, and slowed up a little. I can tell ya that I felt every bit of the previous two runs, especially in my quads and ankles. Just plain sore. However, I am always amazed at being able to dig deep and grab a little ooomph at the finish. I ran the last mile with a group of 7-8 others and when we got within earshot of the finish line, well, apparently everyone decided to sprint to the end. I couldn't feel left out so mustered the energy to keep up with them. Yoinks. Gonna feel that in the morning.
As difficult as it was to get motivated to leave the house and as sore I felt, I also felt pretty damn fantastic about finishing three races in 24 hours. I was still smiling as CC crossed the line. What a weekend - and it isn't even done yet.
We got some water and walked around a bit. Grabbed a little food, then headed for the carnival. For some strange reason a corn dog sounded pretty darn fantastic, so I got one. Camera Crew was feeling a little unsteady, so she passed on this wondrous delight. For a minute, anyway. She had a nibble of mine, at which time she immediately perked up and got one for herself.
We walked around a little more and then - we saw them!!! They were inflating the balloons!! We crossed through the midway and watched them inflate several hot air balloons, which I find fascinating. I think it's the primitive nature of this mode of flight. A few years back, we went hot air ballooning and it was an amazing experience. It's so quiet, except when they fire the burner, of course. We wanted to stay and take it all in. Having finally seen balloons and knowing we have a 35 mile bike ride in the morning, we reluctantly headed for home.
We're going to sleep well tonight!
50@50 Project - Event 23 - Running For Risa 5k - Intro
See? I told you it was a gorgeous day at Hagg Lake!! Check out that back drop!
Event Two In Our Crazy Weekend!
One of the many things I love about the 50@50 Project is that the events we do are quite often in some very pretty locations. This weekend we are doing four races: last night we did a 5k on the beautiful campus at Clackamas Community College; tonight is the Twilight Run 5k at the Tigard Balloon Festival in Cook Park; tomorrow will find us on a 30-35 mile bike ride through the gorgeous wine country south of PDX.
And this morning we ran a 5k out at Hagg Lake. The event, number 23 in the project, was Running For Risa. You can read about Risa Whittaker, her family and why this race got started here: www.runningforrisa.com/about-risa A tragic story no doubt - but sometimes these things bring about something good. In this case, last years' run raised enough money to cover the medical expenses incurred by Risa's family. Proceeds from this years' run will go to Angels Making A Difference, one of the sponsors that helped get this event off the ground. They do great things in Oregon in support of cancer patients and their families, helping them cope with this most dreadful disease. Read up on the work they do at www.angelsmakingadifference.com
As you recall from the previous event post, running at night feels weird. Camera Crew and I acknowledged that we felt much better this morning than we did last night. It felt normal to get up in the morning, get our gear together, eat a little something for breakfast and drive somewhere for a run. That said, we have to leave the house in a few short hours to go do another 5k this evening!
Oy.
I know everyone is most concerned about The Lip. Rest assured that CC has been applying Ora-Gel non-stop to keep it numb while it heals and that she vows it won't stop her from completing this weekends calendar of events.
Back to this mornings run...
Hagg Lake was beautiful this morning! Blue skies, calm waters, perfect temperature. The last time we were at Hagg Lake was for XDog's Dirty Du - the one that almost did me in. I fought the 'fight or flight' instincts as we got closer, relaxing only when we pulled into the parking lot and there was no sign of the XDog crew or their trailer. We got checked in and were ready for our 9 AM run start. Then we noticed the sign that noted our run was starting at 9:45. Oh well - like I said, it was a beautiful day. Plus it gave me time to buy some raffle tickets to drop in for drawings on a bunch of items I just KNOW I'm going to win. Just you wait.
The half-marathon got started, then the 10 milers, then the group doing the 10k. Finally it was our turn. We (briefly) considered switching to the 10k but common sense won out, seeing as how we're doing four events in about 36 hours. The course was a simple out and back along the paved road around the lake. The 'out' was mostly a gradual uphill grind - fine by me. That meant a nice quick downhill most of the way back. We actually finished up a full minute faster than last nights flat 5k, so that was way awesome.
We hung around after the run just long enough to stretch. With another run this evening we wanted to get home to eat, shower and chill prior to having to do it all over again. We drove out in a clockwise direction around the lake so that we could honk and wave encouragement to those brave souls who were doing the longer distance runs. Having done many races at all of these distances (and longer) I know from experience that the support is appreciated and keeps you motivated.
Home. Food. Shower. Blog.
I'll check in later, after the next run!
And this morning we ran a 5k out at Hagg Lake. The event, number 23 in the project, was Running For Risa. You can read about Risa Whittaker, her family and why this race got started here: www.runningforrisa.com/about-risa A tragic story no doubt - but sometimes these things bring about something good. In this case, last years' run raised enough money to cover the medical expenses incurred by Risa's family. Proceeds from this years' run will go to Angels Making A Difference, one of the sponsors that helped get this event off the ground. They do great things in Oregon in support of cancer patients and their families, helping them cope with this most dreadful disease. Read up on the work they do at www.angelsmakingadifference.com
As you recall from the previous event post, running at night feels weird. Camera Crew and I acknowledged that we felt much better this morning than we did last night. It felt normal to get up in the morning, get our gear together, eat a little something for breakfast and drive somewhere for a run. That said, we have to leave the house in a few short hours to go do another 5k this evening!
Oy.
I know everyone is most concerned about The Lip. Rest assured that CC has been applying Ora-Gel non-stop to keep it numb while it heals and that she vows it won't stop her from completing this weekends calendar of events.
Back to this mornings run...
Hagg Lake was beautiful this morning! Blue skies, calm waters, perfect temperature. The last time we were at Hagg Lake was for XDog's Dirty Du - the one that almost did me in. I fought the 'fight or flight' instincts as we got closer, relaxing only when we pulled into the parking lot and there was no sign of the XDog crew or their trailer. We got checked in and were ready for our 9 AM run start. Then we noticed the sign that noted our run was starting at 9:45. Oh well - like I said, it was a beautiful day. Plus it gave me time to buy some raffle tickets to drop in for drawings on a bunch of items I just KNOW I'm going to win. Just you wait.
The half-marathon got started, then the 10 milers, then the group doing the 10k. Finally it was our turn. We (briefly) considered switching to the 10k but common sense won out, seeing as how we're doing four events in about 36 hours. The course was a simple out and back along the paved road around the lake. The 'out' was mostly a gradual uphill grind - fine by me. That meant a nice quick downhill most of the way back. We actually finished up a full minute faster than last nights flat 5k, so that was way awesome.
We hung around after the run just long enough to stretch. With another run this evening we wanted to get home to eat, shower and chill prior to having to do it all over again. We drove out in a clockwise direction around the lake so that we could honk and wave encouragement to those brave souls who were doing the longer distance runs. Having done many races at all of these distances (and longer) I know from experience that the support is appreciated and keeps you motivated.
Home. Food. Shower. Blog.
I'll check in later, after the next run!
Friday, June 21, 2013
50@50 Project - Event 22 - Summer Solstice Sundowner 5k
Since we have a four event weekend upon us, I'm gonna try to keep up on the ol' blog. No promises, though.
After fighting through Friday rush hour traffic, I made my way to pick up Camera Crew from work. We had our first evening run and I gotta say it felt weird. We do all of our training runs in the morning and thus far all of our events have been morning races. This one just seemed way different. My body clock was telling me I should be making dinner and preparing for the usual evening at home with the wife. But here we were driving out to Clackamas Community College to run a 5k.
As I said before, we have four events this weekend - 3-5k's and a 30+ mile bike ride. The 50@50 Project is making great strides and the culmination of this big weekend is that we'll be halfway through!
In all the registration confusion we realized today that we had spaced out signing up for this event! We paid a little more for same day registration but it was still a bargain at $20. We weren't sure what to expect at this event - we assumed it would be a pretty small crowd and were surprised at the number of people who turned out. Plus there was the always-cute kids race.
The whole crowd walked over to the college track for the kids run. They were doing a 1/4 mile, one lap around the track. It was so much fun to watch these little folks stretching and warming up, or at least trying to do what they see the grownups doing. Their race started and they took off, some tearing around the track and others toddling around. A few of them stopped a few times and had to be coaxed along by parents or siblings. It's super cute and they are so excited when they hit the finish line.
One rant: They gave all the kids ribbons for finishing, which is kinda cool. But they gave the boys blue ribbons and the girls pink ribbons. Maybe not a big deal but I thought they should have given them all blue ribbons, since those are associated with 'first place'. It's like the boys got first place and the girls got... pink ribbons. Meh, okay - maybe not a rant - more like leftover pissed off feelings from the mall visit.
Our race started at the track and consisted of two laps around the Clackamas Community College campus. It's a beautiful area and it was a nice run. The evening was overcast so it was a little humid, but mostly it was pleasant. We both turned in decent times and felt pretty good afterwards.
Then the injury happened. Yes, after the event. Now, keep in mind that we've done over twenty races thus far and many of them have had high potential for injury. Most recently, last Sunday's Mt. Hood Scramble; a couple of weeks before that it was Havoc at the Hideout. Yep, consider all of the XDog races chances to get hurt. Add to it the many obstacle course races we've done, mud runs, trail runs, bike rides, and it's pretty amazing neither of us has gotten hurt. Yes, we've had some bruises, cuts, scrapes and I'm sure we'll have more. But this injury - yikes.
I would explain it to you in detail but it's probably just best to watch the 'wrap' video. Three things you should know: it happened to Camera Crew; it's pretty gnarly; don't give her any lip about it.
We took off for home and enjoyed the drive back into town. Chillin', bloggin', eatin', and preppin' for the run tomorrow morning out at Hagg Lake, Running For Risa.
Talk to ya tomorrow!
After fighting through Friday rush hour traffic, I made my way to pick up Camera Crew from work. We had our first evening run and I gotta say it felt weird. We do all of our training runs in the morning and thus far all of our events have been morning races. This one just seemed way different. My body clock was telling me I should be making dinner and preparing for the usual evening at home with the wife. But here we were driving out to Clackamas Community College to run a 5k.
As I said before, we have four events this weekend - 3-5k's and a 30+ mile bike ride. The 50@50 Project is making great strides and the culmination of this big weekend is that we'll be halfway through!
In all the registration confusion we realized today that we had spaced out signing up for this event! We paid a little more for same day registration but it was still a bargain at $20. We weren't sure what to expect at this event - we assumed it would be a pretty small crowd and were surprised at the number of people who turned out. Plus there was the always-cute kids race.
The whole crowd walked over to the college track for the kids run. They were doing a 1/4 mile, one lap around the track. It was so much fun to watch these little folks stretching and warming up, or at least trying to do what they see the grownups doing. Their race started and they took off, some tearing around the track and others toddling around. A few of them stopped a few times and had to be coaxed along by parents or siblings. It's super cute and they are so excited when they hit the finish line.
One rant: They gave all the kids ribbons for finishing, which is kinda cool. But they gave the boys blue ribbons and the girls pink ribbons. Maybe not a big deal but I thought they should have given them all blue ribbons, since those are associated with 'first place'. It's like the boys got first place and the girls got... pink ribbons. Meh, okay - maybe not a rant - more like leftover pissed off feelings from the mall visit.
Our race started at the track and consisted of two laps around the Clackamas Community College campus. It's a beautiful area and it was a nice run. The evening was overcast so it was a little humid, but mostly it was pleasant. We both turned in decent times and felt pretty good afterwards.
Then the injury happened. Yes, after the event. Now, keep in mind that we've done over twenty races thus far and many of them have had high potential for injury. Most recently, last Sunday's Mt. Hood Scramble; a couple of weeks before that it was Havoc at the Hideout. Yep, consider all of the XDog races chances to get hurt. Add to it the many obstacle course races we've done, mud runs, trail runs, bike rides, and it's pretty amazing neither of us has gotten hurt. Yes, we've had some bruises, cuts, scrapes and I'm sure we'll have more. But this injury - yikes.
I would explain it to you in detail but it's probably just best to watch the 'wrap' video. Three things you should know: it happened to Camera Crew; it's pretty gnarly; don't give her any lip about it.
We took off for home and enjoyed the drive back into town. Chillin', bloggin', eatin', and preppin' for the run tomorrow morning out at Hagg Lake, Running For Risa.
Talk to ya tomorrow!
The Suburbs: Hate 'Em
Had to go to a mall in Beaverton to pick up our race stuff for one of tomorrows events, the Twilight Run. This race is part of Tigard's Festival of Balloons happening this weekend.
I'm going on record that I hate the suburbs. Why anyone would live there on purpose I have no clue. I don't get it and that's fine. Someone has to live there, I suppose, and it will NEVER be me.
Anyway, after fighting through more traffic and more obnoxious drivers than I can remember I made it to Washington Square Mall. I won't bore you with details but the video sums up my feelings.
(Caution: language!)
I'm going on record that I hate the suburbs. Why anyone would live there on purpose I have no clue. I don't get it and that's fine. Someone has to live there, I suppose, and it will NEVER be me.
Anyway, after fighting through more traffic and more obnoxious drivers than I can remember I made it to Washington Square Mall. I won't bore you with details but the video sums up my feelings.
(Caution: language!)
Big Weekend and a Milestone!
Four events this weekend!
Tonight is the 5k Summer Solstice Sundowner in Oregon City;
Tomorrow morning is Running For Risa, a 5k out at Hagg Lake;
Tomorrow evening is the Festival of Balloons 5k in Tigard;
Sunday is the Bike Gallery Wine Ride, which will be about 30-35 miles
Why are we doing this?
Come Sunday evening, we will be at the halfway point of the 50@50 Project - 25 events in the books! Remember, prior to this challenge the most we've ever done in a full year is 8-10 races.
The even better part, though - we will have half the events done a month ahead of schedule!
Twenty-five events in five months!!!
That's right - high fives! High fives all around...
Tonight is the 5k Summer Solstice Sundowner in Oregon City;
Tomorrow morning is Running For Risa, a 5k out at Hagg Lake;
Tomorrow evening is the Festival of Balloons 5k in Tigard;
Sunday is the Bike Gallery Wine Ride, which will be about 30-35 miles
Why are we doing this?
Come Sunday evening, we will be at the halfway point of the 50@50 Project - 25 events in the books! Remember, prior to this challenge the most we've ever done in a full year is 8-10 races.
The even better part, though - we will have half the events done a month ahead of schedule!
Twenty-five events in five months!!!
That's right - high fives! High fives all around...
XDog - Again (sigh)
I've been avoiding this post because it makes me whimper when I think about the event. Number twenty-one in the 50@50 Project was put on by my favorite group of masochists, XDog Events. The Mt. Hood Scramble is billed as 'The Grandfather of Filth', although one could argue that the 'Dirty Du' or 'Havoc at the Hideout' are perhaps grimier, muddier events. And in the Mt. Hood Scramble racers are afforded the opportunity to 'rinse off' frequently throughout the race, through the half dozen or so stream crossings that are part of the course.
I considered simply cutting and pasting the write up for Havoc at the Hideout, doing a 'find and replace' for the name of the event; geographic references (replacing 'holler' with 'mountain', for example). I could have added in a few lines about stream crossings and snow patches and - tada! - a post is born. But that would be cheating and if I can finish these events, I suppose I can write 'em up.
Camera Crew and I were nervous and excited about this one. Other than sore butts from the Petal Pedal the day before, we felt no other symptoms or soreness. We hit the road about 8 and it was a nice drive up the mountain. It was pretty cloudy in town, even looking like it could rain. But as we had hoped, the east side of Mt. Hood, along Highway 35, was gorgeous. Sunny blue skies, a few white clouds, mild temps. A great day to break an ankle.
We had done this event once (maybe twice - we couldn't recall for sure) and so knew what we were getting into, which is a blessing and curse. Remember, XDog changes the course a little each year and it all depends on the mood of those that set it up the day before. When we arrived, the crowd was already thumping and excitement was in the air. We got our bib numbers and I saw Kevin, the alpha dog of XDog Events. I asked him how the course was looking. His response: "It's about 6.2 miles but will feel like every bit of 7." Thanks, Kevin. Thanks a lot.
A friend of mine, Amy, was there and looked excited, anxious and scared to death, all at the same time. I was having beers with her a few months back and we were talking about the 50@50 Project, so I mentioned this event. She had enough beer that she signed up for it that night, I think, without taking advantage of the 'it's XDog so maybe I should sleep on it' option. To her credit, she was there and ready to roll. And she evensuckered talked a friend in to joining her.
I've said it before - these types of events are kinda nuts but that's what makes them so special. The fact that only 310 people, in ALL of the Portland metro area, were out this morning to participate in this makes those folks unique. To be one of them is indeed awesome. The crowd is fantastic, too - fun, friendly and supportive. There are die-hard warriors who look like they just walked out of boot camp. And there are those (like me) who look like they just walked out of Krispy Kreme. Before, during and after the race everyone is encouraging and has a great time. Truly wonderful.
We again had the pleasure of the conch shell sendoff and it was go time! We started the gradual climb uphill and then had to climb what was pretty much a wall. This was a perfect example of the 'scramble' part of the Mt. Hood Scramble. Up the loose sand, silt and gravel to the top, trying to get a toe hold wherever possible. Once we made it to the top, shoes full of the aforementioned sand and rocks, the course was a nice little trot along the ridge before we bombed down a steep hill right into an ankle deep bog.
There are several things I love about this event: XDog is kind enough to provide the opportunity to rinse the sand and grit from our shoes by sending us across the streams several times. The other treat of this course is that the first half-ish takes you in a loop up the mountain, then right back by the finish area. You can see the beer, your car, the party, the beer - and yet you're only half way done and still have to head the other direction for the other 3+ miles. Yippee.
Anyway, back to the first loop... after the bog, with muddy, sand and rock-filled shoes we got to the first stream crossing. It's knee to thigh deep, depending on where you step. And it's snow melt so it's, um, cold. The route took us along the river for the most part, where it's tough to run much. There are plenty of river rocks but they sit in silt, sand and soft dirt so you really can't run rock to rock because they shift. We just picked our way along, crossed the stream a few more times, then scrambled up a short hillside to an actual path!! It didn't last long, though. The pink ribbon and orange flags that mark the course soon took us through the brush, under and over dead falls and even through some snow. All in all, the first half isn't too bad.
We hit the halfway point and refilled water bottles at 'Temptation Station' where, along with water, they also have beers poured and ready, just calling your name. I refrained but Camera Crew chugged a cup. Then we dropped down from the party to the river rock. The second loop is largely along the water and it's a lot of rocks and sand. Difficult to run on for sure. There were a few stretches where we could actually run, which felt good. I was just trying not to roll an ankle or break anything important. After a while, we were sent into the thicket, not on trails but through the brush, branches and trees. Somehow, someway XDog found a stretch of bogwater that smelled horrible. It was a deep brown and about knee deep. More of that shoe-sucking mud. Looking down this old stinky creek bed and, yep, pink ribbon all the way down. They sent us right down the middle of it. Niiiice.
More ups and downs in the back half as we scrambled down rock and scree, crossed the creek and then clamored up the other side. Many times. My hips were killing me by about 5 miles in. Regular steps were fine but I was struggling to lift my legs up high enough on some of the big steps, both up and down. Very frustrating and really slowed us down. CC and I tend to take turns pulling us along. In this event, I led for the first 4 miles or so. Then as my hips started aching to beat the band, Camera Crew took the lead and kept me moving forward. We're good together like that, in most things we do.
Once we spied the bridge, I knew we were almost done. Under Highway 35, a little further along the rocky stream, one more water crossing for good measure, then a scramble up the hill to the finish line. I told the volunteer to let Kevin know he was going to pay for my hip replacement surgery. I was beat. Camera Crew was grinning from ear to ear.
We got beers and sat in the parking lot for the awards ceremony and raffle drawings. I looked up and saw Amy and her friend, Keven, walking down from the finish. She lived - I knew she would. More importantly, she finished.
After hanging out for a bit, we walked to the car. Honestly, I was feeling a little nauseous and it wasn't until we got on the road that I felt better. But first we stretched a little then loaded up and headed for home. I think the cool air blowing through the car and eating about half a bag of potato chips did the trick. Every time I looked at Camera Crew she was smiling. Except when she dozed off. She's awesome!
The Mt. Hood Scramble was epic!
I considered simply cutting and pasting the write up for Havoc at the Hideout, doing a 'find and replace' for the name of the event; geographic references (replacing 'holler' with 'mountain', for example). I could have added in a few lines about stream crossings and snow patches and - tada! - a post is born. But that would be cheating and if I can finish these events, I suppose I can write 'em up.
Camera Crew and I were nervous and excited about this one. Other than sore butts from the Petal Pedal the day before, we felt no other symptoms or soreness. We hit the road about 8 and it was a nice drive up the mountain. It was pretty cloudy in town, even looking like it could rain. But as we had hoped, the east side of Mt. Hood, along Highway 35, was gorgeous. Sunny blue skies, a few white clouds, mild temps. A great day to break an ankle.
We had done this event once (maybe twice - we couldn't recall for sure) and so knew what we were getting into, which is a blessing and curse. Remember, XDog changes the course a little each year and it all depends on the mood of those that set it up the day before. When we arrived, the crowd was already thumping and excitement was in the air. We got our bib numbers and I saw Kevin, the alpha dog of XDog Events. I asked him how the course was looking. His response: "It's about 6.2 miles but will feel like every bit of 7." Thanks, Kevin. Thanks a lot.
A friend of mine, Amy, was there and looked excited, anxious and scared to death, all at the same time. I was having beers with her a few months back and we were talking about the 50@50 Project, so I mentioned this event. She had enough beer that she signed up for it that night, I think, without taking advantage of the 'it's XDog so maybe I should sleep on it' option. To her credit, she was there and ready to roll. And she even
I've said it before - these types of events are kinda nuts but that's what makes them so special. The fact that only 310 people, in ALL of the Portland metro area, were out this morning to participate in this makes those folks unique. To be one of them is indeed awesome. The crowd is fantastic, too - fun, friendly and supportive. There are die-hard warriors who look like they just walked out of boot camp. And there are those (like me) who look like they just walked out of Krispy Kreme. Before, during and after the race everyone is encouraging and has a great time. Truly wonderful.
We again had the pleasure of the conch shell sendoff and it was go time! We started the gradual climb uphill and then had to climb what was pretty much a wall. This was a perfect example of the 'scramble' part of the Mt. Hood Scramble. Up the loose sand, silt and gravel to the top, trying to get a toe hold wherever possible. Once we made it to the top, shoes full of the aforementioned sand and rocks, the course was a nice little trot along the ridge before we bombed down a steep hill right into an ankle deep bog.
There are several things I love about this event: XDog is kind enough to provide the opportunity to rinse the sand and grit from our shoes by sending us across the streams several times. The other treat of this course is that the first half-ish takes you in a loop up the mountain, then right back by the finish area. You can see the beer, your car, the party, the beer - and yet you're only half way done and still have to head the other direction for the other 3+ miles. Yippee.
Anyway, back to the first loop... after the bog, with muddy, sand and rock-filled shoes we got to the first stream crossing. It's knee to thigh deep, depending on where you step. And it's snow melt so it's, um, cold. The route took us along the river for the most part, where it's tough to run much. There are plenty of river rocks but they sit in silt, sand and soft dirt so you really can't run rock to rock because they shift. We just picked our way along, crossed the stream a few more times, then scrambled up a short hillside to an actual path!! It didn't last long, though. The pink ribbon and orange flags that mark the course soon took us through the brush, under and over dead falls and even through some snow. All in all, the first half isn't too bad.
We hit the halfway point and refilled water bottles at 'Temptation Station' where, along with water, they also have beers poured and ready, just calling your name. I refrained but Camera Crew chugged a cup. Then we dropped down from the party to the river rock. The second loop is largely along the water and it's a lot of rocks and sand. Difficult to run on for sure. There were a few stretches where we could actually run, which felt good. I was just trying not to roll an ankle or break anything important. After a while, we were sent into the thicket, not on trails but through the brush, branches and trees. Somehow, someway XDog found a stretch of bogwater that smelled horrible. It was a deep brown and about knee deep. More of that shoe-sucking mud. Looking down this old stinky creek bed and, yep, pink ribbon all the way down. They sent us right down the middle of it. Niiiice.
More ups and downs in the back half as we scrambled down rock and scree, crossed the creek and then clamored up the other side. Many times. My hips were killing me by about 5 miles in. Regular steps were fine but I was struggling to lift my legs up high enough on some of the big steps, both up and down. Very frustrating and really slowed us down. CC and I tend to take turns pulling us along. In this event, I led for the first 4 miles or so. Then as my hips started aching to beat the band, Camera Crew took the lead and kept me moving forward. We're good together like that, in most things we do.
Once we spied the bridge, I knew we were almost done. Under Highway 35, a little further along the rocky stream, one more water crossing for good measure, then a scramble up the hill to the finish line. I told the volunteer to let Kevin know he was going to pay for my hip replacement surgery. I was beat. Camera Crew was grinning from ear to ear.
We got beers and sat in the parking lot for the awards ceremony and raffle drawings. I looked up and saw Amy and her friend, Keven, walking down from the finish. She lived - I knew she would. More importantly, she finished.
After hanging out for a bit, we walked to the car. Honestly, I was feeling a little nauseous and it wasn't until we got on the road that I felt better. But first we stretched a little then loaded up and headed for home. I think the cool air blowing through the car and eating about half a bag of potato chips did the trick. Every time I looked at Camera Crew she was smiling. Except when she dozed off. She's awesome!
The Mt. Hood Scramble was epic!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
50@50 Project - Event 20 - The Petal Pedal 30 Miler
If you've been keeping up on my blog - and I know you have - you'll know that there is an event count discrepancy currently in play between Camera Crew and Yours Truly. We are working to find me an event to do to bring us back to square but until that happens, I am putting it to rest by calling the 30-mile Petal Pedal this last Saturday 'Event 20'.
Now, this is not dismissing CC's event. It's just that we ain't done until I hit 50 events. If she winds up doing 51, I can live with that. I think.
I had never been to The Oregon Garden in Silverton. The closest I had come was when I did the Buck Mountain run in Silver Falls State Park all those months ago. Like most rides, there were several distances from which to choose. We went with the shortest option, the 30 miler, only because of the crazy event we had lined up for the following day. More on that in a later post.
The grand opening for the Oregon Garden was held in 2001. It's an 80-acre botanical garden with 20 or so specialty gardens showcasing the wide diversity of plants and environments found in the Pacific Northwest. Within the garden grounds is the Gordon House, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Lots to see there.
Check it out at www.oregongarden.org
The best part of this event is that my sister and brother-in-law were participating with us!! Camera Crew had entered a drawing for two free entries - and she won! We were already registered, and Susan and Doug had expressed an interest in riding so it all worked out. And when I say 'Susan and Doug', I really mean 'Susan' and she was 'trying to convince Doug'. As Doug said to me "The price was right" with the free entries so there was no reason not to join us.
Amazing how more and more people are getting sucked into the 50@50 vortex...
The drive down to Silverton took about an hour. The early morning weather looked fantastic and it held true throughout, giving us a gorgeous day for the ride. We parked and fired off a text to the McElmurry's who, as it happened, were pulling in 6-7 cars down from us. We all got ready to go and rolled down the hill to the check-in area. Susan and I went in to pick up all four bib numbers as well as maps, while Camera Crew and Doug stayed with the bikes. This was fine except the chance of my bike being stolen (thus getting me out of the ride) are much lower if someone is actively keeping an eye on it. Oh well.
Bib numbers pinned on, bathroom breaks complete and helmets buckled, we were ready to go. We coasted down hill to the official start line, which was at the entrance gate to the grounds. We took a rightie, then more downhill into the downtown area of Silverton. There were a couple of sandwich board signs pointing the way for the 4 different distances - 30, 60, 70 and 100 miles. However, after we followed the directions for the 30 mile route we were doing, we didn't see any other markings and subsequently got lost - in Silverton. We weren't alone, either. There were 15-20 or more other riders, all wandering around different streets in downtown Silverton trying to figure out which way to go.
To be fair, the event organizers did have the course marked, with little spray-painted directionals on the road. They just didn't bother to tell riders what we were to be looking for to find our way. In fact, we didn't notice the road markings until we were 5-6 miles into the ride, having bumbled our way out of town (finally!). I noticed the white markings coincided with the route were taking, which was pretty much entirely determined by following the riders in front of us. Once we 'cracked the code', it all made sense.
The countryside we rolled through was beautiful. Farms, ranches, open meadows. Lots of berry farms - blueberry, raspberry, blackberry. Saw a pretty large hop farm and lots of grain - barley or wheat. Like I said, the weather was perfect. Sunny, high clouds but not too warm. Very little wind, which was nice. All in all, it was a great day.
My bro Doug was nervous prior to the ride, not knowing how he would handle the distance. But he did great, even pushing the pace along. I'm assuming he felt okay Sunday and that his arse didn't hurt too much! Susan's new bike enjoyed the ride very much, too. She has quite the machine and it seemed to move effortlessly, even when she laid it down after a near collision with Camera Crew early on. Riding in a crowd takes some getting used to!
Toward the end of the 30 miles, there was a covered bridge! There are quite a few in Oregon and the longer routes took riders over many of them. Our route just had the one, the Gallon House Bridge. It was built in 1916 and has a 14 ton weight limit. I mention the weight restriction because I tease Camera Crew about how heavy her bike is or, conversely, how light my bike is compared to hers. Since it's such a picturesque spot, we shot a short video for the blog and in it I try to make a joke. I comment that because of the weight limit Camera Crew will have to take her bike across separately. Haha, right? Well, based on the reactions from Susan, Doug and some other riders who were standing nearby, I guess it sort of sounded like I was saying that Camera Crew AND her bike were too heavy, when I was really only poking fun at her bike. Anyhoo, I'll post the video and you be the judge. And, yes, the couch is rather comfy, thankyouverymuch.
From the covered bridge to the finish was just a few more miles, so we wrapped up the ride, locked up the bikes and went inside for some food and beer. Or more accurately, 'beer then food'. HUB was pouring a couple of brews, which surprised me only because there are several good breweries in the Silverton/Salem area and HUB is out of Portland. Oh well - no complaints here. www.hopworksbeer.com The food was fantastic! Salmon, asparagus, salads, chicken, rolls and more. Worth the price of admission! For dessert there was German chocolate cake and some fantasticly strong coffee from Nossa Familia, a roaster out of P-Town. The java was so good, I bought a bag o' beans. If you see their stuff, get it. The beans are from the family plantations in Brazil, roasted daily in Portland. The company is family owned and goes back six generations! www.familyroast.com
After chowing down, we rode back up to the parking lot, loaded up and parted ways. It was so cool to have Susan and Doug with us! Hopefully, we can get them out again. Once we got home, we unloaded, relaxed for a bit and started mentally preparing for Sunday's event.
Yikes.
Now, this is not dismissing CC's event. It's just that we ain't done until I hit 50 events. If she winds up doing 51, I can live with that. I think.
I had never been to The Oregon Garden in Silverton. The closest I had come was when I did the Buck Mountain run in Silver Falls State Park all those months ago. Like most rides, there were several distances from which to choose. We went with the shortest option, the 30 miler, only because of the crazy event we had lined up for the following day. More on that in a later post.
The grand opening for the Oregon Garden was held in 2001. It's an 80-acre botanical garden with 20 or so specialty gardens showcasing the wide diversity of plants and environments found in the Pacific Northwest. Within the garden grounds is the Gordon House, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Lots to see there.
Check it out at www.oregongarden.org
The best part of this event is that my sister and brother-in-law were participating with us!! Camera Crew had entered a drawing for two free entries - and she won! We were already registered, and Susan and Doug had expressed an interest in riding so it all worked out. And when I say 'Susan and Doug', I really mean 'Susan' and she was 'trying to convince Doug'. As Doug said to me "The price was right" with the free entries so there was no reason not to join us.
Amazing how more and more people are getting sucked into the 50@50 vortex...
The drive down to Silverton took about an hour. The early morning weather looked fantastic and it held true throughout, giving us a gorgeous day for the ride. We parked and fired off a text to the McElmurry's who, as it happened, were pulling in 6-7 cars down from us. We all got ready to go and rolled down the hill to the check-in area. Susan and I went in to pick up all four bib numbers as well as maps, while Camera Crew and Doug stayed with the bikes. This was fine except the chance of my bike being stolen (thus getting me out of the ride) are much lower if someone is actively keeping an eye on it. Oh well.
Bib numbers pinned on, bathroom breaks complete and helmets buckled, we were ready to go. We coasted down hill to the official start line, which was at the entrance gate to the grounds. We took a rightie, then more downhill into the downtown area of Silverton. There were a couple of sandwich board signs pointing the way for the 4 different distances - 30, 60, 70 and 100 miles. However, after we followed the directions for the 30 mile route we were doing, we didn't see any other markings and subsequently got lost - in Silverton. We weren't alone, either. There were 15-20 or more other riders, all wandering around different streets in downtown Silverton trying to figure out which way to go.
To be fair, the event organizers did have the course marked, with little spray-painted directionals on the road. They just didn't bother to tell riders what we were to be looking for to find our way. In fact, we didn't notice the road markings until we were 5-6 miles into the ride, having bumbled our way out of town (finally!). I noticed the white markings coincided with the route were taking, which was pretty much entirely determined by following the riders in front of us. Once we 'cracked the code', it all made sense.
The countryside we rolled through was beautiful. Farms, ranches, open meadows. Lots of berry farms - blueberry, raspberry, blackberry. Saw a pretty large hop farm and lots of grain - barley or wheat. Like I said, the weather was perfect. Sunny, high clouds but not too warm. Very little wind, which was nice. All in all, it was a great day.
My bro Doug was nervous prior to the ride, not knowing how he would handle the distance. But he did great, even pushing the pace along. I'm assuming he felt okay Sunday and that his arse didn't hurt too much! Susan's new bike enjoyed the ride very much, too. She has quite the machine and it seemed to move effortlessly, even when she laid it down after a near collision with Camera Crew early on. Riding in a crowd takes some getting used to!
Toward the end of the 30 miles, there was a covered bridge! There are quite a few in Oregon and the longer routes took riders over many of them. Our route just had the one, the Gallon House Bridge. It was built in 1916 and has a 14 ton weight limit. I mention the weight restriction because I tease Camera Crew about how heavy her bike is or, conversely, how light my bike is compared to hers. Since it's such a picturesque spot, we shot a short video for the blog and in it I try to make a joke. I comment that because of the weight limit Camera Crew will have to take her bike across separately. Haha, right? Well, based on the reactions from Susan, Doug and some other riders who were standing nearby, I guess it sort of sounded like I was saying that Camera Crew AND her bike were too heavy, when I was really only poking fun at her bike. Anyhoo, I'll post the video and you be the judge. And, yes, the couch is rather comfy, thankyouverymuch.
From the covered bridge to the finish was just a few more miles, so we wrapped up the ride, locked up the bikes and went inside for some food and beer. Or more accurately, 'beer then food'. HUB was pouring a couple of brews, which surprised me only because there are several good breweries in the Silverton/Salem area and HUB is out of Portland. Oh well - no complaints here. www.hopworksbeer.com The food was fantastic! Salmon, asparagus, salads, chicken, rolls and more. Worth the price of admission! For dessert there was German chocolate cake and some fantasticly strong coffee from Nossa Familia, a roaster out of P-Town. The java was so good, I bought a bag o' beans. If you see their stuff, get it. The beans are from the family plantations in Brazil, roasted daily in Portland. The company is family owned and goes back six generations! www.familyroast.com
After chowing down, we rode back up to the parking lot, loaded up and parted ways. It was so cool to have Susan and Doug with us! Hopefully, we can get them out again. Once we got home, we unloaded, relaxed for a bit and started mentally preparing for Sunday's event.
Yikes.
Monday, June 17, 2013
50@50 Project - Event Blah Blah Blah - $5 5k - Intro
Camera Crew's Event 20
I'll catch up some how some way - just you wait...
Proud of her for going out on her own to do this event!
The 50@50 Project - Controversy!!
David: It seems we have a bit of a controversy here at the ol' project. You see, while I was away doing CHARITABLE WORK in a developing country, Camera Crew went ahead and snuck in an event and NOW all of a sudden when I talk about Event 19 or Event 20, she pipes up with "Um, it's actually Event 20 and Event 21." So then I have to...
Camera Crew: Once upon a time, Dave decided to go to a concert in Seattle. WITHOUT ME. And he decided to do an event. WITHOUT ME. And once I got over that insult, we agreed I should do a different event to make up for it. So, you see, this was all agreed upon ahead of time. It's certainly not my fault Mr. 50@50 wasn't here at the time to discuss it.
D: Well, okay - yes, I am going to see Sir Paul McCartney at Safeco Field in Seattle. And, yes, I signed up to do a 5k event that was being held the morning after the show BUT I did tell CC about these two things. And, um,... er... and I was in Central America working and the 5k was convenient and the... the.. um...
CC: Yes, the 5k I did was very convenient. So, on to that story. It was a Sunday morning, partly cloudy in Northwest Portland. I pulled on my running clothes, went out to the car, and drove East. I parked off of 92nd near the North end of Lents Park and went to sign in for the Portland Parks and Rec $5 5k. Yes, just $5 for a 5k run complete with a bib number. www.5dollar5k.com
D: Now, wait a minute! You can't write about this 'event'. At least you were kind enough to NOT announce it as 'Event suchandsuch in the 50@50 Project'. Just because my Seattle event was moved and I can't attend doesn't mean you should get ahead of me, right?
CC: Well ... I didn't know that at the time. And that sounds like it's not an MP (my problem), but rather a YP (your problem). So, back to Event 20 in the 50@50 project. (Yup, thanks for reminding me.) It was pretty cloudy over in SE Portland, but the crowd was friendly and the running conditions excellent. After watching the little kids race a surprisingly long lap around the inside loop of the park, it was time for the main event.
D: And by 'main event', she is referring to this unofficial event, this 5k thingy that probably was just thrown together at the last minute. Even though she calls it Event 20, it really probably doesn't actually count toward the total. I'll grant you that my event got cancelled and I suppose one could argue that Camera Crew couldn't have known that when she signed up for this one and that she was only trying to stay even with my event total...
Crap.
CC: Thank you for eloquently arguing my point. Event 20 consisted of three laps around Lents Park, which included a bit of a hill on the far side of the park each lap. I had a great run, turned in a respectable time, and even earned a ribbon for participating, which adorns the wall along with my bib number. I'm pretty sure that makes it official!
D: I wasn't arguing your point, I was... okay, wait a second. (pause) I reread my bit and, yeah, it comes across as supportive of your claim that you did this 'Event 20'. Aw, crap - whatever - just finish the post and we'll work the count out somehow down the line.
CC: It was a great event. Cheap - hard to beat $5. Friendly - much lower key crowd than spendier, fancier events. More families and inexperienced runners, more focus on fitness and community. What a great way to celebrate Lents Park. (Although, true to the reputation of the neighborhood, during the awards ceremony and raffle drawing there was a cop car with its lights on down a side street across from the park.) So, Event 20 in the books, at least for 50% of the 50@50 project. Now time to find the main man his own event so we can get back on the same number.
D: Congrats (begrudgingly) on your successful event, CC! Videos forthcoming!
Camera Crew: Once upon a time, Dave decided to go to a concert in Seattle. WITHOUT ME. And he decided to do an event. WITHOUT ME. And once I got over that insult, we agreed I should do a different event to make up for it. So, you see, this was all agreed upon ahead of time. It's certainly not my fault Mr. 50@50 wasn't here at the time to discuss it.
D: Well, okay - yes, I am going to see Sir Paul McCartney at Safeco Field in Seattle. And, yes, I signed up to do a 5k event that was being held the morning after the show BUT I did tell CC about these two things. And, um,... er... and I was in Central America working and the 5k was convenient and the... the.. um...
CC: Yes, the 5k I did was very convenient. So, on to that story. It was a Sunday morning, partly cloudy in Northwest Portland. I pulled on my running clothes, went out to the car, and drove East. I parked off of 92nd near the North end of Lents Park and went to sign in for the Portland Parks and Rec $5 5k. Yes, just $5 for a 5k run complete with a bib number. www.5dollar5k.com
D: Now, wait a minute! You can't write about this 'event'. At least you were kind enough to NOT announce it as 'Event suchandsuch in the 50@50 Project'. Just because my Seattle event was moved and I can't attend doesn't mean you should get ahead of me, right?
CC: Well ... I didn't know that at the time. And that sounds like it's not an MP (my problem), but rather a YP (your problem). So, back to Event 20 in the 50@50 project. (Yup, thanks for reminding me.) It was pretty cloudy over in SE Portland, but the crowd was friendly and the running conditions excellent. After watching the little kids race a surprisingly long lap around the inside loop of the park, it was time for the main event.
D: And by 'main event', she is referring to this unofficial event, this 5k thingy that probably was just thrown together at the last minute. Even though she calls it Event 20, it really probably doesn't actually count toward the total. I'll grant you that my event got cancelled and I suppose one could argue that Camera Crew couldn't have known that when she signed up for this one and that she was only trying to stay even with my event total...
Crap.
CC: Thank you for eloquently arguing my point. Event 20 consisted of three laps around Lents Park, which included a bit of a hill on the far side of the park each lap. I had a great run, turned in a respectable time, and even earned a ribbon for participating, which adorns the wall along with my bib number. I'm pretty sure that makes it official!
D: I wasn't arguing your point, I was... okay, wait a second. (pause) I reread my bit and, yeah, it comes across as supportive of your claim that you did this 'Event 20'. Aw, crap - whatever - just finish the post and we'll work the count out somehow down the line.
CC: It was a great event. Cheap - hard to beat $5. Friendly - much lower key crowd than spendier, fancier events. More families and inexperienced runners, more focus on fitness and community. What a great way to celebrate Lents Park. (Although, true to the reputation of the neighborhood, during the awards ceremony and raffle drawing there was a cop car with its lights on down a side street across from the park.) So, Event 20 in the books, at least for 50% of the 50@50 project. Now time to find the main man his own event so we can get back on the same number.
D: Congrats (begrudgingly) on your successful event, CC! Videos forthcoming!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Oh, XDog! How I Love To Hate To Love Thee!
Event 19 in the 50@50 Project was the epic 'Havoc At The Hideout'. The name alone should tell you this was an XDog Events production. As stated in my post about Event 18, this one was a polar opposite to the Heart Walk.
Horning's Hideout is located in North Plains, OR, west of Portland out Highway 26. It's a private park that came to be when the OLCC cracked down on moonshiners in the mid-70's. With copper stills confiscated by the Feds, the family had nothing else to do with the property so they opened a park. As a jab at The Man, they named it Horning's Hideout, which is what all the moonshiners called it for decades and then some. You see, the Feds had always heard tell of a 'hollow' (or more appropriately pronounced as 'holler'), where the wizards of whiskey hid their goods. They could never find it, however. The Horning family was the largest producers of moonshine in these parts, had the best equipment and the most intricate set of trails and 'roads' whereby they could escape if anyone came a'pokin' around. The Feds never even got close to the place, though, due to their inability to follow the secretly coded signs along the main roads that mysteriously read the likes of 'Horning's Hideout - Next Left' and other such tomfoolery. Only those in the know could ever stand a chance of finding the place.
Cool story, huh? I made it all up. The real story about Horning's Hideout can be found on their website at www.horningshideout.com We WERE met at the gate and paid our parking fee to a guy straight out of Kentucky - long hair, big beard, bib overalls, no shirt, some teeth.
We arrived at the event and parked the SUV, receiving many compliments on our ride and how it didn't belong down the dirt and mud road we'd driven. People like our SUV and are always surprised to see it pull in to places like this! There were a lot of vehicles parked and more pulling in. Seems there was a Frisbee Golf tourney taking place here, as well as our little running event. We wandered past the Frisbee-ers (?) and marveled at how they each had little shoulder bags that carried dozens of discs. Having never played the golf version of Frisbee, I can only speculate on what each of the discs is for - left turning throws, right turning throws, distance, high wind conditions, too many PBRs, not enough PBRs, out of PBR (!!), etc.
After checking in for our race, we people watched for a bit, then walked back to the car to drop our jackets and extra junk. The crowd for Havoc had grown by the time we got back. People were warming up in various ways - knocking a volleyball around, stretching, running up the hill from the stage area, drinking from the keg that was already tapped, sitting on the grass, comparing scars, etc. The start always sneaks up on me with these races. Cuz next thing we knew, they were telling us to line up and get ready. Another conch sendoff and we were on our way.
The route zigged and zagged us all over the lower bowl of Horning's Hideout. We frequently encountered the Frisbee golf tournament 'athletes' and, trust me, the farther we ran the more fun THEIR event seemed compared to ours! The course rambled up and down short steep hills and took across some open meadows.
Then came one of the longest hill runs I've ever encountered. I'm still trying to understand how we could have climbed up higher, gaining more elevation than we ever dropped, drove, encountered on the way in. It seemed geographically impossible to climb as much as we did when nothing around us seemed that high. This climb went on and on and on. Some of it was muddy, some was overgrown, mostly it was in good shape. The park must have been designed by MC Escher, with ups being down and downs being ups and seemingly endless climbs that looped back on themselves. Camera Crew did awesome, churning away ahead of me. I wanted to sit down and cry, but kept moving forward and upward. Finally.
We finally got to the top and my legs were shot. I had to walk/trot a bit to catch my breath. We got moving again and encountered some more up and down terrain - nothing like the Monster, though. In typical XDog fashion the course brought us toward but not quite to the finish line. Being so spent AND close enough to the finish line to hear music and hootin' and hollarin' (and maybe the aroma of beer?), the course took off AWAY from the finish. Of course. Every step took us farther away and deeper into the brush. I was about ready to throw in the towel, although I have no idea what I would have done at that point. Had to get back somehow, right?
Camera Crew was the rock this time and kept us going. We came upon a lady who was eyeballing a creek that crossed the path. Even though we were all a little muddy and sweaty, she was stalled. She didn't want to run through the water and get her shoes wet! Oy. CC and I barely hesitated, splashing past her and carrying on. A little more meandering through the winds brought us to a gully that had a tree fallen across it, sort of. Very steep sides, we had to kind of slide down one side being careful not to impale ourselves on branches; scramble under the tree; then use roots and branches as hand holds to pull up the other side. After that, it was smooth sailing to the finish!
The best part for me was that I didn't finish last, like in the Dirty Du. Of course, there were a LOT more participants for this events, too. We had beers and enjoyed the awards ceremony, had Mai Tai slushies and got our XDog dog tags ('Committed To Filth'). There is such a great vibe at the XDog events. Kevin and his crew do a great job of setting the mood and making it a party atmosphere. If you're not having fun, it's no ones fault but yours!
On the way home, we hit the infamous Helvetia Tavern for lunch. Huge burgers with fries hit the spot! Check 'em out at www.helvetiatavern.com
Event 19 was in the books! After a two week break for my trip to Guatemala, I am back in the states and ready to get back to the 50@50 Project. Up next:
6/15 - Petal Pedal, 30 miles and we're riding with my sis and bro-in-law
6/16 - XDog's Mt. Hood Scramble, billed as the 'mother of all filth'
The following weekend, we're tackling four - count 'em - 4 events!
Crazy, crazy, crazy...
Horning's Hideout is located in North Plains, OR, west of Portland out Highway 26. It's a private park that came to be when the OLCC cracked down on moonshiners in the mid-70's. With copper stills confiscated by the Feds, the family had nothing else to do with the property so they opened a park. As a jab at The Man, they named it Horning's Hideout, which is what all the moonshiners called it for decades and then some. You see, the Feds had always heard tell of a 'hollow' (or more appropriately pronounced as 'holler'), where the wizards of whiskey hid their goods. They could never find it, however. The Horning family was the largest producers of moonshine in these parts, had the best equipment and the most intricate set of trails and 'roads' whereby they could escape if anyone came a'pokin' around. The Feds never even got close to the place, though, due to their inability to follow the secretly coded signs along the main roads that mysteriously read the likes of 'Horning's Hideout - Next Left' and other such tomfoolery. Only those in the know could ever stand a chance of finding the place.
Cool story, huh? I made it all up. The real story about Horning's Hideout can be found on their website at www.horningshideout.com We WERE met at the gate and paid our parking fee to a guy straight out of Kentucky - long hair, big beard, bib overalls, no shirt, some teeth.
We arrived at the event and parked the SUV, receiving many compliments on our ride and how it didn't belong down the dirt and mud road we'd driven. People like our SUV and are always surprised to see it pull in to places like this! There were a lot of vehicles parked and more pulling in. Seems there was a Frisbee Golf tourney taking place here, as well as our little running event. We wandered past the Frisbee-ers (?) and marveled at how they each had little shoulder bags that carried dozens of discs. Having never played the golf version of Frisbee, I can only speculate on what each of the discs is for - left turning throws, right turning throws, distance, high wind conditions, too many PBRs, not enough PBRs, out of PBR (!!), etc.
After checking in for our race, we people watched for a bit, then walked back to the car to drop our jackets and extra junk. The crowd for Havoc had grown by the time we got back. People were warming up in various ways - knocking a volleyball around, stretching, running up the hill from the stage area, drinking from the keg that was already tapped, sitting on the grass, comparing scars, etc. The start always sneaks up on me with these races. Cuz next thing we knew, they were telling us to line up and get ready. Another conch sendoff and we were on our way.
The route zigged and zagged us all over the lower bowl of Horning's Hideout. We frequently encountered the Frisbee golf tournament 'athletes' and, trust me, the farther we ran the more fun THEIR event seemed compared to ours! The course rambled up and down short steep hills and took across some open meadows.
Then came one of the longest hill runs I've ever encountered. I'm still trying to understand how we could have climbed up higher, gaining more elevation than we ever dropped, drove, encountered on the way in. It seemed geographically impossible to climb as much as we did when nothing around us seemed that high. This climb went on and on and on. Some of it was muddy, some was overgrown, mostly it was in good shape. The park must have been designed by MC Escher, with ups being down and downs being ups and seemingly endless climbs that looped back on themselves. Camera Crew did awesome, churning away ahead of me. I wanted to sit down and cry, but kept moving forward and upward. Finally.
We finally got to the top and my legs were shot. I had to walk/trot a bit to catch my breath. We got moving again and encountered some more up and down terrain - nothing like the Monster, though. In typical XDog fashion the course brought us toward but not quite to the finish line. Being so spent AND close enough to the finish line to hear music and hootin' and hollarin' (and maybe the aroma of beer?), the course took off AWAY from the finish. Of course. Every step took us farther away and deeper into the brush. I was about ready to throw in the towel, although I have no idea what I would have done at that point. Had to get back somehow, right?
Camera Crew was the rock this time and kept us going. We came upon a lady who was eyeballing a creek that crossed the path. Even though we were all a little muddy and sweaty, she was stalled. She didn't want to run through the water and get her shoes wet! Oy. CC and I barely hesitated, splashing past her and carrying on. A little more meandering through the winds brought us to a gully that had a tree fallen across it, sort of. Very steep sides, we had to kind of slide down one side being careful not to impale ourselves on branches; scramble under the tree; then use roots and branches as hand holds to pull up the other side. After that, it was smooth sailing to the finish!
The best part for me was that I didn't finish last, like in the Dirty Du. Of course, there were a LOT more participants for this events, too. We had beers and enjoyed the awards ceremony, had Mai Tai slushies and got our XDog dog tags ('Committed To Filth'). There is such a great vibe at the XDog events. Kevin and his crew do a great job of setting the mood and making it a party atmosphere. If you're not having fun, it's no ones fault but yours!
On the way home, we hit the infamous Helvetia Tavern for lunch. Huge burgers with fries hit the spot! Check 'em out at www.helvetiatavern.com
Event 19 was in the books! After a two week break for my trip to Guatemala, I am back in the states and ready to get back to the 50@50 Project. Up next:
6/15 - Petal Pedal, 30 miles and we're riding with my sis and bro-in-law
6/16 - XDog's Mt. Hood Scramble, billed as the 'mother of all filth'
The following weekend, we're tackling four - count 'em - 4 events!
Crazy, crazy, crazy...
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