"Creature Features......"

...Critter Footage #1...

 (...backyard

and random outing

encounters...)

...sweet "Bun Bun"...where did you

come from?! It's been 2 years now, and

you're still up on the hill, waiting

so patiently for your apple snacks...

~

Sometimes running down the steep

embankment, out of nowhere when

I call you, like a scene pulled

from "The Sound Of Music"...



"Spooky Creature Found In The Mountains.....!!!"

Massive Larva Monster...

Crosses Mountain Biker's Path...!!

 

...while enjoying a pleasant Sunday afternoon

mountain bike ride under a single tiny cloud dotted

 brilliant blue sky...

~

 ~

...a selfie snap was taken in front of the lone

surviving cedar and oak tree at the Mill Creek 

Fire Road saddle crest...this once being a beautifully

shaded ride with massive fur and cedar trees,

the entire area was sadly burned to a crisp a little

over 5 years ago...the little cedar, the oak and

a small handful of trees are all that remain at

the saddle.

~

 ~

...continuing on in the direction

of the trail marker another mile

or so,...

~ 

 ~

...then enjoying a quick break...

~

 ~

...and a couple of quick vanity snaps

at the turn-around point, little did

we know we would soon be encountering...

~

 

 ~

...a massive 3" long Larva Grub Monster

Creature...!!

~

 

...laying upside down in the sun and exposed to the elements,

it first appeared to be an albino rattlesnake's rattles...

but with a little turning and gentle prodding, it moved

with life and an insect like head appeared at one end...

...what was this creature we had stumbled onto?!!

~

...we moved it to the shade and placed it safely

under a large chip of bark to metamorphose...

hopefully we assisted a healthy and robust forest

insect to survive and not some alien creature that   

crash landed in the woods on the back of a meteorite

to spawn and take over the earth...!!

...Time will only tell...!!

~

"Happy Out-door Adventuring!"

 

  

 

 

 



"...Don't Ignore That Inner Voice...."

...It Might Have Something Important To Say...

...LISTEN...

~

 

A bit of time has been taken to get over

running a marathon almost 6 months ago...

...almost too much time...

~

...so much time that registration for

that very marathon has begun once again.

~

Where did all that time go? I promised

myself this time that I would remain focused...

  my attention would not turn to digging in the

garden or working on art projects...I would

continue my training through winter and

work on a faster finish time...

~

...but those last 18 miles of the 2014 St. George

Marathon changed my enthusiasm...the sour

stomach and digestive cramps that came on

after mile 8, were something I had

never experienced in all the

months of training...I never thought I would be

facing something like that during the actual race...

I had to shut it all out and try to ignore it...run

through it and just focus on the finish line...my stomach

took me away from taking in all the beautiful

scenery and ambiance of this beautiful race...

It was not fun.

~

...crossing the finish line, my race experience

woes cast everything in a different light.

My usual sunshine I find at the finish line

 was now covered by a little black cloud. 

 ...the magical beauty of

this race I had experienced in the 4 prior

I had run, seemed to fade...I just wanted to

find the car and head home...the 5 hour drive

back across the desert gave me time to think...

...maybe a year off would be a good thing...

~

...I was content with my decision...riding my

mountain bike and focusing on other things, no plan

to run the marathon this fall...

...but maybe I should just check in on the registration

website to see what it looks like this year...the

wonderful candid photos from last year's race flashing

in and out..."Wouldn't that be something to be in one

of those select few photos?"...I've always

wishfully thought how neat that would be to be in

one of those special photos...since 2006.

~

Of the thousands and thousands of runners, and

the thousands of photos snapped during the race,

what is the likelihood of that?!?..

~

"If a picture of me pops

up, I can't opt out...I have to sign up 

for this year's race!" I thought to myself...

~

...and no sooner did I say those exact words...

 

~

...my photo wish was granted!!

 

Happy Running!!

  

 

 

 

"...The Desert Is A Beautiful Place....!"

...and camping for 4 days, right smack in the

middle of it, is a great way to experience that

beauty.

~

...much time was spent enjoying the vast landscape...

 ~

...looking up at the majestic Red Mountain

in all her glory from my pink camp chair...sitting

on the north side of the trailer to shield myself

from the piercing hot sun and 80 degree temperature...

I did a lot of that...with puppy dog in tow...

...my little shadow...

~

...thinking, reflecting, setting goals and even chalking

the almost forgotten New Years resolutions onto the pages

of my trusty camper sketch pad...in mid February!!

~

...but I truly did find enlightenment! Between the

screaming dirt bikes, churning desert dust while

 circling camp like a swarm of killer bees, and the 

free-for-all dog park our camp mysteriously became...

...legs lifting, marking anything and everything

in sight...camp chairs...RV rims...

fancy woven camp rugs...

...at times, a chaotic three ring desert circus show...

~

...yet through the chaos, inspiration prevailed...

for a moment, a brief vision passed through my

subconscious...an image of my new Hooka One One 

running shoes and Nathan hydration vest...both,

back to back birthday gifts, barely used,

put away and sitting lonely in a closet back home.

~

...how I need a "real" goal and challenge for this

impending big "50" countdown that has begun...

~

   ...approximately a year and one half of time to

play around with and prepare for something that

makes life special and exciting to live...

~

...not just another birthday dinner at "The Olive Garden"

or "Black Angus"...how tragic and horribly

lack-luster that would be...

...Let the Journey Begin!!

"Savior Snacks and Other Sustenance...."

"Mmmm...and they're tasty, too!"

Here are some fun food items to enjoy

on your next long trail run, hike or

mountain bike adventure!

*

Who would've ever imagined a delicious

pasta salad could be enjoyed 20 miles

out in the middle of nowhere (??!!)...no refrigeration

required, and as easy to open as 1-2-3!!

*

 

 

 *

St. Dalfour's, Gourmet On The Go,

Ready To Eat Pasta Salad in a can!!

*

This wonderful little gem will be a true delight

to pull out of your pack when you reach the 20 mile 

turn around point on your next outdoor adventure...

* 

*

...included is a tiny fork and salt packet

for seasoning and bringing those depleted sodium

levels up for the trek back to the car!

*

 

*

...delectably delicious!!

*

...several different flavors are available

and can be found

at "Sprouts" and "Whole Foods".

*

...another wonderful find from the "Sprouts"

cookie/granola bar etc. isle,

that is all natural, loaded with flavor and

completely Gluten Free!!

*

*

"Betty Lous Gluten Free Fruit Bars".

Available in a variety of delicious flavors,

this little tasty treat will not disappoint!

*

*

...with 41 grams of carbohydrates, this

2"x 2" cookie square delivers a nice punch to

the taste buds and to the carb reserves

as well!

*

"Farro and Barley" 

...a nice change to eating pasta...

*

*

 

*

...these instant, ready in 10 minutes, varieties

 are from Trader Joes. Look at the carbohydrate

content for a simple 1/2 cup serving...perfect

for sustaining those crucial glycogen levels!!

*

Happy Running!

 

 

 

 

 

"St. George Marathon 2014"...breaking 4 hours was not in the cards....

"St. George Marathon 2014"

It's hard to believe the marathon is

already run and done again for another year...

was it two weeks ago that we were driving across

the beautiful desert?...eating plain cold pasta

from an ice chest and drinking tumbler after

tumbler of lemon lime Cytomax and water...mmmmmm....yummy!! 

*

Things just felt different this time from the very

beginning...to start, when did reserving a room

for marathon weekend become such a headache?...it's
always a bit difficult but being forced to pay
for 2 nights stay was something I didn't expect
from the usual friendly hotels and motels of
St. George. 

*

In past years, we've stayed the 2 nights...one

other year we were able to reserve one night's

stay and were charged for that one night...

...and it was reasonable pricing, not doubled up
to make up for the loss of one night's booking.

...When did everything get turned upside down?
Maybe it's been this way the whole time and
I didn't notice...maybe I'm the one who is
turned all upside down....

*

I do wish the weekend of the marathon could be a

little more relaxed than it ends up being...
that constant push to arrive

in town on time to pick up the bib and race

packet, check into the hotel, prep the race
*

 

*

*
 

paraphernalia pile, eat dinner and get back to
the hotel in time for a decent 5-6 hours of sleep...

(Me, a lovely 1-2 hours...being we brought

 *
 

  

*
the dog, we were put by the exit/entrance where
the door slammed closed all night long.... 
*

I got to the buses at 5 am, and the line was HUGE...
*

*

I must've walked a 1/4 mile to find the end and then

we just stood there for what seemed like and

eternity...we finally boarded, and were off...I

got to sit and talk to someone this time...

her name was Allyson and she was running it for the

9th time with next to no training under her belt...

(I think she ended up running it in 6:35...good job!)

*

Finally making it to the drop off starting area, we

hopped into the porta potty lines that were again,

ten miles long...when the announcer said it was

15 minutes til the start, I panicked. In past

years I've hung out at the bonfires, wandered aimlessly

and could've visited the porta potty lines 2-3 times
before the race start...how am I arriving with only
15 minutes to spare, and I'm still 10 people away from
a porta potty visit??!!

*

Magically the race started 10 minutes late,
the line dwindled down, and all was good...

*

The race went well with a few bumps in the

road...some stomach issues and unprepared quadriceps,

but nothing that a nice steady pace to the finish

*

 

couldn't cure.

*

To make a long story short, I was nowhere near 

breaking 4 hours like I had so hoped to do.

I ran a 4:21, my second best time,

 and am very happy with that!
*

*
 

Whether it was taking 2 years off from running

and being 2 years older, or that my training didn't

include enough of what I needed for that speed

and strength to break 4 hours, all of that doesn't
matter...it was a wonderful experience and that
is all that matters. 

"Tinker In The Woods...."

"Mountain-Biking Big Bear"

...This  weekend won't be as fun as the last.

The unbearable heat and humidity that parked

itself over Southern California last week,

drove us from the flatlands up into the higher elevations

in search of clean cool air and blue skies...

(Actually we just wanted to ride somewhere different

where the canyon trails weren't crispy and brown,

sizzling with the sound of cicadas in the air.)

*

So we woke up early, before the birds and the worms,

and headed out on the open highway to meet our friends

at Snow Summit in Big Bear Lake, California...

*

I am always impressed by the mountain view

that greets you as you pull into the parking lot...

*

 

*

...pedaling off,

I remembered my camera, and couldn't leave it behind...

...the sighs and rolling eyes while digging for the

truck keys, it was obvious that the camera and

all my picture taking were wearing thin...

*

Embarrassed, I joked:

 "You never know what we might see...we could run into

someone like Tinker Juarez, or Jorge Pacheco, training, 

and we wouldn't have 

our camera to take a picture!"

*

So off we rode, probably the only riders the entire day

who didn't take the chair lift, but actually rode UP

the trails, to the top of the mountain.

*

*

Slicing and dicing along a wonderful

single track trail system,

we stopped to take a couple of snaps...

*

*

 

*

and learned that some people just shouldn't...

*

*

...take "selfies".

*

...we finally emerged at the lookout point where we

relaxed and socialized with passing cyclists...

*

 

*

Long story short, Tinker Juarez rode up to our group 

out of nowhere like it was perfectly scripted...stopping for

a brief second, asked for directions, and then 

disappeared down the side of a

mountain trail leading to nowhere as mysteriously

as he had appeared...

*

I had my camera, but I froze...I couldn't get myself

to speak up...I kept remembering the ice cream parlor

incident from my teenage years...chapping a Pasadena

rock star's hide all because of my surprised expression

as we passed one another in the doorway...his flowing

blonde hair and spandex pants...what was

I supposed to do...I was 17!! (I'm sure that, today,

 the lusterious locks have receeded and the "signature"

air splits would result in traction!)

 

*

Anyways, I didn't want a repeat of the parlor incident 

to happen here...to look like

some star struck middle aged mountainbiker, and scare

Tinker away...so we let him go...we laughed at

the irony and coincidence of the whole thing, and ended

up riding a wonderful 16 miler through the beautiful

mountains of Big Bear!!