Time for the Big Lake

It's time to go to Lake Powell. The annual voyage is about to take place. I have my stuff in a pile on the floor getting ready to go. This is one of my most favorite places on earth. Why you ask? Oh, there's lot of reasons...

1. It's hot and sunny, it's beautiful

2. Green water, blue sky, red rocks

3. Away from phones

4. Away from computers

5. Bras are optional

6. "Tight like unto a dish"

7. Eating vacation food

8. I'm the Diet Coke bartender

9. No make-up

10. You can ski if you want, nap if you want to

11. You're on Lake Powell time

12. Family and friends

I'm not sure how many times I've been to Lake Powell. We used to name the different places we camped. Thankfully now we can name where the houseboat pulls up to the beach. We had some doozy camps. To mention one...Poop Mountain. That was also the trip there wasn't any Diet Coke. Don't worry, we still had great time. I'm glad to be included in this adventure again this year.

Biking vs. Running

I love them both. There's just never enough time to fit everything in. This weekend we (Mel, Marianne and me) took the bikes to Morgan to do a 50 miler or so. It was great. We started at the high school, road up and around East Canyon Reservoir, and back to Morgan for a loop around the valley. It was such a fun day. I love summer and riding my bike. I've often said when I'm on my bike and pass a runner I wish I was running. And, when I'm running and see someone on a bike, I wish I was riding. This was one of my favorite riding days...definitely will need to do it again.

Wasatch Back Relay 2010 - Part 2

A few more random pictures from the Wasatch Back experience.


I'm not sure how many more fitness activities the little town of Kamus could support. Biking and Ragnar all in one day!!

This is Doris headed up Avon Pass. It was a good climb. There was lots of dust from the big cars passing. My favorite new accessory is a wet red bandana tied around my neck. It totally saved me from the heat!

Sleeping at the park in Oakley. Might be better called a "power nap." I climbed in my bag at 4:20 a.m. and woke at 7:30. From where I slept I could see runners taking off from the transition. I saw a guy carrying skis and poles. Just didn't get that one. Kind of like the guy who carried a surf board. Things that make you say hmmmm.

The car decorations were better than the 4th of July parade. I mean it. I was completed entertained by the large cars such as the one above.

For those Biggest Looser Fans: Me and Sione at the start line. He introduced the teams at the start line and did the count down. Editorial comment: He is solid as a rock!

Wasatch Back Relay 2010 - Part 1

Earlier this week I got an email asking for a favor. The favor was to to fill in for a friend who was unexpectly not able to run the relay. I was glad to be asked, and glad to help out this friend who I've known and run with since my first marathon. I've wanted to do Wasatch Back for a while now. Those that have done it talk about how much fun it is and how little sleep you get. Both are true statements.

I was in Van 1 with Bob, Shawnie, Teresa, Alyson and Chris. "Bob, he's the Man" was our driver for the majority of the 188.8 miles that starts in Logan and finishes in Park City. I was with these friends for 36 hours with about 3.5 hours sleep. As you can tell by what's written on the suburban, it was important for each of us to disclose our alliance to either Red or Blue. My alligence goes with Red. One side of the surbaban was dedicated to the Utes, the other to BYU. Having anything blue with the Y symbol on Bob's subruban was difficult for him...


Some highlights:

• The front seat will eat anything (Bob and Chris)
• I like homemade wheat bread (Thanks Teresa!)
• I ran past my high school coach's house at about 1:30 am in Morgan. She wasn't out cheering for me. Not even a friendship light.
• Saw my cousins (Marty, Sheri and Jason) at Snow Basin and Mountain Green. They said, "I can't believe you are doing this". Later figured out they meant on such short notice...
• People are creative with team names and their decorating abilities on cars.
• I would do this again.
• I wouldn't be a good homeless person living out of public bathrooms and sleeping in parks.
• I have great running buddies.
• Lasagna is a great mid-relay dinner.
• Next time, I'd like a little notice to be able to train. Especially if I have Avon Pass to climb again.
• Sione from Biggest Looser a couple seasons back is "solid as a rock". He was at the start line.
• I just love diet coke and chocolate milk after a run.
• Granny's in Heber City makes a great grasshopper milkshake.

Below are a few pictures of our Team. Thanks everyone for a great time. I loved having the opportunity to be a part of the group.

Lake Tahoe

Yip, I was there this weekend. My first trip to Tahoe and, trust me, there will be others. What a beautiful place. I was invited by some friends from work to join them in doing the Tahoe Relay. This relay has been done the longest of any other relays in the US. 72 miles plus some change around the lake. The lake is so blue, and so was the sky! It was such a beautiful day. Much better than at home where it was cold and rainey. Anyway, I hope you enjoy some of the landscape pictures I took while riding in the "party bus" around the lake supporting our relay team. More details on the relay later.

Little Red 2010

Ready or not, here we come! The Flat Tireds are making another appearance. I am so looking forward to a fun bike ride in beautiful Cache County. It is beautiful there right now. How do I know, you ask? I've been there twice this week already. It's going to be a perfect day for a ride. I seriously can't wait. Departure time: 12:30 p.m. tomorrow. Then to Shivers for iced beverages. After that, there just isn't anyway to stop us.