Colorado "Reunion Race" Trip - Part 4

The next day Joe was on vacation and he and I returned to the mountains in Teller County for a hike/trail run at the Catamount area. It is an area where I had gone to run before and Joe, Bruce and I had hiked part of it when we did the Ring the Peak Trail in 2011. We knew we needed to get out early and beat the afternoon storms. These pictures show how the clouds built through the day. The final one was taken at Sonic Drive In in Woodland Park where we stopped for a green chile cheeseburger and it was good!

The next day was a "down day". My good friend Ron Payton had just returned to town and we were able to find time to get together. We met at a place where we have so many amazing shared coaching memories, Monument Valley Park and walked about five miles catching up on what we've been doing since we last saw one another. It had been over two years because when I was in Colorado last year Ron was out of town the entire time. It was great seeing him and sharing some good stories. We finished off the visit with a good meal at Amanda's Fonda right on the creek. It was a beautiful morning and the rain held off until we were under the covered patio.

The next morning Joe and I got back on the road and went hiking in one of the most beautiful places in Colorado Springs. Even though it was the day before a race we did a good hike and even did a trail neither of us had done before. I had never seen the reservoir in the park before and it was really pretty back there.

Looking back over my notes from the Colorado "Reunion Run" trip one thing was in my notes almost every day and it was usually there twice. One word, "Deck". Just like Clarence and I started almost every morning on the porch at Fred's in Georgia, Joe and I started every day and ended most days on the deck. The mornings were beautiful as were the evenings if the storms had either passed or not started yet. It was just nice, quiet and reflective.

Seen or heard from the deck: Squirrels, cats, butterflies, cloud formations and movement, sunrise, a hawk (pictured below), rabbits, deer, the neighbors chickens and the fountains on the patio. Just a nice peaceful place to start the day and pass time reading and relaxing.

It's July 27th, 2015 as I write this final entry about my Colorado trip and it's as good a place as any to wrap up this blog that covered my year from my 66th birthday to just before my 67th birthday. While once again running is the focal point of this blog, I hope it has been the thing that ties my story together. Family, friends, travel and adventure all play such a big role in This Running Journey.

The new blog I will be starting now is called: www.thisrunningjourney.blogspot.com

If you have enjoyed reading any or all of this blog or any of my previous blogs then I hope you will follow my new one.

Previous blogs: www.stillrunning50.blogspot.com; www.rrr66r.blogspot.com and one that is still in progress, www.anaccidentalcoach.blogspot.com

Colorado "Reunion Race" Trip - Part 3

The next morning in Colorado started off right where the previous day ended, on the Homestead Trail. I went for a 45 minute run on the trail. In addition to the altitude it was very hilly.

After getting cleaned up I had some time to kill before I was supposed to meet another friend, Luke and his wife and baby daughter for lunch. It was going to be a late lunch so I decided to go to my "happy place", a bookstore. I went to a Christian bookstore, Mardel and found several treasures on the $1, $3, and $5 shelves. (After seeing the books I bought Joe and I would make a return trip a few days later so that he could shop as well). It was really nice meeting some of Luke's family, he and I have known each other for a few years and he is a young track coach who continues to make me feel as though I am part of the coaching world. We talk multiple times, every week during track season and he considers me a mentor which I find flattering. It's always nice to be valued.

That night Joe hosted a cookout for the five of us who raced as well as Bruce a good friend and Gerald's fiance Kari. We shared a lot of laughs catching up and sharing stories. We are a very eclectic group some of us going back to the late '80's when we met and the rest just in the past 8 or 9 years but you would think we have all been friends forever. The food and beer were good but the fellowship and laughter was priceless.

With all the eating that day I'm glad that I started the day off with a run!

Colorado "Reunion Race" Trip - Part 2

When Joe and I got back from the race in Georgetown I moved my stuff into the room I was using during my visit and then we sat out on his back porch and continued catching up. He cooked an amazing meal (pictured below):

The next morning we started off the same way that we ended the night before, eating. We went to La Casita and had a great breakfast before we drove to the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Another passport stamp and a chance to introduce Joe to something he had yet to visit.

After hiking the trails to see the petrified trees we decided to drive down to the Hornbek Homestead and look around and then cross Highway 67 to hike on the other side where I had run before. Unfortunately the typical afternoon clouds started building fast and we were concerned with lightning so we turned back to the car and drove to Woodland Park to visit the Ute Pass Brewery.

Turning back was a good decision because it started raining and lightning as soon as we left. The brewery, not so much other than a good place to stop during the downpour of rain and hail. The beer was good but the employees were surly and unfriendly, just a lousy vibe. Not a place either of us would go back to.

Joe had to work the next two days so I used some of the time to catch up with friends. I took a chance that Brian and Kathy Sweeney might be in town, they rarely are in the summer, and drove by their house. I was lucky to catch them because they were packing for another river trip. We had a great time catching up. Then I went to lunch with a good friend Jerry and his wife Pam. That took care of Monday.

After lunch I wanted to try to see an old friend that I worked with for twenty years, Bob Walker. I had his address at home in my Christmas card list but didn't have it with me. I knew about where he lived so I drove around the neighborhood several times looking for the nicest lawn and then I stopped. It was the right place and we had a great visit.

I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the deck with the cats reading and watching the clouds. I even took a picture of a cloud that looked like Popeye!

That night a short hike on the Homestead Trail which is right out Joe's back gate.

San Joaquin Valley National Cemetary

July 22, 2015 - I went to a funeral today. I generally don't do funerals. I will go to a funeral if I was close to the person who passed or close to someone in their family. Even then I won't usually travel for a funeral because I would rather take the time to write something and send a card that is a little more personal than standing in line to tell someone that you're sorry for their loss. Is that the right attitude? I don't know but it is my attitude and I'm really the only one who has to live with my decision to attend or not to attend.

That's what made it so unusual for me to attend this funeral. I didn't even know the individual whose funeral it was and I didn't know his family. As a matter of fact after attending the funeral the only thing I know about the man is that he was a Vietnam Vet whose daughter had very little funeral and a request was sent out on social media for other vets who could to attend. I felt that it was the right thing to do and I'm glad that I did.

I drove about 45 miles to the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery and actually participated in the service as a member of the flag line, holding an American flag throughout the service along with other men and women veterans who came because they felt that it was the right thing to do.

In spite of my reluctance to attend funerals, I'm glad I went, the Veterans family was overwhelmed by the show of veteran support and I'm proud that I was part of it.

There is some irony in all of this as well. Last Wednesday the 15th I found out that my middle brother had passed away on Monday. He has not spoken to my sister or I since my Dad passed away and he took exception to the fact that I notified him initially by text. I didn't see anything wrong with that then and still don't. My Dad was on comfort care meaning that it was just a matter of time and all of my siblings knew that he was dying. When he passed Donna and I were with him and our concern was letting everyone know as soon as possible so we used text messaging with plans to follow up with phone calls after we took care of everything with the hospital. As I said, John took exception to that, wrote back a scathing text and has never spoken to either of us since. I don't believe that he's spoken to Carol or Rob either. It's really sad but that is simply who he was. Back to the irony of me attending a funeral of someone I don't even know and whose name I still don't know; My siblings and I were told that we were not welcome at my brother's service by his oldest son Joey, the only one we were to have any contact with. My prayer is that my brother John has found the peace that he never had while he was here on earth.

Meanwhile Back in the Valley

While I enjoy my traveling to visit friends and family and to do various races. There is always something going on here at home in the San Joaquin Valley. I'm currently reading a book by Ken Gire, The Reflective Life - Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments in Life. While the book focuses on being spiritually engaged I think it is important to simply engage period. So many things that we either ignore or simply don't acknowledge can often lead to something bigger.

For example the past several months we have had either one very busy mole or multiple moles in the front yard and I assume that if nothing is done he or they will continue to live here. Many mornings I have gone outside and watched him busily digging and throwing dirt everywhere. He'll even poke his head up from time to time but I can't get close enough to get a picture of him. Every time before I mow I go around and rake his mounds back into the grass and by the next morning he has some new ones. I suppose the yard is getting a first rate aeration.

On Monday of last week I noticed that we had a new tenant as a snake moved into one of the mole holes. The snake was entertaining for almost a full week. He would literally sit all day with his head out of the hole anywhere from a few inches to over a foot and just watch. He was particularly interested in one of our lizards that insisted on running up and down the tree in his line of sight. The snake was there through Saturday but since I mowed on Sunday he hasn't shown himself.

 
My sisters kids and grandkids were all here for a couple of days before leaving for a vacation in the mountains. It was good seeing them all, especially Mark because he lives in Maryland and we usually only see him once a year. We had our traditional meal at El Rosal and everyone had a good time catching up, telling stories and laughing.

Almost Everyone

When the kids left Sassy got a roommate for the week. I've written about Gia, Tim's dog in other posts. She's a really good dog and fortunately gets along well with our 7. Yes, I said 7. We adopted two more that my sister found out about on Facebook. They were found wandering along a busy road and were going to be taken to the shelter. The person who found them and Donna both left their contact information with the shelter but we've never heard from anyone so it looks like Shorty and Red are here to stay.

Shorty & Red

My other 2 rescues - Charlie & Sassy

Sassy welcoming Gia her first night

Donna and Gregg have both been go go go with their horses and horse show competitions.

Donna and Mate

Colorado "Reunion Race" Trip - Part 1

For the third year in a row I made a trip back to Colorado Springs to visit where I was able to organize a "reunion race" with several friends. I talked about the races in a previous post so this post and others will be about the trip in general. The first day I came upon a National Monument that I didn't even know existed. It was the home of Caesar Chavez. While it was a small site it was interesting and the grounds were beautifully kept. I was surprised to find that Chavez was buried there and that his wife still lived on the grounds. I was equally surprised when the ranger told me that they actually get a large number of visitors because of where it is located.

I decided to take my time driving to Colorado and stayed in Las Vegas the first night. The only thing I took away from that visit was how much traffic there was any time of the day. I got there in the early afternoon and left early the next morning and the traffic was bad both times. I would probably visit Las Vegas again but it isn't really a great place to visit by yourself. I stayed at Circus Circus because the room rates were reasonable other than the fact that I had to pay a silly "resort" fee that basically provided me with a 2 for 1 coupon book. Ridiculous. I got free chips and salsa for buying dinner and a beer.

Because I didn't have a long drive the second day either I made a point to really enjoy a part of Utah that I had never slowed down to look at before. It was beautiful and the next pictures don't do it justice. I stopped at almost every scenic overlook to walk around and take pictures.

When I reached Green River, Utah I stopped for a while to walk down to the river and look around. I have done several rafting trips on the Green including one with my daughter Stacie so it was someplace I wanted to see again.

I stopped for the night in Grand Junction, Colorado where I had a really good calzone and spaghetti!

The next day I had another short drive through the mountains to Denver so I actually backtracked a few miles so that I could make another visit to Colorado National Monument. It was a beautiful place the last time I visited in November, 2011 and I wanted to see it during a different time of the year.

The trip was a good reminder to take advantage of opportunities when they are presented. Slow down and enjoy the experience. My last visit to the Monument I was running. I started at a hotel in Fruita and ran up to the tunnels and back. I was fortunate to see quite a few bighorn sheep and get some great pictures. If I hadn't taken the time to take those pictures it would certainly have been a lost opportunity because I didn't see any this trip. I'm sure they were all bedded down in shady spots to avoid the heat.

On my drive to Denver I had hoped to stop and hike to Hanging Lake but the parking lot was closed because it was already full. Another time perhaps!