Wednesday, 23-April thru
Thursday, 24-Apr: Flagstaff, AZ
Pic 1: Race set-up -- Pic 2: Together after 6 weeks!
Pic 1: The view on our ride
Wednesday Anthony spent his time making himself at home. We got in a
short bike ride (working out the kinks on his bike -- due to travel and first
time on the road). Then he came to Yoga with me. I really wanted to share it
with him. I think he had a good time. Afterward we went to the grocery store.
Pic 1: Ride down -- Pic 2: My Love
Thursday we slept in and then went for a run on the sweet track.
Afterward we took a dip in the 50m pool. It was awesome! We took a quick
nap and then drove to Snow Bowl to ride up to the top.
Monday, 21-April thru Tuesday, 22-Apr: Minneapolis, MN
Monday was a fun work day. We hung out with the gang from Cereal
Partners UK. Walked them through our tools and presented a recent project. After
our full day we headed out for a Happy Hour. Terri and I drove together. We went
to some new bar next to Café Lurcat. Anthony dropped by too. Afterward, Terri
and I went to dinner at Pizza Lucé. She is so cool. We had a great talk.
She telecommutes too. It was good to see her...we talk A LOT on the phone. :)
Tuesday flew by and soon enough Anthony and I were on the plane. Mike was kind
enough to drive us there. Thanks Mike!! We got in and drove the short 2.5 hours
to our home!! So fun!
Sunday, 6-April thru
Sunday, 20-Apr: Flagstaff, AZ
Pic 1: On the drive -- Pic 2: The historic telescope
Pic 1: Sarah and I listening to music!
Sunday was another day of long driving. This one was bumpy and even made
me, the driver, a bit nauseous! We pulled into Woody's Mountain Campground
and got everything set-up. We leveled it so well the bubble was spot on in
the middle of the circle. It was very impressive. The trailer has to be fairly
level for the fridge to work. If not, kiss 1K good-bye and buy a new one. Yikes!
Sarah and I cooked our dinner and then drove/wandered around historic downtown
Flagstaff. We randomly ended up a the Lowell Observatory. We decided
the trip wouldn't be complete without trying to find alien life. We
actually had a blast looking at Mars, a couple galaxies, star clusters and our
favorite, Saturn. How can you not love a planet with rings!? It is so
sexy! They even gave us a tour of the historic telescope. It weighs 12,000
pounds! After our discovery channel moment, we stopped into a cute bar. We
listened to some live music and had a beer. Afterward, we continued our
tradition of watching an episode or two of Sex and the City before bed.
Monday was a new day! Sarah leaves today, so we took full advantage of our
final hours together. ;) After a hearty egg breakfast, we set off for downtown
again. We walked the streets and then stumbled over to the NAU campus. I
was like a kid in a candy store admiring their High Altitude Training
facilities. They have a sweet track and wicked 50M indoor pool. Remember
we are at 7,000 ft of elevation, so it's like a beautiful paradise for training
at altitude. I know the rule is train low, sleep high, but you take what you can
get!! We even passed a Yoga joint I might have to try out in the next
couple weeks. Sarah and I had absorbed plenty of the city, so we bopped
out into the country and walked/hiked in the Ponderosa Pine Forest. You
know my whole thing with pine trees, so it was heavenly. After two hours
and seeing no people we wrapped round to our original trailhead and went back to
the RV. It was time to take Sarah to the airport. It was a long 5 hour
round trip. I was super sad to Sarah go. She was so easy. Spending 5
nights with me would torture even the heartiest of souls, but she made it out
alive and without a breakdown! :) Thanks for coming Sarah. You brightened the
journey.
Tuesday was a day of rest. I am exhausted from all our fun!
Wednesday I went to Yoga! It was sweet. Everyone
there was incredibly nice. I got there 8 minute late (says the front desk man)
but they still let me in! I met this nice girl named Shasta and she said she
would give me a call sometime so we could go running or biking. We'll see if she
calls! Afterward I went grocery shopping. It is such my favorite thing!
Sarah totally messed up my good eating habits (geez Sarah ;), so I continued the
gluttonfest with a mongo bag of my fav Sun Chips. Boy, were they yummy!!
Thursday I went for a run by my campground.
Apparently there is an arboretum just down the road, I tried to run the 4 miles
there, but realized I would have to run all those miles back. :) With the
elevation I struggle to keep decent speeds and distances. It is beautiful down
the road though - it becomes dirt a mile in and there are pine trees everywhere.
I can't wait to share it with Anthony.
Friday was another Yoga night. I was so sore
from Wednesday, I thought going back might stretch out all my tight muscles. I
saw this girl in front of me who had crazy scars on her back. After class, I
asked her about them. She told me she had cancer. She is in her early 20s
and had her first mole removed when she was 15. She has melanoma. The only
deadly form of skin cancer. It spread to her Lymph nodes, so she had them all
the removed (hence the scars). She just found out she has another tumor on one
of her lungs. She will be having 1/3 of her lung removed in June. She was the
most inspiring person I have met in a LONG time. I am not exactly sure what I
can do for her. I gave her a hug and told I would pray for her. She had an
incredible attitude and was such a joy to be around. You would never have known
she was dealing with a deadly disease. As I left, she told me to enjoy each day.
Simple words, but extremely impactful from someone who has no idea how long they
will live. Are you enjoying each day? After Yoga I went to the track and ran 4.5
miles. I did 8 x 400m. It was fun because the boys Lacrosse team was
in the middle painting a field. It was like watching the Discovery
Channel. Plus, who doesn't like to observe cute college boys while pushing it on
the track. Wish Anthony was here, so I could watch him run away from me.
;) He's so hot!
Saturday morning I went to Yoga! How could I
not? All the interesting and inspiring people I had met so far! Plus, my
body is loving it. This time, I left with a strong urge to get a tattoo.
Hmmmm..... I wish I could say I did more today. I think I took a nap. Talked to
my love, Anthony. Oh...I did go to a movie - Stop-Loss. You should go! It is
really good. I had no idea that so many soldiers were called back to Iraq even
after their official term was over. Stop-Loss is a sneaky way to pull
soldiers back into war. I am so disappointed by the situation we are in with
Iraq.
Sunday I finished booking all the campsites for
the rest of my trip!! Yay! Success!! Paid some bills. Went for a short bike
ride. Cleaned the RV. Watched Great Expectations on TV. Side note: Cathy & Kerry
Yndestad along with the Hulls did a killer training camp in AZ this past
weekend. You should visit:
http://www.cathyyndestad.com/ to find out more about how the best work it!
Also, congrats to all the IM Arizona finishers. Chad Milner was our
hometown favorite. Go Chad!! Now I am heading to bed. Night, night!
Monday another amazing day at Yoga. I think I am officially addicted. This
class is the one that made me sore last week. He teaches Mon and Wed. He
is wicked at his practice. Almost gymnast like. It's rad to watch. I
am obsessed with binds. It's fun to see what the body is capable of twisting
into. :) I have also got into the habit of watching re-runs of Law & Order. Love
that show.
Work stinks. Tuesday and Wednesday night I spent working. My treat
was to do Sudoku puzzles. Every few hours I would knock one off. I
finally finished my report and presented Thursday morning in a working session.
It's the one I am flying into MN to give next week. I think it turned out
well. Has a story that makes sense. I like when my data pulls together.
I may have a tendency towards OCB, because by Thursday I finished Anthony's book
of 100 Sudoku puzzles. 35 of which were done in the last week. Takes me
around a half hour for each and the last 10 were "more challenging". Anyway,
around 15 hours of my life the last week were dedicated to puzzles. (Here
comes my favorite saying) - Is that weird? Since I finally had a free night.
Guess where I went? Ready to be surprised....YOGA! This class was very gentle.
We did do this cool bind where we wrap around someone. My partner was Ginna. She
stands behind me while I am in <enter some really cool yoga term here> some one
legged stand thing and then I wrap say my left leg back around her and my left
arm. I grab my foot with my hand and open my heart center. The person helps you
open more and is your stability. It's sweet. I talked with Ginna a bit
after class. She is a traveling nurse, which I am seriously considering as a
profession. Too bad patients aren't numbers. I am really good with numbers, but
people....I don't know. They make even less sense. :) She told me about a bunch
of hikes Anthony and I can do next week. Flagstaff is the longest she has lived
somewhere since traveling. It will be 2 years by the end of the year.
That's it, 2 years. Crazy. Again I walked away with a new experience. So fun!
Pic 1: View from my home -- Pic 2: Yoga Studio!
Pic 1: Track
Friday! Two days until I get to be in Anthony's arms. Can't wait. Not sure what
the day will hold. Tell ya later! OK, this evening I went to Yoga and then
ran at the NAU track.
Pic 1: Lake Mary -- Pic 2: The road I rode
Saturday was so fun! I finally found a good bike ride. It goes
forever! I dropped my car off to get the tire fixed (I ran over a nail or
something) and rode from there. Told them I would be back in a couple hours.
I rode out to Lake Mary and along it. It was windy but beautiful! After I picked
up my car, I drove back to the campground and went for a run. Goofed around the
rest of the night and got ready to leave for Mpls in the morning!
Sunday I had to get up early to drive to Phoenix. It's a 2.5 hour drive. Boo. I
barely made it! Anthony gave me a layout of the airport over the phone so that I
could move swiftly. I was parked, checked in, through security and at the gate
within 20 min. It was spectacular. Then the plane was delayed!! :) Oh well, gave
me time to eat a big 'ole burrito. Finally, after a day of travel, I was
in Anthony's arms. It felt fantastic! We went straight to the
Altman's for some family time. I got to see everyone but Ang, Jake and Scott.
Bummer. Luckily I get to see Ang and Jake in CO in a few weeks! I'll have to
wait to see my outlaw brother in June. The kids were so much bigger. We
played outside - biking, skateboarding, t-ball and chalking! Felt good to be
home. Afterward, Anthony and I went to Pittsburgh Blue. I was craving
their yummy burger and insanely delicious mashed potatoes!! What a great
day!
Friday, 4-Apr
thru Saturday, 5-April: Mesa Verde, CO
Friday we got up early and went for a run. We then packed it up and
moved on to Mesa Verde, CO. Long day of driving! After set-up we took a
short nap. We then enjoyed some Mexican food and tasty margaritas. When we got
back we played some cards and drank some wine!
Pic 1: On the way to the top of Mesa Verde -- Pic 2: Cliff dwellings
Pic 1: More Mesa Verde -- Pic 2: Gulch
Pic 1: Anyone else see Krueger (Labrador)? Tell me
what you see. -- Pic 2: Pretty flowers
Pic 1: Hiking near Mancos -- Pic 2: Sarah and I
played cards at night
Saturday was our play day. We went for a 20 mile
drive, up the mountains into Mesa Verde National Park. We learned a bit
about the Ancestral Puebloans and their Cliff Dwellings. They were really into
building Kivas or ceremonial chambers. Pretty cool stuff. We tried to find
places to hike around, but most trails were closed since it was so early in the
season. So, we found a place near Mancos. We figured out a route we could
navigate without drowning in mud. It was beautiful out there. We got back, had
dinner and then played more cards and drank more wine! :)
Saturday, 29-Mar thru
Thursday, 3-Apr: Santa Fe, NM
Pic 1: Snow-capped mountains!
Saturday morning I slept in a bit and then hit
the road. I got into Santa Fe around 3 PM CST. Check out the view as I entered
Santa Fe. Real mountains! Since I have company coming, Sarah Waataja (on
Wednesday night), I decide to clean the join up a bit. :) The best part
about the camper is it takes no time to clean. Plus, it is brand new so it looks
clean when I am done, unlike the cottage (which I miss immensely, but mostly
because my handsome husband is housed there!!). I also tested the furnace again,
because it gets chilly here at night, but to no avail. I called Gag's
(where we bought it) and we tried a bunch of stuff to get it to work, but still
no go. I am taking it to Albuquerque to get fixed on Wed. I have to pick Sarah
down there anyway. I am hoping they can do it in one day. I don't
mind the cold, I just don't want my guests to freeze. Gets down into the
30s at night and without heat....yikes! BTW - Today is AU's birthday! Happy
Birthday, Amers!
Pic 1: Look at the cool fence -- Pic 2: The awesome run!
Pic 1: More pics from my run
Sunday I slept in again. I LOVE weekend mornings.
Talked with Amy for an hour and then went for a ride. I stopped by the local
bike shop and disturbed them (they were closed but I saw people lurking inside).
This super cute couple hooked me up with an amazing ride. I was all
thinking I could make it 30-40 miles, but I was toasted after 20! I rode
out 10. I made it all the way to Canada. Well, actually, Canada de Los
Alamos. From there I ditched the bike and ran for 30 min. It was stunning.
I never knew how much I liked pine trees. It makes me happy to be surrounded by
them. Then I biked back to the car. I got a little lost on the way and I
got a sampling of the artsy areas of Santa Fe. I am saving them for when Sarah
comes, but they look awesome.
Monday was errand day. After a grueling day at work :), I got an oil change, got
some batteries, had Toyota listen to my car (I thought it was making weird
noises, but they assured me it was all in my head) and went for a run. Now
I am working on updating my website. Can you believe that last Friday
marked a month since I left MN? Goes fast! All right, time for bed.
Goodnight Discoettes (you know who you are!)
Pic 1: Sunset in Santa Fe -- Pic 2: How the houses look in Santa Fe
Pic 1: Yay! Sarah's here!
Wednesday I drove to Albuquerque (1 hour each way) and got the trailer fixed. I
guess there was a loose wire in the wall. Simple fix and free, yay! for
warranties. I decided to drive back to Santa Fe, so that when Sarah came
in we were all set-up in the campground. After work, I talked to my mom
for 2 hours and then went for a short bike ride. Then I drove back to
Albuquerque to pick up Sarah from the airport. We got into Santa Fe around
1:30 AM. Sarah tried out the bunk beds this night but opted for the couch the
remaining nights...I think the bunks are better for kids.
Thursday we slept in, biked to the grocery store and got everything we would
need for our journey. Then we biked to downtown! It took a lot
longer than we thought and we ended up getting in almost a 20 mile ride that
day. Once downtown, we walked the streets, ate lunch, visited the Georgia
O'Keefe museum (that was cool). We had the best dinner of fresh salmon and
potatoes. Yummy! We also watched the movie, Amelie. Love that movie!
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