4th of July Weekend!

Posting all the pictures from our fabulous day of fun would take forever using blogger so please check out this link. Despite totally bonking the last few miles, I was once again thankful to live in such an amazingly beautiful place. I wish we had pictures of us trying to crawl under a spider web, so as not to disturb it or to later transport the gigantic spider. Unfortunately, my lack of grace in trail shoes got the better of me and somehow I went crashing into the ground, gashing my leg yet again and trashing my shoulder. It truly does not seem possible that I ever was a ballet dancer. I do kind of feel bad for the non-trail runners out there. You can cover much more ground, get to the more remote places, than if we'd been out for a hike. Climbing the steeps, then cruising down, and completing 20 miles, however, did take its toll and I was wiped out that evening.

Friends invited us to go rafting the next day, and we almost said yes, but sleeping in and spending a lazy Saturday with Steve was exactly what I needed. We drove up to Bowman Lake, enjoyed some treats from the Polebridge Mercantile, debated buying the Mercantile (yes Danni, you now have some competition or you can buy it and ask Steve to manage it!), napped alongside the lake, and had a lovely picnic with the BEST SANDWICH EVER from Super One Foods. A turkey, cream cheese and cranberry croissant. Can you tell how much I like food? We also "hiked" or "sprinted" depending on whose perspective for a few miles, then drove back just as the monster within came out roaring. We missed the window for feeding me so Steve suffered for a short time.

Saturday night, I was so ready for sleep, but our neighbors decided to throw a party and set off belated fireworks until 2:30 am. Getting up at 6:00 am to run with friends was not fun after that, but the training miles were needed. We did 14 miles as a group, then Danni and I ran back to town for a grand total of 27 for me. You think I'm crazy? Danni was up at 4:30 and had done a half marathon before we ever started for a total of 40 miles. All on pavement, which killed my calves for the next couple days.

The week ahead won't be the most pleasant. I've got a work related thing coming up that I'm most definitely NOT looking forward to, and will be relieved when it's over. I'm just trying to stay calm and focused. There is a bit of sunshine though. Steve has a promising lead on a job here (more later, I don't want to jinx it), and we might not have to move from the cabin. It's become my safety zone, a peaceful place, and I really hope to stay. This is a view from earlier this Spring - would you want to leave?