Kathmandu Cab Rides

Here's a video of our cab ride from the airport in Kathmandu, last fall.  A typical cab ride in Kdu. Rich filmed it. I took shotgun. Been meaning to share this. Quite the experience.

And here's our cab driver Anele. This guy was great. Definitely someone I want to remember. Working hard for his family, always with a smile. He asked us our names, when we first ran into him. Rich says, "I am Rich." Without missing a beat, Anele smiles and says, "I am poor. Get in. Please!"

Run for the Honeywagon Half

 

It's looking more and more like I'm the proof that slow people can blog too. I really struggled today at the Honeywagon 1/2 in Everson. The left leg was uncooperative--it just doesn't kick--and laying off hasn't helped much either.

But nonetheless, the Honeywagon remains a favorite of mine, covering the half marathon distance through north country fields, with raspberry bushes tied, horses standing in their fields, and cows watching you go by.  I was telling a friend that the course reminds me of rural Virginia, where my family still lives.

I've been doing this Greater Bellingham Running Club race for years, but this year it really seemed to increase in number of participants. More people running is a good thing, but it does change the complexion of a race a bit. Besides the crowd, this year's race will go down as the "headwind year," as there was a hard wind blowing, most noticeable on Mile 11 to 12, where it almost stood me up, probably slowing that mile pace down by a minute or more.

Great as always to see so many friends at this event, including Bryan, Steve, Charlie, Heather and Craig, John, Jim, and others. Larry L. has graciously taken over the mantle of RD--there's a great story of how I first met Larry-- and good to see Grant out there too, helping out. 

Listened to Saturday Night Fever and John Mellencamp on the way up. Saturday Night Fever is 35 years old now.

 

 

Pike Place Market, Early AM

  

After spending the night in downtown Seattle, I got up early on Sunday and went for a short run, ending it with a walk around Pike Place Market.  Seattle's favorite tourist destination has a decidedly different look in the early AM, as vendors prepare for the day. Recommend doing this--I used to do it every now and then, but its been a few years now. I took a few photos, and wanted to post them here. If you have a blog, might as well use it.

I grabbed a latte at the original Starbucks, talked to the fish stand people who were unloading a load from Craig, Alaska, and more or less just took things in. My father grew up in the Madison area of Seattle in the 1940s, and has told me stories of riding his bike here to pick up smelt for Grandma to cook.