Needles 25k

Rich and Adam hosted a terrific semi-fat ass type run out in Easton, entitled Needles 50k. A fall back 25k option was available, and was more than enough for me.

The course is hard.

The 50k has about 10k in gain; the 25k probably comes in around 5k. The first half of the course is dry, and so you have to plan accordingly. The event starts out with a 3k+ climb or so up towards Doamrie Divide/Peak something, and the views are really cool. You look down on Lake Cle Elum and out towards eastern Washington (Teanaway, etc.). You can see Goat Peak across the way as you climb, which is the first climb of Cascade Crest. There are some picket fence type peaks to the north. Rainier. And more.

But the climb is tough. Maybe next time when I know what's coming a little better, it'll go easier. Or if I lay off the sweets. But I'd get up one miner's trail, and then there'd be another, and another, and I'm gasping, wondering about max pulse rates and blown radiators. Some really nice wildflowers, surprisingly still out-- lupine, paintbrush, columbines, astors. 

The full 50k does a loop out by Little Joe Lake and then up Mt. Thorpe, basically tracing the last trail section of Cascade Crest. And that's spectacular, with views of Lake Kachess, Mt. Rainier, and some mountains to be named later.  I didn't go that way--I did the cut through at the paper plate to the Silver Creek trail, for the so-called 25k route, which was probably 30k. This is a beautiful section in its own right--with two or three sharp climbs, and more views in all directions. The course finishes out through the Silver Creek drainage, just like CC. 

My effort was horrible. My consolation is I got out there. As consolations go, they don't get much better. Rich greeted me at the finish with a nice, ice cold Fanta, which is reminiscent of our days on the Annapurna Circuit with Seth. That was just plain perfect.

The best part of the weekend for me was seeing old friends. I camped both nights, and got to talk for a bit with many good peeps. A good time was had by all. 

Also, I camped in a field, under the stars each night. I love the Eastern Washington night sky. Satellites, the hue of the Milky Way, the pack of wolves near my tent...it's all pretty special.

Alas, no pics. Camera battery dead, and I didn't want to carry the phone, which takes bad pics anyway. Plenty of pics of the area available by searching Silver Creek, Easton Ridge, Lake Kachess Ridge, Domarie Peak. 

Loggerodeo

No pics, and not much of a report to make. Once again, I ran this terrific event on the 4th of July. I was very slow. The hip and left knee do not agree with me, and I should go have things checked, but when the day comes to get out, that's what I do. Great to see Skagit Runners peeps at the race, running and volunteering. The Skagit community is fortunate to have this longstanding event every 4th of July morning. 

New Orleans

We visited New Orleans on a work related trip last week. A great place to visit, I wouldn't want to live there...because of the summer humidity. There was plenty of walking, but not much running. 

We took a swamp tour on our last day there. Saw lots of alligators, and got to hold a two year old. We saw a couple alligators eating a deer that they must have pulled into the water, and did a death roll with. There were dragonflies, but didn't find any snakes. The swamp vegetation was lush. We did the flat boat rather than the fan boat, and I would recommend this, as the fan boat had too many tourists and seemed loud.

We ate really well. Too well, sure. We stayed in a hotel right outside the renowned French Quarter, and wandered in their daily. A couple visits to the famed Cafe Du Monde coffee shop for beignets. An afternoon at Acme Oysterhouse. The grilled were great. Etoufee. Gator bites. Jambalaya. Gumbo. Red Beans and Rice. And so on.

Our room had a view of the mighty Mississippi. We walked on its banks, but didn't make it to the paddle boat.  We did ride the St. Charles trolley out and back, which is the oldest or one of the oldest still running trolleys. This was a great way to see some of the Garden District houses, with their columns and southern ambiance in display.  We made it onto Bourbon Street a couple times--a little much for me, I think, at this point in life.  We also made it to Jackson Square, at night, with all the fortune tellers out.

Our trip just happened to correspond with a visit from Tropical Storm Cindy.  It didn't end up being as bad as it could be, but at times the sewers were overflowing with the intense rainwater. We sat under an awning for 20 minutes at one point.

Truly a terrific place to visit--I hope we make the trip again one of these days.