Howdy from Snoqualmie Pass!

Oh my, how Washington continues to deliver.  I bust out 75 miles in 2 and 1/2 days and it's been some of the most amazing trails and hiking that I have ever seen.  The last 30 miles of this section were out of this world.  For a girl that lives in Banff, that says a lot! 

I was questioning my decision making yesterday as I staggered out of the woods, exhausted at 8:30 last night to find myself a bed at the Summit Inn.  The best surprise was the shitty-ass trailer out front of the gas station:  it was open at 9:00 at night and the guy proceeded to pump me full of the best gourmet chicken, veggie and ginger (huge chunks) Currgy that I've ever had.  Then he poured me a couple of glasses of coconut milk and charged me a whopping $7. Oh, America!  I love everything about you, but especially your small towns and the people that live there.

My body continues to amaze me, fingers crossed it continues to do so.  I'm giving it all awful lot of abuse.  I know that there's a strong possibility of injury, but currently I wouldn't change a thing.  If I blow up tomorrow it will all be worth it.  These are some seriously hard miles!  It's one big roller coaster and this girl is love, love loving the epic climbs and monster descents.  I really, really, have to repress the urge to run on the downhills - it's a good thing the pack weight and design is keeping me grounded to a walk  I love to downhill run and fly down the mountain and trudging with a pack is distinctively less fun and downright slow.  :)  I've improved:  I can definitely pick my feet up quicker on the descent than when I first started.  Uphills, well - I love to climb and enjoy the reward when you get to the top.  And the rewards here are epic.

I'm lollygagging this morning, but computering, phone calls and life maintenance all take time.  They are enjoyable.  A large greasy breakfast, feet-up, stretching (ouch), laundry and now some computer time.  If I'm lucky I should still get a half day in on the trail.  It's a welcome break and my dawgs are killin' me.  It's a bit of a heat wave at present in Washington.  It was smokin' hot and had to be in the 90's all day.  That meant taking special care with lots of shirt and hat immersions in the creek to keep me cool, way more water and even electrolyte tablets.  I've got to take care of me!  And the wilderness is know place to be pukey and heat strokey.

Yesterday, I ran into a thru-hiker that had jumped on the trail since Lake Tahoe.  Super nice guy (they all are, depending on level of delirium they can be downright entertaining).  This guy was awesome, because he was a like-minded flower geek and told me to look out for the Carniverous Butterwort.  There's quite a few species here that I have know idea what they are and this was one of them.  It kept me amused for quite a few hours and I kept talking to myself in a British accent telling stories all about the Carniverous Butterwort.  I sound so much better educated when I speak in a British accent.  I figure Carniverous Butterwort would be a wicked good Trail Name.  I am a delicate flower!

Oh yes, PCT culture dictates that people get a Trail Name.  Mostly, it's a name that's given to you from other thru-hikers.  I'm holding out for a name. Currently, I'm still Leslie from Banff.  I reckon my name should be Southbound.  It's self explanatory!

This is going to be a quick 2 part post - photos to come from the I-Touch.

Happy Trails!  It's a 4 day jaunt through some beautiful wilderness to my next stop:  While Pass.

Leslie

First Thoughts on the PCT

Good Grief I've got my work cut out for me!!
Day 1 officially blew my mind. The scenery out here in Washington is most definitely comparable to my home in Banff. It's wild, immense and yes, even a little scary in the dark woods. :)

My plan went out the window on Day 1. The idea was to start slow and ease myself into it. But Angela and I started hiking and we kind of hike fast...

Next thing you know we've gone 30 Miles. Damn!! So much for taking it easy. We tagged the Canadian border and I started my hike Southbound on August 1st.

First thoughts...

It's been lot of years since I've been backpacking. It's hard work and it hurts a lot in the beginning. Feet are getting used to 12 hour days, neck, shoulders, hips. The smell, oh the stink!! Yes, I sweat all day, my running shoes are already rank, we call it The Funk. Living in the dirt is well, dirty. But the scenery!!! Oh my. This is some wild, big and crazy beautiful corner of America. I had no idea.

















Saw the first Northbound Thru-hikers on Day 3, My first bear on the same day and had a whirlwind visit to Stehekin.

There's a lot of scrubbing my Unmentionable Bits with snow to keep clean. Fortunately, I haven't been busted by any other random hikers yet!!

I've lost shit. Meh. Didn't need it anyways. I call it lightening my load. My dad used to say they I'd lose me head if it wasn't screwed on. But, he also used to say that I have a piano tied to my ass!!

Angela has been great company. While standing on a very small patch of dirt, on a very snowy and foggy Red's Pass we sang a stirring rendition of Kenny and Dolly's Islands in the Stream. She also averts her gaze when I scrub my Unmentionable Bits with snow. :)

There's plenty of good people around. OK-we did go a day and a half without seeing Anyone. But, when we did they were good people's!! I successfully borrowed 2 pairs of Microspikes from random strangers to get us safely over a snowy pass. See? Good People's. They are getting their spikes and a wee Prezzie in the mail.

Speaking of Good Peeps my Washington running buddies Eric and Michelle brought me treats and I got a quick visit here in Skykomish. They also gave Angela a ride back to civilisation after 8 fun filled days on the trail. What a great way to start the trip!! Now, it's most me heading out by my lonesome tomorrow. Excited. Just a little bit scared. But, ready for the adventure!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Middle of Nowhere in a Tent

Happy Trails!

It's the beginning of a Great Adventure.

We're heading out today, for the Pacific Crest Trail.  I start today!! 

I'm hopeful that I can keep in touch with y'all through Facebook and the blog.  I also realize that when I hit a trail town, I'm going to want to eat, sleep and shower. :)

I hope you all get out and enjoy your own adventures and please, come share along in mine!  I'm stoked to hit the trail.  Ciao for now!

Happy Trails,

Leslie

Breathing, Buzzing and Busting it Out

As the title of this post indicates, I'm reverberating with excitement. 

All-of-a-sudden-like:  my Grand Adventure!  It's here!  I'm hitting the trail!  For 4 months!!

I've spent the past few months getting my body in order.  My body was angry.  We had to do a little re-building from the ground up.  It's taken awhile to re-establish our relationship, but I like to think I'm new and improved.  Ater being injured for an extended period of time, I'm still learning to trust my body. But, I'm feeling strong as well as cautiously nervous.  Like I said, I'm still learning to trust.

The prep has been a little crazy.  The past few months have been a little crazy.  While I'm not a girl who is proned to stress, I've had to remember to breath.  :)  Inhale!  Exhaaaaale.  My work will be rewarded.  Patience, Grasshopper.  But really, I've missed being out on the trails in Banff.  I've spent way to much time inside this spring.  Baaaa, the gym.  I try to love it, but I hate it.  I've missed the trail.  I've certainly been out there marching around the woods with my pack on, but I haven't quite had the number of epic adventures that I have grown used to.  It's a good thing I've got a major adventure right around the corner because I'm so ready for quality time on the trails.

So.  I hit the trail in a week! 

I'm a self-confessed lousy organizer, so I'm as ready as I'll ever be.  All that is left is to get on the trail and get walking.  Last weekend, I packed up my re-supply boxes, looked over the maps and trail towns and got really, really excited.  Reading all about the trail towns and the places in between gave the trail a little more shape in my mind.  I've got all sorts of things and places and people to look forward to visiting out there.  But, I'm focusing on one step at a time and one foot in front of the other.  I think my Ultra mind set will serve me well.  While I'm certainly know expert, I've learned some valuable lessons with my many, many miles spent on the trail.  But, really - this is brand new territory for me.  While there have been backpacking trips in my youth and fast-packing trips in recent years, this is a different beast.  I've got plenty to learn.  Hopefully, fingers crossed - the body will provide.  Either way, I'm going to have fun trying. I'm buzzing with anticipation and excitement!!

What's the plan?

Well, Keith will be driving Angela and I out to Hart's Pass in Washington next Monday and Tuesday.  Yay!  Finally!  I am PCT bound. Whoop! Whoop!  I'll start my hike on August 1st with Angela who is going to join me for the first few weeks.  The Amazing Ms. Angela is a fine trail companion and amongst other things is a PCT Class of 2009 Alumni.  She's successfully hiked the PCT before from Mexico to Canada.

Hart's Pass trail head is a gravel road in the middle of nowhere and it's the closest spot to the border.  From there, we will hike 30 miles Northbound to Monument 78 and the Canadian border.  Then, we'll turn around and walk the trail back to where we started.  We get to do this "bonus loop" because the US Government doesn't permit people walking across the border at random wilderness crossings.  Understandable. You've got to cross at an official border crossing.  And I don't want to get shot.  So, I'll do a bonus lap to the border, tag the border and turn around.  It's supposed to be quite the gorgeous and ass-kicking 30 Miles, so I'm looking for ward to start it despite how strange it seems to be doing it this way.

Aaaaah, Washington!  The first state on my Pacific Crest Trail journey.  I long to explore your steep mountains, your vast green forests and your moss covered slopes.  The Cascades are huge.  I've never explored them before and it's a rather intimidating start even for this mountain girl.  The trail is tough out there.  The snow is still leaving this corner of the world and I suspect I'll have wet feet all day every day.  The creeks are still raging and a few bridges are washed out.  It's going to be a challenge right off the start.  I'm very glad for Angela's fine company.  Having company for the first couple of weeks will be a wonderful way to start my journey.  And then I'll be on my lonesome....

It's non-stop big mountains all the way to the Columbia River Gorge - and I imagine lots of dark, green, thick bush. And mosquitoes.  'tis the Season.  Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates and the bugs don't carry me away.  I suspect, when I roll into Cascade Locks and the Columbia River Valley I'll be a tired, dirty, happy girl.  I also think my timing is going to be serendipitous for meeting many of the Northbound "herd" of hikers!   So, perhaps there may be a bit of socializing to be done in this little trail town. It will be most definitely a welcome day-off.

In my mind, I've mapped out each section of Washington.  The mail-outs, the stops and the brief places of civilisation in between are all little things to look forward to.  But, the trail....oh, the trail!  This is what I'm most looking foward to discovering.  Magical new places.  And, the Pacific Crest Trail is loaded with them.  For a girl like me who likes nothing more than spending long days on the trail - it really is my idea of a dream holiday.  I can do this thing that I like to do day after day, after day!!  New places, new people, new scenery, new trails.  Every day, all day.  It's a dream trip for me, fer sures.  I'll be out there for months!!  How exciting is that!!  And if I stop having fun, or my body explodes, or I miss my husband - it's quite simple:  I'll stop.  With no regrets.  Because really, it's all about the adventure.  Whatever the adventure beholds, I'm ready and welcoming.  It's time for this girl to bust it out.

Perspective and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance

>>This was written 3 weeks ago.  Life's been busy!<<

Perspective.  It's an easy thing to lose track of. 

I've had a rough couple weeks.  There's nothing more upsetting to an active person than the loss of their mobility and I've been injured.  I've got a nasty case of Anterior Compartment Syndrome in the front of my lower legs, nasty pressure in my shins.  For now, the treatment has been rest, icing, acupuncture, stretching and getting the swelling under control.  I have had 21 days on my butt and last week, my depression was compounded by the gorgeous weather we were having here in Banff.  Oh Woe Is Me.

The worry was (and still is) that this might be injury that might stop me dead in my tracks on the Pacific Crest Trail and that was upsetting.  Keith was away enjoying 6 days of amazing road riding in California and glorious weather.  This was probably a good thing because I would have been lousy company in this state of mind.  It takes a lot to get me down, truthfully it's an extremely rare event.  But, this injury had me worried and that got me upset and stressed.

When I talked to Keith in California he said "Things could be a lot worse.  You could be Janna-Cate or Lori".  Naturally, this is not what I wanted to hear but was a very fair and timely comment to put things in perspective.  My friend Lori has just spent the past 2 weeks in intensive care in the Mayo Clinic after getting brain surgery for a large tumor in her head. Her surgery was terrible beyond words and recovery has been excruciatingly painful.  My friend Janna a young mother of 4, is currently struggling with an undiagnosed illness which is leaving her with MS like symptoms, pain and chronic fatigue.  Imagine, if you were to sick to take care of your kids with no idea of how to improve the situation.  Now that's brutal.  Me, I've got a silly athletic injury.  WTF was I thinking?

Naturally, he was right and this was just the thing I needed to hear.  Things could be much, much worse.  The dark clouds lifted as I shifted my perspective.  Hell, yeah things could be worse.  My current injuries are small potatoes.  They will go away, I'll get better and life will go on. Maybe I'll go on a long hike, maybe I won't.  But, I'll be fine either way.

I was feeling better emotionally when I went back to work on Monday morning.  My perspective had changed, the moping was done and it was time to make a plan and focus on the "What can I do" instead of the "What can't I do".  And then, I got a phone call that changed everything.

It was nearing the end of my work day when the phone rang and I got one of those phone calls that nobody wants to get.  "There's been an accident" said my friend Beat phoning from distant California.  "There was an emergency call and all I know is that Keith was hit by a motorcycle".  I took a breath, stayed calm and thought:  No need to worry, until you know the details.  

I soon discovered through a few phone calls, that Keith was in an ambulance in transit.  I couldn't get any details until he arrived at the hospital, wherever that was.  I knew he had been riding his bike in Yosemite, on Tioga Pass Road far from cell service and far from ambulance service.  This could take awhile, so stay cool.  I ate a bagel.  I had a cup of tea.  I kept phoning the hospital.  I stayed cool.  The woman at the hospital on the other end of the phone was awesome.  When I told her my story she said:  Call me as often as you want, honey.  When his name appears on my screen, we'll get you an answer.  And so, I waited.  I phoned.  I repeated.

After close to an hour and a half, Keith's name miraculously appeared on a computer screen in a hospital in Sonoma, California.  Immediately, I was put through to the nurses station.  I told the nurse I was looking for a status on my husband and she said "I've got him right here, would you like to talk to him?"  which surprised the heck out of me.  And just like that, Keith was on the phone and giving me some needed answers.

The first thing he said was:  Hi honey!  I get to get a new bike!  Then he said:  But I think I broke my back.  In fact, I'm rather sure I broke my back.  But guess what?  I can wiggle all of my fingers and toes and my helmet barely got a scratch!  But, apart from that I'm fine. I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

Jill's account of this adventure gone awry is here.


Her thoughts following the accident.


>>I'm taking up this story many weeks later.  3.5 weeks have gone by.  We've been busy. Keith is healing.  Actually, Keith is healing incredibly.  We weren't sure what to expect, but his progress has been rather amazing to say the least.  He is going to be just fine.<<

So, the story is this:  it was a crazy fluke of an accident. Keith and Jill were just biking along when he got hit from behind, by a large and heavy Harley Fat Road King.  All he heard was a loud "Nooooooo!" seconds before being hit.  Jill, was in front and did not get hit.  The driver of the bike, lost control, dropped the bike and it slammed into Keith and his bike from behind.  It hit his back wheel first, which simultaneously launched him up into the air and broke his back.  He bounced off the asphalt, where he came to a stop and suspected that he had broken his back.  Jill was carrying a SPOT beacon, there was no cell service and the emergency 911 call went through the Spot Call Centre.  It took a long time for the ambulance to come, because he was on a road in the middle of the mountains and far from a town.  He lied on the asphalt so long that he got a sunburn.


At the hospital, he got incredible treatment and found out that yes, he had broken his back.  He's got a compression fracture of the L-2 Vertabrae. He spent 24 hours in the American Health care system.  Fortunately, we had insurance.  He got another ambulance to a hospital in Modesto where, he got a good nights sleep.  The next day he saw specialists, got and MRI, got a back brace and a walker and got sent home.  I suspect that Jill had a very stressful 24 hours.  Indeed, a traumatic and stressful 24 hours.  I'm so thankful for her being there, to take care of my man.  It was weird to be here, unable to do anything. 

And so it is.

I've read that a little perspective, like a little humor, goes a long way.

Keith has been recovering now for 4 weeks today.  He is a pretty amazing guy.   His perspective is, and continues to be that he's the luckiest guy around.  He's got a broken back, yet he's almost downright giddy.  He's been a good patient.  He hasn't complained once.  He's healing fast and furious.



And he gets a new bicycle.

Yakima Skyline 50k - Race Report

Every spring I suffer the same disease. Spring Fever.  That means it's time for an escape.

While Life in a Postcard is pretty magical, my only complaint is that winter is long.  The reality of living in Banff is that winter is 7 months long!  So, for the last 7 years, I try and take a little escape in March or April.  Usually, I pick a spring race to keep me motivated to run all through the winter.

Last year, we took a road trip to Sisters, Oregon and ran the Petersen Ridge Rumble. We hung out in Sisters, Hood River and made a side trip to the Yakima Canyon so I could explore the trails.  This year,  I was stoked to make a return trip to Yakima Canyon and enjoy those crazy beautiful trails.  I signed up for the Yakima Rim 50k and recruited Angela and Iris and Angela to join me in the fun. The promise of spring-like weather, runnable trails and sunshine was enough of a tease to motivate us to get in the car and head out on a whirlwind weekend road trip.

Last years run on the Yakima Canyon trails was a serious adventure.  I had to navigate new trails, shoe sucking mud, low cloud coverage, zero visibility, driving rain and gale force winds.  I got occasional glimpses of the surrounding scenery, but mostly I had a very challenging day out in the rain by myself.  I think I was out for 7 plus hours on tired legs.  It was still a most enjoyable day, depsite the adversity.

This year, we were thrilled beyond words to wake up to a perfect blue sky.  There was a happy dance as we got ready and we were giddy with excitement.  We were also heavily caffeinated as we zoomed down Canyon Road on the way to the race start.  I was late in noticing the police car, discreetly tucked behind a barn beside the river.  Angela-Heavy-Foot-Pierotti pulled the car over quickly, after the police car put the lights on and chased us down.  Ang was already cursing and then cursing some more when she realized she didn't have her license either.  Fortunately, when rolled down the window to greet the officer, in leans officer Hubba-Hubba.  Ang was already full of adrenaline, but she was even more flustered after seeing the good officer.  To her credit she answered the mans questions quickly and succinctly without an iota of flirtation.  After checking our details, Officer Hubba-Hubba returned with a smile.  "Y'all came from Canada to run 50km on the trail?"  Lots of smiles and nods and giggles from us.  "Well then have a great day.  And slow down.  There's lots of deer out here."  Yay!  And Hubba-Hubba.  What a nice man.  Purrrrrrr.  Men in Uniform.  That was a great way to start our day.

At the start line, there was lots of familiar faces.  It was great to see running friends Matt Hart, RD James Varner and Roger Michel.  I had forgotten how hospitable those Washington running folks are and I was stoked for the day on hand.  It was such a glorious, perfect day to be out running in this beautiful place.

Perfect Blue Sky

I will say I had a little "runners amnesia" with regards to the trail.  I had forgotten all about the elevation, the rugged trail and yes, the elevation.  All I remember was the shoe-sucking mud and rain of my previous adventure and here it was the same time of year and I had perfect dry buff trail.

As the race started and we began our first massive climb of the day up the steep canyon, I remembered how tough this trail was!  I had wondered why the finishing times were so slow.  Last year, the mens winner was 5h28 and the women's winner was 6h49.  Good Grief.  I challenge you to find any other 50k with over 3000m/10,000 feet of elevation gain (and the same elevation loss).  The girls and I mentally prepared ourselves for a long, enjoyable day on the trail. This race is an out and back with a total of 4 massive climbs and 4 monster quad-busting descents. 

It's a Good Thing I've Got Quads.

Hiking up the first climb, I could help but thinking "Holy Shit!  This is only the first climb!"  It was big and hard and intimidating.  So, I tried to relax and do my thing and get my hike-on.  Up, Up and UP!

When we got to the top, there was a nice runnable jeep track that rolled along the plateau.  It felt great to finally get running and shake out the legs.  The group I was climbing with, including Iris, quickly pulled away but I relaxed and did my own thing.  I rocked through the aid station, but quickly the group caught up to me again and passed me.

It took awhile to settle into a rhythm, but by the time I hit the first decent I was rolling along and loving it.  The views from the canyon rim were amazing and I got super excited when I realized that those were the same mountains that I would be traversing on my upcoming PCT adventure!  Beautiful.

Mount Rainier

I tucked in at the back of our little group and hooted and hollered as we descended the amazing single track.  It was a Forever Descent, that took forever to get down and in the back of my mind I'm thinking "We have to come back up this!"  But, I was lovin' it and flew down with the rest of the group. My smile was as huge as the big blue sky.

Iris descends to the Yakima River

 Yitka, Ras the Rasta and Iris rollin' along

After climbing our way out of the canyon for a second time, our little pack started to spread out a bit.  We got to do a "bonus loop" up to an aid station and again, I rolled through quickly.  We traversed the rim of the canyon, hit a little spring for another head dunk and pretty soon the traffic thinned out.  As I hit the high point, there was nobody in front of me.  I had the pleasure of letting the legs go, as we descended all the way back down to valley bottom and the half-way mark.  It was a pretty technical descent, laden with rocks big and small, but I was loving it.  I started to see all the front-runners climbing back towards us, as I flew down the hill.  I was flying!  I was surprised to see Yitka hot on my heels, she had rocked the descent as well.  We both did a quick turn around at the aid station and headed back out and back UP.  The sun was out full force, so I gave my head and shirt a good soak, before heading out.  It felt like a blazing inferno, as we climbed back up under a full hot sun.  I got to see Iris flying down, maybe a couple of minutes behind us.

Yitka latched on to me and together we climbed up and up.  It was great to have the company. I was working hard, breathing hard and wasn't my usual chatty self.  But, I was having a good time, enjoying every moment and feeling super strong.  I think we climbed for almost an hour, before I tagged the upper aid station, entertained the volunteers with a rendition of "Eye of the Tiger" and blast off.  

 Me and Yitka

On my 3rd descent back down to the river, I was truly charging.  I caught up with a women and passed her on the descent and she told me with a slightly-know-it-all tone that I should "save my Quads for the last descent!"  Lady.  I thought to myself with a giggle.  Have you seen my Quads?   At this point, I thought that I had moved into 3rd place.  I was a wee bit surprised to find myself there and decided I wanted to keep myself there and that meant actually racing.  I usually just run my own race, go my own speed, take photos and socialize.  So, this was something different and fun!

At the bottom of the valley, I stuck my head and my jersey in the creek to cool me down and then, I decided it was time to get down to business.  So, I put my camera away and focused on the task at hand.  Game-On!

Heck, yeah!  Straight Up!

 Beautiful trail and Ridge

The last climb was big and nasty, but I loved it.  I power-hiked up the hill and passed a few people along the way.  While I wasn't moving fast, I seemed to be moving better than those around me.  I do a lot of hiking in winter and ski touring and I was putting those ski touring muscles to good use with every stride.  I was missing my hiking poles.  Clearly, it was going to be a long tough day for everyone out there until the dirty end. 

Finally, I reached the top and forced myself into a run.  It took my brain a lot of power to will my tired legs to run. :)  The rolling jeep track kept climbing gradually and it was never ending.  The crowd had thinned out, but Yitka kept magically appearing off in the distance.  Although, I was running alone for most of the last 15k I was running scared!    Fortunately, I picked a guy up to latch onto at the last aid station.  A guy in a singlet and short-shorts and a mustache.  He was definitely channeling his inner Steve Prefontaine.  I kept him within my sights and his short-shorts kept me moving and grooving.

And finally!  We hit the last descent.  And it was a Monster.  The Leslie Quads were still working, but they were a little trashed.  There were random noises coming out of me and I didn't have the flow of the other 3 descents. This last descent started off super steep and I was glad when it leveled off to a manageable grade and I could let the legs loose again.  I was motivated to keep it going until the finish.  But the truth is, that last descent was tough!  And Hot.  Gosh, I was so hot.  Still, I charged to the finish line like a crazed woman.  Happy and satisfied .  What a great race!  The first thing I did was find the creek, jump in and soak my entire body.  Man, I needed that cold water, it felt so good on the legs and the brain.

When I finally looked at the results, it turns out that I was in 4th place, not 3rd. :)  Oops-a-daisy!  I never was good at paying attention and counting.  I somehow missed seeing the uber-speedy Chris and Darla Askew who ran and raced together.  Darla finished first in 6h20 well ahead of the rest of the ladies.  I would have loved to say Hi, as I met the Askew's last year at the Rumble and are Good People. But alas!

Overall, I had a great day at Yakima.  The race course was perfect for a girl like me who has been marching up and down mountains all winter.  I love a good Slog!  With the sweet combination of running and hiking, and those killer descents - I was in Leslie heaven.  I felt strong all day, but challenged myself to work a little bit harder than usual and enjoyed it.  Love, love, love this race!

Angela finished strong and was hot and bothered like me by the end of her race.  We found an immediate solution in the creek:

Iris enjoyed her day out on the trails, but struggled with the heat and the "Belly's" in the last half of the race.  That course was a beast!

After a long day in the sun and pushing ourselves, we were all tired girls.  On the drive home, I was "driving like a Stoner" and should have been pulled over for impaired driving.  Unfortunately, Officer Hubba-Hubba had gone home for the day.

Angela, Iris and Me

The weekend was just what I was looking for:  some sunshine, good company and some fabulous running around on trails.  It was the perfect remedy for Spring Fever.  Thanks girls! 

Also, Yitka also wrote up a great Race Report on her blog.  Good People Run!

Two Tramps in Mud Time and Other Stories

Spring is in the air.  Here in Banff, that means spring snow flurries and big, wet, fluffy flakes falling from the sky.  We have received a ridiculous amount of snow throughout the month of March, but finally I can smell something different in the air.  The end is within sight!  It's spring, glorious spring that I sense around the corner.

Oh, springtime.

It's the season of poetry.  The season of change, of renewal, of growth, of love!  In Banff, it's also the season of sun, rain, snow, ice, mud and wildlife. 

Giant Wolf prints - Sunday's run

I returned from this evening's run, soaking wet after experiencing "4 Seasons in a run".  It started blissfully calm, then the wind picked up, then it snowed, then it snowed hard and blew harder:  wet/sticky flakes stuck to my clothing, my hair and found there way up my nose and down my throat.  And then the sun came out.  And then I got wet, sweaty and soaked.  I love Springtime in Banff!

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March. 

Robert Frost:  Two Tramps in Mud Time

Mount Rundle - Monday Night Run

Truthfully, the past 5 weeks have swirled by like a spring snowstorm in Banff.


I was feeling like Superwoman last month and enjoying a steady diet of adventures:  lots of long runs, ski touring and power-hiking up some of my backyard mountains.  You know, normal Leslie stuff. Then, after a hard training week - my poor tight body seized up and those tight muscles pulled my back all out of whack.  So, I've been a bit out of sorts.  I've since got the back sorted and have been working on my flexibility like crazy.  I Was Gone, But Now I Am Found.  Yip!  I'm glad to be back in the saddle.

Johnson Lake - Sunday's Run

The weekend that I put my back out, I read The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo in 3 days.  Good Grief.  I needed that distraction to maintain some form of sanity.  I couldn't sit down, so the computer was out.  So, I read the book kneeling, standing, lying and pacing.  I walked, I stretched, I soaked in the hot tub and I tried to get some mobility into my stiff spine.  It was good to take some days off.  I relaxed.  I read.  I medicated. ;)  I went to the chiropractor.  And eventually, I got myself moving comfortably again.  It was a good reminder that I do need to take better care of little ol' me.  It's time to look at what ails me and fix it so I can feel like Superwoman again!

Spring on the back deck

Also, for the past 6 weeks Keith has been nursing a busted shoulder.  My back woes were nothing compared to his injury.  While we were last ski touring, he hit a rock under the snow and took a tumble.  He ended up fracturing his shoulder and tearing a bunch of soft tissue.  He's been a very good patient.  Much better than me, truth be told!  

Danni and Stormy are Superwomen!

Speaking of Superwomen, the divine Ms. Danni came to visit us from Montana.  She brought her entourage of Ladies Who Rock, introduced me to a Montana girl who is now a Banff girl and did a Ski-Mo Race while she was here.  She recently returned from a visit to Alaska where she finished the Susitna 100, pulling a sled through snow and ice.  Danni reminds me that it's possible to do anything you set your mind to.  Last year, she made partner at her law firm and joined the Kalispell Roller Derby team.  Two year ago, she couldn't actually ski and this year she's competing in ski races.  Go figure.  She's always challenging herself, yet constantly reminds me not to take yourself or anything else to seriously, because really:  it's all about FUN.  I love this girl.

Danni, Amber and Lora:  The C-Team in the house.

But I digress.

The one thing that seems to constantly be on my brain these days, is the Pacific Crest Trail.

Oh, sweet trail of my dreams.

Normally, I'm the least obsessive person that I know but the PCT has taken hold and won't let go.  It's out of control.  It's side effect of pouring over information on the computer for hours on end.  I've got books, too.  There's even a PCT Class of 2012 group of Facebook, so I can connect with all of the other crazy kids out there who are hiking the this year.  There's a lot of good energy out there and most of these people are hitting the trail soon and have already done all of their preparations.  Me, I'm still researching and have been obsessing over such questions as:  What to eat?  What to wear?  Glasses or Contacts?  Daily distance?  Resupply? These are the questions I ask myself.

Maybe that is why my back is so sore:  too much time on the computer!

I've never been much of a planner or organizer, so it's all a little overwhelming.  I keep thinking to myself, Really?  Can't I just throw a bunch of shit in my pack and start walking?  Resupply along the way?  I'm very tempted to just do just this, it appeals to my Path Of Least Resistance nature.  I'm also a simple, uncomplicated creature and truthfully, this method might just work well for me.  As my friend Kendra likes to say: "What Could Go Wrong?!?" 

Apart from sitting at the computer too much, the research phase has actually been a lot of fun.  It's got me excited.  I bought some new gear.  Did I mention, I'm EXCITED?  But, I'm trying not to get too excited and focus on one thing at a time.  I've got lots of other things to look forward and spring is coming.  Like spring, adventure is in the air.  :)

I'm taking a short road trip with Angela and Iris to Washington to run the Yakima Skyline 50k.  I'm looking forward to an excuse to travel, run, make new running friends and see new trails.  Actually, Yakima Canyon is not totally new for me.  Last year, I had a misadventure there while on holidays with Keith which involved a lot of mud, zero visibility, my Hoka's being sucked off my feet, 7 hours of running and Keith accidentally going 4 x 4'ing in the mini-van.  It was a fun day.  I'm looking forward to a return visit, with hopefully some better spring weather.  The Mini-van is demanding a return visit.

The Bow Valley and Mount Rundle

In the meantime, I'll be enjoying the change of season and breathing in all of that good fresh air.  Spring is a magical time of year in Banff.

A bluebird comes tenderly up to alight  
And turns to the wind to unruffle a plume
His song so pitched as not to excite  
A single flower as yet to bloom.  
It is snowing a flake; and he half knew  
Winter was only playing possum.  
Except in color he isn't blue,  
But he wouldn't advise a thing to blossom.

Robert Frost:  Two Tramps in Mud Time