Wahkeena Falls/Multnomah Falls Loop (7/21/17)

Yesterday's adventure was the Wahkeena Falls/Multnomah Falls loop with Brittany!

We left town shortly before 11 and hit a bit of traffic on I-5. And then I got distracted and missed the exit for the Old Columbia River Highway. We ended up parking in the main Multnomah lot instead of at the Wahkeena trail head like we normally do.

There was a lot of activity at Multnomah Falls - sheriff's deputies, city police, park rangers, ambulances - and Life Flight landed just as we arrived! We overheard a deputy say someone up on the trail had a seizure and then cardiac arrest. We sure hope he's OK!

Because we parked at Multnomah, and the trail was closed because of the rescue, we started our counter-clockwise hike with the connector trail to Wahkeena. Being noon on a beautiful Friday, it was very crowded as we made our way across. 

The crowds thinned a bit as we climbed. We stopped for pics at Fairy Falls and then took the Vista Point Trail, hoping for more solitude. The start of the trail is a bit flooded, so most people were sticking with the Wahkeena Trail.

Soon we were back on Wahkeena and headed east toward Multnoma Creek.

 It's super fun to take someone to explore new places :)

We reached the top of Multnomah Falls and then joined the tourist crowd on the paved descent.  

Another beautiful day outside :)

TF '16

Flashback to fall:

Eryn and I filled carts at Winco and New Seasons for Turkey Feast 2016!

Our annual feast was a small affair but still full of friends, food and festivity :)

I almost canceled, as this was the week of the election and I truly didn't feel like a party. But we decided to make it a Trump-free zone and go ahead with the feasting.

The menu included ham (easier than turkey) and lots of gluten-free options.

YUM!!!

TF wouldn't be complete without more pie than we can eat :)

:)

Summer Streakin' 2017: Part 2

7/3 - trailing running at Tryon:

7/4 - 5 on the 4th - plus we rode our bikes to the race :)

7/5 - hike Tryon with Lindsey and kickboxing in the evening:

7/6 - morning run:

7/7 - hike Larch Mountain with Brittany and Tina: #fierce

7/8 - treadmill walk with The Office:

7/9 - no real workout - but moving my grandparents.

7/10 - Tryon trail run - 7 miles!

7/11 - more moving the grandparents

7/12 - morning run with Ben and evening Super Kickboxing:

7/13 - more moving

7/14 - Hug Point hike and Cape Lookout Hike (to south beach):

 7/15 - Cape Lookout hike:

7/16 - birthday lunch, church meeting, death in the family... too much going on. no time for a workout.

7/17 - Tryon trail run - 4 miles:

7/18 - noon kickboxing and a bike ride to the park:

7/19 - Super Kickboxing:

:)

Spoiled

My birthday is the week of graduation - the busiest week of my year! 

This year, it was also Global Running Day! So Brad and I started off with a neighborhood run. 

Despite the busyness, I sure felt spoiled this year. Throughout the day, the gifts, balloons, cards, flowers, goodies and well wishes just kept coming!

My second THS birthday treat. The first one came a month early :)

My favorite card came from Pam. She knows me so well ;)

In the evening, Brad and I went to Super Kickboxing, and Candice and Brittany gave me a special birthday workout. It was perfect and awesome - I loved it!!!!!

Then because of graduation responsibilities and other scheduling stuff, we put off family dinner until the next week. First, I ran to pick up a Redbox. I've been eyeing a really hilly fall half marathon, so I decided to run up and over Canterbury Hill to grab a DVD. It was a great reminder why I don't run in the middle of the day. SO HOT AND HUMID!

Salmon and garlic mashed potatoes for birthday dinner :)

Then we watched the latest Bourne movie. It was a good day :)

No. 30

No. 30 for the year was John Sandford's Chosen Prey:

I really like this author's style. I need to find more of his books :)

No. 29

No. 29 was another David Baldacci audio book:

The Fix is another in the Amos Decker series - not my favorite of the Baldacci's, but a good "read".

His next book isn't due out until November....

No. 28

No. 28: Hundred-Dollar Baby by Robert B. Parker.

Nothing special, but an entertaining mystery :)

5 on the 4th (7/4/17)

Per tradition, we did a family race to kick off our Fourth of July festivities!

The ORRC 5 on the 4th is held at Mentor Graphics, right next to Brad's work in Wilsonville. We did this race a couple years ago and really liked it, so we signed up again. And like last time, we rode our bikes the 9 miles to the start.

Tutus!!!!!!

Mom's still battling a torn plantar fascia, so she took pictures and then went to an acupuncture appointment. Ready to run:

Brad stayed with me while I ran as fast as my tired legs would allow. I was running hard but couldn't quite maintain when the road went uphill about .25 from the end. I took a short moment to catch my breath, then I sprinted to the end. I finished in 26:32, an 8:32 average. I'll take it! 

My time was good enough for 4/13 in my age group, 16/63 females and 52/122 overall.

This was Eryn's first race since her spring back surgery to repair a herniated disc. She did great! Ready to get back on the racing wagon :)

She sprinted past that other woman in the tutu!

Dad's been caring for his ailing 97-year-old father and hasn't had much time for working out. But he didn't want to miss the holiday fun :)

Dad and Brad won raffle prizes!!!

:)

Official race pics!