this race was so fun I'd pay to do it.

I  haven't done any races since last fall. The half-marathon might have been the last one. With the news of the change in job status in February, I cut races from the budget.

Fitness friend Dawn sent me an email about this race. Told her I was on a no-race budget and she sent me a coupon code for a free race. Apparently the first 500 were free. Free fits every budget.

Yesterday, I picked up the first batch of swag—tee, hat and bandana. That was more than enough. And pick up was run like a well oiled machine. I could see part of the course, at least, was already set up.

The race began at 8:30. I left my house for the extended voyage to Lehigh University's Stabler Arena at 7:30. I was parked in the shade, and at the start line by 7:45. At that point only one other family and I were there. Everyone else was at registration. It was shady. I wasn't moving.

The Hawk was setting up for music, or so I thought. Instead they called everyone over for a warm up—line dancing. You read that right — line dancing before a race. I thought I saw Dawn with a group of people I didn't know, so I texted her. It was her. I was glad I saw her, it has been a while.

(Note to self: Add line dancing to the fitness adventure list.)

About 10 minutes before the gun (excuse me, cow bells) they closed the gap and there was a lot of people. During the race I noticed that the proportion of walkers to runners was unbalanced. Lots of families. A lot of walkers. I'd say 65%.

This race was sponsored by the Corner Store. Apparently it is a chain convenience store in the deep south, Texas, and the southwest. And Aquafina water. They provided water, and propaganda about how wonderful their purified tap water is.

Everything was very country. For example there were cowboys on stilts.

The course followed a cross country course at the Goodman campus, past cornfields, barns (who knew?), and soybeans. There was also a large garden for Lehigh. To supplement the course to give it a country feel were giant blow ups of farm animals—pigs, cows, chickens and cocks could all be found. Lots of hay bales too. And the biggest John Deer tractor I ever saw.

I think the course was a little longer than a 5K. I heard 3.4, 3.5, and 53.6. The first mile took forever. It was a Koman mile. All I know is that I had five miles on my tracker when I got home.

Of course cows greeted us at the finish line. I finished a few seconds over 1 minute. Really long for a 5K. But it was on a cross country course, maybe long, and well, frankly, I'm out of shape. Use it or loose it.

Thankfully there were no medals at the end. I find that to be silly. Instead, we received blue ribbons. Even sillier.  But ya gotta, carry that country theme through. And the tiny people looked cute with them around their necks.

The event finished with a Country Fair. If you went home hungry it was your own damn fault. Yes, there were lines at some places, but usually not more than about 10 people. Except at the Icee station. That was probably 15. Because they were giving out full size Icee's and you got to pick the flavor.

As you entered the Fair, you were given a string backpack and water. A really nice, sturdy backpack.  I quickly found out why. The entrance to the Fair was the Corner Stores booth. Nuts, granola, drinks, salty snacks. All the usuals after a race were available. The fruit was outside.

The entire right side of the Fair area was free food. Including beer. Now, most of it was non-nutritional, but still. Dogs, Icees, soft pretzels, chips, water, sports drinks...

The Corner Stores claim to fame must be whoppie pies in both vanilla and chocolate. They were handing out mini ones. They were good, but not to my liking. Too much pie, not enough whoopie. The stilt cowboy photo-bombed my photo with Ms Whoopie.  His guns are bananas.

I didn't get a beer because I had no ID with me. They carded everyone at the beer tent. Besides, it was 10 am.

The middle was a midway with carnival games. You just played. No prizes. No hawkers. No giant bears to win. Play just to play.

The opposite end was the stage with a live, and good, country band. The right side was all the sponsors handing out stuff. I picked up energy drinks for Kool-J and organic beverages and coconut water for Angel.  My bag was heavy. And I was being picky. Lyd and her friends (I found them at the stage) filled two bags. They even won a whoopie pie t-shirts.

This was a $40 race. Normal races are between $20-$30. Steep. But really you got what you paid for and then some. It was well organized and the people were friendly. An excellent race. If I can't get it free, I'd pay to do it again.

Yesterday, instead of walking I went to assist my eleven-year-old friends with her Girl Scout Bronze project. We were painting flowers on the fence and planting plants at the Meuser Library in Wilson. This is us with some of the kids that came to help. Eventually she plans to do her Silver, and Gold Awards here.

They finished today.

This is a small portion of it. That plain grey rock on the right is being saved for me.  I have big plans for it.

camper scamper 5K

This 5k was billed as a trail run, but it was closer to being cross country. It was hard, but fun, and an hour away— Horsham. But I really wanted to do a real cross country 5k. It started maybe two years ago with an episode of the Biggest Loser. They were in Australia and running thru the woods and thru water. I was hooked.

About a month ago Lydia and I did a 5K at the Seed Farm. It was rustic and hard. Close to a cross country, but not really.

Today's was true cross country—grass, wetlands, forest, fields, meadows, rocks, roots, bridges... After parking we were greeted by this sign. At several places. (The logs of the cabin were vinyl siding!)

They clearly forgot to mention the killer black walnuts. Almost lost my ankle a couple of times.

Bonnie decided Thursday she'd walk. Clearly while she was on the DL she practiced silly faces. Or else she had something stronger than hot chocolate for breakfast!

Just off the DL Bonnie cleaned my clock at 55:02. That's a hair less than 3 MPH. Not bad for the terrain.

I finished in 55:55, and Lydia in 63:04.

We stayed for the awards and we won none. But the lady in front of me came in 3rd place for the 60+ age group. But I won a Mary Kay basket in the bib-number raffle. Me and Mary Kay. Now that's funny.

After dropping off Bonnie, we came back to my house and Sharon and I took the dog for a walk.

Right now the back of my thighs, where they join my butt hurt.

Speaking of aching legs and butts. Some walking friends are participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day in Philly!

snowshoes and almost getting a ticket

I haven't done any real walks this week. It's been snowing. And snowing. And snowing. So all I've really done is shoveled. And walking tapes. And sadly, walking from the office to the bathroom and back a zillion times. I managed to get to 10K steps 5 out of the 7 days. Didn't make my 70K goal, again.

On the bright side, all that snow gave me an opportunity to try out my snow shoes for the first time.

I retrieved them from their perch in the garage, and headed to pick up Bonnie. (Lydia was hosting a coffee hour.) I realized that I lost the little paper that said how to adjust them so we went to LL Beam. The nice man adjusted them. Bonnie found me a coat. On sale. My old Land's End jacket is at least two sizes too big. But it comes in handy when you have six layers on.

My shoes adjusted, we headed to the car and out to the street. The light was red. We waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, I turned right, and went up a bit and made a U-Turn. Right at the no U-Turn sign. As a copy was driving past. He waited for me. I was sure I was getting an expensive ticket. I made an illegal turn right in front of me. But he left me off the hook! I got the follow the rules, especially in this weather lecture. Yes, Sir.

Finally we arrived at Upper Saucon Park and the gates to the main park were locked. I went down to DeSales and turned around and headed for the library lot. The trail goes behind the library.

The snow was deep at places. I'm sure it has been drifting.  Because of the snow we couldn't find were to enter the trail, so we just went into the woods. Oops. Missed it. We were in the section that isn't finished yet. We followed the tracks of a cross country skier.

After having to climb over a mound of snow, we finally got to the trail. In front of us was either Bigfoot, or another person on snow shoes. Alas, it wasn't Big Foot. Good thing because the battery on my camera was dead! Again. I really hate that it gives you no low battery warning. Bonnie did take some photos on her phone.

We went about a mile out, and a mile back. I felt like I walked a 10K. Using snow shoes is supposed to burn twice as many calories. I guess that is true.

We past people on cross country skis, snowshoes and lots of dogs. They need to plow at least one lot. Parks are not a one-season place.

On the way home I stopped at Popeye's for shrimp for the roomie and chicken for me. Now I'll need to do another hour of exercise.

Lydia is coming over shortly and we are headed to BJs for dog food. Maybe we'll walk there. Or maybe we'll go to the Monocacy trail. Stay tuned.

ironton rail trail spur

I live in a city. A small city, but still a city. All the Christmas snow is pretty much gone. Or so I thought.

For the first official walk of the new year, I choose the spur trail of the Ironton Rail Trail. The IRT is a paved loop. The spur is straight and about two miles. I think it's the part that was actually the railroad tracks.

Bonnie was early and we headed off to pick up Lyd in the boonies.  (AKA bumfucknowhere) Her address is Northampton, but she's out in farm country. The closer we got to her house the more snow was on the ground. Ut oh.

Lyd got in the car, we waved hi to the dog, and headed to the IRT. We had hoped not to park at the first lot in the Whitehall Parkway, but couldn't find any others, so we parked there. It was plowed. There's a barn covered with hex signs, and tiles with hex signs. I took too many pics.

Thank goodness most of the snow on that trail from that lot had melted.

After walking a bit we arrived on the IRT. It was snow covered with ruts. It didn't look horrible so we headed out, walking in single file, often in the ruts.

When we reached Egypt (the town, not the country) the trail was totally snow covered. We walked on it for a bit, but the road was running parallel, so we moved out into the street.  (Facing traffic of course.)

When we arrived at the Troxell Steckel House the trail bent to the left. We left the trail and walked up to the house. It wasn't open, but we could around the grounds. One day we'll come back when it's open.  The counties website says "this colonial stone farmhouse is an excellent example of German medieval style architecture brought to eastern Pennsylvania by German settlers." It was built in 1756 and is on the historic register.

I really like the inlaid stone sign. Can't read a word of it. Maybe I'll ask when we go again.

We continued on the trail until it ended, turned around and came back. We walked past our entrance point and headed toward MacArthur Road. The trail got worse and worse. It was clear that this section was plowed and it was icy. We tried to double back, and hit dead ends. We ended up going back on the main trail, the way we came.

We walked about 4 miles in 1.5 hours. Clearly we need to get ice grips for days like this. I think I might have a pair up in my camping stuff. Unless I gave them away.

We drove back to Lyds, and dropped her off. And headed toward my house. Bonnie had an appointment and time was running short. I had her drop me off at New Bethany and walked home.

Tomorrow we're meeting at Planet Fitness and doing the East Allentown triangle we planned to do last week.

walking vacation, day one

Yesterday we drove to northwestern Pennsylvania and attempted to do three of the Volkssport State Park Walks. But first we had to check in at the Fairgrounds Market. A combo market/bait shop/lunch place. It was hopping. To my delight there was a giant coq in front of the store.

We signed in, grabbed our bug stuff and headed out. Since Bonnie is still recovering from her hip replacement we chose the "easy 5K". Regardless, with three walks in one day we'd choose the 5K!

Walk 1: I beat Bonnie up the hill!
Moraine State Park is described on the PA-DCNR website as "gently rolling hills, lush forests and sparkling waters disguise a land that has endured the effects of continental glaciers and massive mineral extraction." (Coal mining and oil and gas drilling.)

We arrived at Moraine, put on sneakers and bug stuff, and hit the road. This walk was indeed easy. It was the road around the lake. The lake was huge. It did have a hill, and Bonnie isn't cleared for hills yet, so we took it easy.  At about the one mile mark, we headed back to the car, following the path on the lake. Then it was back up the hill to the car.

There were very few people boating and swimming there. I was a little surprised. It was a beautiful day. Maybe the kids are not out of school yet. And it was a Friday.

 Bathroom: I-3.5

Walk 2: Jennings Environmental Education Center
We had trouble finding this one. About 2 seconds before we had planned to give up, there it was "Jennings provides a unique combination of prairie and forest, which offers a wide array of resource and education opportunities. One of the park’s main features, the 20-acre prairie ecosystem, is home to distinctive prairie plants and the endangered massasauga rattlesnake. The most noteworthy and spectacular prairie flower is the blazing star. Jennings was the first reserve established in Pennsylvania to protect an individual plant species and remains the only public and protected prairie in the Commonwealth."

Cool, sounds just like my cup of tea.  Except did they say RATTLESNAKES? In Pennsylvania? Yep, massasauga rattlesnake. There were signs that stressed you needed to stay on the trails. They are, after all venomous. No need to tell me twice. I walked straight down the middle. We got about a 1/2 mile in and the trails turned to soupy, muddy, watery mess. You stepped in it and your foot sunk in and inch. Ultimately, we turned around and went back. We tried a few other trails, but the same thing always happened. Again, the walk came up short.

Again, we were the only ones there.  Before we left, I checked the bathrooms and again, an I-3.5. The Commonwealth is nothing, if not consistent.

Walk 3: Oil Creek State Park
The third sight was nearly a hour away from the other two. This time we checked in at a country store. Then drove to the park. The DNCR describes this park as  "the site of the world’s first commercial oil well. Oil Creek State Park tells the story of the early petroleum industry by interpreting oil boomtowns, oil wells and early transportation. Scenic Oil Creek carves a valley of deep hollows, steep hillsides and wetlands."

This is the walk that the trip was built around. The AVA has an alphabet program—take a walk in cities that complete the alphabet. It takes along time and we are down to four O-I-K-Z. This was our O.

We were the only car in the lot. The Volkssport trail took us on the cross country skiing path in a densely forested area. The blazes were difficult to see because we were following the green ones, which blended in with the canopy, That's not a problem in the winter.

It started gret. The trail was wide, it went right thru a prarie. Then we turned into the woods and there was grass and weeds on the trial. High grass, like my yard when it's overdue to be cut. I'm not feeling real comfortable. Afterall we just learned about the rattlesnakes. We continued. Then we made a turn to the left and there was even more grass. This grass was knee high. We decide to go a little further, and if it didn't improve we were going back to the car and do a tick check.

Thankfully, the super high grass was limited and it returned to just overgrown yard. Clearly this trail isn't used by hikers and walkers, at least yet. And I'm guessing no one does maintenace on the trails. Use should take care of that. I'm kind-of puzzled why the trail was placed here, instead of the hiking trails.

After a through tick check we decided to check out the bathrooms. This time they were traditional latrines, but there was not a hole in a board. There was composing toilets! I guess that would make it a hybrid latrine.  L-4.5.

Bonnie set the GPS in the car for the fourth park, and we started driving toward it. We are about 10 minutes away in a Quality Inn in Franklin, Pa.  Then we are headed south to Stubbenville, Ohio to do the Ohio border crossing walk. Then on to my sister Barbara's in Louisville.

Happy 60 Bonnie.

Get well David.

country run 2016

I haven't done a race in a long time, April at the Yungeling, I think. Race fees are no longer in the budget so I do very few. If you are a long-time reader, you'll remember this one was a random act of kindness back in February.

I had so much fun at this race last year, so it was one that I had planned to do again.—it's only $10, which is very reasonable for a race. Yesterday I picked up the t-shirt and bib. While I was there I had noticed that the fair wasn't being set up. Odd.

The race starts at 8:30, and it's at Stabler. I left the house at 7:30 hoping to score one of the parking spaces in the shade. And I did. But that was more time to wait.

There was a lot of water coolers near the start line, and a table of ribbons. Odd. Those were by the fair last year. Then I noticed that the fair was moved into the field house. Mystery solved.

We warmed up with the opera singing cow girl. For the aerobics, she talked. I don't know how she did it with all those clothes on.  When she sang the Star Spangled Banner we all discovered she had a really good voice. Inflatable cows (top) greeted us at the start.

And the man on stilts was there. I took a forward facing shot, but the sun was behind him, so you can't see him. Bummer. You'll see he's wearing a lime green bandana. So were many other people. I think the lady forgot to give me mine. I wore my red one from last year. I rung it out at the end of the race.

The course changed some what but all the stations were there. I didn't stop and take pics this year. Nothing was different. There was hay bales to climb, the pig pen, the cows, the chicken and roosters, and the John Deere tractors and a place to hop thru the tires.

 My actual time might be a minute less. I didn't have a timing chip. The chip people went first. I like a race that ends with a giant whoopie pie. (There is a male too!) Not the best time. But not awful. Better than my 63 minutes at the Yuengling.

After crossing the finish we received our ribbons and cold water. The water is never cold when I reach the finish. Upon entering the field house we received our string bags. Really nice ones, blue this year. I took a pix but it won't load.

The fair was about the same as last year. Sponsors giving out samples and free non-nutritious food. The center was carnival games. And then there was a country band playing on stage. I think I liked it better last year outside.

Last year I took everything handed to me. This year I didn't. Three-quarters of it I gave away. This time I only took what I wanted and would use/eat. But I noticed some greedy people. Like one lady who was filling her stroller with oranges. She was told to put them back, only take one. There was another guy who I guess pulled the child/children in a wagon during the race. It was bulging with 6-8 full bags of products. And he was just standing there waiting. Were the rest of his team getting more? I made a second round of the fair to be sure I didn't miss anything (I didn't), and went out to my car. A family across the road closed the trunk and headed back toward the field house. They had with them empty bags. I pray they were not going to refill them.

Bathrooms: Port-O-Potties with a sink and soap station. P-3.5

prost!

Today Lyd and I did the Volkssport walk at Bear Creek Mountain. Volkssport is a German idea, and this was an Octoberfest celebration. So doesn't it figure that at the check-in point they'd have beer?  I've never drunk beer while walking or hiking, and I have to tell you, if you can't hold your booze, don't do it! I was a bit wobbly going down the hill.

One lady at the table said at the German Volkssport Octoberfest walks, there is beer at every checkpoint. By the finish you are quite tipsy!

I picked up fliers for walks in October and November. No flier for the one like last year in Hershey.

The course was similar to last year—difficult. The first 5K was uphill, rocky, muddy, and pretty rustic. Since we were at a ski resort, on cross country ski trails, it got me thinking about snowshoeing this winter. I know this place allows cross country skiing, but not sure if they rent snowshoes. Then, of course, we also need snow. I'm guessing they don't make snow for the trails.

The second 5K was downhill, sometimes steep.
More groomed paths, but still a nice section deep in the woods. We came out the same place as we did last year, then checked in and came home.

Of course, when we got to my place, we had to walk the dog. He was waiting patiently.

g.i. jane 5k

Today was Ashly's 5K for Freedom in Lehigh Parkway. We did this race last year so we knew to expect lot of pomp and circumstance. They didn't let us down.

Ashly was Army. Last year there was a Marine Corp color guard. This year I think it was Army. She was killed in the line of duty at 21. They had military vehicles and people at the event. A current G.I. Jane took the picture of us.  Both the Gold and Blue Star Mothers groups were there. Veterans groups were there. People missing limbs were there. And politicans were runners. Yep it was that kind of a race.

It opened with the color guard and the Pledge. Then moved, of course, into the Star Spangled Banner and lots of speeches. Then someone sang a country song I had never heard before. Even hardened people like me could help but get choked up. I tried to find it online, but my knowledge of country music is limited and I only heard it once. Maybe Lyd will remember.

Finally the race started. Bonnie was in front, then me, then Lyd. Bonnie got ahead on the hills and I caught up. Suddenly there was Lyd. She wanted to be in the front a few minutes so she RAN ahead. Let's not talking about cheating. Lydia ran.

We stayed together till Lyd slowed down to take pics of Bogart's Bridge. Bonnie and were going to power walk across it. She flew. It was too uneven for me. Then it seemed every one was stopping at the end of the bridge to take stones out of their shoes, adjust their baby carriages, whatever. Bonnie was gone. A full minute ahead of me. Every time I got almost caught up she sprinted ahead.

Around 2 miles she started hurting. She's just off the DL. I think she was pushing too hard. For maybe a half-mile we were together or I was ahead. Then she got her second wind and tore past me. At one point she was a full minute ahead again.

She came in at 52:55, me at 53:25, Lyd at 55:21, and Sharon at 57:30. But Sharon didn't finish. She got lost. Or confused. Or something. She's walked the 5K course before, I don't know what her problem was.

In our goodie bags there was penny candy. I gathered Sharon's, Lyds and mine together and put it in a bowl for Halloween. The roomie scored the Slim Jims. Sharon took the granola bars.

After the race they had fruit, chips, pretzels, hot dogs and hoagies. The chips were by Utz. Regular chips, made in central Pennsylvania and they only have 3% salt! The low salt ones from Frito Lay I've been buying Pat are 4%. Unlike Frito Lay, Utz has been low salt for 85 years, plus they beat Lays in calories, fat and other nutrition facts. They are my new favorites. Local (okay, Pennsylvania preferred) and low salt. And they taste good too!

------------

There was only football on tv tonight so I watched the local news. Bonnie and Lyd were on the 5K segment, twice. Once in the big pan shot about 3/4 of the way thru, and again as a closeup near the end.

hellertown

Today we walked on the Saucon Rail Trail. It was fairly shady, which was good because the temps are rising again.

Lydia and I arrived about the same time as Bonnie's family. The Wee One was asleep.  We parked under the trees by the creek. They were setting up the farmer's market.

The Saucon Rail Trail is an out an back trail. At some point it will connect with the Bethlehem Greenway. We left Water Street Park and headed south west toward Center Valley. At about 1.75 we turned around and headed back.

When we arrived back at the Grist Mill these girls set up a lemonade stand. The lemonade was free, but they were collecting donations for Alex's Lemonade Stand. We had no money but promised to bring some back. (And I did.) For Country Time it wasn't too sweet. I think they added less mix. Total we walked about 3.5 miles.

The theme of the market this week was bee's. People were even dressed like bees. At the honey stand they brought an active hive. Since I'm going on vacation next week I bought very little. It would be compost when I got back. Megan chose Bonnie's groceries since she'll be cooking while Bonnie is gone. Lydia even picked up a few things.

Tomorrow the road trip begins. We'll be heading to The Wild's. I have a 2:00 reservation. I've been wanting to go there for about a dozen years. Then we'll stay the night in Xenia, Ohio to do a Volkssport walk before we finish the trip. There are only four towns in the whole country to do the X-walk. Too bad there isn't another in Zanesville. That's another toughie.

Next report will be from the road.

forks trail

Usually I walk on Fridays with my friend Betsy, but she had other commitments today. So I arranged with my friend Angel to walk in Forks township. She works at Target and had a rare day off in November.

I gave her a list of places and she picked the Forks trail. She had never been there. Instead of parking at the Country Club, we parked nearer to the river and had to climb some stairs to get to the trail. It snowed last night so the wooden stairs were filled with wet leaves and ice. Fun!

After carefully climbing the stairs we arrived on the trail and followed it south along the river. When we reached the country club we turned left and followed another path until it ended, then turned around and came back.

The trail was covered with leaves and it was fairly natural. Lots of tree roots to trip over. All in all it was about 3.5 miles. The ice on the stairs melted considerably by our return trip.

Then we headed to the Forks deli for middle eastern food for lunch, and then Calandra's for cheese. On the way home I made a few stops so I figured I walked about 5 miles. I checked my Fitbit and it say "Fitbit 6.0" and made all kinds of rebooting activities. When it was done it told me I walked 16 steps all day. All before 6 am. I could have cried.

Tomorrow is the NCC 5k. I drew the t-shirts. Hopefully they look nice. They did not pick my favorite design.

the tween would like this race.

Dawn, a fitness friend, posted something about The Great Pumpkin Run many weeks ago. I decided that I had the extra cash--at that point -- and I'd do the race. It was cross country so that is always fun. I was worried about mud, but it was nice all week. So imagine my dismay when it was raining this morning. Really? We need rain, badly, but did it have to rain today?

Packet pick up was at a tavern in Mertztown last night. I didn't go because I really didn't think it was worth the extra hour of travel. I was so wrong.

The event was held at Savidge Farms in Mertztown as part of their Autumn Festival. The festival has all the usual suspect, corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, ect. The run was a new addition. Three thousand participants were expected and they were running in waves. I was in the 9:30 wave. My sister decided to ride along, so we left at 8 am. It's about 35 minutes to Mertztown. I should have gotten there shortly after 8:30, with plenty of time for packet pick up. Wrong again. We arrived at the farm and the traffic was bumper to bumper into the parking areas. It took 30 minutes to park the car. When I arrived at the barn for check-in the line went down and back up. It took 25 minutes to get thru the line. I made it to the start with about a minute to spare.

 First we serpentined thru the pumpkin patches. What I found interesting was that the pumpkins were  different kinds. Whites next to yellows, next to hubbards, next to the ones covered with bumps.

Then it was around a cornfield to the road we came in on. The volunteer at the road stopped us to let cars go. I was infuriated. That means I do not return to this race...no matter how much fun it is. We crossed the road and followed a path next to the woods to another set of corn fields, and then another pumpkin patch, and around the parking lot. Then we returned to the road. The volunteer there was smart. He held the traffic, and left one car at a time go when there was a break in the people.

 After we crossed the street we entered the corn maze. Thankfully it was a very winding path back to the finish. All the "wrong" openings were tied off. No one was getting lost. I finished in 58:36 and was 19th in my age group. No bad considering it was cross country and the roads were muddy and there were gullies.

 This is my finish picture. I love this outfit. (Time to get shallow.) The skirt/pant thing is from a place called Happy Puppies and they make athletic wear for skinny and fat people. WITH POCKETS. Really, sizes go from a 2 to a 30! The top is old. I bought the skirt/pant on clearance in March and didn't wear it because I thought I ordered the crop length pant to cover my ugly knees. It was way to hot. Imagine my surprise when I finally opened them that they were knee length. I wore them anyway. They are so comfy I don't want to take them off. I want to order a half dozen of them. Plut Happy Puppy is expensive. Even on the clearance pile. It's not happening. Oh, did I mention they are made in America with American fabric?

Here's my shirt. It's a hoodie with a zipper made out of that wicking fabric. There is a jack-o'lantern face on the front, and a stem on the hood. Advertising on the back. Clearly this has about a 3 week shelf life. You'd look silly wearing it in November. It will become a layering piece during the winter. Safely hidden under something else. Only the stem will give it away. The medal has been put away in the medal box.

Training Walks have "taken" me to Kentucky again

I use Beewellmiles.com to track how far I walk. It's a cool website from Bumble Bee tuna. You walk, they give money to the Network of Strength, a breast cancer organization. Fifteen cents a mile, up to a million miles, or a $150,000. Now that's what I call a lot of money.

So tonight I realized that my training walks have taken me to Barb's in Louisville (as the crow flies) again. I think it's much earlier than last year. That's the middle number. So far my walking is $93 of the $150,000. Pretty cool since all I'm doing is putting one foot in front of the other.

The first number blows my mind. That's my training from 2008 and 2009. It does not include the 3-day because you can only log 20 miles a day. That broke down to 23.5, 22.5, and 14. So I opened Google Earth to see where I've walked to. (as the crow flies.) It turns out that it's someplace I always wanted to go...the four corners of America (Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico). Right in the middle of access to some of the greatest national parks in the country. By the end of training season I should make it to San Francisco, or maybe Mexico. Depends on how my crow decides to fly. It's a finicky crow. Like me, it get's sidetracked.

But playing with Google Earth gave me an idea. Maybe actually dreaming about going there I should actually do it. I'd have to keep training to be able to do all that climbing. No fundraising involved.

Anybody up for a roadtrip?