I just watched Along the Way | Continental Divide Trail Documentary | Full Film on YouTube. I searched for videos about the Continental Divide trail after writing my last blog post about how inspiring it was to see two men on the CDT near Hope Pass.
I watched it eagerly awaiting the places I’ve been on the CDT specially last weekend at Twin Lakes but also living near it in Winter Park/Granby, Steamboat Springs, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.
There were no shots from Hope Pass or Twin Lakes, Berthoud Pass or Grand Lake. There was a long section from the grocery store in Steamboat Springs, yes I knew it well.
Regardless a great story and footage of their trek.
I love a good closing epigraph and they served it up well. A lesson to live every moment, take chances and be where you want to be – which is strikingly fitting now. Get ready to be motivated; here’s the ending:
“For soon this experience will be some old photograph, some old story…. You can walk to Canada, congrats Boys ……
Despite doing what I set out to do, making it to the end, passing the final test – those feelings of joy, pride, relief, didn’t fully satisfy me because I wasn’t hiking for Canada or some piece of concrete that marks borders, for the end. It was all for the chance to have those moments in between.
So If you ever find yourself on a walk, far from home, do me a favor make your life happen, be brave, challenge yourself, leave your comfort zone. Go see the grand distance places, let the process run its course.
Above all enjoy the little moments along the way.”
In March Winnie-dog and I went on a weekend road trip to Boone, NC.
Our first stop was Blowing Rock. I wanted to see the famous geological formation called The Blowing Rock, pictured below. Normally there is a great view of the mountains but the fog rolled in and there were no views. The good thing is that there wasn’t anyone around; we had the park to ourselves.
We walked through the trails and pathways.
As we drove over to Grandfather Mountain, I was hoping to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway but it was socked in with fog. It was scary to drive the twisty turny road and opted to go back to Boone, and drive to Grandfather Mountain the longer way.
We drove up to the top of the mountain and it was foggy, windy and rainy. We passed Forest Gump curve and parked.
We walked around in the fog and then I went up to the famous swinging bridge.
No views again, but it was okay. I know I’ll be back.
As we exited the road we stopped and hiked around the nature trails. Winnie needed a lot of help in and out of the car, but as soon as she got on the trail she found her legs and we took a long hike.
We went to the hotel and had a great room with a comfy bed while watching the forecast of incoming wind and rain. I was hoping to stay two nights but I got nervous with the forecast and we left for home in the morning. We drove through a vacant Boone and App State campus. It’s such a beautiful mountain town. I knew I would be back to see this place in all its summer glory.
This ended up being Winnie’s last road trip. She passed away two months later. I’m so glad we got to hang out for two days, see the world, and hike some trails in North Carolina.
I’ve been writing this post for a month. I’m still processing everything I saw. But also, simply, it was such a great few days to travel across the country (although flight problems delayed me one day). I have been consumed with all of life’s problems in government, work, dogs, and so many things that don’t matter; but do. I’m flip flopping. And couldn’t complete a thought. But unexpected change, makes things more clear. I’m finishing this and here it is:
I want to tell you about Monument Valley in Arizona. I want to tell you what I saw and how I felt about it. Here it is. Finally.
For more than 10 years I’ve been wanting to visit Monument Valley. I’ve seen pictures and read articles about why it’s one of the top places to see. I’ve been to places all around it: drove through Kayenta, Four Corners Monument, Page. But never through Monument Valley.
The first week of March, I flew to Arizona and headed north to Monument Valley.
I’ve driven this route several times: the Phoenix airport to Highway 17 North to Flagstaff. For trips and to get somewhere. Many times I’ve gone this route.
By exit 322 I finally feel like I’m out of the desert and into the mountains and Ponderosa Pines. These Ponderosa give this area a different feel and I can see San Francisco Peaks in the distance; the elevation is now 7,000 feet. It’s getting cooler, and there is snow on the mountain peaks. I am looking forward to stopping in Flagstaff for food then continuing northeast to Monument Valley
I get to Monument Valley and I’m in a red, painted desert.
I checked into the View hotel and love the newness of the hotel. The view from my room of the valley had amazing views: Mitten Buttes (East and West), Merrick Butte, Three Sisters, Totem Pole, and Ear of the Wind.
The next morning I woke early, knowing that I was not going to run the trail race in the Navajo Tribal Park, which was the original reason for coming here. I instead hike to a rocky peak about a mile from the hotel and watch the sunrise over Homan Valley. I just sat and looked at the landscape and the color.
Later I drove to the Navajo National Monument and walked the trail to Betatakin Overlook.
The desert southwest – captivates me.
I picked a great week. The following week, weather came in and this happened.
The road to Grinnell Glacier in the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park is very remote and I’m a little nervous as I drive from East Glacier to the Grinnell Glacier trailhead. Yesterday I hiked the Highline Trail and probably didn’t eat and drink enough so I’m feeling under fueled. It’s 6am and the only thing I’ve eaten is a granola bar and water. I left Glacier Park Lodge at 4:30am and nothing is open to get a real meal before this hike.
I enter the park with my bought-yesterday reservation to enter Many Glacier after 6am. I’m not feeling great about today’s hike and I see a sign for Many Glacier Hotel. I turn left into the parking lot to procrastinate my hike and explore this historic hotel. I park and walk into the lodge. There just so happens to be a beautiful breakfast buffet and I know this is my chance to fuel up and go into the Grinnell Glacier hike with a great mindset.
I eat a full buffet breakfast: eggs, bacon, fruit, potatoes, coffee. I drink a second cup of coffee. To top it off, I have a view of Swiftcurrent Lake. I’m now in the right mindset. I’m not rushing. I’m not worrying. Well, maybe a little bit. I worry about getting a parking spot at the trailhead which fills up fast, like everything here in the summer at Glacier National Park.
Additional good fortune: the weather is working for me – it’s overcast, cloudy and threatening rain. Yesterday on Highline trail after 10am I was in full sun burning to a crisp, or so I thought.
After a full breakfast and contemplating my life mesmerized by the lake, I’m ready to hike to the glacier I hiked when I was 17. You see, I’ve been preparing for this hike for a while. I’ve been weightlifting, running and hiking. I’m 36 years older and know I need to be ready. I want to see that freaking glacier.
I’m hiking solo but I have my InReach Mini 2 active and am communicating my plans with my BFF Mark. I’m not carrying bear spray but I do have bear bells.
I land a good parking spot and head out on the 5 plus miles to Grinnell Glacier. There are bear warnings posted. I am hiking this trail solo only because it is a super popular trail and I don’t think I’ll be alone much.
I try to stay close to other hikers. I pass a group and look for the next group. I think I hike fast because I’m scared. And I’m trying to get through being scared faster. I keep looking for people and there’s tons of them; I’m rarely alone.
When I do have alone moments I sing songs. Out of nowhere comes a song I haven’t sung in a while. I’m deep breathing and these lines come out of my mouth “I’m just breathing, breathing in and out. Trying to get through this thing called life.”
The last time I sang this song, not outloud, was when I was swimming in the Gulf during Ironman Florida. It’s such a great song. I’m trying to find people and hike with them for a little bit but then when I can’t I sing this song as loud as I can to keep the bears away:
“I’m just breathing. Breathing in and out. Taking it all in and I’m living with some doubt. I’m just breathing and I’m trusting in your words, knowing you can hear me Lord. You always take my breath away, sometimes you take me by surprise.”
I talk to a lot of people and I get to the glacier overlook. The glacier is amazing. I don’t necessarily remember it but I’ve read so much about the glacier and how it has receded that I feel like I know it. I’m so happy to be here. It was a hard hike especially after yesterday’s hike. I rejoice in the beauty and not seeing a grizzly.
I take a few pictures then head back.
I am wearing my Knoxville Motus race shirt on this trail because it’s the best feeling shirt next to my skin, and it wicks sweat a bit. I like being comfortable. A group passes me as I head down and the last man looks at my shirt and then asks me, You from Knoxville? I say yes. He tells me he is from Winchester. I say, isn’t it great to be out west? He smiles and asks, You a Vols fan? I say, don’t you have to be?
I pass the family that offered to hike with them on the way up. They have a five-year-old daughter hiking the entire trail, which impressed me more than anything. I love seeing young kids hiking these trails; it will be a memory to last a lifetime, I’m sure of it. The father tells me there is a Bighorn Sheep ahead that I will see; I’ve never seen one.
This is a life affirming hike today because I am fortunate for so many things at this moment. I’m so thankful and I pray a lot during this hike. I think about how I do so many of these adventures scared. I moved to Tennessee scared. I hiked Mount Washington in winter, scared. I left a bad job scared. I just do things scared. I’m very thankful for my friends who talk me down from the ledge when I get overwhelmed from doing things scared.
As I hike back to my car, I’m so thankful to have a good day and that I get the chance to come back and visit this place I love.
36 years ago I had no idea what my future held; I still don’t. Montana was always my dream; I say this all the time. Meaning that I thought I would live in Montana and make a life here one day. Maybe it was just a dream about a place to visit and get to know over time. Who knows; there’s always time, there’s always time.
Regardless, today’s hike was one of the best days of my life.
Distance: 10.2 miles. Time: 3 hrs, 51 mins What I ate: GORP, Kind Protein Bar What I drank: 1 L water What I wore: Salomon hydration vest, rabbit Speed Leggy Shorts, Motus race top, Glacier National Park hat. What I saw: Big Horn Sheep, mule deer, hoary marmot, columbia ground squirrel
Most of my racing and travel posts starts with a trip’s intent. If you are a frequent reader, you know that changes a lot especially right before the trip start.
I signed up for the Little Rock Marathon six months ago. I signed up because I wanted to see Little Rock. I wanted to see the capital area, the Arkansas River and the Bill Clinton Presidential Library. I also wanted to drive into Oklahoma via the Trail of Tears byway.
But first, a six-hour drive to Memphis where I stopped on the first night. I spent a few hours in the National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry Street. When you walk up to the museum, you see the Lorraine Motel as it was in 1968. In the museum they exhibit the history of the American Civil Rights Movement. Such well organized displays and thought provoking images. One exhibit shows what MLK’s hotel room looked like that he stayed in before he was shot. It felt strange to be walking around so much history that I’ve read about and watched on TV. I’m still processing what I saw and learned.
I walked through downtown, exploring and eating at a Mexican restaurant, reading area brochures and learning about Memphis.
The next day, early start to Little Rock and packet pickup. I decided that I will run the half marathon instead of the full. I feel like dropping down in races is so 2023-of-me. However, the pattern continues in 2024. Please stand by. My race approach is evolving. But I digress…
I drove over the Arkansas River. The last time I saw this river was in Colorado last year when we visited the Royal Gorge. And now I see it as it joins the Mississippi in Arkansas. The Arkansas River is the second-longest tributary in the Mississippi-Missouri river system, originating near Leadville, Colorado – my favorite racecation destination.
The entire registration was held in the Little Rock Convention Center. Using indoor. bathrooms is such a luxury with a big race like this. The dinosaur-themed race was festive with so many runners dressing silly. I was looking forward to race day.
After getting my bib, I drove to Little Rock Central High School. I walk around the grounds and read about the 1957 event and learn more about the Little Rock Nine.
I have enough time to drive to Fort Smith National Historic Site which is two hours from Little Rock. I walked through the historic fort and park, read the signs to learn about the fort’s history. I walked along the Arkansas River, which was heading towards Little Rock and the Mississippi.
Fort Smith trail walk on the ArkansasIn the park exhibitthe fortlate 19th century
I drove into Oklahoma, ate lunch and started back to Little Rock.
I get back to the hotel, which is a half mile from the race start. Sometimes pre-trip planning doesn’t work out, but this time, the location works out to my advantage. And, it just so happens the Clinton Library is a short walk down the street. I walk around the campus since I missed open hours. There is some sort of fundraiser or event happening as I walk around; people are dressed up and entering the museum.
Sunday: Race Day. I wake up at 4:30am for a 6am start. Originally the race was planned to start at 8am but due to unseasonable warm weather and humidity organized changed it to an early start.
It’s 4:35 am and I really didn’t want to run. I wanted to sleep in and drive home. I get this way traveling sometimes; I just want to be home with my dogs. But then I force myself to remember this is a planned adventure. I want to do this. I want to run Little Rock.
Marathons (and shorter races) really allow me to see a place. I hemmed and hawed for a good 30 minutes and ultimately got up, put on my race clothes (read: big girl pants) and walked to the start.
I was so happy to be at this start line. I always forget this.
The race start wasn’t what I expected, but almost nothing is anymore.
There were thousands in the corral. Marathon and half marathoners all together in letter-labled areas. I was in E.
I usually talk to people and get pumped up to start but today, I didn’t talk to anyone. I sat and stretched and took a few pictures.
It took about five minutes to get to the start line and I just ran my pace. I no longer have a race pace – I have a pace I always run. My comfortable pace is between 10 and 11 minute miles.
We ran through downtown and around a few residential areas and made our way back out to Central High School. The school’s marching band played for us as we ran by. Then suddenly I am at 13 miles and we are back to the start. The temperature was perfect: 55 and misting. No Sun!
I’m so glad I finished this race.
I walked back to the hotel and showered. I was sore! But I was also ready to head home.
I drove home across the Arkansas River and the Mississippi River. I drove past Memphis and Nashville. As dark descended, and 8 hours had passed I was at Exit 407 and home was 30 minutes away.
As of today, I have two states left to visit: Michigan and North Dakota. Let the trip planning begin.
How to fuel before a road trip: Flapjacks at Exit 407 Sevierville.
