Biking, Camping, Hiking!

Tim, Rosa and I decided to go on a camping/hiking/biking trip so we picked a time (March 19-20) and a place (Saguaro National Park East and Colossal Cave Mountain Park) and we went! Tim and I both had spring break and Rosa just took it off. We met on Friday morning, got the bikes and camping gear in and on the car and headed out. We were going to do our bike ride first but it was windy, and the forecast for Saturday was fair (thanks to meteorologist Tim), so we decided to set up camp and do the cave. Well we weren't prepared for the creek! We had to drive through it about seven times, but it was worth it for the great spot we got! After claiming our spot we walked to the cave, crossing the creek even more times!

We got fairly creative in getting over it, I was the only one that had any problems and I just got one foot in. We made it to the cave and took the tour, which was fun but over priced I think.

We walked back, this time taking part of the Arizona Trail, which kept us to one side of the creek and we didn't have to cross it so many times. Back at camp we rested with our feet in the water for a bit, collected firewood, and ate some snacks. After a bit I was a little restless so I decided to climb up the mountain side right by our camp. There really wasn't a tail and everything in Arizona is pokey so it took a long time and I was really scratched up, but it was worth it for the view from the top! After slipping and sliding my way down, I met back up with Tim and Rosa, who had gone part way up.
We started dinner, which was tin-foil hobo dinners (YUMM!!), and hot chocolate. After a while of sitting around our campfire we crawled into our sleeping bags and feel asleep looking at the stars!

I'll be honest - it wasn't the best night's sleep I've ever had! It was cold and hard, but I wanted to be there so I tried to sleep through it - still it was a long night, and when I finally gave up and followed Rosa to the fire, I found that there was frost on my pillow!
After breakfast burritos we packed up, crossed the creek seven more times and headed out, once out of the park we unloaded the bikes and took off to Saguaro NP. It was just under 10 miles away, but a lot of it was hilly - so up and down we went. Tim was on a borrowed bike from one of my friends and it proved difficult to say the least for him to be comfortable and progressive. But we all pressed on and had a little picnic lunch at the park before turning around and biking back to the car. Funny how it seemed to have a lot of hills on the way, I was thinking that coming back would be cake - not so - hills by nature have ups and downs!
Back at the car we were sweaty, hot and tired, but it was fun. Tim and Rosa drove me back to Grandma and Grandpa's and then went back to Tempe!
All it all it was a grand weekend! Exactly what we were looking for!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

For spring break I went home for the first half, just to get a few things done (like taxes) and to enjoy the weather (chilly). I was able to help celebrate Elise's 12 birthday (she got her ears pierced - she is growing up so much!) and we had St. Patrick's day!

Saguaro National Park

March 9th is my day to get away and be alone. Last year I went to Chiricahua National Monument this year I had to work so I wanted to go somewhere closer - I hadn't been to Saguaro National Park and I live within a half hour of it so I went right after work. It is so beautiful! I could have stayed there for weeks just walking around taking pictures! The day was rainy and overcast, with the sun popping through just at the end, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

Ragnar Relay

Back in October I was asked if I was interested in doing Ragnar Relay. Because some of my favorite people in the world were doing it, and I liked running (Right?) I signed up. So what is the Ragnar Relay?

Teams of 12 run 204 miles, from Prescott to Mesa each running 3 legs. I was assigned to be runner #11. I looked it up at ragnarrelay.com and these were what my legs were supposed to be like. Crazy!
Leg 11: 8.5 miles, Very Hard




Leg 23: 6.4 miles, Hard

Leg 35: 3.5 miles, Easy


So came long months of getting ready; long runs, multiple runs in a day, group runs up Sabino Canyon and eating all the time because I was always hungry from running so much! Then On Thursday February 25 we carpooled found our way to Prescott, coming from Utah, Tucson and other parts of Arizona. Once there we spit into groups were we stayed at a few locations, some at friends houses, me and a large group stayed at the home of a singles ward bishop. They were SO nice, and totally opened their home to us. In fact throughout this whole experience I would say that meeting so many people willing to open their homes to us, feed us and drive us was the best part!
Friday the 26th we woke up, ate fruit and bagels provided for us, and got ready to go! We found the park where the starting line was at and started to meet all of the people for the three teams that we were connected to.
Team pictures were a must before the race!

My team! (plus a few drivers and passengers(cheerleaders!))

The race started off with 3 runner #1s at 10 am. Then started the run, but let me tell you it was crazy being #11 because I just waited most of the day getting nervous for the beginning and then feeling the nerves of each runner as they were about to start out. We spent the morning stopping to cheer on runners along the way and eating! We did a lot of eating! I mean we were stuck in a van full of food for hours and hours. Then in the afternoon we started out runners in our van (each team has two vans, the first 6 runners ride in one and the second 6 in the other) started our runners! Which was another adrenaline rush, just having it get that much closer - I'm telling you - it was a day of anticlimaxes!

So our group starts running and all is better than expected and we are ahead of schedule - so much so that when we get to my exchange I am just getting out of the van and heading to the bathroom (port-a-potties where we spent a lot of our time - because if we weren't eating we were drinking!) I was putting on my gear (I was the first of the runners required to run with a reflective vest, a head lamp and a blinker because of my starting time), when I heard #230 called! My team number! Kurt - my team captain - was throwing things on me and pushing me to the start, I said I had to go to the bathroom and he said, "You don't get to!" So that is how my first run started! Late to the exchange, needing to use the restroom and finishing and retying as I went. But because it was dusk (my favorite time to run), on a dirt road in the countryside, with beautiful weather it ended up being my favorite run! It went quickly and I think I surprised people with how well I did. I didn't have time to start my clock, so I don't know how quickly I did my 8.5 miles, but I'm sure it was just over an hour, which is really good for me!

So after my first run it was officially night, and after Lindsey ran her leg, we were all finished with our first legs. We headed over to Kurt's brother's house, where we were fed yummy whole wheat pancakes and given floor space to sleep. And sleep we did all the way from 9:30/10 pm to about 11:30 pm. When we were called because our team was doing so well they were ahead of schedule! So we left, got to the exchange and started all over again. This time we only got two runners out before there was a problem. Kurt had just started his second run when cops came flying through the Carefree highway. We got word that a runner had been hit and that we had to stay where we were. They stopped all runners after that and all vans. Well we couldn't! Kurt was already through, Greg tried to explain to the volunteer, but he wouldn't listen, finally he told us that we would get a ticket if we went - so we did (go but not get a ticket!). Over 7 miles ahead we got to the line of cars and soon the runners came walking back. They had been stopped as well because the person hit was airlifted out so everything had stopped! It was cold, dark and confusing. Most people ran without warm clothing, so after they ran seven miles and were sweating, they were wet and cold when they stopped. Some runners had run past the stopping point but their vans had not. Some vans had been ahead of their runner, so they were past the point and the runners weren't (vans can't pace -or drive slowly along side their runner- they use a leapfrog system going ahead of them a few miles and waiting for the runner to make sure they are ok and to give them water, then passing the runner again). Kurt found us - we were lucky - some runners and vans like I said were split, runners were just getting in random vans. We finally got a semi-official word that the race had stopped and would have a restart at exchange #24. So #'s 9-12 (including me #11) lost our middle leg completely. Well, we called our other van, who got a lot less sleep because we had four less runners, and met them at exchange #24. At this point I got another 45 minute nap as Kurt and Greg drove through the night. We got to the new starting point, where Jessica got everyone new start times (5:50 am). Lindsey, Greg and I were all a little bumbed over losing our middle leg, once a few of our other team members heard this they so graciously offered their legs up for us. So Greg and I split run #25 and 8.7 mile/vary hard run and Lindsey got run #30.

My run was the first 4.5 miles (the easy part).

After Lindsey finished her second run, we went to Kurt's roommate's parent's house in Cave Creek, where a few people napped, most of us just rested and talked. But most importantly, Kyle's parents made the most delicious/healthy peanut butter muffins (I got the recipe!).

After that short break we headed out again for the last time! We each ran our last run- let me tell you- it was the hardest, even though it was the shortest. I was tired but still tried hard - this team running thing makes you think about the other people in your group - the ones you see run their hardest so that everyone in the team won't be disappointed - it makes you want to try harder too.

As Lindsey ran into the finish line, we made a tunnel for her to run through, then we all ran in behind her! It was all done! But I loved it!

After the race, when the other two teams came in (yes they were both behind us) we got our medals and a picture! Then we were given a picnic lunch provided by Noah's family. Then slowly we made our way back to Tucson in small groups. Deanna and I showered at her house got into the most comfortable clothes we could find, then drove to Subway for a salad and McDonald's for a milk shake! The only things that sounded good after so much eating and running. We ate while watching the first bit of a movie, then we both went to bed before 9:30! I don't think I could have stayed up later if I tried!

All I have to say is Ragnar Vegas? Here we come!

Olympic Weekend!

I went up to Pinedale the weekend the 2010 Winter Games started in Vancouver. To celebrate we had a Greek party! I know I'm a nerd but it's okay! We had gyros (beef not lamb) and baklava for dessert! Everyone humored me, and some even liked it!

Saturday was even more Olympic, when we got to see Ian in a basketball game! It was quite entertaining, and I even got to take team pictures after (though I made a critical mistake in not readjusting my lighting from the dim gym to the bright outdoors - sometimes I wonder about myself! I know better! but I made the best out of the pictures I got with photoshop - Sorry Team).

It was a really fun weekend - I'm glad I got to come up ( I even got to go to the temple - first time back to Snowflake).

Birthday Hike

Because I was gone from Tucson on my actual birthday I celebrated with my friends when I got back. On January 9th 2010 a group of us started for Picacho, including Tim and Rosa who came down to Tucson for the weekend. We didn't get far from our meeting spot when we found that we couldn't get on the I10 because a semi-truck had been cut in two by a train. It was crazy! Thankfully no one was hurt- just empty yogurt cups! A few of us backed out and headed to Tangerine, while the rest tried backtracking to Orange Grove. We found out later that there was already an accident on the free-way which caused the back-up and the truck to be stopped on the tracks, apparently a cop waved him on and then he couldn't move, anyway so the cars that tried to go back to Orange Grove got stuck in even worse traffic. We on the other hand had an adventure off-roading it to get to Tangerine.

Tim, Rosa, Tom, and I met Scott at the peak and started up without everyone, Tim and Rosa had to go then or not at all. So we got to the top and enjoyed the scenery (It is amazing - you are on top of highest point for miles, all around you there is flat valley floors leading up to other mountains). Tim and Rosa left after an hour or so, and we were joined by the others.

The first group (bottom right picture) Tom, me, Rosa, Tim and Scott.
The Big group (Top left picture) Standing: Scott S., Tom F., Jessica K., Greg C., Danielle H., Shaun H., Me, David I., Sitting: Nikki L., Holly S., Ben I., and Bryce A.
After enjoying the view for a while longer and taking a lot of pictures we hiked back down, using the cables and poles provided!
Once back at the bottom and in our cars we headed back to Tucson and hit up Ihop for pancakes. The waiters even brought me ice cream and sang happy birthday and let me blow out a lighter because they didn't have candles I guess- which was fun but not as much as when I got to Deanna's house and she and Stephanie had made a cake for me! It was so cute and I got to blow out the candles and get sung to again. Cake and games ended a great day thanks to my friends and family!

Perfect birthday for me because this morning Tim, Rosa and I had cereal for breakfast, then did some shopping and had French Toast for lunch. With the crapes that I had for dinner I had breakfast for ALL THREE MEALS!!! And I love breakfast foods!

Happy New Year!

After the temple Rachel and I spent a quite night at Tim and Rosa's and then went to Tucson to bring in the New Year at a Disco Dance for the institute!

Happy New Year to you all!