No Power, No Problem 50k

February 27, 2010
32 Miles - 6:40

Leah, Loni, Steve John and myself start out up the hill through the slush. Spending the first few miles talking about how bad the storm was and commenting on the downed lines. "so'n'so de-friended me on facebook." Steve was curious and that lead to the retelling of a great mile melting story of the first ultra back in January. Steve and Loni hearing it all for the first time.
At 3 miles and change Leah turned back fearing another overuse injury. but it was a personal best on distance. I was very proud of her. No much further up the road Loni did the same, thinking that if she left some gas in the tank she'd have an easier time keeping up on Lap 2

The views were amazing. The fresh few inches of snow sticking to the trees and power lines. Occasionally blowing off and catching us all off guard with a blast of snow on the head. "It's all down from here" John announced as we turn off the road we'd been on for the first 6 slowly climbing miles. He kept Steve and i amused telling us his Ultra plans of Leadville, Wasatch, Vermont and Western states this upcoming summer

As the road rolls into Raymond a rottweiler comes screaming out of this trailer-trash's yard. the fat sloth owner hardly making a valiant effort to stop it. As i yell "GO HOME", and John turns to kick it in the head it focuses on fearful Steve. Maybe those little bastards can sense it but it was obviously who he was going for. Thankfully between the kicking motion and me yelling it kind of was stunned. I thought for sure if one of us wasn't going to get bit, that the traffic passing us doing 40+/- mph would have flatted it. The degenerate owner, who still had hardly moved from his deck was still yelling when John said "it's called a leash law!"

We chat and the miles pass by rolling through countryside and an alpaca farm. To whom John immediately demanded he needed some socks from. When we finally reached center of Raymond the once almost peaking through sun had disappeared behind dark clouds, then the scattered snow showers turned into a full fledged white out. I yell ahead to John that this "SUCKS!" and he responds with an, "I know. I can't see anything!" We run the next few miles single file heads down following the white line.

The next stretch of road is on a well traveled long straightaway. With the exception of one 500' stretch was closed off. Several trucks and workers trying to fix the at least 5 downed telephone poles. We trotted through without any of them giving us a look. Hoping over the wires carefully. As we crossed over the final bridge back towards John's apartment it's impossible not to notice the roaring river. Which appears WAY beyond flood stage.

Loni jumped back in on the second lap and the day had certainly gotten warmer. The once lively snow covered trees and lines now just cold damp and dreary. John hopped off the road and made himself a couple of horse friends as Loni and i walked up the dirt road.

We chatted away the miles running to the hum of generators for what seemed like most of the second loop. Waving at the constantly rushing power crews. And each going out on our own paces from time to time and eventually circling back. We all fell into each others stride with about a mile to go and finished up together. It was a good day to run.