Last year, while vacationing in a WorldMark resort in Bend, Oregon, we decided to attend a resort presentation. As payment for our time, we received two certificates, each good for a one week stay at the resort of our choice. Time went by and we realized that we needed to book our stay before the end of March.
After seeing very little snow on the Christmas break, we decided to investigate ski destinations. We created a spreadsheet of all the resorts that are located near ski resorts and had availability during the time we wanted to go. We ranked the six choices, then started investigating deeper. Our first choice was too far from the ski areas, and travel was too time consuming for our second choice.
Our third choice was Hope, Idaho, which is near Schweitzer Mountain. Back in 2004, I skied at Schweitzer with my friend Todd. That was part of our first vacation after Andrew’s birth. Back then, I created DVDs of everything. I pulled out the DVD and gathered the family around the TV to watch it. We decided it would be fun to go visit the area again 17 years later.
Getting There
On Friday morning, we got up early, packed the CR-V, and left home at 4:00 am. Our first flight was from Orlando to Atlanta. We arrived at the parking lot around 5:00 and waited for the bus to pick us up. While loading our bags on the bus, Susan realized that a bag was missing. It was the bag with all of her prescriptions and supplements. She was devastated. On the short ride to the airport, she debated whether to continue with the plans, or go home and try to catch a later flight. She decided to continue as planned.
Soon after boarding the plane, the morning sky began to fill with light. The day was off to a fine start.
Early morning light prior to our flight to Atlanta
In Atlanta, we found the gate for our flight to Spokane. While walking to the gate, it was pretty clear that Susan had not recovered from her recent Pickleball injury and that she wouldn’t be skiing during this trip.
The flight to Spokane was very long. Susan and I played Backgammon for awhile, then we all tried to catch a little sleep. About an hour out, we noticed that we were still flying along at 38,000 feet. We expected the pilot to start the descent at any moment, but he didn’t. Thirty minutes out, we were still at the same altitude. I started wondering if we were going to Seattle instead of Spokane.
Finally, we started to descend, but then we quickly leveled off again. Then we started turning away from the airport. We continued making odd turns and fast partial descents all the way to the airport. Once we entered the clouds, we couldn’t see a thing out the window until just seconds before landing. While exiting the plane, I congratulated the pilot for landing with such low visibility.
Very low visibility in Spokane
Once off the plane, we picked up our luggage and our rental SUV. Susan got on the phone and started trying to find a CVS that could give her an emergency refill of her medications for the week. She struck out on the south side CVS, but the north side said they could fill it in 15 minutes. Sweet!
Being new to Spokane, I wanted to see some sights. In particular, I wanted to see Spokane Falls. On the way, we passed by a Dick’s Hamburgers. I used to go to the Dick’s in Seattle with my co-workers. The burgers weren’t very good, but they were cheap, which was the deciding factor.
Spokane Falls did not disappoint. Right in the middle of the city, the river drops dramatically through a series of falls.
Spokane Falls
Back on the road to CVS, we started looking for a place to eat. We found a burger joint that had Huckleberry shakes. Being in the midst of a pandemic, in Washington, we couldn’t go inside, so we hit the drive through and got back on the road. A few minutes later, we arrived at the CVS, which was inside a Target. Susan filled her prescription and bought a few other necessities that were left behind in the forgotten suitcase.
Finally, we were on our way to the resort in Hope, Idaho. In Sandpoint, we stopped at Safeway and bought a few groceries. As we left Sandpoint, we saw our first of what would become many BNSF train sightings. The road to the condo followed a railroad track the entire way. When we pulled into the condo parking lot, we were happy to see that the tracks were only a few hundred yards away.
We parked at the office and went inside to check in. The lady was very nice and gave us a ton of information about the resort. We went to our unit, unpacked, and went to bed. It was a very long trip and we were all exhausted.
With COVID-19 and travel restrictions on everyone’s mind this year, the plan to spend the holidays in Virginia and Ohio came up for debate this year. My Ohio relatives told us that they were not accepting visitors, but Susan’s Virginia relatives wanted us to come, regardless. So, before committing to the trip, we went to the clinic and got tested for COVID-19; the results came back negative.
We planned to leave for Virginia early Saturday morning, but that plan was changed. The final SpaceX launch of the year, featuring an LZ-1 landing, was postponed until Saturday morning, so we really had no choice but to stick around and experience it in person. There isn’t anything I can think of that’s cooler or more amazing than watching a rocket return to Earth and land.
December 20
On Sunday morning, we got up early and left for Virginia at 6:00 am. We arrived at Susan’s mom’s house at 6:10 pm. We were greeted with her famous Hungarian dish – Rakott Krumpli. The vacation was off to a great start.
December 21
But then on Monday, things started to get ugly. A few days before our arrival, Nagymama had a new toilet installed, but the seal was too short. The installer suggested that she keep an eye out for leaks. After taking a shower Monday morning, Peter noticed that the tub was not draining properly. We tried to unclog the tub using vinegar and baking soda. After a few hours, the water drained. That evening, we noticed that the toilet was not flushing properly. At this point, we debated about going to a hotel until the plumbing was fixed.
Meanwhile, Jupiter and Saturn were about to merge into a single object. We went outside to check it out, but it was already pretty low in the sky and the clouds were occasionally blocking the view. Susan took Andrew to the library for a better view, and to freeload some Wi-Fi.
December 22
On Tuesday, we called the plumbers to come check out the pipes. Afterwards, Andrew and I went to Ashland to see trains. We stopped for some hot chocolate, then saw three trains pass by. On the way back home, we stopped at Best Buy and bought an inverter. While there, I received a request to stop and get some Ajax to scrub the bathtub. Turns out that the plumbers couldn’t fix the problem, so a septic system guy was called in. Luckily he made a special after-hours visit and unblocked the line from the tank side.
Meanwhile, Andrew and I were in Ashland, watching the Amtrak Auto Train. The sunset was quite nice.
Sunset in Ashland, Virginia
December 23
On Wednesday, we got out and did some things. First, we took Andrew and Peter to get haircuts. Andrew no longer needs to do the “head twist maneuver” to get the hair out of his eyes. Afterwards, Andrew and I went downtown and walked the bridge on Brown’s Island. I started to notice that the hamstrings on my left leg were pretty sore; must have been from all the driving and sitting. On the way home, I thought it would be nice pick up a strawberry pie from Shoney’s. We stopped, but they said that they had none; bummer. Finally, we stopped at Best Buy to pilfer a little more Wi-Fi.
December 24
On Christmas Eve, we spent most of the day sitting around, waiting for the events of the afternoon and evening to begin. After the church service, we went to the Pearce’s house for dinner. This has become the new tradition as of late. Although several things haven’t changed, a few big differences stand out. This was my first social gathering and I was a little apprehensive about being around more people inside. Also, the house was in the midst of an expansion and the new kitchen was not complete. For example, the refrigerator was still in the old kitchen, which is now included in the family room. Also, there is no plumbing in the new kitchen and the dining room table was on sawhorses.
While Dave was busy frying the fish, Caleb told us the story of the fishing trip. Apparently, five guys went on a fishing trip and caught about 500 pounds of fish. Turns out only one of the guys likes to eat fish, so he was looking to offload it wherever he could. We also got to hear a funny story of how Noah struggled to serve himself wine soup.
December 25
For Christmas, we normally drive to Ohio, but since those plans were dropped, we decided to go find some snow. The weather map showed snow on the ground as close as Staunton, so that was our destination. When we arrived, there was no snow on the ground, but we started seeing vehicles covered in snow. We decided to continue west towards Snowshoe, West Virginia. Heading west along US 250, we started seeing a dusting of snow on the ground. When we entered the George Washington National Forest, there was snow everywhere. As we crested a ridge, we pulled off the road at the Confederate Breastworks, which was a viewpoint and trail head. We got out to see the view and stretch our legs, but it was cold and windy, so we didn’t stay long.
David in the snow in George Washington National Forest
Back in the truck, we continued toward Snowshoe. As we entered Cass, we saw that the old train depot was open, so we stopped to look for food and use the facilities. The kitchen wasn’t open, so we crossed the river and stopped at the Bear Creek Lodge, aka Route 66 Outpost. Their kitchen was open, so we ordered lunch and sat for awhile. They also had Wi-Fi, so we partook while eating before returning home.
December 26
On Saturday, we stayed in Richmond. We dropped Susan off in the Best Buy parking lot – she was meeting a friend at Kohl’s – while we updated our apps with the Wi-Fi. Then we headed downtown to the Pipeline trail. With the recent rains, the James River was flowing heavy and muddy. The Pipeline trail runs along the top of a pipe that is right next to the river. While walking upstream, the pipe eventually went under water and we could no longer follow the trail.
David on the pipeline in Richmond, Virginia
Next we drove down to the Great Shiplock Park. From here, Andrew requested a drone flight clearance from Richmond International Airport, received it, and prepared the drone for flight. Meanwhile, I thought I heard a train. Sure enough, a CSX train with empty coal hoppers was heading our way on the raised track. I started shooting a video on my phone to capture the audio while Andrew fussed over the drone. As the train passed overhead, I saw the drone launch in the corner of my view.
After the train passed, we noted a green signal in the opposite direction. We had to make a decision – should we stay and wait, or should we try to see it from a different location? We decided to head up town and try to see it from a different viewpoint. We packed up the drone and started driving to another park. I took a wrong turn (darn one way streets) and had to cross the river, then cross back over again. Meanwhile, we saw the train approaching and passing. By the time we reached the park and jumped out of the truck, the last coal hopper passed by.
With another hour of daylight left, we decided to head to Ashland to see the Amtrak Auto Train. We checked the Amtrak train tracker web page and saw that it was just north of Ashland, but it wasn’t moving. We parked and turned on the scanner and waited. According to the dispatcher, there was a incorrect signal indication on the crossover and a crew was sent to look into it. About an hour later, the Auto Train was finally given permission to pass the red signals and continue southbound.
December 27
On Sunday, we used a gift certificate, did some home improvements, and visited family. First, we went to Tiny Tim’s Toy Shop in Ashland so Andrew could use his gift certificate. On the way, we stopped at Arby’s to get my favorite, only-in-Richmond health shake. Turns out they no longer have the custom menu. Another victim of the trying times brought on by COVID-19, perhaps? Who knows. All I know is that a tradition that has lasted since 1990 has now come to an end. In Ashland, we searched the toy store for something in the correct price and age range. Andrew ended up getting a gift for one of his friends.
Later that day, we went to visit our nephew Ephraim at his new house. On the way, we stopped to get some new bulbs for the kitchen light and the refrigerator. When we arrived, Ephraim was outside working on a special surprise for Magnolia. the four year old daughter of his fiancé Darby. Maggie is quite the little character. While we were there, she was excited telling her mom that she wanted to create a band and call it “Magaroni and Cheese”.
December 28
On Monday I needed to go for a hike. Andrew and I headed to the Texas Beach trail head in Richmond. From there, we hiked along the river to Belle Isle and back. Along the way, we saw an eastbound CSX coal train waiting at a signal. Later, we heard another train coming along the parallel track, but once again, Andrew was a little too slow at getting the drone ready to fly. Once the drone was ready, he flew it out over the river and got some nice shots of the city.
Two trains waiting near Richmond, Virginia
Garmin track of our hike to Belle Isle
Back at the truck, we decided to do some more exploring. We headed to Monument Avenue to see how many Confederate statues still remain. We came to the Robert E. Lee monument first and I was nearly horrified at how bad it looked. It was completely covered with graffiti and was surrounded by people taking pictures. It reminded me of something you might see in some war-torn country in Eastern Europe. Further down Monument Avenue, we saw bases where statues presumably once stood.
Feeling hungry, we decided to find a burger joint. We found Burgerworks on the map and drove to it. I was happy to see that they had shakes on the menu, so we ordered. Turns out, they had no ice cream, so once again, another shake failure. Grr. But the burger and fries were great.
December 29
Early Tuesday morning, we packed the truck and returned to Florida. We were on the road by 5:20 am and arrived at home around 6:00 pm.
Tonight we drove to the park across from the Space Coast Stadium in Viera to see the balloons glow. There was a two night event set up with food vendors and about a dozen hot air balloons tethered to the ground. They even offered low, tethered flights for those who wanted to get their feet off the ground. Being December in Florida, the weather was perfect.
Susan and I drove over just before sunset to check it out. With the COVID-19 in the air, we should have thought to look up the event ahead of time because when we arrived, they expected us to already have tickets. Well, we didn’t. Luckily, they let us pay on the spot.
We parked in the big, somewhat muddy field and walked to the main entrance. From there, we walked past the food vendors, past the balloon rides, and finally past the stage with a live band playing. To my surprise, the line for tickets to ride stretched all the way across the grounds. The band was hard to hear because there was a public address system playing very loudly with speakers spread out across the grounds.
Tethered balloon glowing just after sunset
As it got darker, the balloons started glowing from within as the pilots fired their burners. To my surprise, the line for tickets to ride stretched all the way across the grounds. Once it was completely dark, the PA guy announced that all the balloons would glow on his mark. He counted down and the pilots turned up the heat. It was very impressive. This repeated about every 5 minutes, so there were many opportunities to see the balloons from every angle.
Meanwhile, all the food vendors had me wanting something to snack on. As we walked the line again, we came across an “ice cream” vendor selling frozen yogurt treats. I couldn’t believe that they had peanut butter shakes. I had no choice; I had to get one. To my surprise, Susan got something, too!
Below is a link to a collection of photos from the balloon glow.
The Space Coast Marathon is the oldest marathon in Florida. Over the past few years, it has been running a series of space-related races. The races in the series include the following themes: Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle. Participants who run the full series get special recognition. Today's race is the Apollo race.
Last year, several of my co-workers ran the half marathon. Although I enjoy running 5K races, I held the position that they were all crazy running a half marathon; saying “Why would anyone pay money to torture themselves for 13.1 miles?” One co-worker implied I was soft and offered to push me in a stroller, like a baby. I told him he could pull me in a wagon and I would sip cold ones from a cooler and enjoy the ride. Another co-worker showed me her medal and described the race series to me. I had the feeling that she was thinking that, as a runner, I should challenge myself more. So I let the thought of running the half marathon become a possibility. It was true; I did need a new challenge. My previous race – the Melbourne Turkey Trot - was intended to help get me in shape for my ski vacation in Bend, Oregon. With that behind me, I didn’t really have anything else big planned. And, I wanted to prove to her (and myself) that I could accept and accomplish big things. The next day, I signed up.
Then COVID-19 hit. Several races were either cancelled or virtualized. I bought a Garmin runner’s watch to help motivate my training. The months went by and I continued to train, with the goal of completing the Red Carpet Run 10K race. in October. That race came and went and I had 6 weeks left to increase my distance from 6.2 miles to 13.1 miles.
To help with my motivation, I asked my co-worker how her training was coming along. She told me that she hadn’t been running. Through our talk, I think I ended up motivating her as much as she motivated me. We decided to let each other know when we were running so that we could build off of each other’s training momentum.
Then, two weeks before the half marathon, I ran 10 miles. The following day, I could barely bend at the waist. I gave up running for a week to avoid hurting myself further. Memories of the Melbourne Turkey Trot and the calf muscle injury began to haunt me. I thought, “Will I be able to run the half marathon?” With one week to go, the pain was nearly gone, so I decided to do a little test; I ran a short loop around the neighborhood. All seemed fine, so I was feeling good about the upcoming race.
Which leads me to today. I got up at 4:00 am, got dressed, tried to eat, gathered my gear, and headed to Cocoa Village. Susan and I walked around as I tried to squash the nerves that were building in my stomach. And then the early morning dawn turned into an amazing sunrise and I knew it was going to be a good day.
Shaking off the pre-race nerves in the glow of the gorgeous dawn
At 6:30, I put on my mask and entered my corral. We all started moving towards the starting line. The race actually started at 6:00, but the runners were grouped based on which route they were taking and their expected pace. I was in the last of the groups. Susan and I sang the Star Spangled Banner to ourselves, then went our separate ways. The race was on.
At first, I was surprised by the number of walkers. I thought for sure that I’d come in last place, but instead I had to work hard to weave my way past a lot of walkers before finding open space and removing my mask.
The run along Rockledge Drive was gorgeous. Even though it was still early, there were a lot of spectators out cheering us on. The rising sun was glinting off the Indian River. It was a nice start to a long morning run.
About mile 6, I saw my co-worker standing along the route. She was not running because she decided to do the virtual race and avoid the crowds. She came over to me and started running along side me. She asked me how I was feeling, then teased me about all the people ahead of me. I laughed it off; I was just thankful to have made it that far and not have any pain. She dropped off and I continued to the turnaround point. So far, so good.
After crossing the 10 mile point, things started to get really hard. My calves had my full attention and my hips began to hurt. Strangely, it hurt less to run than to walk, but I was too tired to run. I was two hours into the race and knew that I could meet my 3 hour goal, but it would be close.
At 11 miles, I could see the 520 bridge, with the finish line at its base. The thought of quitting really wasn’t an option, since I had to get back to the finish line to find my ride home. Even so, steps were becoming more challenging.
At 12.5 miles, I entered Cocoa Village and the crowds started to get larger. The slower marathon runners were just entering their second 13.1 miles and I was wondering how in the world they could keep going. The spectators were great. Some were passing out beer shots. Others were offering motivational support. I saw a sign that said, “Why do all the cute ones run away?” I laughed, then heard a woman say, “See, I knew they would think that was funny.”
As I approached mile 13, I really wanted to finish strong, but I just didn’t have anything left. I rounded the last turn. With about 100 feet remaining, I ran to the finish line. I didn’t want them to take a picture of me walking across.
And then it was done. I made it – challenge complete. I picked up my finisher’s beach towel, put on my mask, and slowly walked back to the park.
Official South Half Marathon Results (not counting virtual runners):
Today, the record setting SpaceX Falcon 9 booster B1049 returned to Port Canaveral. This booster is first to be launched and recovered seven times and marks the 100th launch of a Falcon 9 booster.
Tonight SpaceX launched another 60 Starlink satellites into orbit. This launch was historically significant for two reasons. First, it was the seventh launch and recovery of the Falcon 9 booster B1049; a new record in reusability. And second, it was the 100th successful launch of a Falcon 9 booster. SpaceX continues to amaze and inspire those of us living on the Space Coast, as well as all the space geeks around the world.
The Red Carpet Run is a movie-themed race based in Cocoa Village, Florida. It offered three distances this year: 5K, 10K, and half marathon. Many months ago, I signed up for the 10K race. I have been training for this race since completing my last race in May; the Running Zone 17’th Anniversary Virtual 5K.
To help train for this race, I used one of the coaches on my Garmin account. The training was basically the same, week after week. Wednesday and Friday workouts were simple drills and Sunday workouts were an increasingly longer run, with the longest being 7 miles.
Today started early – around 4:00 AM – to get to the starting line by 6:30. I got up, showered, and ate breakfast. Susan joined me for the drive to Cocoa Village. We parked in the dark and walked down to the City Park. There were already hundreds of people there; some hanging out with friends, some stretching, and some jogging around.
Around 5:30, the event staff got on the PA and welcomed us. The staff was set up on the stage of the amphitheater. After telling us the schedule of events, they started playing movie music, starting with the “Imperial March” from Star Wars. Nothing gets me revved up like Darth Vader music playing loudly in the park.
At 6:15, the staff broke in again and announced the details of the start. The plan was for all runners in all three races to join at the starting line, with masks on. Jonathon Howse (a home school parent and avid marathon runner) sang the national anthem, then the runners walked up the hill to the staring line. A few moments later, the race was under way. I hit the start button on my Garmin watch as I crossed the starting line, tucked my mask into my shirt, and wondered to myself, “Will the rain hold off?” and “Will I make it to the turn-around point without walking?”.
Up to this point, my fitness goal has been to run 5K without stopping to walk, and ideally do it in less than 30 minutes. I thought maybe today, I could achieve part of that goal.
As we headed North out of town along Indian River Drive, the crowd slowly started to spread out. I found a nice, comfortable pace and tried to stay out of everyone’s way and not run into anyone. There were people of all ages walking and running – kids, elderly, people with handicaps. It was here that I was passed by a young mother pushing a stroller with a child. It was still dark and the street lights were on as I passed one beautiful house after another. In some places, there were puddles on the road from recent rain and sprinkler run-off and some runners purposelessly ran through them. It was very humid, but the temperature wasn’t bad – around 75 degrees.
The first kilometer went by in about 7 and a half minutes. The second split time was similar. As we approached the 5K turn-around point, the race staff started pushing the runners to the right side of the road so the 5K runners could turn left and return to the finish. I was amazed at how thin the crowd got after that point. From this point on, only serious runners remained. I passed 3K and 4K without walking. I was feeling pretty good about it, too. And then something happened. I got confused. I looked at my watch, but it was still too dark to read it clearly. I started to think that I had passed the 5K point, but that didn’t make sense – I hadn’t reached the 10K turn-around point yet. Actually, I couldn’t even see the turn-around point ahead. Then I started thinking that maybe I passed it already, but that would have been impossible. I concluded that I had met my 5K without walking goal and started walking.
And then I saw the 10K turn-around point. I rounded the point and started heading toward the finish line. It was here that I realized that I had started walking at 4.25K, not 5.25K. Regardless, that was still the farthest I’ve ever ran without stopping, so I’m proud of the achievement.
At the 6K point, my feet started burning. Soon afterwards, I could feel blisters starting to develop behind my big toe on both feet. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to run at all. Unlike most of Florida, this route has some elevation changes, so I ran on each down grade and walked everywhere else.
By now the sun was starting to rise in the Southeast sky. I could see the 520 bridge that marked the finish line area. It was still pretty far away. There were a few other runners near me, so I tried to keep pace with them. Since I was mostly walking, that was not working out too well. At the 9K point, I passed an event worker and told him that this should have been a 9K. He said, “Yeah, then you’d be finished right now”.
I entered town and turned East on the sidewalk along 520. I passed the one half mile remaining sign as another runner blew past me. I think he was the leader of the half marathon runners - amazing. I continued walking under the bridge and into the park. One quarter mile remaining. Then 200 meters remaining. I could see the finish line and the red carpet. I decided to finish strong and ran to the finish line.
Crossing the finish line of the Red Carpet Run 10K
I finished with an official time of 1:18:39. I was 112’th; 52’nd in the males and 5’th in my age group. That means that 60 women crossed the line before me. Women are amazingly strong distance runners. I just wonder if any of them were pushing strollers.
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