Russian River- Day 2

Miles and I were awake and on the river by 5:30am.  Everyone else slept in and headed down around 11am when Miles and I were packing up for the day.  The combat fishing in that hole was the WORST I've experienced yet!  Some major ass-hats weaseling into an already uncomfortably small distance between fisherpeople... and some even fishing right over our heads!  NOT cool.  Or safe. The fishing was fairly hot at one point, though, and I caught my limit.  2 for Miles.
Dylan handed off Willa once we ran into that group and we headed back to chillax at camp.  Miles actually went back out after awhile to try and catch his 3rd red, but had no luck.  He DID capture a handsome black bear on his iphone and down on the Kenai, the late rising group found themselves in a close encounter with the mama grizzly and her 2 cubs from last summer.  All ended safely as they all made it back to camp with an excited barage of stories.

FISHING SPOT: Cottonwood hole
FISH:  5  
WEATHER: Sunny and hot, cool in the late evening
DINNER!: Pulled Kahlua pork over rice and kimchi

Woke up in the morn to find Justin's pups sleeping on Willa's fairy house.  ooops!

Combat fishing at it's finest

Late Rise group heading out to take on grizzlies!

Kahlua pork

Justin's dawg, Kona

Justin and the infamous Sky Chair.  What he went through to get that thing hung!

I MISS my dog....  It was nice to get in a good dog fix.

Kimchi on the fire and my AWESOME crocs.

Willa learning from an awesome chef

Dylan's woodland beauty shop

"They" say that Anchorage is the worst dressed city in the nation?  Well let them just GROOVE on the height of Alaska fashion...The Fish Skirt!!!   Twirls up nice!

1am-ish....goodnight....

Russian River trip!!!!!- Day 1

A low catch of fish does not diminish how wonderful a time we have camping on the Russian every summer.  This year we booked our site for 5 days and were joined by different groups of friends.  Some stayed the whole time, some just the night, and some for part of the week.  Despite arriving at the campground in a downpour, the sun soon emerged and we were graced with GREAT weather.  It ranged from overcast and cool to blue sky, sun and HEAT!  The first time in a few years that I've been able to wear shorts and a tank top camping!
We enjoyed Ray's cooking, as usual.  And this year our friend, another former chef, Justin joined us.  He and Ray CRANKED out some amazing stuff each night.  I HIGHLY recommend our Russian River Diet!  With all the noshing we do, we still manage to, if not maintain, actually lose a pound or 2 on this trip!  Must be from all the hiking up and down the river, hauling fish, keeping a body stable in rushing water, and river walking to get to a good hole.  Even going to the potty or fetching water requires a little walk around the campground.  Only time of the year I can eat like an animal and lose weight. 
We had music and singing, bear sightings, a keg of IPA, hiking, biking, tom-foolery, and friendship around a warm fire. The fishing?  Meh.  Global climate change is afoot.  We came out with 9 reds and 2 trout.  Better than nothing.
As I sat by the fire one night I thought to myself," I could totally spend a summer doing just THIS."  I LOVE being outside all day, working hard, playing well and eating heartily.  And having friends to share it with is so wonderful.

FISHING SPOT:  "21" hole
FISH FOR THE DAY:  None
WEATHER:  Pouring and then clear and cool
DINNER!:  Homemade cheese tortallini with veggies

Dylan casting

Justin assisting Amy

Willa's first casting

Getting some practice in the shallows

The first "Ray" meal of the trip!

Willa's new fairy house #1

Old man's beard!

Our 10 year anniversary!

 

The first thing that comes to mind when I write this is the fact that My husband and I don't really need a special day to celebrate and tell each other how we feel about one another.  But, 10 years IS a milestone.  Loving sentiments are things that we say to each other-things that we sit and talk and WONDER about- almost on a daily basis.  I'm blessed (and a little intimidated!) by the ways Miles always words his love for me...  He can encompass what lives in both our hearts and navigates our days together in just a few beautiful sentences...leaving me lacking in words and loving him fiercely.

I love that after 10 years, holding hands, laughing together, displaying our love still comes so naturally to us…it’s apparent to everyone and I hope it inspires.  These last 10 years have gone in a blink of an eye and yet have been SO FULL with all the amazing LIVING we do.  I am unendingly grateful for this life we share full of love, patience, laughter, tears, support, respect, worry, exploration, admiration, evolution, joy, and contentment.  Miles Pruner, you are my best friend and soul mate and I am honored to walk through the years of life with you.  The greatest happiness is looking forward to many more.

I love you beyond the beyond, my husband…and I thank you for being YOU.

The Odd Couple!

And on this Father's day, to the man who lives to be a DAD, one rarely meets a father who loves so intensely, who is so dedicated, who's soul's food is his family. I adore you and THANK you, my LOVE...

And then heading off to the Double Musky in Girdwood for dinner!

Make that 5 MILES, not 5K!!!

Duh.  I spent a month and half after signing up for this race thinking it was a 5K.  I even trained on the course, wondering why the hell it was taking me so long to run 3-ish miles!  Imagine me on race day, watching the MILE flags marking the MILES pass by one after the other..."Oh, SHIT!  It's 5 MILES!"
The Alaska Run for Women, to raise money for breast cancer research, is a big wonderful event here.  I HATE that this race has to exist... but it does, and with promoting breast education and empowering all involved, it's a great thing.  I signed up with The Brewbies, our team representing the Great Northern Brewers Club that Miles and I belong to.  A couple of us ran in the 5 mile timed race, some in the untimed, and the rest walked in the Party Wave.

Of the 3 races I've run this summer, this was the more grueling.  Thinking I just had to blast out 3 miles, I ran it hard and fast.  It was a bit of a shock when I realized it wasn't 5K, and I did slow down a little at the end, but I'm proud of my effort and time...41:36!  I ran in honor of Megan and Tina.  I held them in my heart as I ran and while I have NO idea what these women have gone through/are going through, thoughts of their strength gave me wind in my wings, power in my legs.  You are WonderWomen, ladies!  I came in strong at the finish and passed many splats of puke as I slowed to a walk to find Willa, Miles, and water.  Stopping made me feel woozy, so I kept meandering and waiting for my other running teammate to finish so I could greet her.  After she finished we had a bowl of fruit, hit the potty, and found other Brewbies to cheer on.  I missed the last of our bunch because they decided to make a pit stop in the park to drink homebrew with some of our GNBC "supporters" and I had a regatta practice to get to (that'll be another post).
All in all a strong race day for me...and a morning of joy, empowerment, grief, education, teamwork, strength, camaraderie, and HOPE.

Pre-race with my biggest fan

Entertainment around every bend!  This bluegrass band gave me a happy blast of energy!

The steady deep beat that the Tomodachi drummers where laying down as I came into Westchester Lagoon had the hair on my arms standing on end!  What an unexpected and COOL surprise!

About to cross the finish line

An example of the fun and outrageous costumes

Willa loved getting to wear a big flowery bra for this silly photo op!  Guess who's obsessed with boobies now?!

The Skinny Raven Twilight 12K!

2 Races in under 1 week!  Whoo-hoo!!!  And I'm headed to another one (The Alaska Run for Women 5K) this morning-making it 3 races in 2 weeks.
 A couple days after the 1/2 marathon, I got an FB message from our friend, Martin, wanting to know if I wanted to join him for the following Friday's Skinny Raven Twilight 12K run.  Still quite sore, I figured, "Well, what the hell...I can make it an easy run and just enjoy the atmosphere...".  Miles wanted to join, too, and by Friday we were both freshly UN-sore and ready to KILL it! 
It was a MUCH larger run-about 3000 runners as opposed to the half marathon's 200!  Such a great vibe going on at the downtown starting line at the Skinny Raven running store!  Martins wife, Mary, and their son joined Dylan and Willa as our cheering section both at the start and the finish.

 
The course was a challenging one with a few long hills leading us into various Anchorage neighborhoods filled with spectators-some solo on their front lawns and some holding block parties greeting us with music and cups of water-there was even a duo playing violins on one corner! Sweet!  At one point I saw a guy sitting  comfortably in a camp chair in his driveway with a rack of beer next to him...I thought,"Kinda wish I was THAT guy!".  Then I thought,"WTF?!?!?  I get to be out here RUNNING with good people, my Hunny, my friend, on a very pleasant evening through Anchorage, Alaska!  I can sit on my ass and drink a beer anytime!"  PLUS, at the end of the race BEER and PIZZA would be waiting for us at the finish line in the Park Strip!!!  What's sweeter then well earned beer and pizza?!
I ran a really good race even though I forgot my fucking Ipod...my aural motivation.  But it was ok.  While coming down the Government Hill Bridge, I pulled ahead of Miles and Martin(who had to make a pit-stop) and got into a nice zone.  NOT having the tunes allowed me to focus more on the crowds, my running mates, and everything going on around me.  Martin the Marathoner caught up to me toward the end and really encouraged me to finish strong up the last hill to the Park Strip.  Once on the grass, I was like,"WHERE'S that fuckin' finish line?!?!?"!  Martin said, "Just around the corner...I'll race ya?".  We kicked it in and pounded it out HARD to the finish line!  Of course he beat me...but what a fun end!  Miles came in 2 minutes later, we found our cheerleaders, changed into warm clothes and enjoyed the spoils of the race's end.  Food, brew, and friends.

Willa waiting at the finish line

Martin and I about to cross the finish line

Friggin photos always make it look like we're trotting when we were totally CRANKIN'!!!!



Here comes Miles!

My first race blister

Ahhhh!!  Liquid reward!



And Ms. Peggy was there!!!  Willa's Waldorf kindergarten teacher!!!

My time !!!

Cheer squad-thanks guys!!  <3!

Photo booth was set up at the finish party-SILLY!