Saturday, March 11, 2023

A Week of Awe

What a week! If you didn't read last week's post, I've been visiting my sister and brother-in-law in California. I had a wonderful time! In fact, I hated the idea of leaving so much that my sister talked me into staying an extra day. I'm so glad I did! This was a trip that will keep me smiling for a long time.  I'm going to do my best to condense it all below, but I hope you don't mind me sharing a few more photos than normal. It was hard to pick which ones to share! Once again, a trip to California reinforces my opinion that it is the most beautiful state in the US.



Weekly Rundown
Sunday: trail run 6.7 miles, 1056 ft
Monday: hiked 6+ miles Death Valley NP
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: trail run 9 miles, 1950 ft
Thursday: travel back to Chicago
Friday: run 5.5 miles
Saturday: rest

Running

With our 4+hour road trip to Death Valley on the agenda on Sunday, I wanted to get some miles on the trails before we left. I was up and out the door before the sunrise. The sun was partially obscured by clouds, but there was a nice orange glow! I didn't stop long to take it in and kept moving along what has become my favorite trail on the mountains. This trail goes up and down and around each hill, making it a fun challenge. I felt much better on this run than I did the last time and brought some fuel- a Bob's Red Mill PBJ Oat bar--which I'm considering for my upcoming trail race. It worked out really well. 


Where do I even start with the retelling of Wednesday's gift of a run? It was another gorgeous morning and I caught the sunrise as I headed up the mountain. I made my way around Hopalong Cassidy Trail, this time hoping to climb a peak that I eyed on Sunday. As I started on my way up, I spied a bighorn sheep running through the canyon and up the opposite peak. Day made! There was another woman watching him and I stopped to say hi before I continued up the trail. She handed me a stone heart, telling me she likes to hand them out and pointing out a rock below that she claimed looked like a heart. When another pair of runners came towards us, she offered them one of her hearts and I used that as an opportunity to move on. I continued to the top--it was a very steep climb-- and took in the view. As I continued down the trail, I ended up on the Bump and Grind Trail, where my sister and I had done a hike on our first visit to the area. It's a much more crowded trail and I didn't care as much for it as Hoppy. It was a good point to head back. I spotted a little shortcut trail which ended up being a bad choice--it was so rocky and I twisted my ankle at one point. No harm done, thankfully. Once I got down this difficult segment, I backtracked towards home. 


When I got off the mountain, I started walking to catch my breath. An elderly woman was walking alongside me and as we talked, I learned that she was the world record holder for the mile in the 75-79 age group. She told me she still runs track but competes in the 800. Oh, and she's 90! We talked for quite a while--you know how it is with us runners. We could have talked all day. I'm just still amazed and awed that I met this woman so randomly. That woman with the stone hearts was right-this mountain is magical!  You never do know where you're going to find inspiration. We exchanged information and I hope to keep in touch with her. 

My new friend Suzi McCloud
World record holder in track and field
90 years old and still running strong!

After a turbulent reentry into Illinois, when my plane landed on Thursday, it started to snow. Friday morning, I woke up to about 3 inches of wet, slushy snow. It was 35 degrees, which sounded pretty good. I decided to run in my neighborhood, thinking that at this early hour, the bike path was most likely unplowed. I mostly stuck to the streets, which were clear, save for my usual route through the big park in the middle of the 'hood. I just couldn't help but think of the warm, dry trails I ran on just 2 days ago! Sigh.

On the Road

On Sunday, we took a 4 hour road trip on the way to Death Valley. We stopped in Lone Pine, CA to check into our motel and explore the area. My brother-in-law, who is a California native, spent a lot of time in this area in the past. He has hiked the Pacific Crest and John Muir Trails, both of which terminate at Mt Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48 states. Mt Whitney is part of the Sierra Nevada range and overshadows Lone Pine. It was cloudy at the higher elevations, so we didn't get a clear view of Mt Whitney, but the views of the mountains were breathtaking. There has been record snowfall and the portal up the mountain was closed, much to our disappointment. We also explored the Alabama Hills, which are adjacent to the mountain range and have been the setting for many old Westerns, including Gunga Din. It was a fun afternoon!

This was on Monday. Much better weather.
Mt Whitney is to the right

Sierra Nevada Mountains

Alabama Hills


We got up early on Monday to make the 1 hour drive to Death Valley National Park. As soon as we entered the park, we were stunned by the spectacular vistas. Colorful mountains lined the roads. We stopped at a canyon, nicknamed 'Star Wars Canyon' because scenes from some of the movies were filmed there. Scenes from Maverick Top Gun were also filmed here. The canyon is also used for navy pilots practicing flight techniques. 


Zabriskie Point is a breathtaking panorama of colorful rock formations. We walked down into the canyon between the rock formations as well. 



Golden Canyon was a complete surprise to me--we walked up into a long passageway lined with tall rock formations, again all different colors and textures. It was simply beautiful. The second photo is with my brother-in-law to give perspective of how vast these structures are!



We drove a 9 mile loop through Artist's Palette, which features more rock formations, made very colorful due to the mineral content in the rocks. 


Our last stop of the day was Badwater Basin, which is a salt field in the valley, 239 feet below sea level. We were able to walk on the salt flats, which from far away looked like snow!  And yes my running friends, the Badwater 135 starts here! The route terminates at the Mt Whitney portal. Looking at the course map, it appears that we drove the course from Lone Pine to Badwater Basin. We learned that this is the hottest place on earth, hitting temperatures of over 130F in the summer. This year's race is on July 4.



I'm still processing our day at Death Valley. When I told people we were going to Death Valley, the response was "why would you go there?" I didn't know what to expect but our visit left me just speechless. At times, I felt like we were on another planet--it's just so otherworldly. It's also really beautiful and so interesting! Because the weather hasn't been great, it wasn't crowded and we really were able to enjoy ourselves without fighting the crowds. This doesn't even count as our annual sister trip! It was just a spontaneous side trip and well, we talked that we may have to make our sister adventures a semi-annual event.


We headed back to Palm Desert on Tuesday, but even our ride back was a fun adventure--check out my IG to see what I'm talking about! Someone commented on a post that they don't care much for the desert--a comment that kind of stunned me. There's beauty everywhere if you look for it. 

as seen on Wednesday's run


I'll stop here! And if you've made it this far, thank you. It was just the best trip we've had yet. I'm loving these sister adventures. 

I do have to add a postscript. After I left California, the area we were in--Lone Pine and surrounding--were hit by devastating rains. While I'm so glad I was able to enjoy my time there, my heart goes out to the local residents who are battling the conditions. 

How was your week? Any fun adventures for you? Will you be traveling for spring break? Is anyone else having snow? Have you ever met a running legend? I have also had the pleasure of meeting Kathryn Switzer-twice!!!

I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown. 




38 comments :

  1. What a wonderful trip! I don't know too much about Death Valley, only that it is very hot and and that a race is there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't know much about it before I went, which is why it was such a wonderful experience! Yes, it is the hottest place in the world--in the summer, it can hit 135 degrees. What i found out is that the Badwater 135 race course is run from Badwater Basin and follows the route we took from Lone Pine, ending at the Mt Whitney portal. So we unknowingly drove the race course. It's crazy hilly. This was just a great trip and I highly recommend it.

      Delete
  2. Your photos were all so stunning this week! glad you had an amazing time with your sister. AllI kept seeing was how terrible the weather has been in California so glad you did not have that. It is a beautiful state to visit. I will be in Napa in June. You and your sis need to add Alaska to your list!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We do! But we're discussing other options for fall--right now we are thinking of Boulder.

      Delete
  3. I am so in awe of your trip...your photos are breathtaking.

    it reminds me of my trip years back to Palm Desert and those beautiful trails.

    I

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. California is just such a beautiful place--there is so much to explore!

      Delete
  4. Such a beautiful place! And how wonderful you were able to enjoy it with your sister. It's been a long time since I've been to California. I'd love to go back!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks like an amazing trip. Your pics are just beautiful. Who on earth would say they don't care for the desert?? Geez. We got 6" of snow up here and I thought today's snow in progress was supposed to be rain. Old man winter doesn't want to give up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, we ran in it this morning--11 mucky trail miles. Building character, I guess! :p

      Delete
  6. We were in Tennessee while you were in California. It was 30 degrees warmer there one more than it was at home. Such strange winter weather. As a 3rd generation California native, it makes me happy to see someone enjoying the beauty of our state. It's not all Hollywood, beaches and palm trees. We have a neighbor who has hiked Mt. Whitney multiple times - she's amazing! And we now have a new goal - be like Suzi and still be running at 90!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so funny--I'm not the least bit interested in Hollywood. But give me some trails--wow. It's just crazy beautiful. I hope the wild weather stops soon.

      Delete
  7. How Cool Was This - All Of It - Meeting A New McCloud - Reflecting On Motion Pictures - Blooming Cacti - Snow Capped Peaks And Desert Valley Floors - Lone Pine Was A Hip Town Back In The 80's - Sure Is Amazing To Comprehend The Amount Of Terrain And Topography You Covered During That Short Visit - The West Is Very Unique And Special - No Interest In Residing There But It's A Beautiful Place To Travel Around - And Definitely Stoked You Spontaneously Hung With Sista

    Well Done My Friend ,
    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you and my brother-in-law are cut from the same cloth! He has a lot of memories from that part of California.

      Delete
  8. Looks like a fantastic time with the sis in a beautiful place. I've been to Cali several times, but have yet to go exploring through the desert. I did get to run across the Golden Gate Bridge, and through downtown San Fran, both were phenomenal excursions. Snow? Oh yes, we got several more inches of the wet heavy stuff yesterday...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've been to San Francisco several times and it is a beautiful city. But for me, I'm a fan of nature and this visit checked all the boxes.

      Delete
  9. What a fantastic trip! Your photos are just amazing. I'm so glad you had such a good time with your sister :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Yes, we are already planning our fall sister trip. I may detour back to Palm Desert first!

      Delete
  10. Oh Wendy, thank you for sharing all the pictures! I haven't been to Death Valley, BUT I love the dessert- mostly explored Arizona, which is stunning as well as you know. Anyways, love the photos, love the trail stories. What an inspiration that woman is! And you made the most of your time. What fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel so lucky to have met Suzi--crazy how things happen. There's no stopping us!

      Delete
  11. Wow, that sounds like a fun trip! Thank you for sharing so many pictures - the more the merrier! You know I love the desert and look forward to returning, possibly this summer.

    How cool to meet Suzi and the other lady handing out heart-shaped rocks. I've met Katherine Switzer, Jeff Galloway, Bart Yasso, and Dean Karnazes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have also met Bart Yasso--at the Chicago Marathon expo--and was completely charmed by him. So much so, that I left my keys there and had to go back later to retrieve them!

      Delete
  12. What an amazing trip. Those photos are gorgeous!! I love looking at all those photos. It's been ages since I've been to the desert or saw mountains like that since I live in the Midwest and am from the East Coast. Such a different scenery here :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's amazing to me that you can be in the same country and have such completely different landscape!

      Delete
  13. Sounds like you had a fantastic trip! I'm not sure my siblings & I would be compatible travel companions, gotta admit, but it's great that you & your sister are!

    Our mid Feb break from Winter has helped me deal with March. Because there seems to be no end to the snow, but the good thing is it melts relatively quickly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We always have a few 'moments' but luckily they pass quickly. You know, sisters.

      Delete
  14. This all sounds AMAZING!!! I want to visit this area so, so badly. And Death Valley- can you imagine running Badwater? Aside from the heat (which would be horrible) the scenery would be stunning.
    I'm glad you had such a good time- coming back must have been hard. But you are VERY LUCKY your sister lives in CA so you can visit on a regular basis!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree! It is absolutely such a beautiful state and there is just so much to see.

      Delete
  15. Oh, what a wonderful trip! And it's not even the sister trip! I have never been out to the real deserts. I was hoping to head west this summer, but I don't think it's meant to be. Oh, well. I'm going nowhere for spring break, although I do have some fun local things planned for myself.

    ReplyDelete
  16. A week of awe indeed! Thank you for taking us on this beautiful trip! This really makes me want to visit California.
    I always love your Wisconsin photos, but these are also very pretty.
    And Suzi McCloud?!!! AMAZING!!! That alone would have made my week.
    I hope you took that stone heart home with you as a souvenir of this lovely trip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did and I'll be putting those stone hearts in my two of my plants. What a trip!

      Delete
  17. Not a legend yet, but I think she will be! My daughter and I ran by Karissa Schweizer on a local trail. (Let's be clear - we were running one way and she was running the other!)

    ReplyDelete
  18. These photos are simply stunning. So glad that you had such an awesome travel adventure!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Loved all your pics (was in Spain on laptop and couldn't log in to put a comment!). I have been lucky enough to meet Evaun Williams who holds the 80+ world record for shot put, hammer and javelin, when I was working at the British Masters' champs a few years ago. I happened to get the bus into the city with her and gave her a few directions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So cool. Isn't it great to meet older women who can be role models for us!

      Delete