13 States To Go

I haven’t written for a while because until I get connected to the internet consistently at some point it’s frustrating trying to publish. What do I mean by life happens? Simple. It’s the day to day things we all have to do and the extras and add ons that come up, some scheduled and many not.  It’s been strange not running since my last race in Colorado but until I could get an appointment to get my knee checked out I knew I was only making it worse by continuing to run. Truth be told and this is a tough reality, any consistent running and racing may be over. I’m hoping for the best but not expecting it since doctors have been telling me to stop running since  before my surgery in 2016. I have continued to walk three miles most days with a brace on. I see my doctor today to get a referral to orthopedics.  Continuing with the medical theme I also saw my GI doctor this week. He’s the first doctor I’ve had who has taken my anemia seriously. His next step is to refer me to a ...

The trip home was going to be a challenge because of the weather. I had made up my mind that I was going to have to stay longer because of back to back snowstorms. I still got up at 6:00 to hopefully leave on Monday if I could but it looked doubtful. At 10:30 I finally decided to try to make a run for it even if I could only get a short distance. Interstate 80 had been closed since the previous afternoon and they weren’t sure what time it would reopen.  I managed to make it all the way to Ogden, Utah that night which is where I’d hoped to get knowing snow was expected overnight. It was a short night because after talking to my sister I decided to try to get home the next night so I could let my dogs start staying in the trailer with me. The nights were going to start being below freezing. It ended up being a 14 hour day which is long for me. Wouldn’t have been as long except we got detoured off the interstate in Idaho because of icy conditions and wrecks.  I got home after eig...

After leaving Missouri I headed for Colorado to hopefully connect with some of the guys for a “Reunion Run”. Leaving I knew the weather was going to be iffy with a promise of October snow. They were actually expecting snow the night I headed out just overnight so I decided to drive most of the way and hopefully drive in the next morning after the roads were cleared.  On the way into town I called Ron Payton and we made plans to meet for lunch at Taste of Philly the place owned by the Orozco family. Their Green Chile Philly is amazing and something I hope to have at least once every time I go back to the Springs. The picture doesn’t do it justice. The beauty is in the taste. On top of that their fries are outstanding! On Friday Joe Brazil and I got out for a run on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail. It was a beautiful day after the snow they had. Then that night he came by and we had our traditional Little Caesar’s and beer pre race meal before reunion runs.  Saturday was the day o...

And the hockey didn’t stop. Haley’s team got the opportunity to play a mini game at intermission of the Blues - Avalanche game at the Enterprise Center. Jackie and I both got to watch her with Stacie, Tom and Chase. Stacie was responsible for getting and distributing tickets and getting everyone organized before and up to the event and then Tom was with the team until after the game. Chase was a little jealous of course but he also thought it was cool that his sister got to do it. We also reminded him that his team got on the ice at the Enterprise Center and take pictures with the Stanley Cup.  At her next practice the girls all signed a picture for the Blues player who was in it with them and Haley got to go present it to him and get her picture taken and an autographed game puck.  Post script- After I left Tom’s parents came and they all got a chance to see an exciting overtime win. They got on the Jumbotron and the kids got a picture with former Blues player Bobby Plager....