NEXT STOP FOR THE STATES WAS MINNESOTA- STATE NUMBER 31. HOW THE HECK CAN NAN’S ADVENTURES HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED MINNESOTA ? MAYBE I GOT TOO WRAPPED UP WITH ALL THE FABULOUS FUN IN WISCONSIN.
I WOULD SAY THAT WHAT I SAW IS LIKE WISCONSIN ONLY LOTS MORE LAKES AND LOTS LESS PEOPLE AND COWS. I THINK THOSE HARDY NORWEGIANS HAD TO BE EXTRA STRONG TO GET THERE AND TOUGH OUT THE WINTERS. SADLY NO LEFSA ON THIS TRIP BOO HOO. I THINK IT IS A SUCH GREAT DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR THE TWO BEST THINGS IN LIFE: BUTTER AND SUGAR.
AFTER A VERY PLEASANT 7 HR RIDE IN THE NANMOBILE I ARRIVED TO TOUR THE MUNSINGER GARDENS IN ST CLOUD. THERE WERE TULIPS, LILACS, VERY NICE FOUNTAINS AND IMPECCABLE GARDENS ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. AT THAT POINT THE RIVER IS NOT REAL MIGHTY. THOSE WERE THE ONLY TULIPS I SAW THIS YEAR SINCE WE MISSED THEM DUE TO THE WARM TEMPS EARLIER.
FABULOUS.
THEN IT WAS ON TO THE STEARNS HISTORY MUSEUM WHICH WAS FABULOUS TOO. A GREAT EXHIBIT ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE LAND/WILDLIFE FROM PRAIRIE TO WOODS TO FARMS TO HEY TAKE CARE OF THIS PLACE FOR THE SAKE OF THE ENVIRONMENT. ALSO THE STORY OF THE PAN CAR THAT WAS MADE IN ST CLOUD FOR ONLY 2 YRS IN 1917. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CAR- SO ADVANCED FOR IT’S DAY. AND THERE WAS A GREAT COMMEMORATIVE EXHIBIT ON THE GIRL SCOUTS.
SPECIAL NOTE TO CHICAGO MUSEUMS- THE ADMISSION WAS $5!!!. AS YOU KNOW THE RUNNING ALL GETS A LITTLE SIMILAR IN THE MEMORY BANK SO I TRY TO DO A LITTLE SOMETHING UNIQUE TO REMEMBER THE PLACE.
AFTER THE RACE I WAS INHALING PIZZA AND CHATTING WITH A TWO TIME 50 STATER WHO WENT TO SCHOOL IN ST. CLOUD ALSO LIVED IN THE AREA AND I WAS TELLING HIM ALL SORTS OF FUN FACTS ABOUT WHERE HE LIVED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW. JUST LIKE HOW SO MANY MARATHONERS LOVE LOVE LOVE THE CHICAGO MARATHON AND I JUST DO NOT GET IT .
PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR HOME AND PLACE I GUESS.
WELL I WILL START WITH THE LOVELY SENTIMENT FROM THE WAITER IN OLIVE GARDEN THAT GAVE ME A LITTLE THANK YOU BUSINESS CARD WITH MY CHECK.
EVERY LIFE SHOULD HAVE SUCH AN AWESOME GOAL ! KEEP IT UP -CHRIS. OH I JUST GOT TEARY AGAIN. GOSH DON’T WE ALL LOVE TO BE ADMIRED ?
AS I GET CLOSER WITH EACH STATE MY EMOTIONS ARE GETTING REALLY SAPPY.
GET READY FOR A CRY FEST AND BIG OLD PARTY BFF’S (BLOG FANS AND FRIENDS) WE ARE SHOOTING FOR NUMBER 50 IN DES MOINES IOWA IN OCTOBER 2014. IF YOU ENJOY THE WEST/NORTHWEST GET YOUR BAGS PACKED FOR SUMMER 2013. GET YOUR COWGIRL ON.
BACK TO THE RACE- WE WERE BUSSED TO THE START FROM THE FINISH AREA. THIS WAS A VERY SMALL RACE, JUST A FULL- NO HALF. THE RACE WAS CAPPED AT 300 PLUS WHICH WAS ALL THE SCHOOL BUSES IN THE TOWN I THINK. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN HOLLINGSFORD THERE WAS A LITTLE GROUP OF GREETERS WELCOMING US TO THE SCHOOL. WE GOT FLUSHING TOILETS AND A WARM GYM TO WAIT IN SO THIS WAS SO FINE. WRANGLED UP THE MANIACS FOR THE PHOTO AND WE WENT TO THE START LINE WHICH WAS BALLOONS IN THE PARKING LOTS WITH A LITTLE HANDMADE START SIGN AND NO CHIP MAT OR CORRALS FOR A NICE CHANGE.
MET UP WITH MANIAC CINDE
FROM MARYLAND WHO WAS DOING STATE NUMBER 47. SHE WAS THE MAYOR OF THE TRAIL KNOWING SO MANY RUNNERS FROM HER MANY STATES. GOOD LUCK TO HER WHEN SHE CLOSES IT OUT IN JULY IN PORTLAND OR. P.S THIS IS MOST OF THE RUNNERS IN THE EVENT IN THIS PHOTO !!!
HERE IS WHAT WE SAW ALONG THE WAY:
AS YOU KNOW I AM A BIG BARN-A-HOLIC SO HOW ABOUT THESE COOL CURVED ROOFS ?
THE MOUNTAIN RANGES OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA. AND SOME ROLLING MEADOWS.
THE TRAIL WAS PERFECTLY FLAT ASPHALT, ABSOLUTELY NO CRACKS OR BUMPS. IT MUST JUST FREEZE ONCE AND THAW ONCE TO STAY SO PERFECT.
THERE WERE ACTUALLY PEOPLE TO RUN WITH AND NEARBY UNTIL THE LATER MILES IT DID GET A LITTLE SPARSE. THE AID STATION PEOPLE WERE SO NICE AND ENTHUSIASTIC AND THEY SERVED SALTINES WHICH I JUST LOVED. THERE WERE INSPIRING SIGNS TOO:
LOVE THINKING ABOUT PASSION INSTEAD OF REASON.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE SECOND SIGN WHEN MY HIP STARTED BARKING WHEN I WAS RUNNING LIKE A MAD LADY TRYING FOR SOME CRAZY TIME THAT DOESN’T MATTER AT ALL IN THE SCHEME OF THE WORLD – IT WAS 4:50 IF YOU CARE- ALL I KNOW NOW IS I MET SOME GREAT FOLKS AND TOOK SOME MEMORABLE PICTURES OF THE DAY . THE FINISH WAS AS ALWAYS A JOYOUS SIGHT. IT WAS EXACTLY 40 BABY STEPS FROM THE FINISH LINE TO THE CAR- THAT MY FRIEND IS A SMALL RACE.
MY NEW BEST FRIENDS CHOCOLATE MILK AND PIZZA WERE WAITING AT THE FINISH WITH A COKE CHASER AND HOMEMADE COOKIES. OH YES LIFE IS SO SO GOOD.
WE GOT A GYM BAG, A BUS RIDE, A FINISHER SHIRT, VERY NICE MEDAL, SALTINES AND GREAT POST RACE SNACKS ALL FOR $40 – TOO COOL HUH ?
I WAS SPACEY AND FORGOT ABOUT PICKING UP THE LAYERS I HAD DISCARDED AT THE AID STATION, MY PRE RACE GEAR BAG AND A VERY NICE FINISHER SHIRT- THE LADY IN CHARGE OF THAT SAID “I WAS LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU :HERE”- A LOVELY COFFEE MUG FOR SURVIVING THE HUGE FIELD OF 5 RUNNERS IN MY GROUP AND NABBING THIRD. HOW DELIGHTFUL. I DROVE HOME WITH A VERY PUFFED OUT CHEST AND FEELING LIKE I HAVE TO DO THIS EVENT EVERY YEAR IT WAS JUST SO FINE AND FUN.
THIS WEEKEND MY TRIP HOME DID NOT INCLUDE A SPEEDING TICKET THANK GOD. WELL THE GOAL FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKENDS IS TO SELL THE CRAIGSLIST ITEMS LISTED IN OUR HOUSE. ANYTHING TYPED IN ALL CAPS FROM ELK GROVE IS OURS, MAKE AN OFFER WE WILL TAKE IT. CLEANING OUT TO HEAD BACK TO FLA FULL TIME. I MUST SAY IT FEELS PRETTY GOOD TO HAVE A SMALLER AMOUNT OF “STUFF”.
EARLY JUNE I WILL TRAVEL TO DEADWOOD SOUTH DAKOTA FOR THE MICKELSON TRAIL WHICH I HEAR IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STATES.
NOW DID YOU KNOW THAT SOUTH DAKOTA IS INCREDIBLY GORGEOUS ? TRY TO KEEP YOUR MIND OUT OF A BOX
TO DO TODAY:
1. WORKOUT
2. BE AWESOME
HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU -UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
NW
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Nanadventure 