CrossRoads Blog

What a truly enjoyable couple of weeks we were able to spend with family. It is times like this that really emphasize how blessed we are to be flexible enough to take some days and really enjoy when family visits. We had such occasion again when Cousin Pat and his wife Beth Dhooghe from Michigan came down for a visit.

Pat and Beth for sure wanted to get up to the Grand Canyon and the rest of the visit would fall around that. Without a doubt, the Canyon is ‘the’ place but we wanted to make sure they got the full ‘Arizona Experience’ so we mapped out quite a run around agenda while they were here.

After hanging around the homestead for a day of rest after arriving, we were off to the Canyon. We headed out early enough to make sure we would have time to get to the South Rim, walk around the main village area for a bit, get back to check into the The Grand Hotel lodge (we were staying outside the Park entrance in Tusayan) , and still get back over to the park for the Sunset. Making sure Pat and Beth caught a Grand Canyon Sunset and Sunrise was something I had been focused on from the time I heard they were coming.

We arrived at the Park by lunch. Having planned ahead we had packed the cooler with some sandwiches so we could experience a ‘lunch table’ like no other. We all pulled up a rock and just stared out in amazement at the incredible views of the Grand Canyon. Pat and Beth were of course in awe – but so were we. I don’t care how many times you see this place, it was Pat and Beth’s first and Kimberly and my fourth or so just this year – it’s still the same, it is just utterly stunning.

After lunch we walked around the village, Pat and I even headed down the Bright Angel Trail a bit below the Rim and of course enjoyed the nice climb back out. We then left out the Park to check into the lodge and get a quick little rest before heading back over to the Park to catch the Sunset. Just before we got to our view stop, we spotted a whole herd of Elk. They were right there in front of us, so we stopped the car, grabbed the cameras and started following them along the woods. How cool it was to see these great creatures up close in the wild like that. Pat is a HUGE Elk fan and was just so tickled that he got a chance to see the herd. I think before we left we had seen just about all the Arizona animals.

After a nice dinner that night at the country themed restaurant with a live singer, we hit the bed early. The plan was to leave over to the Park at about 5:10 the next morning to make sure we caught the 6:20 Sunrise. Like most good spots at the Grand Canyon, you will have some hiking to do after you park the car. So while the drive from lodge to parking was only 15 minutes or so, the hike to our spot was a good 25 plus. Anyway, the sunrise experience was of course incredible. While this time of year it does not rise in the perfect spot, it still is something special to see the Canyon come alive like that. It was a cold one, it required some good hiking, but it was more than worth it of course. After watching the Sunrise, Kimberly and I dropped off Pat and Beth at the village for some breakfast and we had a chance to do another run along the Rim. We did 8 miles again along the S. Rim trail and it again confirmed to me there is no better place in the world for a morning run.

After we left the Grand Canyon with Cousins Pat and Beth we headed up to Las Vegas for a couple of nights. I like to say, kind of like going from one of the God’s most amazing creations to one of Mans most amazing. It was the typical Vegas experience: lots of walking, little rest, great food and entertainment. We hit Lawry’sfor the Prime Rib, we walked Venetian and Caesar’s, and Pat and Beth got a chance to see the Cirque De Solis show Mystere that night.

The whole Canyon-Vegas loop was such a great time with the Cousins. Even all the hours in the car seemed to pass quickly as we got to catch up on so many great old times. I sure hope it’s not too long before we get to do this again with them…

GRAND CANYON PICS HERE
VEGAS PICS HERE

By Kimberly
Bisbee Arizona is located not too far from Tombstone, AZ and is a great little place to visit anytime of the year. It is full of unique art and antique shops and even more full of history as an old mining town. There are cement stairs all though out the city that the copper miners used and most of the steps are still in working conditions thanks in part to the Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb Event. The event is a unique combination of running 4.4 miles and climbing the aptly named 1000 stairs.

This was the 18th year of the event which had us and other runners trekking through the streets of the city and up 8 separate sets of stairs totally actually 1037 steps. Although the mileage is not huge the elevation of the run and the steps and just the fact that the city is at a high elevation makes for a challenging but thrilling run. The first (almost) mile is a downhill run (nice due to what is to come) and then the first set of steps makes one realize that the run will not be too easy. Mostly on the steps due to the amount of runners, individuals are walking briskly upwards and then taking off when reaching the top until getting to the next set of steps. The steps are old but well managed and since there are houses situated at all levels in the city so most of the time the runners are going past homes as they rise upwards. Many of the city’s “eclectic” citizens cheer on the runners from their yard offering words of encouragement and smiling faces. As a participant in this year’s race I really appreciated and enjoyed the kindness of everyone, not only the people putting on the race but also the other racers – it was a great vibe. This was a very competitive event and chip timed but there was no pushing or rushing one another on the steps. People allowed others to pass if they desired and if one had to step aside to get a breath they were given easy access back to the steps when they were ready. What a great race.

Michael and I both did very well. We both came in 11th for our age/gender category out of 61 in my group and I think 64 in his (RESULTS HERE). Michael was 116th overall with a time of 44:32 and I came in 321st with 52:37 – out of a total of over 1100 runners. It was not only a great race but also a great weekend. We enjoyed being able to eat our own food (our old hotel had a kitchen), we meet some great folks from Phoenix (Bill and Greta – and their Aunt too), and Oh By The Way if you get to Bisbee eat at Cafe Roka! It was the best meal Michael and I have had in a very long time! I had the artichoke and mushroom lasagna and it was a flavor explosion! Michael had the Chicken and said it was better. Great service and outstanding food.

Overall Bisbee is a great little weekend trip anytime, but for sure was a special weekend for the Stair Climb. We will be back next year – and Michael says look out Ice Man Competitors (this is another event with 155 stairs and a 10lb block of ice….)

Last year’s Komen Race for the Cure was about as special a day as can be in life. It will be a day that stays with me forever. We talked a little about it in THIS BLOG. There was something special that day and I doubt there will ever be another one like it. But having said that, every Komen Race day is pretty amazing and special for us, and this year was no exception.

For those maybe not as familiar, the Susan Komen Race for the Cure is one of the biggest events that support the foundation. They have many of them throughout the US in the bigger cities. Phoenix this year had near 40,000 runners and walkers, including about 800 plus Survivors (woman who have had Breast Cancer). It’s a day of celebration and remembrance. Everything is based around the run, but they always have a neat setup of ‘walk around’ activities and vendors at the Race location. The vendors all really do a great job, as does the Komen group, of making the Survivors feel special. This year even included a Survivors parade before the race that Kimberly participated in (in the 10-14 year Survivor Group!).

A couple things made this year very special as well. Mostly because this last year my mother was diagnosed and treated for Breast Cancer. In fact she really just finished the radiation treatments about the time for the Race. So we both of course were ‘running for Mom’ this year. As you would expect the runs are really about celebration and remembrance too – in fact we always wear the signs that say who’s survival we are celebrating (and others who are being remembered).

Kimberly was pretty pumped up for the day. She had the added motivation of celebration for Mom to add to her Race. In case you didn’t know the Misses is pretty competitive. And while the Komen is ‘non-competitive race’ (not chip timed) they still give awards and recognition to the top 3 finishers overall and among Survivors. Having finished 7th or so last year, and knowing she now is a couple of minutes faster on her 5K time, there was a decent chance she could move up paces and maybe even had a shot at Top 3. She of course did amazing improving to 5th overall and cutting a huge amount of time off her last year results. I was so proud again, it’s pretty cool to have a wife with that kind of drive, strength and commitment.

The day started way too early – about 4:30, in order to get ready, get down there, walk around, park, do the parade, etc (so little sleep of course). The rest of the day beside the race was walking around, getting the pink goodies, eating some banana’s and taking lot’s of pictures. Kimberly even got to see a couple of her Racer/Survivor friends she met last year (pretty cool). She did an interview with Channel 12 just before the Race (she’s quite photogenic you know). Speaking of photo’s I was the camera man again and had to quick run over to the car to drop off the bag so I could run the race as well when the rest of the group started. I had a good run considering I ran in the ChaCha yesterday morning as well.

We of course are already looking forward to next year’s race. We will raise more money for the great cause, celebrate 12 years for Kimberly and 1 for Mom, and we will have better race times

As we have talked about in a lot of this year’s Blog’s, Running has become one of our ‘gig’s’. When now officially even look for races and unique cities to run around for our weekend fun. It’s a riot, healthy and cheap… all hard to beat. From an event standpoint, most all runs are some sort of street run of a fixed distance (5K, 10K, half marathon, etc.). So these have been our focus, as that’s really what the options are. Having said this, occasionally there is a unique event that is not just the typical street run. For example our upcoming Bisbee 1000 which is 4.4 miles and 1000 plus stairs (yeah sounds like fun huh?). And another I just had a chance to compete in; the Cactus ChaCha Trail Run.

The Cactus ChaCha is right up my alley. While I am still fairly new to running, I will always identify more with Trail Running. I enjoy the dirt and rock much more than the street or a treadmill. Sadly though, there are not just many organized trail running events. In fact, aside from the ChaCha, the only other one in our area each year that I know of is the Lake Pleasant Good Dam Run we did in April and that is only ½ trail.

In any event, the ChaCha has a 3 mile and a 7 mile race. I had planned on the 7 miler (fairly close to what I do a couple of times a week now) but with the ankle still a little jacked (I wrap it) I thought I better stick to the 3 miler. I had a great time. The course was at the White Tank Park Competitive track. It is a good track, small rocks everywhere but not too much elevation changes. The exception being a nice little wash near the end. I ended up coming in 14th place overall (7th gender) out of 170 in the 3 mile race. My time was 23:19 which I was mostly happy with considering the ankle and the trail conditions. The event was well ran and a good group of folks out there (trail runners are a little different breed I think). As example: the ChaCha had breakfast burritos for the runners at the end along with the typical banana.

I am looking forward to next year, no ankle issue, and hopefully it will not be followed the next day with another race as this year’s was (we do the Komen Race for the Cure tomorrow).