Rave Run

Location: Grand Canyon, Arizona (near Indian Gardens, about one third of the way up the canyon from the river)

The Experience:  After hiking all day with heavy packs from the top of the south rim to the river and then up to Indian Gardens (approximately 12 miles) Scott and I decided to go out to a lookout point to watch the sunset. We dropped our packs at the campground and left our kids with Lisa and Brad.  As we left we realized how light we felt and decided to try to stretch our legs with a trail run.  It felt amazing to run. The trail was mostly flat and wide.  It was a mile and a half to the lookout point and we saw a few people along the way. One of them called out to us "are you in a hurry?"  We weren't really, although we felt bad for leaving our kids, it just felt so good to run. 

We got out to the lookout and the view was AMAZING and so worth the extra three miles that day. This picture doesn't do it justice at all.

Here is a 360 view of the experience.

We finished the hike out the next morning and I'm not sure if the extra few miles helped or hurt my body, but it was worth it! I highly recommend this hike to anyone. It should be on everyone's bucket list. 

If you want to read a more detailed account of the entire hike I will posting that to my family blog in the next few days at thebaxter5.blogspot.com

Early Mother's Day in Las Sendas

The sunday before the REAL Mother's Day, Noah gave me a true morning off. He got the kids ready and took them to church. What to do with my free time....so many possibilities! The Hills of Las Sendas were calling my name, so I threw on some tempo shorts, and off I went. It was a beautiful and peaceful morning. I enjoyed my solitude and enjoyed running up the hills. I even did a few "hill repeats", running up those hills at a really hard pace for a half mile at a time.

The 2nd time up the hill I felt that I needed a pit stop. Bathroom options arent a guarantee at Las Sendas. I mean, there are plenty of cactuses to squat behind, if you have to...but then there is the posh club at the top of the hill....

Sweaty runners from outside the community are not really welcome to use the sweet porcelein toilet. I found a worker and inquired if an out-of-towner might pay a club fee to have access to this nice bathroom. She almost gave me a number to contact, but then decided not to. She was pritty sure that this was not a privelege for anyone but the Las Sendas inhabitants.

These nice rolled towels with ice cubes and eucalyptus, are not to be mine. They will enhance the well-being of somebody, but not me.

So when you see this sweaty runner girl squatting behind a cactus- Look the other Way!!!