Las Vegas

Just spent a couple days in Vegas for a family wedding.
Surreal...is the best way to describe the whole experience.
Running Vegas is surreal magnified. Went out from the hotel, Paris, and down the backside of the strip to Paradise Blvd. the first day. By the time I came back on the strip there were a good number of other runners out. It has been a long time since I was in Vegas and to see a goodly number of others out did my heart good.
The second day out and east again but went out to the end of town, past Mandalay Bay and past the Welcome to Las Vegas sign.
Very weird to be behind the scenes as it were and the terrain is really just a fairly uninteresting desert.
Felt good to run regardless.

Born To Run

I just sent Nathan, my step son, a copy of Born To Run. My new favorite gift for anyone with the slightest interest in running.
Cool book and a real good story.

Portland OR

Three days in Portland. Raining and cold of course. It must be like that always during most of the year. We were staying way up by the airport PDX so the area was not all that interesting to run in.
The first day I did manage to run all the way to the river. The mighty Columbia. Very impressive, but by the time I got there wet and cold it was time to go back.

300

Sunday was number 300 for the year. Every year I make a written goal for the number of days I want to run. This year as in recent years I set the goal at 300. Well Sunday was it. Obviously well ahead of schedule. I am thinking next year I may reset at 365...

Beaver Moon

Tuesday morning was magical. The full moon and incredibly moderate temps made for a wonderful morning run. Everything seemed to be aligned and right in the world. Come to find out that the full moons have names. That one was the Beaver Moon.
Here is the Wiki list...

Full moon names
Month
English names
Native American names
Other names used
Hindu names
Sinhala (Buddhist) names
January
Old Moon
Wolf Moon
Moon After Yule, Ice Moon
Paush Poornima
Duruthu Poya
February
Wolf Moon
Snow Moon
Hunger Moon, Storm Moon, Candles Moon
Magh Poornima
Navam Poya
March
Lenten Moon
Worm Moon
Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sugar Moon, Sap Moon, Chaste Moon
basanta (spring) purnima, dol purnima (holi)
Medin Poya
April
Egg Moon
Pink Moon
Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, Waking Moon
Hanuman Jayanti
Bak Poya
May
Milk Moon
Flower Moon
Corn Planting Moon, Corn Moon, Hare's Moon
Buddha Poornima
Vesak Poya
June
Flower Moon
Strawberry Moon
Honey Moon, Rose Moon, Hot Moon, Planting Moon
Wat Poornima
Poson Poya
July
Hay Moon
Buck Moon
Thunder Moon, Mead Moon
Guru Poornima
Esala Poya
August
Grain Moon
Sturgeon Moon
Red Moon, Green Corn Moon, Lightning Moon, Dog Moon
Narali Poornima, Raksha bandhan
Nikini Poya
September
Corn Moon
Harvest Moon
Corn Moon, Barley Moon
Bhadrapad Poornima
Binara Poya
October
Harvest Moon
Hunter's Moon
Travel Moon, Dying Grass Moon, Blood Moon
Kojagiri or Sharad Poornima, lakshmi puja
Vap Poya
November
Hunter's Moon
Beaver Moon
Frost Moon, Snow Moon
Kartik Poornima
Il Poya
December
Oak Moon
Cold Moon
Frost Moon, Long Night's Moon, Moon Before Yule
Margashirsha Poornima
Unduvap Poya

Fording the River

On Saturday last I was out and going for something in the ten mile range. Went down the trail to the river and ...Oh Yeah! They had taken out the footbridges for the rain season. I have had issues lately with the concept of backtracking, so I sat down and took off my shoes and socks and forded the river. It was not up too high and real pretty and cool, so no big deal. Made for and interesting start to the run. The rest was just out the Valley Road. A good 10-11.