Monday Morning Recap (aka - the longest post evaaar!)

After a lengthy delay – which involved a last-minute work project, a call from the school (NEVER good) and dashing to the store to get new swimsuits for the two of the three chickens that have outgrown theirs, we were finally on the road to Seattle by 5:30pm (rush hour…thank gawd for the HOV lane).

We head straight to the last Burgerville on I-5 (in Centralia) for dinner. They offer the Rogue River Blue Cheese Bacon Burger just infrequently enough that I forget that I don’t like this burger. It looks freakin delicious in the picture, but it’s so overwhelmingly craptacular that I’m never able to finish it. This time was no exception, and as an added bonus, felt slightly nauseous afterwards.

We arrive that night tired and (for me) stressed out. But Saturday morning was beautiful, and I needed a run like a junkie needs crack. Mum and dad talked up the area as having TONS of trails, so I figured I’d just venture out until I came across one.

After 15 minutes, I found a bunch of dead ends, but no trails. I did find a golf cart path (their development is built around a golf course), which I took out of desperation. It was ok, but there’s lots of "landscaped wilderness" and it’s a little sad to see real forest replaced with aesthetically coordinated boulders, indigenous plant life and meticulously selected stumps of naturally fallen old-growth.

It had a water station though, for all those thirsty golfers.



Past the water station, I run another tenth of a mile and spot an unpaved trail. It’s near houses, so I half expect it to dead-end, but I’m desperate so I take it. After passing eight houses or so, I’m bummed to find myself at the main road. I scan the area and perk up when I spot the entrance to the Redmond Watershed Preserve across the street.

Holy crap. It was like the clouds parted and the angels sang. I run up the trail until I reach a trailhead; complete with a tiny map that indicates where you are. I frantically call dad and he says we don't have to be on the road to the airfield until 11:15. Yeeessss! A whole hour!

I re-examine the map and pick a loop that’s feasible for that amount of time. The trails are well-maintained and filled with gently rolling hills. The first runner I come across gives me two thumbs up as he runs past, and most others I met along the trail were quick with a friendly greeting. It’s perfect spot for doing a weekend long-run. The only downside – horses use the trails too, so you really got to watch your step!

I ran the same route I came, past the (now glorious because I’m dying of thirst) water station, back to the house in time for a bit to eat and a shower before me, dad and the girls pile into the car on the way to Paine Field.

Dad took us the long way so we could see the new mural across the hangar doors of the Boeing Plant. It was recently named the largest digital mural (not to be confused with the largest painted mural, which is the Pueblo Levee Project) by Guinness World Records. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the woman on the west end of the Boeing mural is German model Regina Burton. I thought it was just some made up person.

I digress (as usual). While we were in the car, dad tried to entice one of us to sit in front by teliing us that they could fly the plane. And I figured one of my kids should have the spot because it’s pretty exciting, right? So Dad escorts us to the plane (a Cessna 172M fixed wing single engine plane) for pre-flight plane inspection and afterwards asks, "so who's up front?". They both looked at us with nearly identical “oh, hell, no” expressions.

Sigh. Apparently neither kid got the “adventure” streak. I sat up front.

Dad let me using the pedals to steer the plane on the runway (which I sucked at) and we finally got clearance to take off. After adjusting to the floppy-stomach feeling, it was really great. We headed west over the sound, then banked the plane south towards Seattle. It was during the banking that dad offered to let me fly the plane.

Now here’s the funny thing. Normally, I’d be crazy excited to try it. But despite dad assuring me that there wasn’t anything that I could do that he couldn’t undo – I could not make myself take the controls. There are two simple reasons for this.

First, I’m acutely aware that I suck at flight simulation games. I have zero ability to orient myself and within 15 seconds I crash into the ground. On some of the newer games where you don’t "technically" crash, I bounce along the surface of the ground blissfully unaware that I’m not cruising at say, 12,000 feet.

Second, having both my kids sitting behind me at 3,000 feet over the water where we could potentially die was just not a maternal hurdle I could overcome. So I just sat and enjoyed the view.

And what a view it was (and WHY didn’t I bring the camera?!?). We flew past downtown Seattle, over Qwest Field and Safeco Stadium (dad says sometimes they won’t give you clearance to fly over that airspace), the Micro$oft campus, and their new house (we buzzed the house! we buzzed the house! – ha ha ha!) and over a farm where a part of a field had been leveled to read "BOBS CORN" from the air.

Funny comment from by the middle chicken to the oldest chicken [side note: this references a game normally played in the car. You call out and punch the person next to you if you see: an VW Bug (SLUG BUG) or any yellow vehicle (PAC-MAN). You give 2 punches for a yellow VW Bug (PAC-MAN SLUG BUG) or a pinch for a PT Cruiser (PT PINCH)]:

There are soooo many PAC-MAN’s down there, I couldn’t possibly punch you enough for all of them.

Heh. At least they got the sense of humor...

After a surprisingly soft landing (having only been in big jets, I was expecting a heavier landing) we head back to the house for an early evening swim and afterwards, dinner of bangers and mash (I heart Brits) and wine. They are NEVER short of wine and if they find themselves to be, they feel compelled to get more. (I was meant to have these in-laws. Seriously.)

It was mostly a lazy Sunday, everyone slept in, I opted out of a run and made brunch for everyone instead (mmm…bacon, mimosas and you know…some other less important food), then packed up our stuff and headed for home. Fortunately, my sweetie drove the entire way because I was t-i-r-e-d. But we had a great time (as always) and we’ll plan a couple weekends during the summer to head back up again.