Running all over the place

In addition to working some TAASC trips this summer, Andy and I went on a running vacation to Saint Thomas and California. It wasn't really meant to be a running vacation, but we ran in both places. Here's my salty hair after one of our morning runs at Megan's Bay in St. Thomas.

Andy's friend, Tasha, used to run at Megan's Bay when she lived in St. Thomas. It was one of the few places on the island in which people can run and not think a taxi or safari bus would run them over. So we woke up early to avoid the heat and the parking fees, ran, and then swam in the bay before cruise ship tourists.

This one was actually after a run in St. John in which I could have cursed a whole lot more. It was a trail that matched the steepness of the Shut-In trail but with the heat of a Caribbean island. It didn't have as much elevation gain and loss (or as many miles) as our usual runs, but it was HOT and the elevation gain was all in the first little bit.

Here's a Garmin map. I usually hate that watch that records time, calories burnt, average pace (and usually I hate it for the average pace), but it can gain points if it can help me show you this map. Andy recorded it as "f&(*&* hot and steep but great beach at Honeymoon!" The first words are mine and the second ones belong to my always-the-optimist-dearest-one.

It WAS a beautiful and nearly empty beach, though. One of the other people at the beach was one of the many folks from New Jersey in the US Virgin Islands. I like to call him Murray. He was probably in his 60s and pretty hairy. He promptly asked (with thick NJ accent), "So you run here? How far did ya run?"

I told him that it was just a couple of miles on the trail from town over Margaret's Hill (more like Margaret's Hell... although the views were heavenly) and that we were going to run back to town after a swim. He then told me that, "Yeah, I ran over two mountains from one side of St. John to the otha, but pulled somethin' and have ta take a rest day. Ya run at home? Any marathons or anythin'?"

I told him that we live in the mountains and run mostly on trails. I told him I ran the Boston Marathon a few years ago, but just as a bandit. He said he ran New York back in the '80s. Twice. Not ta brag or anything... Anyhow, I mentioned that although I'm living in North Carolina that I'm from New Jersey. He said, "Oh yeah? Me too." (Duh.)

He's from Middlesex County, though, and I told him Bergen was my stomping grounds. He told me that he was married at the Fiesta on Route 17 in Paramas. Now this is what it looks like now, but he was married 30 years ago. The last time I saw the place, it was all dressed up in gaudy reds and yellows. Like a McDonalds mustard and ketchup on fire. I usually don't talk to people like Andy does (I don't like to have to even sit next to them on airplanes or subways), but Murray really could chat. I was glad when I could run in the crystal water and swim. We ran back, took the picture above, and had a wonderful lunch.

We then went to Marin where it was cold and clear. See the Golden Gate Bridge behind Andy? We brought the camera after I interrupted our run to use a public toilet. Nice toilet, but no soap. California must have real budget issues if it can't even have soap in public bathrooms. This photo below shows a little hamming up for the camera.



Legs and shadows.

This one showed my stellar form. Look at those arms. Look at the Golden Gate... Runs in Tilden and then, back to our Asheville land. It's good to see our mountains again. Maybe I'll get to run in Tilden for the next two years?