Kodiak 100 2017

For the last several years, as Dad gears up for the Kodiak 100, I have had horrible homesickness because I so wanted to be able to help. THIS was one of the events that I moved here for!! 

Dad is in charge of ALL the radio communications for this race. It has multiple races within, with the 100 miler being the longest, with 36 hours allowed to complete. It basically makes a very large circle in the mountains around Big Bear Valley. There are a LOT of aid stations, MANY of them running for VERY long hours, through the night and/or all day. It is very hard to get enough communicators to adequately cover the stations with shifts. Mostly, communicators just stay at the station for hours upon hours. These are some dedicated folks. 

This year, the race started at 9am on Friday morning. I worked but as soon as I could get out, I picked up Slugger and we drove to Big Bear. Slugger got to stay at Dad's house with Cousin Tuck and I went on to Net Control. This is who all the other communicators talk to throughout the entire event. Some stations were hooked up with the computer system we use at AC100 but only if they could get internet access. There were many too far into the boonies for that and so they called every runner's time through the station into our Net Control. We then recorded it into the computer system for them. 

By the time I got there, the runners had been on course about 9 hours. Everyone in Net Control was tired. Of course, so was I since I'd taught all day! Several took naps throughout the night. Some came and went. I spent a lot of time on the radio. That's my favorite thing so I was happy and it kept me awake. 

Saturday dawned. Things got slow. Things picked up. I finally gave up trying to stay awake and un-grumpy at about 6pm. I went and got some food and went to pick up Slugger. I know it only makes sense to me, but I needed to go home to get any real sleep. I'd forgotten my charger at Net Control so Slugs and I drove back over there to get it. Slugs was so excited to see Dad. They actually hadn't seen each other yet. I love that Slugs loves Dad so much! We got home, and I went to bed and slept WELL!!

This was my first time working in Net Control. Usually we're off in the field somewhere doing the calling. This weekend was a very interesting experience for me! I had all these runner numbers in my head, could tell you a few names even. I know some stories about their race experience. But I never saw a runner. That's so weird!! It definitely gave me a new appreciation for Net Control. It is a BUSY place!! All sorts of crazy things are happening in person, on the radio, on the cell phone, etc. I think it made me even more tired, besides just not sleeping, because I had to THINK a lot! Answer questions, deal with emergencies, etc. 

I would be in Net Control again, but I'd MUCH rather be in the middle of nowhere!! 

Oh, Net Control was located in a cabin on the lake. It is usually in a location away from all the actual action. Here's the sunrise (before I left to go feed the dogs). From our porch.

Slugger Turns 8!!!

Life's been a little odd the last few months with the moving and such. I wanted to make sure today was special and memorable (do dogs really remember?). And I thought it'd be nice to take advantage of our new location.

We woke up at a decent hour and had breakfast. Well, he didn't eat. He was too excited!! Ha. I tried to explain, but I don't know that he really understood. I mean, telling him we were going to Wrightwood meant nothing to him - he'd never been there! Oh, but I had!! 

Once I put on my hiking boots, THEN he REALLY got excited!! We set off. I didn't turn when I was supposed to, but we got there. Wrightwood is as beautiful and small and quaint as I remember. I am pretty sure it's been 25 years since I've been there! LOTS and LOTS of memories came flooding back as I drove up Elm to see the camp I counseled and camped at many times as a teen.

But this trip was about Slugger, not me!! We hurried on to hike. We didn't end up where we'd intended because I didn't want to walk UP a road just to get to trail! So we went out of Wrightwood a few miles to Inspiration Point (an aid station on the AC100!!). We ended up on the PCT.

It was SO beautiful and quiet and absolutely perfect. We both needed to be out there, ya know?! We turned around just before we got to one mile and ended up taking the road back near the end so our total was 1.6 miles. Not bad since we'd walked 2+ in the neighborhood yesterday. His knee seems to be doing okay. My toe on the other hand is definitely not right. That'll be a story for September though!

view of the desert

This picture does not do this view justice at all. it was STUNNING! Every time I looked that direction, all I could think was "God, thank You". Definition of "awe-inspiring". It's looking down toward LA. I swear if it were a clear day you could see the ocean but I think that'd be way too far.

would've been better without the power pole. not sure where the power was headed. 

we thought about turning around here but went a little further

this tree reminds me of something - Dad, get it?!

looking toward the desert and our new home

We stopped at the ranger station but it was closed. We want to explore all the trails!!!

When we got home, Slugger got his birthday gifts...

A crunchy, squeaky Raccoon...

A "beef strap" which he carried around, hid a couple times, and then ate.

Now we're both recuperating from all the excitement. I think he's enjoying his day! Too bad every day can't be our birthday!!!


NOTE: If you're paying attention, yes, Slugger just skipped a year. Last year, we celebrated his 6th birthday. When he had his knee surgery in November, the surgeon suggested he was a bit older than that. So, we skipped 7 and are going straight to 8! It's all made up anyway :) 

The Final Move

I do not recommend making a move last 2 months!! Of course, it wasn't quite my intention but I still don't recommend it, even if it'd gone according to my plan. 

My plan was to have a place by mid-July, take my time getting unpacked, and be settled by the time school started (really before AC100). GODS plan was different! But it's okay, His was WAY better!! 

I started looking at houses before I even left Texas to kinda get an idea of what I would find. Normal houses! Surrounded by dirt. I did move to the desert after all. I kept telling myself I had to embrace the dirt :) 

My first trip to Hesperia, I drove past A LOT of houses for rent. Only a couple seemed okay for me and Slugger. I was mainly looking at the surrounding area for the purposes of our daily walks and my running. I promptly put in requests to see a couple houses. Okay, in hindsight (I'm totally writing this weeks later), there might have been 2 trips before I contacted anyone? Anyway, I heard NOTHING! 

I kept looking. I finally decided to look at a house that I didn't think was right, but you never know and it'd at least feel like I was DOING something!! I was VERY frustrated!! On the afternoon of the showing, I also asked the realty person to show me a second one that had been posted the day before - she agreed. I liked the second one a lot. It was way bigger than I needed but the price and location were okay. I put in an application.

I was denied! Why? Well, because I was unemployed!! They couldn't (wouldn't!) verify my employment until I'd actually STARTED!! They didn't care that I'd signed a binding contract!! I got over it BUT they managed about 80% of houses for rent in the area!!! 

Finally, another decent house in a decent location came up. I called the rental folks and started out by telling them my financial situation. Their response? No problem! YAY!! Dad and I got in the car and went to see the outside. It is at the end of a culdesac in a little housing development north of school about 5 miles. It was pretty quiet that evening. We even talked to a neighbor who said it was a great place to live. I went home and applied. 

Unfortunately, the house was occupied! There were no pictures of the inside. The person was moving out at the very end of the month which gave me a little tiny window to move in before school started. In fact, it was supposed to happen the weekend before school started. I begged and prodded and luckily, the former tenant left the house in great shape. 

Let me step away from the story for a moment. This whole process was SOOO frustrating for me. I was grumpy and worried and tired and doubted my decision to make this big move. Dad was awesome and put up with me! I prayed and prayed. I KNEW that God wanted me in the high desert. I had started looking at less desirable locations. I contemplated staying in Big Bear and commuting. So, I 100% completely trusted God that THIS house was the right house because it was the ONLY house. I basically agreed to move in, etc without ever seeing the INSIDE of the house! By the time I saw it, there was no turning back. I told God that I'd take anything and just deal with it. I was SOOOO excited that the house was AWESOME!! GOD IS AMAZING!!!! Ya just gotta have FAITH :) 

To make a long moving day story short, the Giant Monkey Mover moved me in, my freezer was delivered and the cable guy came, all at the same time, and I was a Hesperia resident! I'd left Slugger in Big Bear for the day. He had NO idea what was happening!! I went home to him that afternoon not having unpacked a single box!

The next day, we headed from BB to Sunland for the AC100 weekend (see post from 8/6). Slugger stayed there with Dad and all for the week. I returned to the house and settled in as much as I could while also spending time settling my classroom and starting work (Wednesday the 9th). Friday afternoon I raced to Sunland to get my puppy!! We spent the weekend exploring the house and yard and neighborhood. Dad and Tuck came down on Sunday and spent a few days here to help Slugger get used to the house without me in it since I had to go back to work. Thank goodness!! He was a huge help while he was here! We're now settled, but still unpacking if that makes any sense. Slugger seems to understand that this is home now. He even buried a bone in the backyard today (read his bday post).

Here are pics of it empty. It's a MESS at the moment. I'll do an unpacked post someday (Christmas?!).

front door (yes, grass, but this is basically all of it, so not much!)

inside front door looking to living room

living/dining space

dining room and kitchen - on far right see sliding door that is Slugger's entrance/exit

kitchen

LOVE the back patio

kitchen from other side - NOT enough cabinets! the window above the sink promptly had plants in it :)

master BR!

master BR with slider to backyard - haven't told Slugs it opens

master bath (behind me is the bedroom - door only on toilet/shower room)

right side of patio from door

so excited for the firepit!!

that sliding door is to the master bedroom

AC100 2017

(If you're new, or haven't read my other posts on ultra running, you might want to check out this post first... go here! There are many others, but that sums up the whole concept)

This year's AC100 was extra exciting for me because I DIDN'T HAVE TO DRIVE BACK TO TEXAS after it was over. And I mentioned that several times over the weekend!! It made a HUGE difference and made me VERY happy!!

Dad had been in Sunland dog-sitting for a week when AC rolled around. Slugger and I were still based in Big Bear, though a house existed in our name (yay! - but that's another post). So on Saturday morning, Slugger and I made our way to Sunland. Slugger would spend the night with the rest of the pack there while Dad and I did our radio thing at Millard. Dad would go back and feed them all late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. It was a good plan! It worked too :)

We arrived to Millard a little later than usual this year. Dad had talked to Bob so we knew he was also running late. There's really no point in getting there before Bob since he has the key to the gate. I do remember carrying all the stuff up one year. Let's not do that again!

The campground actually had campers in it!! Not sure why it was so popular this year. Pretty sure the majority of the folks were more or less living there though. There was a tent where we usually set up. We set up there anyway. The new camp host, Steve, said he hadn't seen the guy in a few days. Turns out that doesn't mean much as Steve is also not seen much! Shane, the owner of the tent came back before dark. He was very understanding and didn't seem to mind our presence. We warned him we're up all night and aren't quiet. He said he had earplugs :) He woke up looking refreshed so I guess he really did sleep through it all!!

One of the other "residents" was an odd fellow whose name I can't remember! About 8pm (totally making that up, I just know it was before runners), he "cleaned" the bathrooms. The bathrooms are portapotties with walls... yup, mop, cleaner, etc. He was really actually kinda my hero - those bathrooms have never ever smelled GOOD before! And they did, for most of the night!! Then he got high and just became creepy. I will always remember him for his cleaning ability though :)

Some words about the new camp host, Steve. He was pretty cool!! He is young and seemed interested in what we were doing there. He helped us out several times and hung around and watched some runners come through in the middle of the night. He also went to get a milkshake at about 2am and didn't come out of his trailer the next morning until we were starting to wrap things up! Guess he has a different schedule than I'm used to.

Let's see... what else? Our first runner wasn't until about 12:30am. All day, it seemed 3 guys had been hopping back and forth for the lead. OUR first runner was Jerry Garcia (hehe). He had passed Brandon on his way to us. They were about 2 minutes apart. Dom was behind them by 15-20 (?) and asked who was leading. He said that Jerry REALLY wanted it. I already assumed this - I knew he'd run it several times and never won. This year, he DID!!  They finished in the order we saw them actually. Well, those three anyway.

Later, the first female came in. She had slowed down from her earlier pace, but she'd led the whole way (as far as I remembered from Twitter that morning). She was running "solo" but ran with Jorge Pacheco. When they got there, he said he wasn't having a good day and I encouraged and thanked him for taking care of the #1 female. He seemed to appreciate that I appreciated that. Jorge has won the race several times; this was her first race so I'm sure she was grateful for the company of someone who knew every detail of the trail and such!

The night wore on. Not too much excitement. Only 9 runners finished in under 24 hours. Jorge and Rachel (above) were the only 2 "sunrise to sunrise" finishers (they get a special buckle for finishing before the sun came up on day 2). We had SEVERAL "slow" runners according to the system. As always, they showed up, walking but able to go on.

We got down to the last few runners. I was radioing them to the station before us as they'd already broken down their computers. Yay for radio time :) We knew who we were waiting for and in what order we might expect them. Sure enough, it didn't happen in that order! I can't remember his # of course, but the Texas guy moved to last, well behind the others, apparently with blisters. We started to warn the aid station folks that they might want to think about how to transport him out since he probably wouldn't make it in time (according to the system's algorithms), not to mention being in blister pain. Sure enough, he came running in. And out. He then passed someone else and finished with 8 minutes to spare!! Go Texas!! The system was lagging at the finish line so I actually thought at the time that he'd passed several people. I was so excited I cried (note, I'd also been up all night). I still think it's AWESOME that he found the oomph to obviously RUN the last 5 miles!!

In the end, all 114 runners who came through Millard finished the race within the allotted 33 hours. That always makes me feel like we did our jobs well.

Oh yeah, the AC100 REALLY likes to make me cry. Here's this year's tearjerker story:
Runner #10 was Andy and Runner #12 was George. Andy was actually running with both bibs because George was in a hospital bed kicking cancer in the butt. Yes, BOTH #s were recorded at each aid station. George got his 10th finish. THIS IS THE HEART OF ULTRARUNNING!!!! I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!!!!