One Year 50th Post

One year ago, and 49 blog posts ago, Chrysa and I were living in Raleigh and were talking about taking our show on the road. With so many memories it seems appropriate to share what I think are the top 5 over the last year.

Number 5

Still Chasing the Dream

Find me and talk to me around my birthday and you will be able to tell that something is wrong. I’m irritable, angry and sensitive. I don’t really do well with getting older so I tend to get a little moody. Last year I was determined to “not feel old.” I set some very aggressive goals for myself in terms of running. I didn’t hit them all but I did end up winning a race. Never in a million years did I think I would actually come out on top at the end of a race. Winning was a nice ego boost when I needed it most.

Number 4

Keeping the Tradition Alive

We recognized early on in our experiences that keeping traditions was important. Last March we kept the spirit of tradition by hitting the road and driving to North Carolina to do a very important race. Along the way we stopped in on our original running club to catch up with everyone. This trip was important for several reasons. We got to see an amazing group on friends. We got to experience some much needed sunshine and warm weather, and we got to run for a great cause. Really, what more could you ask for.

Number 3 – Tie!

The Perfect Day/Out of Town Lunch

Readers of this blog know that I love food, booze, and friends. Because we move so much we don’t always get to connect with friends in person. On these day trips we did. I have always said that success in our lifestyle depends on 3 things. Being brave, being flexible and saying “yes.” Wendy, Jay and Joe exhibited all 3 of these traits on these lunch trips and they got a taste of the things that Chrysa and I love. I hope meeting friends out and introducing them to new foods and beers becomes a trend in our lives.

Number 2

Turkey Run State Park

Surprise! Indiana isn’t as flat as you think it is. Just when Chrysa and I were getting sick of flatness and corn fields we discovered Turkey Run State Park. Canyons, Rivers, cool temps and covered bridges. This place had it all. We were stunned and thrilled to find this true gem in the middle of a fantastic state.

Number 1

Holland Michigan

When you visit somewhere you can usually come up with something negative to say about it. That’s not the case with Holland. When we were there we had fantastic weather, food, drink, shopping, and people. On top of that we got to guest run with the local running club. Chrysa got her first experience with Lake Michigan, and we got to meet John “the Hoka rep.” See what I mean? All positives, no negatives!

All of the above are examples of an amazing experience. However, the best experiences are shared. I am thrilled and privileged to share my life and adventures with my amazing wife. She is the true number 1 on this list. I love you Chrysa

Jesse and I decided to do this 50^th post a bit different, each of us will write about our memories and thoughts so far this year. That way you can get a perspective from each of us. I am sure we will remember different things from each location.

 

So as crazy as it may sound this next assignment will take me into one year of being a traveling Clinical Laboratory Scientist. It has been an amazing time so far. We have been to fun and interesting locations, places we might have never thought to visit until we were given the opportunity to work there. Lafayette, Indiana and Oneonta, New York each had their own pluses and we enjoyed our time in both. We are off to South Dakota next, I will be working in Sturgis and we will be living in Rapid City. Yes, we will be there for the huge bike week in the beginning of August but the clinic I work in Monday through Friday 8-5 no weekends or holidays (yay!) will be closed that week so we will be able to enjoy the sights.

Our time in Oneonta was fun. The weather was brutal, that is true. It was the coldest recorded February in many years and the snow and ice were no fun to deal with. We describe it as a booster shot; we have been reminded of what winter is like and that we don’t want to experience it again. But ,we did have lots of good times. A few of my favorites were (in no particular order):

1. The Healthlinks gym at FoxCare and Body by Stacy – These two places helped us keep our sanity in the cold, brutal winter. We got great workouts and I had the chance to meet Stacy, a powerhouse of a woman that never makes you feel as though you can’t do it, she leaves you breathless and sweaty which is great!

2. The Red Caboose – This restaurant was amazing! They had a fun happy hour with free French fries and lots of interesting food. We went there a lot, sometimes meaning to try a new place but we just couldn’t leave.

3. The Brewery Ommegang. – I loved this place for a few reasons. Their Game of Thrones beer was fun and good, and we went there with family and friends. Once we went with Wendy and Joe and had a great time. We also took my parents there and sat at the bar, not something my mom does often. It was a blast.

4. Christmas 2014 – I have not spent the holidays with my parents in so long so the fact that we were so close and the weather cooperated enough for us to spend the day together meant the world to me. It was a great day and Jesse made a wonderful Christmas dinner. It will be a day I remember for a long time.

5. New friends – I met some great ladies at work at the hospital. This location also made it possible for me to work with other travelers for the first time. I learned so much from both Amanda and Kathy and even found two more possible companies to work with thanks to those lovely ladies. Linda included me on some fun girly activities like painting and wine as well as going to get our nails done one day. I had a great time with them and will miss them all. Thank goodness for Facebook so we can keep in touch.

Our six months in Indiana was also pretty awesome. Some of my favorite memories from there, also in no particular order:

1. The location – We were in an apartment complex that allowed us the ability to run all the way to downtown Lafayette. It was great for staying in shape and exploring the town. They also had a dog park for Twicks. It was nice getting her out off leash.

2. Mosey down Main Street – This was a fun time every time. The town closed Main Street and had a band at either end. There were food trucks, vendors and the restaurants and shops stayed open late. The people watching was phenomenal. We loved going to the Mosey.

3. Turkey Run State Park – The flatness of Indiana was a bit much to look at every day. This park was a gem that we found one day and it was worth the drive to get there. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. The rock formations were millions of years old and just an amazing place to spend the day.

4. Tri-N-Run – The wonderful local run store in Lafayette. I went in there one day and left with a plan to run a trail half marathon. The people at the store were nice enough to let us follow them to the race and spend the day running with them and having a nice lunch. It was a great time.

5. Wabash River Runner’s Club – As I am sure you know, Jesse and I loved our River Run Club in Raleigh, NC and one thing we wanted to find everywhere we went was a run club. We lucked out in Lafayette and met the wonderful people of the WRRC. They held races and met each Saturday and Sunday for an early morning run. We had such a great time and learned new places to eat at and visit in Indiana.

We have already created so many new memories and we really cannot wait to head to South Dakota and make some more. This adventure with my wonderful hubby is so much more than I had ever thought it would be and I could not imagine doing it with anyone else. I am often told how lucky I am to have him and I agree. It just would not be as fun and stress free if he was not there to help every step of the way. I love you too honey.

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