Something happened while we were gone...

Officially...a MOOSE! Looking more and more like a lab every day!

Camp Gramoom

Camp Gramoom did not come empty handed! She had all kinds of things for the kids to do and went to the library and got some books. I don't even know how to knit! But she was able to teach Jordan how to! And he knitted her a little guinea pig house for her next guinea pig that is expected to arrive sometime this fall/winter. He did an awesome job! Can't wait for the critter to cram himself into it!!! She had him finishing up her latch hook too! Anth crocheted a beanie that mom took with her as it was Seahawk colors. Anth originally crocheted it for himself but then his stitches got a little big and he thought it looked more like a grandma hat, so he gave it to his grandma :-) Mom will wear it with pride. I love that she is so hands on and teaches my kids things that I can't. I can crochet an afghan but not something fancy like a hat! Thanks mom! You're da best!

The carnage of Camp Gramoom

Thankfully Camp Gramoom was able to pick up and move down to Covington for the 10 days we were gone....however...it was not without carnage. I tell ya....can't turn your back for a second. Oh...how I will miss those darling red wedges. I only wore them twice and they were perfect height. Alas, they are no more. I hated throwing one perfect good one away! And then...moms crocs? They didn't stand a chance! And she drug them away right from where mom had taken them off and was sitting. Thank goodness Jordan finished his Framed book! She didn't mutilate the Scooby Doo DVD, just the case and the Metroid book? Pretty much a goner. Anth's football pad? He is too embarrassed to say his puppy chewed it up so it will be reported lost :-) Goodness.

on our way home!

Good bye Vail Cascade Resort. I could get used to you and your valet/bag service, your comfy bed, maid service and spa. Yup. I am pretty sure I could.

We even went to check out the look out along the way.

Met a little friend there.

Have you ever noticed these wind mills cropping up nearly over night? I know! Right? Neither had David!

Sunset picture with the flash accidentally on...with a great view of the bugs David managed not to avoid :-)

Home Sweet Home. We have beautiful mountains too. Good to be home.

Official Support Vehicle

Doesn't that look official!?!

Stage 6 Vail to Beaver Creek

Last leg. 23.6 miles with a climb of 5,000 feet. Check point 1 was 7 miles in. Today David got to work with me and the massage ladies. It was a tight squeeze on a small Jeep road. We had to jockey the trucks in to make it all work for water, etc...

All set up

the runners are coming from this direction.

Two runners (I didn't get many pictures because when it was busy I didn't have time) these runners are enjoying from fresh watermelon.

They came up the far road on the left and then made the switch back and headed up this trail.

The finish line!

So...I believe the leaders came in a 3 hours something....the last runners, a team called Running Late and Just Don't Care :-) Came in at 10 hours! Quite a difference! We stayed till the last team came in!

Stage 5 Red Cliff to Vail

Today both David and I worked checkpoint 1, the massage girls were getting prepared for their evening of massage ahead of them...today was a 23.6 mile run with a climb of 4,100 feet. Check point 1 was at 7.9 miles.

They ran to our check point then up onto single track which they loved. They hated running on these dirt roads.

I am ready to fill 'er up!

David waiting for runners.

us

Heading back down after the sweeper came by assuring us there were no other runners on the trail. We drove forever and ever and it was total 4 X 4 and my poor Pilot will never be the same again!!!

Back at camp in Vail we were on rugby/soccer fields. All the bags lined up and waiting. Some days I didn't get back to see the finish and on the longer days I did.

The finish line coming down some steep hills. The declines are just as hard, if no harder than the inclines.

Today they had a slip and slide waiting for them!

There is a Pro Cycling even going on, with top cyclists from the Tour de Frank doing time trails in Vail. Which really made for a headache traffic wise. We were worried we would not be able to get to our camping spot. If you were not there by 11 a.m. they shut down the roads. That was impossible for us as we didn't leave our check point till after that, but somehow, David sweet talked the traffic police to let us through, so he, in his truck, another full size truck, and me, in our Pilot drove right down the middle of the bike race!!!! Then we went down to watch the top guys ride.

Then back to catch our friends finishing. This is our friend Niel. He is from Europe. He has a bunch of world records and he does both the TransRockies and the TransAlpine. David knows him well. Funny guy that Niel! And the gal in blue, is a gal David knows, her name is Kim. She has done the TransRockies every year with her partner Fran. Well, Fran passed away several weeks before the race so it was very difficult for Kim. It was very emotional for her but she persevered and kept on going and finished strong!

We walked up to where Carl would be coming down from the single track and found a creek so we dipped our feet (BRRRR, something about snow run off is FREEZING!!!) It was gorgeous though!

Here comes the old goats as they are affectionately known, and call themselves. This is Doug and Gordy. Gordy is the grandfather of ultra marathon-ing. Doug's daughter was the one with super long hair in the photo of the ladies teams. Her team won 2nd place overall. Normally Doug runs with Steve, the other old goat, but this year Steve ran with his wife Annie.

Heeeeere comes Carl!!!!!

Stage 4 Nova Guides to Red Cliff

Getting ready for the start. On the shorter mileage days (really? cuz I don't think 14.2 is a short jaunt...), I didn't work a check point as instead of 3, there were only 2 check points so I got to try a little of everything out. David got to help today too! Getting ready for the start. 14.2 miles with a climb of 2,800 feet.

Here they come...

These guys are seriously fast!

So the guy in the very front, with sunglasses, that is Andreas from Flagstaff Arizona. He works for Gore, I will meet him later.

Quick tear down. You have to be quick cuz the fast guys are quick, we have to tear down, and drive to the finish and put it all up again. They put up and take down everything individually, all the banners, etc....it is a lot of work! We had fantastic weather!

Putting up in Leadville.

Banners are a science. A quick one. You gotta get them up quick!! One I never figured out!

Finish line is complete. Banners on both sides.

Finish line chute.

Ending at Mango's where they have amazing fish taco's I never did try them and regret it.

There are the 15 passenger vans David used to shuttle people from the finish line back to camp, all.day.long. I tried to avoid shuttling cuz those things aren't my favorite, but then....I got an even *better* task. I ended up having to drive one of those bad boys into the Vail hospital, and park it in the parking lot - oh yea, fun times!!!!! My friend Andreas, from above, his partner, Mark, apparently started suffering chest pains 5 minutes into the run but didn't say anything but after they finished, he wanted to be checked out and Andreas was really worried. So I drove him to the Vail hospital where we sat for 5 hours waiting for all Mark's test results to come back.. Unfortunately, David didn't know where I was and cell phone service was not. But....had I taken my phone...like I ALWAYS do, I would have had service at the hospital. But instead, I had to sit there and do nothing. I did talk to Andreas who was super nice. He pushed Mark, his partner, who is extremely competitive, all day and he felt terrible he was having chest pains. Mark was checked out by a leading cardiologist who did all kind of tests on him and gave him the go ahead to run the next day. Andreas was worried and let Mark set the pace the rest of the run.

They are in orange. Mark has the hat on. He wanted to be sure to make it back for the awards as he knew he was on the poidum. Once again...talking to a superstar all day :-) Yup. that's me!

All these mens teams on the podium. So nice and hilarious!

Ahhhhhhh....That is all I have to say. Hello Vail Westin. I could definately get used to you :-)

View from our hotel. Unfortunately, since we got in late, and left early, we did not get to actually enjoy much of hotel. It sure looked beautiful though.