For the Thanksgiving Holiday, my wife and I traveled to Wenatchee WA (where she grew up) to stay with my Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law and to celebrate the 90th birthday of my Father-in-Law, a member of the 'Greatest Generation", who served in WWII.   Not too many of these folks left these days!

Of course, coming from San Antonio, the weather was QUITE different in Washington State.  When we left San Antonio on November 24, it was in the upper 60s.  We arrived in Seattle to rain, wind, and a temp of around 39 degrees.  When we arrived in Wenatchee - which is in Eastern Washington - the temp was around 26 degrees...BRRR!    Thankfully, for my first run/walk in Wenatchee on Tuesday, Nov 25, the temp actually rose a bit.  It was around 8 a.m. when I went out and the temp was a pleasant (sort of) 45 degrees, so I actually wore just shorts and a long-sleeved top, doing an easy 3-miles.

My next run/walk was Wednesday evening, the 26th, which also was my FIL's birthday.  There was a big 'family affair" lunch for him, which was really nice.  I ate way too much and then about 3 hours later 'waddled" on down to the packet pickup area for the Wenatchee Turkey Trot I had signed up for on Thanksgiving Day.  The place was right along the Wenatchee River Trail - a very nice paved hike-and-bike trail that goes along the river (I think it's the Columbia River, but I may be wrong).  This trail loops around the river - with bridges to cross to the other side of the river. The trail is used as part of the course for the Wenatchee Marathon and Half Marathon held here.  Makes for a very scenic run - when you can see it.  Unfortunately, I was running near dusk and it got dark pretty quick and my camera is not the best for night shots, as you can tell:

Looking across the river where I started from

Climbed this bridge to go across the river

Looking down the river and into the night from the bridge

Back on the trail and you come across some very odd sculptures along the way....and when these suddenly "appear from the dark" as you round a bend, it's kinda creepy...

Followed that Wednesday evening run with my Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving put on by Run Wenatchee.  Very fun event.  My report and photos of that event are here at this link:  http://www.runningahead.com/groups/BF_and_Beyond/forum/b6fd245ca8d04cc999bb9ffa98826d34/resume#focus

Saturday was my next run/walk.  In the 40s for my Turkey Trot but by Saturday the temp had dropped dramatically.  I went down to the other side of the river trail, to a park called Walla Walla Park.   The temp was 26 degrees with a 'feels like" temp of 18 and the wind was blowing like crazy from the river. BRRR!!! It even snowed on me, how RUDE of Mother Nature! 

I started out by the river near where I parked.  These geese and ducks did not seem to mind the cold at all.

The wind off the river was REALLY blowing. I'd been to this park before - on a summer trip, thank goodness, when I could really explore it - and knew there were some trails through the woods a bit ahead, so I went there as quick as I could to get a bit of a windbreak from the trees, and made a loop on the trails.

When I got to that area, the trail was not too wet-and-white yet

There were some river inlets to my right, along with some 'bird-watching' stations

Snow began to fall as I took this photo and my flash caught them as little white dots...

by the time I got to this part of the trail the snow was 'flurrying" down pretty good, starting to cover the trails

Yeah, this Texas doggie started to feel like this clump of grass....BRRR!

Heading back to the car and the river was now on my left...so now the other side of my face was getting the wind blasts.

Like my evening run on Wednesday, there were some odd sculptures along the way for my Saturday run....this one struck me as funny....what the heck is this wolf doing with all these fish?

The swimming area at the park...a bit too cold for humans this time of year, but the birds seemed not to mind...

Trail back was much more slippery now than when I started out...had to watch my footing in spots...nice trail, though...

If you read my Turkey Trot report, you may remember this lady.  She was at the event with one of her Irish Wolfhounds and I got a photo of her.  I encountered her again on my Saturday run and she and her companion were with THREE Irish Wolfhounds

She kindly took a photo of me post-run/walk out in this weather.  Runners...we're all nuts, right?

Then I got back to my car....it was DRY around the car when I started my run/walk!

When I got back to the house, a couple of my wife's nephews were out trimming a tree in the yard.  And my MIL was supervising...in short sleeves.   Really?  In this weather?  I guess I really am a cold-weather wimp, lol.

Bob (on the far left) my buddy and 'brother from another mother".......my wife Gail's brother, actually...with his

Bob and his lady, the lovely Ann, from New Zealand.   Fun lady, great sense of humor, enjoyed meeting and talking with her

A nice hot shower after I got back to the house and then I was lazy the rest of the day, watching football...and staying warm!

Sunday I was out again. At least it had stopped snowing and was nice and sunny.  Didn't seem to help with the temp though....19 degrees with a 'feels like" temp of 12.  TWELVE!  That is dang cold for a  lovin'-warm-weather Texas doggie!   Just ran around the local residential areas near my in-laws' house.  They live quite close to a range of hills, etc.  The clear day provided some nice views for my run/walk.

This was the view I had from the front door as I went out...

Going up this road, had a head-on view of the range...

On this road, saw the sun just starting to peek out from behind this area on my right..

These hills were to my left

...and then in front of me as I turned onto various streets to head back towards the house..

The newspaper delivery lady kindly took this photo of me in my Triumph Over Winter, lol.  3.7 miles done.

All-in-all a very nice trip in spite of the cold. I survived the cold and got in some good running in spite of it.  And got to spend time with "my" family, with lots of smiles and laughter and good times.  I say "my family" because I do consider my in-laws my family.  My parents are both gone now, and I don't really feel close with many members of my own family - maybe because during my military years I was traveling quite a bit around the world and just became sort of a 'loner" along the way, since I always seemed to be so far from home;  just a few of my living family now are very special to me, such as my daughter, my granddaughters, my son, a couple of my cousins, and so forth, for example.  So when people ask me about my family, it's my in-laws that I immediately think of.   Gail has a brother and 3 sisters.  Her brother, Bob and I - my "brother from another mother"  -  when we get together, it gets kinda crazy with the one-liners and jokes flying, lol, I love this guy to death, always a fun time with him.  Her sisters and their families have welcomed me into the family, into their homes, into their lives and have been very good to me, and I love them for it.  And as for my MIL and FIL, they have always been good to me since I first met them way back when.  My MIL has always "spoiled" me, lol...sending me cookies and stuff when I was serving in Somalia and other places, going out of her way to cook things I like when Gail and I come visit - I think I'm her 'favorite' but shhhh...don't tell her kids   (j/k, of course!) - and I love her to death for it.  My FIL, for him I have the greatest respect, not only as a WWII veteran and a member of the 'Greatest Generation", but also because of the man he is, an honorable, decent, righteous family man, true to his word. He also tells some pretty good stories!    Love this guy!    No way I was going to not be there for his 90th!  I got very lucky in my parents-in-law and my brother-in-law, and my sisters-in-law.  They always make me feel welcome, and always just let me be who I am, even if we have opposing viewpoints at times - and what family doesn't?  We may not agree all the time, but I think we have a mutual respect for everyone being entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, and over the years as I've gotten to know them somewhat, I feel very comfortable with Gail's family, talking with them, being with them.

And, of course, I owe the most to  my MIL and FIL who gave me the greatest gift of my life for which I shall be ever thankful:  their daughter, Gail, who became and always will be the Love Of My Life.   I will always owe them for that!  30 years married this coming February!  I think we've done all right.

So thank you, "my family" for a very nice visit with y'all (that's Texas talk I try to keep teaching them but they're not buying into it ) , always making me feel at home and always letting me 'be myself" when I visit.  Hope to see 'y'all' again soon.  But...in WARMER weather next time, okay? 

Very nice report, Scotty.  And thanks for sharing.

Sounds like a very good trip.  Family, friends, good food, and time to run some new routes.

Great report and wonderful photos! You're a lucky dog.

Very nice, Scotty.    Enough mushiness there to make ya sick.  

lol.  I clown around quite a lot, but Gail says I am just a big softie at heart, lol.

Great RR. I feel the love