Looks like several got up to where the trail got muddy then turned around in my growing wheat field leaving big deep tracks.....Grrrrrr

$%*&(#$%! I'm thinkin' bad thoughts about them for you. Today was a "rest" day, if you can call over 4 hours of yard work rest. Woke up with a sore butt and calves, but now my back has made me forget all about them. Had our deck sanded down and refinished over the last two weekends. Now, with the refinishing, we have to keep them inside for at least the next 24 hours. Yeah, this is gonna be fun. And, it's been an absolutely beautiful day today - until the finish got put on. Then the fog rolled in. Later! MTA - I got booted off the Internet! Gotta love Suddenlink.

Farmer Jim, promise not to laugh too hard when I say that 48F is about all I can take in my running gear. I found that out while standing around outside at 5 am Saturday morning....BRRR! What a GREAT weekend of running and eating , I've posted my RR under "racing" in the general forums. Overall take-home message: hideous race organization, but a great run anyway due to an awesome gently rolling course, eye-popping gorgeous location and perfect weather. And did I mention the thing nearest and dearest to my heart, namely...EATING! While we have some passable restaurants here in Fresno (really, we do, it's not the Gulag, despite reports suggesting the contrary), but the large coastal cities and the wine country of California can really shine. Even Friday evening dinner at a homey brewpub...well I was expecting nothing special, instead I had what must have been the ultimate comfort-food, namely polenta, done up on a bed of fresh fresh fresh sauteed vegetables, the polenta itself studded with mushrooms, topped with a mellow pesto and a delicate crust of parmesan. Ahhhh....a little hot tub soak at our cheap motel (cheap by wine country standards, that is), and I was gone... Saturday night's long wait to eat was worth it, I guess I'd call Willi's in Healdsburg a "California-style tapas bar" - we had bacon-wrapped scallops on Asian slaw, green beans with Fresno chiles and cashews...a surprising spinach salad with brown sugar and chili dusted almonds, bacon dressing, goat cheese, and a surprise that worked SO well, a smattering of dates...mmmm....oh yes and caramelized salmon on a mound of exotic mushrooms....finally a cheese course that held another surprise, a local brie with a drizzle of honey on top...WOW!! On the drive home today, downtown Napa has its famous Copia http://www.copia.org/ worth a day's visit, but right next door is a sort of marketplace area, where local wine, produce, cheese and simply more yummy stuff than you can take in by eye much less by mouth can be sampled...somehow I found room in my quickly-growing tummy to sample just a few more little things... I better get some more good runs in this week! Arla

Hello 40s. Got back on Sat. from St. Louis. Had a great time while there and got in 3 runs along the Mississippi. It's good to be back home, of course. A nice 7 miler for me yesterday back on my home course. Jim, are you guys weaing blaze orange on your runs? fatozzig...yard work does NOT count as a rest day. A rest from running maybe, but as I'm sure you can attest, it's not very restful! I bet the deck is beautiful. Joe, sounds like a nice trail run. Go Giants! (did I just say that?) arla...I'll have to get over there and read your RR. The food descriptions were awesome! jewels...I'm with you on the wine and honey, honey. Have a great week!

Good Monday Morning to ya! (fingers crossed that my posting attempt will actually post this am...hasn't been posting & I haven't had time to retry!) Jim: almost tempting to have some temp road spikes on hand.... pretty darned windy down here over the wknd too....they clocked 85 mph up @ Berthoud Pass Arla: I think I gained 10lbs just reading about your lovely food & wine fest! Evryday: that's how some of us "rest" around here..... Glad to hear every-body's enjoying the cooler weather! especially the doggies! ...it's warmed up to 29* so far this am....Mairead is "patiently" waiting .....we've been going out on softer trails...found a section of Highline that is kinda like beach sand.....ankle is much better....relieved I am! still working out some creakies...but all in all...doing well! She's still not sure why we're not going very far..... been taking her out to the dog park to supplement... Doug has confessed that his knee (that he banged up pretty hard learning to snowboard under the influence of copious amts of alcohol several yrs ago....) has been bothering him a bit since last Sunday .....so, now that he's admitted to it...we're doing ice/heat & ibu along w/light runs ....my speed! Got to spend some of that wknd "rest" time continuing construction on friend's Jazzercise studio....we cut & put down the carpet, moldings, built benches, entry counter, stereo cabinet, working on the stage, some painting.... Jewels - move over!

Read your report, Arla. Congratulations! It sounded like you had a fantastic time. You're going to do great in your marathon. Yes, the Napa Valley is a beautiful area. I love stopping there and wandering around whenever we go to the Bay Area. Used to be members (is that what it's called?) of St. Helena Winery. They don't sell their wine on the open market, but if you ever come across a bottle, I highly recommend giving a try. Very good.

CONGRATULATIONS KELLY!!! WOO-HOO!! 6.82 migratory Mairead miles....IRC! 48* F/33% H, clear, calm, aaahhhh Fall day! broke 1000 for the year! stopped to visit w/a coupla handsome black labs & noticed a curious pr of tiny pink Barbie shoes set neatly at the edge of the sidewalk? must be a visiting grandchild @ the house...

Leslie- who needs kids when you have all that going on!

That's 5 male cats and a husband. Nope, don't need kids to add to the circus. Too much testosterone all the way around. At least The Hub doesn't try and mark his territory . . . well, at least not inside the house.