Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs
There are almost as many signs and there are trees in Kentucky. Everywhere I go, the signs are telling me, "No loud music," "No littering," "No this and that." I am surprised at the signs; there are so many signs telling me to be respectful of the people around me. Does this mean that the people around here have no respect for each other, hence the signs? They don't seem to listen to them; trucks with loud bass rumble by intermittently and even the playground is covered in cigarrette butts.
I cannot believe the amount of trees. It's all green here. There are tall trees, short trees, big trees, small trees. There's also a plant called "grass." It's short and very very green. I saw a man sitting on some sort of contraption that looked like it cut the "grass." Very strange indeed.
The whole ride from the airport to Johnny's dad's house, Ash was exclaming loudly, "Look! Trees! There are so many trees! It's a real forest! And there's fog!" Now how my son knows and recognizes fog is beyond me.
The air is cool and moist. Water falls from the sky for a long time sometimes - the locals call it "rain." I'm not used to "rain." In the desert, we get monsoons - lightning and thumder roars across the sky, and occainisonally (sp?) buckets of water dump from the sky for about five minutes. But "rain"? Very strange indeed.
I am enjoying Bellvue, KY. You can see downtown Cinci from Johnny's dad's neighborhood, and the Ohio River is just two blocks away.
I received an e-mail from the S&S RD - he said there are insects, ticks and mud on the course. I know what insects are; we have scorpions and beetles and all kinds of bugs in the desert. But I'm not sure about ticks. I heard they are a kind of bug that can burrow into your skin. I'm frightened of ticks. And "mud" ? I'm worried my time on the course will be much delayed if I have to run through this "mud." I've heard it's when dirt gets really wet and sucks your shoes off. I guess that sounds like the quicksand we have in the desert. Hm.
I checked the registrants for S&S before I left. Guess who's name I saw. Go ahead, guess! Oh fine, I guess I'll tell you: ANNETTE BEDNOSKY!!!! Holy cow, OMG, I am running with an ultrarunning legend (and the author of the "Greedy" article Olga posted and I elaborated on). Okay, so I'll be running with her for the first 30 seconds before she rockets off ahead of me. Sweet.
Ash missed his Grandpa. He raced through the airport, asking where Grandpa was. Finally, we saw him - Ash dropped his coloring book and marker and ran as fast as he could, shouting, "Grandpa! Grandpa!" Those two missed each other so much once Johnny's dad moved out here to Kentucky a few months ago.
I am tired and dehydrated, but oh, so excited about my race. My body is ready, my mind is ready. I will be taking a twoish-mile run today, and that'll be my last run before S&S. We went grocery shopping today, and prepped for the fun camping trip we'll be having this weekend.
I'm off to catch up on a few blogs before Ash and Johnny and Grandpa come back from the playground. Happy running!
Comments
very sweet and very funny:) Hard to decide where you joke and where you're not!
BTW, Anette may not show - hse is battling hamstring injury and is out of WS100, though may be that's why she is doing this (?).
Angie, have fun, fun, fun, and enjoy rain and mud, they are good for ya!!!
Posted by: olga | June 8, 2006 08:41 AM
Hey Angie! Are you getting excited about the race? I cannot believe Annette Bednosky is running! That is SO awesome. Don't worry about the ticks; bug spray helps, they don't hurt and are easy to remove. I'm not going to run :( (the smart decision), but I am going to work an aid station and run the last bit in with my friends. I can't wait to meet you! Are you camping Friday night? I think my dog and I are going to.
Posted by: Nikki | June 8, 2006 08:43 AM
Good luck with your run! Remember the bug spray! I was at Yosemite this past weekend and was attacked by swarms of mosquitoes!
Posted by: Brad | June 8, 2006 10:07 AM
Good luck Angie!!! You will just have to have Johnny do a thurough(sp??) tick check when you get through with your race. They are nasty little buggers. Bug spray will help, but nothing is magic.
Posted by: jkrunning | June 8, 2006 10:58 AM
As you already know, STAY HYDRATED!!! Hope the humidity doesn't hurt you guys too much Good luck!
Posted by: Ben | June 8, 2006 12:20 PM
It's amazing how different that area of the country is compared to the landscape of the West. Enjoy it, and have a great race!
Posted by: Donald | June 8, 2006 12:57 PM
Drink, drink, drink. Have fun in Kentucky and best of luck. Don't worry, you won't miss too much of Tucson's summer, it will be here when you get back!
Posted by: Mike Salkowski | June 8, 2006 02:13 PM
Angie, the rain is good for your thirsty skin, some people slap mud on their face and call it a "masque" (I still think it's mud on your face!). I suggest you take your shoes off, walk out onto the grass, wiggle your toes, lay down on it, roll around and breathe deeply. You need to fully experience grass. You could also do this in the mud, but don't breathe deeply there, just wiggle your toes and roll around!
Have a wonderful, fantastic, muddy, tick-y, fun run!
Posted by: backofpack | June 8, 2006 03:10 PM
Well enjoy those 30 seconds :) And ticks aren't so bad... I would just check for them every so often if you've been running through brush..
Posted by: Jessica | June 8, 2006 03:19 PM
It sounds like you guys are having a BLAST already! Don't worry about the ticks, just pick them off slowly with tweezers and make sure you don't break any part of them in your skin. GOOD LUCK!!
Posted by: Rae | June 8, 2006 04:30 PM
aaah trees...I remember what they look like. kinda.
...A resident of Queens, NY.
Posted by: Yvonne | June 8, 2006 07:32 PM
Good luck, Angie. You're gonna have big FUN! : )
Posted by: Sarah | June 8, 2006 07:32 PM
What a great post - it's neat to see you compare the trivial things we get so used to from day to day and how vastly different they are when we go somewhere else. Have an excellent weekend, and enjoy every step along the course!
Posted by: Ginger Breadman | June 8, 2006 10:31 PM
Trees, trees everywhere - I love it. You have been in the desert too long ;-)
Ticks are more likely to be in tall grass and bushes rather than in the trees. I think someone already said make sure you pull them off very carefully with tweezers if they start digging in - otherwise they will leave a little sticker that will cause swelling.
Have a great race, you're going to do great, don't worry about the mud - it provides a soft landing if you slip and fall (speaking from experience).
Posted by: Jack | June 8, 2006 11:41 PM
Isn't America truly beautiful??!! Have a blast Girl!! Can't wait to hear all about it!! GOANGIEGO!!
Posted by: Lora | June 9, 2006 03:49 AM
Let me add to the chorus of well-wishers for this weekend. It sounds like you're as excited as can be and that the entire family is enjoying the change of scenery.
I don't want to spook you, but do take ticks seriously. Get Johnny or someone else to pull them out after the race -- and check for them EVERYWHERE. I had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever as a child because of a tick. A real tiny one that I didn't find for a day. So, I know my ticks.
Posted by: Anne | June 9, 2006 05:25 AM
Mud is what happens when you get ridicuolous amounts of this "rain", mixed with southern clay to form this sticky gooey shoe-sucking slippery muck. It should at least come up to the ankles. Believe it or not, some people enjoy running in this stuff. Actually, its a blast! (see half marathon report)
Anyway, have fun, you will be just fine!
Posted by: turnip | June 9, 2006 06:21 AM
Good luck at S&S. I enjoyed your commentary on Kentucky, but since I know you lived in Washington I know you know what trees, grass, and mud are. You're just pullin our legs now aren't you?
Have a great time, don't lose your shoes in the mud, and I cannot wait to hear (read) the report.
Posted by: Rob | June 9, 2006 06:57 AM
"Signs, signs, everywhere are signs, blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind. Do this, don't do that, can't you read the signs?"
A day later, it hits me why your post title seems familiar...
Posted by: backofpack | June 9, 2006 02:12 PM
Have a great time- can't wait to hear all about it! Mud- no problem!
Posted by: Jennifer | June 9, 2006 02:37 PM
i am thrilled for your race, angie! i can't wait to read about a successful and satisfying ultra under your belt.
Posted by: matt | June 9, 2006 03:42 PM
I loved reading your description of KY. Like through the eyes of a child, we should all see things that way a little more often. You'll be done by the time you see this, but good luck, have fun and enjoy!!
Posted by: darrell | June 9, 2006 10:31 PM
It's very true, there are no unclaimed open spaces here in the East (or midwest) as there are out west. Someone owns that property you are standing on!
I hope the race went well Angie (it's now Sat evening.) I hope the humidity wasn't too bad; the weather here in Ohio was cool, so maybe it was the same in Kentucky.
Carefully check yourself and the family for ticks; they like hair, and also to reside in crevices and folds of the body, so check armpits and other crevices carefully! If you find one, just pull straight up on it. If it has bitten into you, remember the spot and just watch it...ticks can also carry Lyme Disease.
Anxiously awaiting trail report!
Posted by: Kim | June 10, 2006 04:17 PM
hope it went well! can't wait to read about it!
Posted by: jeanne | June 10, 2006 08:10 PM
GO ANGIE GO!
Posted by: Liv | June 10, 2006 08:11 PM