We’ve been out in Big Bend on a family camping trip these past few days.  There was a good amount of oatmeal eating in the cold. 

Some balancing shenanigans with good friends.

Some rock skipping lessons and some sand dune scaling.

(Asa’s the little black smudge on the far right.)

It was a family car camping perfection — especially after Eliot and I accepted that Asa wasn’t going to be able to strictly observe the camp quiet hours.

I managed to get all my scheduled runs in except for a long run on our last day there.  We’d moved up to Chisos Basis and the park ranger told me I’d definitely be attacked by a mountain lion if I went running on the road by myself.  (Somebody might want to tell all the folks signed up for the ultra in Big Bend next month…  Certain death.)  I was looking for an excuse not to run though, so his dire warning pushed me over the edge and I slept in and then stuffed myself with griddle cakes.

I cannot believe it’s New Year’s Eve and I also can’t believe the Bandera 100k is next weekend.  I’ve got some New Year’s resolution-ing to get done.  As for Bandera, I’m looking forward to the running.  Sub 15 at Rocky is my big goal (Why not, eh?), but I can’t give up the rock-hopping party at Hill County State Natural Area.  There are too many great people to catch up with and too many friends who are running to miss being a part of it all.  The women’s field is nice and deep and it’ll be fun to try to keep up with all these ladies.  The trails were pretty torn up by post-rain horse traffic when I was out there earlier this month and it made the dirt almost as challenging as the rocks.  We’ll see what race day brings.

Now it’s time to scale some piles of dirty laundry.