Oregon Road Trip

I wasn’t home long when I got asked to help out at Brandy’s in Oregon while she traveled for work. I always enjoy visiting Oregon and I can usually get together with Smitty and Denise when I’m there. It was an enjoyable stay and I managed to get two races in while I was there, including one with Smitty. 

While I got away for a couple of hours at a time to run the Row Trail and Pre’s Trail I did most of my training on Lynx Hollow Road right in front of the house. It was rolling hills and rural and while the road was narrow for the most part traffic was light and you could see it coming. 

The first race I ran in Oregon was also the first in what I planned to be a busy racing September. It was a trail race in Charleston right by Coos Bay Home of Steve Prefontaine. The race had some tough parts at the start when we started on deep beach sand before heading up a steep, root crossed trail to a bluff overlooking a beautiful bay. I didn’t care about time and found myself often stopping to take pictures. It was a long drive to and from the race but well worth it. 

Since Brandy’s former housemate Marty was still living on the property he was responsible for caring for the dogs, pigs and goats so I had a pretty easy load really. I just fed, watered and cleaned after the miniature horses and the donkeys and swept up dog hair every day. Four Saint Bernards living in the House = lots of hair. 

I had one of the cats and the young donkey, Paco, to help me with the barn chores. 

Smitty and I had a 5K on Labor Day, Eugene Brews Cruise. It was a low key race but was fun and afterward we met Denise and some friends at the Hop Valley Brewery the race sponsor. I visited a while, had a beer and left so I could get home to let the dogs out.