Sunday, May 26, 2019

Sweet Home Arizona


With my home track of Hayward Field in ruins, I made some judicious choices in picking track meets this year. And with work being crazy, and soon moving into a new house? Yes, things are in a state of flux...

So...I give you PAC-12 Championships in Tucson....

A three-hour SEATAC layover is a lot nicer in a lounge...




A more important reason for the trip: staying with (friend since 3rd grade) Sue and her husband Eric...they put me in their son LP's room, who is currently post-grad at MIT, and who I saw a month ago on my trip east.

Poster on his door...



First day: a Sabino Canyon walkabout...



Mt Lemmon is up there somewhere...


The hike was a bit...well, more than a bit...HARD. And a  whole lotta UP.



The end of the trail is a very well-defined perch, with a whole lotta DOWN. And a whole lotta Nope Nope Nope: I wasn't getting anywhere near the edge...

See that little bump at 1 o'clock? Thimble Peak....you might see this again
Tuscon is bigger than I thought.


Thimble Peak, again....and where's my damned helicopter? I don't feel like walking down...

Night before the meet, there was a briefing and swag pickup. The family's son ran track in high school, and was well acquainted with Mr Starting Line Clerk (below left), so Mom and Dad have a nice reunion.

World class appetizer...

One of those little places where presidents and rock stars eat...


This guy looks dehydrated...

Next morning: that SOB again...



This time, from above and behind...

Up at Windy Point....this photo belies my displeasure at the sheer negative vertical-ness of the dropoff over the rocks. I wasn't going any closer...

Yikes!


No, I didn't run the 23 miles uphill, though that would have made a nice story. This was me trying not to puke my guts out from vertigo.




I left this guy alone, too...

More Thimble Peak. Not sure, but I might have been standing on that roundish mass to the left of center.



It's Show Time!







Did I mention the three-hour lightning delay that began at 7:30pm?


Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide...


We finished at 1am, way past my bedtime!

My hotel room's TV could use some updating.


Best dressed kid at the breakfast bar...



A little tour...



The on-campus offerings seem pretty nice!






On my umpire crew...are you kidding me? Full fan-boy mode!!


That's J, 1984 Olympian in the 3000 meters, and later a world-ranked pro triathlon racer. She was in medal shape at the Olympics but was tripped up by some knucklehead who forgot to use turn signals. In Tucson, I distracted her by stealing her sunglasses...

My last view from Eric and Sue's house...


For the millionth time: I do love TSA Pre-Check!


Great trip!!!! As I write this, though, my daily streak of rainy weather is approaching 3 weeks, between Oregon and Arizona. Booo...

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