Vacation Archives - Glitter and Dust

Kona Recap – Better Late Than Never

January 8, 2018 by Kristen 4 Comments

I debated whether I should even post about the Ironman World Championship race after letting so much time pass. Although I wrote about the race while laying on a beach somewhere on the Big Island, for some reason it never made its way to my blog. And every time I was ready to finally share my experience with the world, I would read my own words and feel the need to change something, add something new, or delete a memory that was no longer relevant. Honestly, I still don’t know how to feel about the race at the end of the day. Grateful? Disappointed? Elated? Proud? Humbled? Ready to go back!? It’s a broad spectrum of emotions, that’s for sure.

What I learned about Kona is that it is so much more than just a race. Anyone who has ever raced there can probably attest that the race is about a much bigger journey – it becomes a manifestation and the culmination of all the work, hours, sacrifices, and grit it takes to get there. And perhaps that is the true reason it is deemed one of the toughest endurance events in the world. People come into the race with the baggage and scars of an entire season – and sometimes much more than that – and it’s a test to see just how much you have left.

So here I am, months later, finally sharing what it was like to live out one of dreams. My goal has been to race in Kona since I was brought to tears watching the Ironman World Championship in 2013 – and this was before I had ever even considered the crazy notion of combining swimming, biking, and running into a single event. At that time, it was just a statement. One of the many goals, ideas, and wishes you add to the ol’ bucket list and say “eh, maybe someday.”

As soon as I started training for my first Ironman in 2016, that goal quickly made its way to the top of the list and became something worth striving toward. After missing a shot at Kona by one spot and 4 minutes at Ironman Coeur d’Alene, that goal became my obsession and I made it my mission in 2017 to find those 4 minutes and qualify for Kona at Ironman Canada. Everything I did leading up to Canada was with the intention and focus to fight my way to the top of my age group and secure my own destiny. With a hard earned (and somewhat surprising) age group win in Canada, I finally did what set out to do and punched my ticket along with 2,200 athletes – every one of us eager to battle it out against the best in the world.

The time between Canada and Kona was unknown territory for me. I had 10 weeks to recover, rebuild, peak, and taper before putting my body through an epic test of endurance on one of the hardest platforms in the world. While my mind was all in, full of excitement, and ready to go to war, my body started showing signs of the impact of a long season. I struggled with neck/shoulder pain that prevented me from swimming for a few weeks, combined with an IT band issue that kept me from running during what needed to be the peak of my training. I worked with my physical therapist, Chris Vergona, twice a week for several weeks leading up to the race, and through a combination of deep tissue massage, graston, cupping, and ice, was able to get my body healthy enough to compete. It was incredibly discouraging at times to feel weakened and plagued by injury, but I also maintained the mindset of “just do what your body will allow you to do.” If it weren’t for PT, I probably would not have been physically able to do Kona.

Justin and I were also prepping for a new and somewhat spontaneous adventure. With little planning or foresight, we sold our house and purchased a new one a month before heading to Hawaii, with plans to close both transactions and move into the new home immediately upon our return to Bend. This meant between work, training, and parenthood, our entire house had to be boxed up and ready to move before we left town. It was a lot to take on at once, and a little overwhelming at times, but no Kona journey story would be complete without a little “life” sprinkled in.

Needless to say, with so much going on in our lives, race week came quickly. Before I knew it I was on an airplane with Justin, Axel, my mother in law Mary, and my coach, Mike. My mom flew in a few days later to support and help take care of Axel. Racing these day-long events with a 2-year-old is an additional challenge (especially as a spectator/supporter), so I was beyond grateful that Nana and Tutu were there to take care of Axel while Justin, Mike, and I focused on the race.

We decided to stay in a big house out at Mauna Lani (about a 30 minutes drive into Kona) during the week of the race, while also renting a small basecamp condo in Kona where Mike, Justin, and I would stay the night before and night of the race. I thought we would venture into Kona more during the week, but with all the road construction and traffic it made traveling into Kona a very daunting task. We ended up spending a majority of the time out in Mauna Lani where the scene was calm and relaxing. Part of me wished I could have been in Kona to be around all the action, but I was also glad I could just relax and be separated from the race scene and chaos. At least, my nerves appreciated it.

Everything surrounding the Ironman World Championship is truly magnified and a spectacle. From the expo, to packet pickup, to the bike drop off, and the race itself, it was like any other Ironman event on steroids. Don’t get me wrong, Ironman does a great job with every event, but this is the Super Bowl of the sport so naturally it’s taken to a whole new level. Even the athletes looked as though they were another breed of human. I was constantly impressed and wowed with every moment, and had to pinch myself a number of times that I was among the talent on the island.

I would say that the overall vibe during the week of the race was much more laid back than what is characteristic of me. Typical Kristen gets pretty nervous and on edge before a big race, so I was surprised to find myself fairly calm and collected a majority of the time. Perhaps because I felt like there was no pressure – I already did the hard work to get me there. And although I always show up ready to compete, I knew my body was nowhere near 100% and that I was quite fatigued going into the race. For me, it was all about the experience.

I truly enjoyed the small bouts of training leading up to the race. A few short runs here and there to shake out the legs, along with a couple swims and some miles on the bike. Our small group rode up to Hawi to check out the “big climb” and a section of the course that is notorious for crazy wind, which was not as bad as I expected. I rode on the Queen K for the first time and it was just as hot and windy as it looks when peering out the window of the car.

And guess what? I did an open water swim in the ocean for the very first time ever! Yep. First timer right here. I had no idea what to expect, but it was surprisingly calm and peaceful. At least that was the case out in Mauna Launi – I would soon discover that swimming in Kona is an entirely different world. I felt as though I was swimming in a giant aquarium full of moving colors and abstract structures. Thankfully, all of the rumors are true and there really is a lot of buoyancy provided by the salt water, and floating was a little easier than I had pictured in my head.

Another great experience I had during race week was doing a small photoshoot with SOAS Racing and modeling a few items from their new clothing line. It has been an honor for me to race and represent SOAS for the past three years, and I was grateful for the opportunity to represent them for their marketing photos. It was during this photoshoot that I decided that I would rock the new Kona Pineapple Kit for the race, mostly because it just made me smile. And, well, pineapples.

Before I knew it Justin, Mike, and I were headed into Kona, the day before the race, to get in one last swim at Kailua Bay (my first swim there), check into our little condo on Ali’i, and make final preparations with gear bags and equipment. I would not have access to my gear bags on race morning, so everything had to be ready to rock and roll – nutrition, gum, chapstick, more chapstick – all the essentials.

My bike drop off time was 2-6pm, so I got there near the front end of that timeslot to take care of business and allow the stress to melt away. Fun fact – each athlete gets his or her own personal volunteer escort to guide them through the process of racking their bike, dropping off their gear bags, and navigating through transition. It was so nice to have someone there to answer all of my questions and help me with the little details.

Once the bike was out of my possession it was a quick stroll through the Ironman store before heading back to the condo for the evening. I kicked up my feet to relax and consumed a home cooked meal of pasta and meat sauce while watching the sunset with a glass of wine in hand. Does anyone else notice how quickly the time passes the day before a race? I swear, it’s a day most of us do almost nothing, and yet in the blink of an eye the day is over.

Paradise Found in Mexico’s Isla Holbox

May 24, 2015 by Kristen 47 Comments

Isla Holbox. Justin had talked of this place as if it was some kind of Shangri-La, and I had seen pictures, but nothing could have prepared my eyes for the beauty and tranquility that awaited us on this small, secluded island. Although it is only a couple of hours northwest of Cancun, it feels worlds apart as the culture, size, authenticity, and atmosphere uniquely separate it from other “touristy” parts of Mexico.

The town of Holbox (pronounced hole-bosh) is small, incredibly colorful, and reminds me of the kind of place you would discover only in the movies. You will not find any large resorts, and development has been limited to luxury boutique hotels, budget hotels and hostels, smaller restaurants and cafes, and the occasional tiendas (shops) and mercados (markets). There are about 2,000 people living on the island, which is roughly a mile wide and 26 miles long, though the vast majority of it is completely undeveloped and undisturbed. The entire island lies within the 940,000 Yum Balam Biosphere, Mexico’s largest ecological reserve.

As my husband would say, it took a car ride, two flights, taxi shuttle, boat, and golf cart to get to our resort at Casa Las Tortugas. The travel was easy and we were all checked in to our beautiful room – the Mandarina oceanfront bungalow – by 5:30pm, giving us enough time to get settled, explore the resort, have dinner at the hotel restaurant on the beach (also called Mandarina), and go for a walk in the sand. Stress and tension from traveling quickly melted away.

Over our seven-night stay on the island, we quickly found ourselves settling into a routine each day. Our mornings usually started with an early morning run around 6am to beat the heat (if that was possible as the temperature was usually around 78-80 degrees at sunrise) and to enjoy the calmness of the sand and sea while most people were still in bed. Running was always slow and steady on the hard packed sand along the ocean, but it was the perfect way to wake up and start each day.

After our morning exercise, we always enjoyed breakfast at the Mandarina restaurant, which was included in our stay. I mainly ate fruit, yogurt, and granola each day because it sat well in my tummy, but Justin ventured out and had something different every day including montaditos, chilaquiles, empanadas. He was always kind enough to give me a bite if the dish looked appealing.

Breakfast was typically followed by relaxing, reading, and wading in the ocean for a few hours until the breeze picked up. The routine was basically lounge, ocean, pool, lounge, repeat. I couldn’t imagine a better place for a BABYMOON. Five months pregnant and rockin’ my baby bump!

Our resort had an immaculate area for lounging in a combination of sun and shade. As someone who has always loved being in the sun, I found myself enjoying the shade and indirect sun far more than any other trip I had been on. The sun was hot and unforgiving. Perhaps being pregnant didn’t help either. I finished The Art of Racing in the Rain in two days, before moving on to and finishing Mockingjay. Next time I definitely need to bring more books.

Late morning and mid afternoon was usually full of adventures and activities around the island. During this time we would also stop for lunch at one of the local authentic eateries. One of my favorite meals while on the island were the grilled fish tacos at Villa Mar. They were some of the best tacos I have ever had, which shouldn’t surprise me since there were always a lot of Holbox locals eating there as well. By the end of the trip, I think we had earned semi-local status as we ate lunch there three times.

After finishing our afternoon activities, we would come back to the hotel, take a dip in the pool to cool off, relax on one of the many swinging canopy beds, and get ready for an evening on the town. Once the sun begins to go down, the town comes alive with kids playing soccer in the zocalo (central park), the sounds music coming out of every restaurant, and people chatting about in the streets. It was fun to people watch and dine at different restaurants. There was even a cute little gelato place called Porque No (“why not?”) that we would stop at on our way back to the hotel each night. Mexican chocolate gelato is muy bueno! Why not indulge a little?

Holbox Quirks and Novelties:

There are no paved roads on the island and no cars (aside from the occasional truck delivering food/drinks around town). The roads are packed with sand and the primary modes of transportation are golf carts, cruiser bikes, and your own two feet. We did a lot of walking.

The town is extremely vibrant and there are beautiful murals everywhere. The International Public Art Festival was held there in April, with street artists coming from around the world to paint murals around town. Justin did a lot of exploring when I wasn’t feeling up to battling the heat, and took a number of photos, capturing the magnificence of the images. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Oddly, there is a huge Italian influence here and you will come across a blend of Mexican and Italian cuisine almost everywhere you go. Apparently there were a number of Italian pirates that settled on the island in the late 1700s, leaving a unique cultural imprint that thrives today. If you want lobster pizza, fresh seafood pasta, or gelato with a Mexican twist, this is the place for you!

Friendliness was contagious. We met and talked with a number of people during our stay on the island. The locals, workers, and other vacationers were all easy to interact with and talk to, and we felt at home. The language barrier isn’t too bad either, as English is pretty prevalent on the island. And Justin is conversant in Spanish, which helped from time to time. Aside from a few instances, communicating with the locals was, for the most part, easy.

Some of the restaurants did not even have a menu, like El Chapulim, which we ate at on the second night. You sit down, the chef comes out and describes four dishes he is preparing for the evening (basically whatever was caught that day), and you roll the dice. It wasn’t our favorite meal, but it was sure fresh. The experience was pretty inimitable (my husband had to look up the word inimitable when reading this) as well.

There is ALWAYS a fierce sunset. We tried to watch the sunset every evening before heading out to dinner and there was always a bright orange ambience in the air.

Along those lines, Justin nicknamed Isla Holbox “selfie island” while we were there. We were certainly guilty of our fair share of them, but it was entertaining to watch people try to take the perfect selfie on the beach, in the water, or at sunset. I swear some people spent 10 minutes trying to get it just right. I, on the other hand, spent my time trying to capture the sun.

Great prices. There is something for everyone on this island, and it caters to a diverse group of visitors. As an example, the amazing fresh lobster with homemade pasta dinner at our favorite restaurant, Casa Nostra, was only 240 pesos (about $15), and our daily staple of fish tacos was 100 pesos ($6.50).

Because it is a fisherman’s paradise, and remains their primary economy even though tourism is a close second, there is plenty of fresh fish and shellfish caught each day. You could always tell when the fishermen were mooring on shore because the birds would flock to those locations seeking scraps and leftovers.

It is very likely that any seafood you are eating – whether fish, lobster, shrimp, crab, octopus, mussels, clams, or conch – was swimming around in the ocean earlier that day or the day prior. Speaking of octopus, Justin ordered a seafood stew for dinner at Viva Zapata! one night that came with two whole octopus tentacles, each almost a foot long, that he swore were as tender and tasty as a filet mignon. It was hard enough for me to watch him eat them, so suffice it to say I didn’t take him up on his offer to see for myself what he meant.

Highlights and Things To Do:

The resort!!! Casa Las Tortugas, only a few steps from town, was definitely the nicest place to stay on the island. It is not your typical “hotel” and each room has it’s own style, vibe, and theme. We stayed in three different rooms due to availability when we booked, and fell in love with the ocean front bungalow (Mandarina) and colorful room overlooking the pool (Azucar).

There is a beautiful pool centrally located which was a nice alternative to jumping in the salty ocean. The beach area was out of this world, with swinging beds, plenty of loungers, hammocks, and the finest, softest sand you have ever felt. They even have a groundskeeper named Matteo who spends a few hours in the early morning raking and sifting the sand. That’s right, SIFTING the sand. Heaven forbid a guest might step on a coconut husk or palm frond! ☺

Get your cruiser bike on! We rented cruiser bikes on a really hot, windy day (not the best idea) but still found it fun to ride around and get in a workout. Trust me, riding a cruiser bike on the sand, into a headwind, in 90-degree heat, is a calorie burner.

Rent a golf cart for a few hours and explore! Justin and I realized that riding cruiser bikes to different areas of the island in the blazing sun was too much for my pregnant little body. We did the next best thing (or best thing, in my opinion) and rented a golf cart. It was quite the adventure and at one point our cart would not click into forward gear, forcing us to drive in reverse for about 10 minutes. It was hilarious.

Visiting Punta Coco via golf cart and driving along the sandy roads near the beach. Not only is this area more secluded and great for a dive in the ocean, there is also a beautiful private dock that made for a breathtaking photo op. This part of the island truly validated the deep emerald color of the water.

Visiting Punta Mosquito (not as bad as the name sounds) via golf cart and walking as far as the eye can see through the shallow waters onto small sandbars that are hundreds of feet from shore. It was one of the most picturesque surroundings I have ever been in. Watch for horseshoe crabs and stingrays – they are everywhere!!!

Find a hammock, let it swallow you up, and enjoy. There are bright, colorful hammocks strung along the shores for all to use. Personally, over the water was where I wanted to be.

The house made Hidratante water served at the hotel restaurant was the best thing ever. Infused with honey, lemonade, tea, hibiscus, and mint, it was the perfect “pregnant” alternative to an adult beverage.

Take a snorkel trip. I can’t say that this was my favorite activity, only because I had high hopes of swimming with whale sharks, but it was still worth the morning cruise along the stretched out beach of Holbox island. Our captain Alberto took us on a private excursion to a giant reef, where we snorkeled and swam with turtles, hundreds of fish, eels, barracuda, and lionfish. We even got to get close to a school of 50+ playful dolphins, which was pretty incredible.

After snorkeling, we ventured through a small channel that cuts through the island where we stopped in a national wildlife preserve, enjoyed a beverage, and ate lunch. At this time we learned there are jaguars, monkeys, turkeys, and crocodiles that inhabit the areas detached from the main island.

We were also able to see Flamingos during our snorkel cruise and slowly drifted by a flamboyance of flamingos (like a flock of seagulls, a gaggle of geese, or a murder of crows, a group of flamingos is known as a flamboyance) as they waded through the water and kept a close eye on us.

Holbox is as opposite as you can get from Cancun, so maybe enjoy a little time in each. Personally, I would spend five days in Holbox and five days in Playa Del Carmen/Tulum, to get a little mix of the two cultures. Skip Cancun altogether, unless you want to party and socialize.

One of our primary reasons for booking the trip to Holbox was to swim with whale sharks, but unfortunately the government pushed back the dates in which they allow for tours and we missed it by a couple weeks. June-September seems to be the best time to venture out there if you are looking to swim with the big giants of the sea, but that also coincides with the rainy (mosquito) season. Obviously we will go back, bug spray in hand, as this is one of the only places in the world where you can swim with a whale shark. So, until next time Holbox… cheers.

Weeks 22 and 23; Baby Kicks, A Food Crisis, and Isla Holbox

May 21, 2015 by Kristen 17 Comments

Justin and I returned from Mexico late last night and I have A LOT of catching up to do in the blogging world. This past month has been a whirlwind. Would you believe me if I said that I haven’t eaten a homemade meal since APRIL 28? That’s over three weeks, folks. Let’s just say I am ready to get back into a routine and enjoy one of my husband’s delicious home cooked meals. Between trips to St. George and Mexico, and moving into our new house the last month has been fun, but I’m looking forward to feeling a little more settled and having a little more normalcy around here. Meanwhile, there have been lots of changes in the bump world!!!

Baby is now the size of: We went from a spaghetti squash in week 22 to a mango in week 23. He is over 11 inches long and weighs more than a pound.

Total weight gain: Roughly 14 pounds.

Sleep: Sleep is becoming more of a struggle as I grow larger. Thank goodness for my wonderful snoogle. I have a feeling I will be curling up with it for the rest of this pregnancy. That and about ten pillows. Pillows are my friends. Don’t even get me started on the dreams I am having…

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I am proudly sporting maternity jeans, tops, and dresses. A lot of my dresses will work pre and post pregnancy, at least at this point in my pregnancy. It was nice to wear flowy dresses, skirts, tops, and shorts while on vacation. Looking forward to summer in Bend.

Right now I am feeling very thankful for my SOAS running shorts and tanks. The wide elastic band on the shorts is super comfortable and stretches nicely below my baby bump. Every pregnant runner, hiker, and walker should invest in a pair of these shorts – they are going to get me through the summer months while helping me feel cute and stylish at the same time.

Symptoms: Week 22 was not a pretty week for my body. I caught some kind of bug going around and was really sick for five days – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, acid reflux, upset tummy – the works. The timing was horrible during our move, but at least the symptoms mostly cleared up before leaving for Mexico.

With the baby growing at speeds I can hardly comprehend, I feel like my stomach and everything surrounding it will not be the same for a long time.

Cravings and favorite foods: Ugh. Food was a real struggle while I was sick. I literally could NOT stomach 99.9% of food and had to limit myself to jello, pudding, plain chicken, and apple juice for a few days. The first few days in Mexico were touch and go, and I ate a lot of fruit and foods that were simple and easy. Thank goodness I started feeling better in Mexico because the food was amazing and authentic!

Food aversions: Almost everything for a few days. Red sauces, tomato based anything, and heavy creams are still no bueno. My husband was such a sport during our trip and always switched dishes with me if he had ordered something I could stomach better than my own order.

Exercise: Exercise was pretty minimal in week 22 because of moving and being sick. I felt like moving and unpacking boxes over the course of a couple days was exercise enough! Amazingly, I was able to run almost every day in Mexico. My husband and I found a great route along the beach from our hotel, would get up early enough to avoid the heat (relatively speaking), and were able to run six of the eight days we were there.

Mood: A little fragile and all over the place. But my life has been far from normal over the past two weeks!

Margaritas and my normal energy levels while we were in Mexico. The heat really drained me and I had to dig deep to find the energy to walk around and do the things I wanted to do. My mind want to do way more than my body can handle right now.

Best moments: The baby has been way more active than normal – or perhaps I am just feeling him more. I love all of the kicks and wiggles at various times of the day. When Justin and I were on the plane, he was moving so much that I had Justin put his hand on my belly so he could potentially feel the baby move. Kick kick kick!!! Justin got to feel him move for the first time. It melted my heart. We can now SEE him move as well.

Arriving in Mexico and stepping foot on Isla Holbox for the first time. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Stay tuned for a detailed post about our trip!

Worst moments: Being sick. It was honestly THE WORST. My heart goes out to all of those mamas who struggle with morning sickness.

Interesting pregnancy moments: On Mother’s Day, it was like I had an emotional breakthrough and the realization that I am going to be a mom finally sunk in. My husband gave me a card from both him and the baby (which made me BAWL), my mom came over and gave me sparkly slippers (the best), and I had the most delicious blueberry iced donut in the world. It was a wonderful day.

Best Quote: “It feels like he is riding a bicycle.” – Justin, when feeling the baby move one night when we were lying in bed.

Buying: Nothing. But now that we are back, let the nursery planning, designing, and shopping begin!!!

Dreaming About: Honestly, these past two weeks I haven’t been in a future state of mind. It was all about being in the present, moving into our new home, and enjoying our last trip as a childless family. I guess you could say I was living my dreams. ☺

Weeks 20 and 21; A New House, Shopping Extravaganza, and Time For a Vacation

May 9, 2015 by Kristen 21 Comments

These past few weeks have been insanely busy, and as a result I’m a little behind on my weekly preggo updates. With a trip to St. George last week, moving into our new house over the past few days, packing for our trip to Mexico, and trying to get ahead at work before we leave town, I’ve had little time to sit at my computer and blog. But the good news is that we are officially moved in to our new house, and I could not be more excited to start a new chapter of my life.

Baby is now the size of: We went from a banana in week 20 to a carrot in week 21. He is quickly approaching a pound, and it shows!

Total weight gain: When I went in for my ~20 week check-up, the doctor said that I had gained 10 pounds. Right on track for a 25-30lb total weight gain. Very healthy and happy!

Maternity clothes / preferred attire: I finally received and wore my first pair of maternity jeans from Macys. I had ordered several different pairs and chose to keep the Pea in the Pod Maternity Skinny Jeans. Although it took a moment to get used to the stretchy band that covers my stomach, they are super comfortable.

The temperature has finally been warm enough to wear maxi skirts, which I love! I also bought several belly-friendly dresses at Ross for our trip to Mexico. I swear I can purchase an entire new wardrobe at Ross for $100. That is definitely the way to go when pregnant. It’s all about color and fun patterns for this mom-to-be!

I am really not a fan of the maternity shorts, so I ended up buying some regular shorts a couple sizes larger than I would normally wear. They are loose around my lower belly and are much more flattering than maternity shorts – at least on me. A lot of my tanks and tops still fit nicely as well.

Sleep: Every night varies, but overall sleep has been good. I have noticed a lot more soreness from lying on my left side all night every night. It would sure be nice to switch it up. My dreams have been horrible lately. Two nights ago I had a dream that no one showed up for my baby shower and I was devastated. Sad, huh? I’ve had a few others that are even worse. Go away bad dreams!

Cravings and favorite foods: I haven’t been craving anything specific and find myself feeling full a lot. Food isn’t that exciting when you always feel full.

Food aversions: None. Okay, maybe crab-cakes.

Exercise: As many of you know, I finished my first preggo half marathon over a week ago. You can read about it here.

I’ve been out of a real routine with everything going on in my life right now. A little running here, a little hiking there, but nothing super strenuous. I’m hoping that once we get settled into our new home, I can get back into a normal routine. While I will not be exercising a lot in Mexico, I do plan on running on the beach and swimming in the ocean. We are staying on the small island of Isla Holbox, so my options are limited.

Mood: Generally happy with a few bouts of anxiety. Every once in a while reality will strike that this is REALLY happening and my life is going to change in significant ways. It’s exciting and scary all at the same time. I’m really excited about our new home too!

Symptoms: A lot of bloating, gas, acid reflux, and feeling full. I’ve also had a lot of back pain.

Missing: A cold adult beverage, especially in the heat of St. George. Triathlon!

Worst moments: I admittedly had a little breakdown in the dressing room at Ross when I came to the realization that things did not “fit” as they normally would. After a quick little pep talk during which I reminded myself that there is a precious life inside me, this is only temporary, and I should embrace it, that was the end of that meltdown.

Best moments: Crossing the finish line pregnant at the Bend Half Marathon and doing so with a negative split. It was a pretty solid race for me and I felt great.

The entire trip to St. George and spending time with friends.

Moving into our new house. It is absolutely gorgeous and the location in Bend could not be better. The sellers did an amazing job of making sure everything was clean and made us feel at home by leaving behind a small “welcome” gift. They even included non-alcoholic sparkling cider for us! ☺

Interesting Pregnancy Moments: For some reason, I continue to have this nagging discomfort under my right rib. It feels like the baby has his leg lodged into my rib, but I know he is nowhere near the size to do that. Is this normal?

Best Quote: “Whoa, he really sprouted!!!” – Justin, when seeing me after six days apart while I was in St. George this past week.

Buying: Clothing for our trip to Mexico and summer.

Dreaming About: Unpacking in our new house and adjusting to a completely new lifestyle on the west side of Bend. I am also looking forward to shopping for and working on the nursery when we get back from Mexico.

Spectating at IM St. George 70.3 and Exploring Zion National Park

May 7, 2015 by Kristen 15 Comments

Last Wednesday, I made the trip down to St. George, Utah with a group of friends to spectate and watch them compete at Ironman 70.3 St. George. My friend Nicole, whom I have been training with this past year, along with several other Bend athletes, were taking on the challenging course. Because I had originally planned on racing there this year, I still wanted to experience the environment and check out the course in prep for years to come. Plus, this would be one of my last opportunities to travel and get away before the baby comes.

At 835 miles the drive from Bend to St. George is pushing it for a one-day road trip, so we decided to break up the trip by driving from Bend to Elko, Nevada (475 miles) on Wednesday, and the remaining 360 miles from Elko to St. George on Thursday. Nicole and I left mid-morning and made our way to Elko along some pretty lonely rural Oregon and Nevada highways, where we met up with Mike (my coach), Mickey, and Jake for dinner and casino fun. Nicole and I are NOT big gamblers and were pretty stingy when it came to spending any money. We failed to win but succeeded at having fun.

Up early the next day, we made the final push to St. George, which was unlike any place I had ever seen. The town is surrounded by beautiful red rock and desert terrain, with biking and running paths/trails branching out all over the area. After a quick stop at packet pickup, we checked into the condo and got settled.

The first two days were all about race prep, shake out rides, runs, and swims, and relaxation. It was fun to check out the swim start and T1 area, which is at a separate location from T2, and to drive portions of the bike and run course.

I also finally got to meet fellow blogger Katie, which was meant to be because we randomly kept running into each other over the next few days – once after the race at the froyo shop (naturally) and once on the shuttle in Zion (what are the chances?). She and her dad were so sweet! Katie, just let me know when you want to come to Bend!!! 😉

I’ve never traveled with a group for a race, so it was fun to see and experience the dynamics unfold and observe everyone’s little quirks. You learn a lot about people (and people learn a lot about you) when you’re cooped up with them in close quarters for several days. For example, who knew that Mike had a domestic side and could give Martha Stewart a run for her money in the kitchen?

The night before the race he whipped up an awesome meal for all of us. Although I wasn’t racing, I decided to carbo load for a day of spectating. It’s a good thing I did. Dinner was topped off with home made brownies and vanilla ice cream. Maybe that’s the secret to being fast. I’m starting to figure these athletes out.

Race day rolled around in no time and alarms could be heard at 4am echoing from every room. Everyone had breakfast and was out the door by 4:30am, heading to T2 to catch the shuttle. Because I wouldn’t be out on the course until 8:30am, I went back to bed.

I would say that the course was very spectator friendly. I positioned myself in a great spot on an intersection where both the bike and run course pass by. Loaded with plenty of food and water, I parked myself in some shade and waited for the athletes to zip by on their bikes. I tried to capture some photos of everyone as they flew by, but they were way too fast, only allowing enough time for me to cheer them on by name. All of that waiting for two seconds of excitement (now I know how my husband feels at all the races I drag him to!). At least I got to see them all make their way up the grueling hill near the beginning of the run leg.

Once I saw everyone up the hill of horror, I quickly made my way down to the finish area to meet up with Mike (he had been cruising around the course on his bike) and to watch everyone make their way through the finishing chute.

The atmosphere was electric as Jake, Mickey, Nicole, Michael, and Adrian all finished with impressive times. Jake and Nicole finished 2nd and 4th in their respective age groups, so after we got cleaned up we made an appearance at the awards ceremony. I was so proud of my friends. Someday I hope to make it up on that stage!!

St. George has got to be one of the most difficult Ironman 70.3 events for three reasons:

1) The heat. Brutal. Especially when you are traveling from northern regions and have had no exposure to these types of temperatures since the previous summer

2) The hills. Particularly on the run course. Great for someone who considers running to be his or her strength.

3) The competition. It seems like a lot of strong, talented athletes show up for this event. This year’s race doubled as the North American Pro Championship, and as a result the competition was top notch!

I also have a whole new level of respect and appreciation for spectators. It’s not easy spending the day out on the course and coordinating what-where-when-how from moment to moment. Being a cheerleader. A photogapher. A Sherpa. Hustiling from one location to another while trying to navigate traffic and road closures. It’s a different type of physical/mental exertion, but one I will no longer take for granted when I see my husband, family, friends, and strangers out on the course cheering my name.

That night we celebrated with dinner, froyo (hi Katie), and relaxation at the condo. Everyone was pretty worn out from the day’s activities and with a trip to Zion awaiting us the next day, we hit the sack early and got lots of rest.

Zion National Park has been on my bucket list for years. Although we only had a day to spend in the park, I was excited to get my feet wet (literally) and get a taste of this beautiful area of the country. When we got to the park around noon, there were multiple options for hiking and exploring. With limited time, we had to prioritize and select only a couple activities from the list of hikes and “things-do-do.” As any triathlete knows, this could be tough to do with a bunch of strong Type-A personalities trying to come to a consensus, but we all decided that we would hike up to the Emerald Pools and then make our way to the Narrows for a little trek through cold water and canyons.

I think we all agreed that we could have passed on the Emerald Pools and headed straight to the Narrows. While they were beautiful, it was a fairly crowded hike and there were A LOT of people making their way up and down the narrow path. There were a few sketchy areas where my pregnant body felt off balance, but I handled the hike pretty well.

The Narrows were INCREDIBLE. I could have spent an entire day walking through the cool, clear water, not knowing what beautiful sights would emerge at each bend in the river. All of us agreed that this was the highlight of Zion and a must-do if you visit the park.

After a day of hiking in the sun and trekking through water, I was pretty exhausted and ready for cozies and couch time. That evening after consuming some yummy tacos at our group’s new favorite Mexican restaurant, we packed up and got everything ready for our early Monday morning departure. It would be a long 14-hour drive back to Oregon – but at least the company was good. ☺

All in all, I had a blast traveling with this crew. It was fun experiencing the other side of racing and being there to cheer on and support athletes whom I deeply admire. I’m not sure if I would take on the grueling St. George course next year (or wait until I can really compete), but it is definitely on my list. Being around this environment and these people really inspired me to continue training as much as I can – I am really excited to start racing again next year!

Do you have a favorite spectating experience? Pros and Cons of spectating?

When you attend races, do you prefer to go it as a solo athlete or travel with a big group?

Updates, Injuries, and Aloha!

February 6, 2015 by Kristen 44 Comments

For the first time in more than a year, I had to put a halt on all training for several days due to a clumsy injury to my ankle. Last week I was out on a run doing a set of ladder intervals (my favorite) and toward the end I had to step off the path to dodge a group of people who were coming in the other direction, taking up the whole width of the path, and didn’t move over at all. I stepped sideways into what seemed to be a large sprinkler hole, rolled my ankle, and went down.

After the initial rush of heat and tingles, I was able to jog slowly back to my house. But as soon as I took off my shoe, the pain and swelling quickly set in. My physical therapist taped it up, told me it was a sprain, and advised me to stay off it for several days – no activity. Please don’t judge my ugly middle-of-the-winter foot.

Grumpy Kristen spent five days doing nothing but resting, icing, and elevating on a cozy couch. Rough life, I know. In my experience, when you have an injury you baby that injury as much as possible so that you can get back in the game. No cheating or shortcuts for me. It was a busy week of work, which was good, and grading lengthy papers kept me occupied. I also started watching the first season of Parenthood, which sucked me in immediately, and took an occasional nap or two.

I will admit however, that as soon as I could walk on my ankle without pain, I tested the waters and went on a run. Success. Me being a good patient paid off. There is a tiny little twinge every once in a while when I run, but nothing bad enough to hold me back. This week was all about running in the rain and wind, and treating myself to a loveable cup of coffee when finished. When you have a friend who is as crazy as you are when it comes to running in stormy weather, it makes it all that much easier.

Justin and I are headed to Hawaii tomorrow!!! I’m not sure I will get much sleep tonight, given that our flight departs at 5:10am, but at least that means we will arrive in paradise before noon. I have a collection of magazines to occupy me during the eight hours of travel and will likely purchase a few books in the airport. Every time I am in an airport I HAVE to buy a book. Something about it… Does anyone else go book crazy in airports?

During the trip I am hoping to read A Life Without Limits by Chrissie Wellington, as so many people have recommended it to me. I thought about starting The Art of Racing In The Rain, but I don’t know if that one is too deep. I’m primarily looking for an easy or fun read for poolside/beach lounging. Any recommendations? I’m really good about reading books while on vacation, but if I don’t finish them, they tend to linger when I get back home. Life.

We are staying in a large house on the Big Island within the Mauna Lani Resort area and will be joined by Justin’s family later tomorrow night. We’ll have access to a beautiful 25M lap pool as well as plenty of paths and trails for running. I’m hoping to swim in the ocean a couple times as well, as I have snorkeled and waded around, but have never actually done any open water swimming in the ocean. I see lots of swimming and running in my immediate future, and there may be a little mountain biking thrown in there as well.

I’ll be checking in around mid-week with little updates from my trip! For those of you who have been to the Big Island → any recommendations on where to eat, cool places and sites to see, remarkable beaches, etc.? What is one thing we MUST do?!

What do you like to do to pass the time when flying? Do you prefer the window or aisle?

Airports… Love em or hate em?

Post Marathon Celebration in Lake Tahoe

December 12, 2014 by Kristen 27 Comments

We had a wonderful stay at the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento and found the city to be quite eclectic and full of character. It’s a little bit of a bipolar town if you ask me. On one hand, you have the state capitol and all of the perfectly manicured grounds that surround it, while on the other hand there appeared to be a lot of homeless people inhabiting the parks, sidewalks, and bus shelters mere blocks away from the capitol’s display of wealth and prosperity.

But in general, the people were friendly, Old Town Sacramento (walking distance from our hotel) was a cute place to wander around, and the Sacramento River provided lots of scenic beauty to the downtown area. I was able to get in one run along the river before the marathon and although it was foggy, the setting was peaceful and pretty.

After I finished the marathon on Sunday, I felt surprisingly good and was ready to celebrate the day with my husband. Typically following a marathon, all I want to do is kick my feet up and hope that my stomach calms down (my tummy always gives me issues after my longer races). However, because my body was reacting positively (again, perhaps a result of my efforts to control my pre-race stress and anxiety???) and I was full of energy, Justin and I decided to make the two-hour drive to South Lake Tahoe for a little spontaneous adventure. We stopped at In-N-Out burger on the way, because it’s one of my favorites, I was hungry, and we don’t have any in Oregon!

The drive to Tahoe was absolutely beautiful, as you transition from dry and open terrain to thick white pine trees, huge boulders, and the American River flowing along the roadside. As we passed over Echo Summit and descended into the Lake Tahoe basin, it was hard not to notice the rustic, woodsy charm of all of the buildings and feel instantly relaxed. Justin drove me around his old stomping ground (he lived there for three years in the late 90s) and then we decided to check in to one of the big casinos. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting but I do know that I wasn’t expecting to see an 18-story casino at Lake Tahoe, let alone a handful of them. We booked a room at Harvey’s (which is owned by and across the steet from Harrah’s), and were given a spacious room with a lake view on the 15th floor. It was fun just going with the flow and not having a plan.

After checking in and getting settled in the room, we headed down to one of the sports bars to watch the Seahawks beat the Eagles (along with every other football game that was on). Go Hawks!! We were both paying close attention to our fantasy football teams (Justin’s team is named Beast Mode in honor of Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, and my team name is Victorious Secret), because we were both set to make the playoffs (which we did).

Yelling and screaming at the television for a few hours, in addition to running a marathon, can make a person pretty hungry. So after the game ended we went back to the room, got cleaned up, and walked to the Village at Heavenly—a cute little area near the Heavenly Gondola where there were several hotels, restaurants, and shops, along with an ice skating rink and fire pit areas where you could relax and warm up. We ate an AMAZING dinner at Kalani’s, a Hawaiian inspired restaurant with Asian influences, where Justin and I shared a Rainbow Roll and some calamari. For our entrees, it was hard not to go with the sea bass, mahimahi, snapper, or the scallops. Instead, we both went the red meat route. Justin ordered the ribeye with wasabi garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and blue cheese butter, and I went with the Big Island Filet Mignon served with wasabi potato hash cake, broccolini, and fried curly yams. It was one of the best filets I have ever had, and was so tender I probably could have eaten it with a spoon instead of a fork and knife. No I do not have a picture because I was too busy savoring every little bite. What better way to treat yourself after a marathon than with a filet?

After dinner, Justin and I walked around the Village a little more before heading back to the hotel and putting a few dollars into the Wheel of Fortune slot machine (my favorite). Justin and I aren’t huge gamblers, but we thought “when in Tahoe.” He lost his $20 before he even knew what happened, but I ended up winning $50 on the machine before hitting the “print receipt” button and quitting while I was ahead. It was a fun time and I got really excited every time I got to spin the wheel, which was a lot!

After sleeping like a baby that night, the next day we were up before the sun, wide awake, and ready to head out and drive around the lake. Justin showed me his old house and office, along with some great viewpoints, and the trailhead of where he would go mountain biking. The mountain biking in Tahoe is supposed to be some of the best.

We continued on around the lake toward the North Shore, stopping along the way to take a few scenic pictures and play around. I wasn’t very sore, so getting around was actually pretty easy.

The road and scenery around the lake made for a picturesque drive. We even got to venture through a tunnel called Cave Rock at one point, which was pretty cool. I honestly couldn’t imagine driving here during the winter months when there is 10 feet of snow on the ground!

One thing I loved most about Tahoe were all of the HUGE rocks and boulders. Justin explained to me that they are granite, a type of igneous rock that is completely different than the basalt (lava) that we have everywhere in Central Oregon. Whatever. I just loved hopping around from boulder to boulder and capturing the snowy mountains and lake behind me.

Justin decided he would do a little 360-degree video from one of the places we stopped, so I figured it would be the perfect video bombing opportunity (as I try not to fall). Always having fun in our world! ☺

Although it was still early, we had a seven-hour drive ahead of us so we decided to call it quits on the sightseeing and start making our way home via Carson City (my second state capital in as many days), Reno (the biggest little city in the world), Alturas (not much worth mentioning), Lakeview (Oregon’s highest city at 4,802’), and on to Bend. I graded papers most of the drive home, though Justin made sure I didn’t miss any wildlife, birds, towns, or other interesting sights along the way.

All in all it was a fun little detour following the marathon, and a much more interesting and scenic drive back to Bend as opposed to I-5. One of these days, we’ll return to Lake Tahoe for more than just one night, and with our mountain bikes and hiking boots!

Weekend in Portland and New Tri Bike

March 8, 2014 by Kristen 22 Comments

Yesterday, Justin and I ventured off mid-morning to the big city (yes, Portland is our version of the big city) in search of a tri bike and more birthday celebrations. Have I mentioned how much I love week-long Birthdays?

We arrived in Portland with enough time to stop at a couple bike shops before checking into our hotel. First we stopped at the Planet X showroom (which did not impress me) and then the Athlete’s Lounge, which was well stocked with a variety of bikes and accessories. Although I did not test ride or get into the “buying” mode on Friday, Justin and I were able to narrow the options down to a few that I would test and fit the following day. My top contenders were the Cervelo P3, Scott Plasma 10, BMC Time Machine, and Argon 18.

After we left, Justin drove us to the “surprise” hotel we were staying at, which he had repeatedly joked was a Motel 6 near the Portland Airport. Well, the surprise ended up being The Nines. Neither Justin nor I had ever stayed at The Nines and it was at the top of our list. Walking in we were immediately impressed by the service, amenities, and décor. The room was absolutely beautiful!

They even went the extra mile to deliver special chocolates for my Birthday with a nice card.
An interesting display of art from our hotel room. I like PAC-MAN. They must have known.

After getting settled in and enjoying some down time, Justin and I decided to take advantage of the blue sky and warm sunshine by enjoying a happy hour at the hotel bar called Departure. It’s a chic bar/lounge on the rooftop of the hotel with a great view of the city.

I enjoyed a glass of wine and Justin and I shared an appetizer of calamari and a maki sushi roll.

Once we soaked up the late afternoon sun, we headed to the Portland City Grill for another happy hour, followed by Urban Farmer (another great restaurant in our hotel). This was really a surprise to both of us because it is uniquely located in the middle of the hotel in a giant atrium.

To complete our progressive dinner, we ended the night at Veritable Quandary at the recommendation of many friends. Justin ordered razor clams with Dungeness crab, while I ordered the osso buco that was superb. I was extremely shocked when we sat down, only to find a personalized menu for my birthday.

The next morning after waking from a food coma, Justin and I headed toward the Willamette River for a morning run. It was a nice cool temperature with overcast skies and spots of sun. We did two loops around the Riverfront Loop and enjoyed some interesting sites along the way. I swear, every time I run with Justin I get a small history lesson and learn something new.

One of the many things that Portland is known for is being extremely weird and eclectic. At one point along our run, Justin pointed out a very odd floating contraption in the river (with person inside) and it looked as though the guy has created his own floating house equipped with palm tree, bike, cooler, lounge chair, and waterslide. Only in Portland.

Once we finished our run we made a quick pitstop at Starbucks, cleaned up at the hotel, checked out, and were off to the Athlete’s Lounge for some serious shopping.

The Cervelo P3 was the first bike I tested and I instantly fell in love. It felt solid, comfortable, and fast. I tried a couple others but always found my eyes wandering back to the P3. I was sold.

The staff at the Athlete’s Lounge was great. David was very knowledgeable and made sure everything felt good, fit well, and most importantly, was comfortable.

Because I am a newbie on a tri bike, he encouraged me to come back in a month or two, after riding and getting used to the different feel, for a better, more exhaustive, fitting. I walked away incredibly excited about my new purchase and birthday present and am now ready to ride like the wind! THANK YOU HUBBY!

Kenyan Safari – Part Three: The Best For Last

February 18, 2014 by Kristen 8 Comments

Day Six

Off to the Masai Mara, which was rumored to be the most spectacular place in Kenya and the reason people often save this destination for last in their itinerary. Our guide even told us that the entire trip thus far, as amazing as it had been, was just a warm up for what awaited us in the Mara.

The name Masai Mara is a combination of the indigenous and nomadic Maasai people who inhabit the region, and the word Mara which means “spotted” in Maasai language and is reflective of the many acacia trees that dot the landscape.

But before we get into the details of our time in the Masai Mara, and because we spent so much time traveling from destination to destination in our vehicle, I thought it would be fun to share some of my experiences while on the road. Some of the memorable highlights were:

I had a chance to see several Kenyan runners on the side of the road. Because of the higher elevations (5,000-6,000 feet above sea level) and cooler temperatures, this part of Kenya is ideal for training.
We stopped and had several “check tire breaks” which is essentially what Godfrey referred to as a rest stop or bathroom break. The bathroom experience was quite shocking – typically there were no seats on the toilets in the ladies room, and the men pee against a wall that trickles down into a small trough at the base of the floor. During our last pit stop I received the ultimate surprise with this… (yes, this is the ladies room)

The speed limit for any vehicle carrying passengers is 80km, which is approximately 50mph. For safety reasons, the government requires these vehicles to use governors to regulate the speed, which is particularly important in the Matatus—small privately owned passenger vans that serve as a hybrid bus/taxi and may hold up to 15-18 locals. All other vehicles do not have a speed limit.
There are always people on the side of the road, no matter if you are driving down a tiny dirt road or the trans Africa highway. Many of these people are walking to/from school or work, but most of them appear to be doing nothing and it seems like every shade tree has someone taking a nap under it.
At any time you can see cows, goats, sheep, chickens, pigs or donkeys on the side of road, often with a one-man (or young boy) herder. Fences are rarely seen in Kenya, as the search for precious food and water for livestock often requires traveling great distances.

The paved roads were surprisingly nice and smooth, however there are random speed bumps placed to slow traffic down every 2-20 miles. Our guide referred to these impediments as “dead traffic policemen.”
Passing is pretty much subjective and can happen at any time. There are no “real” passing lanes and I found myself holding my breath a couple times.
Often times en route to one of the resorts or lodges, it required traveling a long distance (i.e., 60 miles) on a dirt road. This was referred to as a “free Kenyan massage” because these roads are often rough and bumpy.
There is a hierarchy of transportation. Most people walk, some have carts pulled by donkeys or cows, some travel on bicycles, some on motorcycles, and finally cars, which not many people have.

At any time you can look out the window and see zebras, giraffes, antelope, gazelles, etc. etc. We even saw warthogs (a.k.a. Pumbas from The Lion King) roaming around in downtown Nairobi.

Now, back to the Masai Mara. People were not kidding when they said it is an African paradise and the most beautiful part of Kenya. As we arrived to the Mara West resort, we were taken aback by the serenity of the property, which was located at the top of the Oloololo Escarpment with the vastness of the Masai Mara unfolding beneath it. Oloololo means “endless” in the Maasai language, and indeed this ridge seemed to extend forever. It was along this escarpment, very near to the Mara West lodge, that much of the movie Out of Africa was set.

Mara West had a quaint simplicity with a single building for lounge and dining, and another building with gift shop and business center.

The tents were scattered throughout the grounds – our “tent” was one of the best in the resort with magnificent panoramic views of the Masai Mara. When we walked into our tent it was like a luxurious escape from reality. Picturesque décor, hardwood floors, large beds, a huge bathroom and shower – just the works!

We got settled in, had a bite to eat, and then were off on an afternoon/evening game drive. From the porch of our tent we had seen a few elephants far below us earlier in the day, and knew that this was going to be the day that we finally would come face to face with our first group of elephants. We also got to see more giraffes, lions, and buffalo.That evening Justin and I had a lovely, quiet dinner for two near the fire and then went to bed early in prep for the long following day.

Day Seven

Happy Valentine’s Day! I can’t imagine a more romantic way to spend a day with my husband. We were up early and ready to head out on an all day game drive.

The water and power at Mara West were very interesting. We had hot water for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. The hot water was produced by building a fire in a large furnace/boiler behind each tent, through which cold water passed in pipes and was heated up to a very high temperature almost instantly. Though probably not the most efficient means of heating water, it’s certainly a cheap method and it produced an endless supply of hot water for the duration of the fire. Unfortunately the fire starter overslept the night before, so our morning showers were delayed slightly while the fire was brought to life behind the tent. The power was turned on from 5:30-8am and again from 7-10pm. Outside of those hours, it was all-natural with no power.

We headed out at 8am for a full day experience in the Masai Mara. The scenery was beyond incredible, with endless views of rolling grassy hills with acacia trees scattered throughout. We saw all kinds of animals and got close to elephants, giraffes, lions, and antelope.

Around noon, we got to see a baby hippo resting next to its mother out of the water, which was pretty awesome. Godfrey mentioned that in his 20-plus years of being a guide he has never seen a hippo this small. Hippos do not venture out of water during the day very often, as they rely on the coolness of the water to protect them from the sun.

A little later Godfrey spotted a lion from about 150 yards away, and as we rolled up to it our jaws dropped in surprise as an entire pride of lions – one male, four females, eleven cubs – lay resting in the shade of a few trees. We sat for a while and watched the cubs play and nurse. Then, we got to see the females set up for a kill (even though they were spotted by the Topi and were unable to follow through). Being only feet away from these massive creatures was one of the highlights of the trip.

Lunch was soon to follow as we parked underneath a sausage tree (so named because the tree’s seed pods look like large sausage links hanging from the branches) and enjoyed a box lunch prepared by the chef at Mara West. It was just what we all needed to recharge for more viewing.

After we were finished scouting for animals, Godfrey took us to a local Masai Village where we had a chance to interact with and learn from the people. It was really neat to see the people dressed in vibrant colors and the women covered in beads. Red is a popular color worn by the Masai people because the animals see it as a threat and it scares them away. Hmmm, why did I not pack anything red for this trip?

A few of the men in the tribe showed us how they make fire, with very little effort. The people also performed a traditional dance, sang a native song, and gave us a tour of the village.

The houses are made of cow dung, dirt, and grass, and are built by the women as a gift to their husbands. There was no running water or electricity – only natural light and light from fire, and the doors to the houses were noticeably short considering the relatively tall height of the Masai. It turns out this is intentional, and forces the husband to bow to his wife as he enters the dwelling.

In addition to building the “houses,” the women do much of the work around the village while the men are tending to livestock, including cooking, firewood gathering, laundry, child rearing, and fetching water. Sounds pretty much like life in the U.S., right?

Polygamy is also a common practice among the Masai, and as long as a man has enough livestock he can take as many brides as he wants. It is not uncommon for one man to have five wives. Traditional masai females shave their heads, while males do not.

In their spare time (which can’t be much given the aforementioned list of responsibilities), the women make and sell a lot of jewelry, beads, and wooden artifacts to help provide income for the village and money to help build schools. We learned that education is becoming more and more important, and that children will walk up to nine miles each day, each way, to go to school. Pretty fascinating.

Justin and I noticed that if they were wearing any shoes at all, most of the people in this particular tribe were wearing old, beat up sandals that were literally falling apart. We decided to take off our running shoes and give them to the people so that they would have something a little more comfortable and cushy to walk on when traveling long distances. We were told that the shoes would be shared (anyone traveling particularly long distances would be given them to wear) and are very much needed and appreciated. Many acted as though we had given them a brick of gold. They also asked us for more shoes, and we are planning to work with our local running store, Foot Zone, to collect second hand shoes to ship to the village in the coming months.

After saying goodbye to our new Masai friends, we headed back to camp to freshen up and enjoy a nice Valentine’s Day dinner. The chef prepared a special menu and they arranged our table beautifully next to a cozy fire. The food at Mara West was exceptional, and was our first chance to order from a menu on the trip as opposed to eating from a buffet.

That evening we were escorted back to our tent and fell into a slumber quickly once again. During the night, we awoke several times to the sounds of zebras grazing in the moonlight right outside the tent.

Day Eight

Departure day. Very sad to be saying goodbye to Africa and our Kenyan adventure. At least we got to witness once last colorful sunrise.

We got up early, showered, packed, and headed to the restaurant for breakfast. As we roamed the property from our tent, we were surrounded by zebras, baboons, and the occasional giraffe.

Breakfast was excellent once again and the coffee strong. Apparently most Kenyans do not drink coffee because it is too expensive – they drink tea instead.

After breakfast we were off to the Masai Mara Airstrip, which is basically a strip of dirt in the middle of the savannah. Along the way we gave away our last soccer ball.

When we pulled up there was a parliament of giraffes out on the airstrip that had to be chased off by a vehicle right as the airplane was landing. Pretty entertaining.

We said our goodbyes to Godfrey, which was bittersweet, and loaded into the plane for our flight back to Nairobi.

Once we were in Nairobi, we had some time to kill so we had a long lunch at Carnivore, spent some time at a giraffe sanctuary where we actually got to feed the giraffes, and made our way through crazy Nairobi traffic to the airport for departure.

Now that the trip is over, it all feels like an incredible dream and I still have yet to wake up!

<–Part Two

Kenyan Safari – Part Two

February 17, 2014 by Kristen 12 Comments

Day Four

The day started with an early rise and departure on to our next destination – Sweetwaters Tented Camp just outside the town of Nanyuki. We retraced our tracks part of the way back toward Nairobi before turning off onto a dirt road for 30km of “free Kenyan massage” as our guide Godfrey liked to call the countless miles of unpaved tarmac.

On our way we were able to stop at a school and interact with the kids and teachers. The school has been open for about one year, and we were their first visitors from outside the area. The principal, Patrick, eagerly rummaged through a box of supplies from which he produced a guest book for us to sign and write in. The kids were SO EXCITED and happy to see us. We were able to tour the classrooms and experience the environment the children learn in.

There were three classrooms within a single concrete building, positioned in the middle of a dirt field. Each classroom had four to five wooden desks that the kids would share – about 17 kids per classroom. On each of the walls were chalkboards covered in pictures, letters, numbers, and words. Nothing fancy and very simple. We were told that education has become very important and that those who go to school learn English (it seemed as though most people spoke English).

Justin and I had brought along a few soccer balls and red playground ball that we were able to give to the school. The balls were welcome replacements for a pile of 4-5 deflated balls in the corner, and a refreshing alternative to the old motorcycle tires that the kids had been rolling around the playground during recess. We also gave the teachers a map of the United States for the classroom and showed them where we are from. Ann and Bob had a bunch of bracelets, glasses, toys, crayons, and coloring books that they handed out. The kids really seemed to enjoy the fun glasses. It was so heart warming to see their faces and looks of pure joy. It’s amazing what we take for granted here in the US.

Once we said our goodbyes and left the school, we had a short 20-minute drive to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy game park and our destination for the night: Sweetwaters Tented Camp. When we pulled up it was instantly jaw dropping and very authentic. Large grassy areas with beautiful yellow fever acacia trees spread throughout the property. We were greeted by a very cheerful crew of people and accompanied to our tent. This was definitely a “glamping” experience. We had a gorgeous view of the watering hole and savannah, and were able to watch a variety of animals, including a charming giraffe, graze around the area all from the comfort of our tent.

The restaurant and food at this resort were quite spectacular, with a buffet style that catered to a variety of taste buds and palates. We had lunch, enjoyed some down time, and headed out on our afternoon game drive.

At the beginning of the drive we were able to stop at a Chimpanzee sanctuary that was founded by Jane Goodall. It was quite interesting walking around and learning about the chimpanzees, most of which had been rescued at some point in their lives from the entertainment industry, circuses, cages, and other inhumane situations.

Along our drive we came upon a male and female lion that were lying on the side of the road, only feet away. Godfrey explained that they had just finished mating and would do so again, as they mate about 20 times per day (poor female). As we were getting ready to drive away, the lions decided to put on a show and mated again right in front of us. It was quite interesting, to say the least.

Continuing on, we crossed paths with a black rhino (very endangered species) and were able to see a cheetah and her cub stalk, chase, and kill a gazelle. It was an adrenaline pumping experience for us all, and one that took about 30 minutes of slow and deliberate stalking for what amounted to an 8-second chase and kill.

Day Five

Our time at Sweetwaters was a bit short and we all agreed that we could have stayed a few more days. The tents were comfortable (they even put large hot water bottles under the comforter during turn down service to combat the cool evening temperatures at 6,000 feet above sea level) and the environment just felt like home. Unfortunately, after breakfast we had to pack up and get on our way to our next destination five hours away – the Sopa Lodge at Lake Naivasha.

On our way we stopped at the equator and watched a fascinating demonstration about the earth’s rotation. One entrepreneurial local who called himself “Professor McKenzie” proceeded to give us a demonstration using a pitcher of water, a large funnel, and a matchstick. Just 20 feet north of the equator, the match spun clockwise as the funnel drained into the pitcher. 20 feet south of the equator, the match spun counterclockwise. And right on the equator, the match didn’t rotate at all.

After some souvenir shopping at the equator stop, we were back on the road and had some time to make up. Unfortunately, we were met with a minor delay when a simple inspection station (they are common all over the roads there, and are intended to keep unsafe vehicles off the roads) with a braggadocious police officer put a wrinkle in our plans. The officer called into question the safety of one of the tires, as well as the reflective signs on the back of the vehicle, and wanted a $5,000 schilling (about $60) bribe in exchange for allowing us to proceed on our journey.

Corruption is rampant in Kenya, but our guide Godfrey is a man of integrity and was unwilling to pay the bribe out of principle and because it would only perpetuate the problem. Besides, tourism is vital to Kenya’s economy and tourists, while not immune to the law, are generally not supposed to be detained for such minor infractions (whether valid or not) while on safari. While driving to the police station to settle the matter, Godfrey called the Kenyan Tourism Police on his UHF radio. Once we drove back to the police station, he called the KTP on his cell phone (a whole other story…I can’t even get service everywhere in Bend, but cell phones work EVERYWHERE in Kenya) and the chancellor of the organization gave the police officer a stern talking to. That put a quick end to what had become a 90-minute delay, and we were finally back on our way.

After several hours in our Landcruiser, we arrived at the Sopa Lodge and were greeted by several staff members and colobus monkeys in the trees above.

The rooms had a beautiful and expansive view of the resort grounds, with waterbucks, zebras, giraffes, and other various creatures roaming around.

After lunch, Justin and I toured the property and enjoyed an afternoon walk around the grounds. We were able to get up close and personal with a zebra and waterbuck.

The property extends out to Lake Naivasha, a huge lake that is home more than 400 species of birds and thousands of hippos. At this particular resort, they warn all guests of hippos and water buffalo (the most dangerous animal in Africa), both of which can pose a threat. Although hippos are vegetarians, they are territorial and will charge/stomp to kill. After dark the hippos come out of the water and onto the property grounds, where they graze on the grass throughout the night. Thus, after dinner we had to be escorted by a guard for safety. We were able to see the hippos both in water and late at night from our balcony. Boy, are they remarkable creatures.

One of the security guards actually took Justin and I on a private walk “off the beaten path” to show us the hippos and teach us a bit about their lifestyle. The guard’s name was Kapatipu and he grew up in the Masai Mara, but now works at the resort. He told us his age (28 years old) and about his wife and two young kids whom still live in one of the Masai villages. His work requires him to stay and live at the resort for 3 months at a time, allowing him 7-10 days in between to go home and be with his family. It is tough to imagine this lifestyle, but apparently it is normal in Kenya – a way of life that they feel very fortunate to have.

Another exciting moment was watching the giraffes roaming and eating around the grounds of the resort. As Justin and I were making our way to dinner, four giraffes passed right in front of us, including a baby. They were so beautiful to watch and their movements seemed very Dr. Seuss like. Watching them run was even more impressive as it looks as though their legs should break with each step – yet they are very graceful. I am still amazed that we were only feet away from these magnificent creatures.

The best is yet to come…

<–Part One | Part Three –>