Last weekend 12 friends descended on PDX to load into two vans and journey 198 miles on foot through sun, torrential rain and gale force winds from Mt. Hood to Seaside, Oregon in a little under 33 hours. It was epic, non-stop fun with a stellar group of photographers, a few spouses, and a few of Craig’s old friends and family as we ran the mother of all relays, Hood to Coast, as Team Awesome Sauce.

It was my first trip away from my 15-month-old son, who is still breastfeeding, and the longest I’ve ever been away from my 3 year old. I had been torn about following through on the race for months and being away from the babes, even after signing on a year earlier, but I am so thankful I did.

Hood to Coast was my version of a radical vacation:

/ Great friends ( Lisa, Bruce, Craig, Sandy & Chris – for the linkable photogs)

/ Adventure (that time we went to the wrong exchange and Bruce had to wait a half an hour, or I ran 5 miles at 3am in a hard downpour in the pitch black with a lightening storm as my guide)

/ Grueling physical feats (we each ran 14-20 miles across three legs in under 24 hours. The hardest part was running 5-7 miles and jumping straight into the van. Over. And over. And over.)

/ Pacific Coast Pie Company (surprise bday pie for Bruce between legs 1&2,)  Voodoo Donuts (thanks to Tim at exchange 6,) and Dutch Bros

/ Oregon. Oh I have missed you and your people.

/ Just enough photo geeking to feel at home

This cartoon pretty much sums it up.

Here is a diptych’d glimpse of our rolling running party, made with my cell phone. You have to check out Sandy’s pics and write up on the adventure too!