MyCOLORADOLife.net
Off to Salt Lake City for a 3 day marathon weekend – my 6th marathon & first Saturday race day.
Runner’s Expo bib pick up at Energy Solutions Arena (home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz), then off to Antelope Island – my pre-race Utah adventure. The Great Salt Lake is large enough to be seen from space — [so for me] an obvious go-to destination.
Antelope Island is accessed via a causeway west of Ogden. Pronghorn Antelope? Yeah, yeah they’ve been reintroduced to the island – but why did I go? BUFFALO. Free roaming herds of buffalo inhabit this island – so much so that each October they roundup herds, update vaccinations & sell off 100-150 head to maintain balance.
Quick stop at the Visitors Center to boost my knowledge base –
- Why salty vs fresh water? [lake is a bowl with no water outlet]
- Do fish inhabit Salt Lake? [nope, only brine shrimp]
- If no fish, what do the sea gulls eat? [lotta gnats & other insects]
- First Anglo to settle Antelope Island? [fur trapper Jim Bridger]
Bucking against ranger advice, hiked up Buffalo Point for pic ops of the Great Salt Lake. Amazing landscape shots against Utah’s snow-capped Rockies (Wasatch Mountains). Beautiful but then… GNATS
Hundreds of gnats settled on my cap, shirt, neck, in my ears, eyes, mouth. Appears the rangers were right – it really is gnat birthing season. Rushed back down the trail, stepping on a snake on my trek return. Not a rattlesnake (which is what I initially thought) but rather a Great Basin gopher snake. Vigorously shook off, ducked in my rental & turned the AC on high. Goal? Freeze all remaining insects resting on my body & clothing. I’m not crazy squeamish but these swarms were epic.
Meanwhile…only 20 minutes away on the other side of the island roamed herds of BUFFALO. On a cerebral level, I understand these are genetic cousins to our domestic cattle – but in person, these massive mammals represent the American West. Native to our continent, muscular, strong – I’m a HUGE fan. WOW!
Saw jackrabbits which ridiculed the size of my neighborhood’s bunnies – huge feet, enormous ears. Didn’t leave before snapping shots of deer & a coyote. Whole lotta wildlife.
Can’t imagine day-to-day life for those first frontier pioneers but for me, Utah’s Great Salt Lake – a ‘must-see’ destination.
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- ready to get my April marathon on
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- bib pick-up, home of the Utah Jazz
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- pre-race must-see, the Great Salt Lake
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- that landscape, that view — WOW!
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- their side of the Rockies is almost as beautiful as ours
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- Buffalo Point – short hike, quick pic, hundreds of gnats
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- (literally) stepped on this guy on my trek back [gopher snake]
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- mule deer
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- island predator
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- BUFFALO!
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- today’s WOW shot
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- symbol of the American West – SPECTACULAR day!
“Go out every 10 to 15 minutes and you’ll watch the moon get, as a third-grader once put it to me, eaten by the shadow.”
That was the quote which convinced me to set my alarm for the 1 a.m. lunar eclipse – the Blood Moon. First time an eclipse has been visible from my Colorado home. Generally we’re on the wrong side of the globe, wrong side of the U.S., too far south – or it’s snowing, clouds obscuring the view.
No excuse this go-around – snow ended Sunday, clearing all cumulus from the night sky.
Both dogs were groggy, unclear why we were up (yep, I woke the entire household). Nothing like setting your alarm late on a Monday night to check out an eclipse in the early morning sky 🙂
Moon is up mighty high at 1 a.m. so can’t say I captured awesome pics – but absolutely enjoyed the experience. WOW!
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere
Goodnight Blood Moon — hope to see you again in October.
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- April 15th lunar eclipse (local Newspaper photo)
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- far far away but still captured its ruddy glow
Jeez what a difference a year makes – or in the case of Spring weather, how ‘bout a day?
Woke to snow & sleet so hit the road early – it’s race day in Fort Collins, my 2nd Horsetooth Half Marathon. Decided soon after Atlanta to try a Half the weekend before my next 2 marathons – as a competitive long run. My FULL race times have been worsening over the past 4 months – trying to mix it up by throwing in a 13 mile hill run 6 days before Salt Lake.
Snowy, cold & hilly – my new fave race conditions. Whereas I’ve been struggling in the humid South (Austin & Atlanta), I scored my best time in months running at almost 6,000ft in snow & pelting ice.
Almost bit it on the wooden bridge at mile 9 – super slick. Thanks to the anonymous runner who grabbed my right shoulder, stopped my fall. Took almost 6 full minutes off last year’s time. Heck, yeah!
SLC marathon next weekend. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow 🙂
Place Bib Name Nettime
284 4685 K R Haga 1:53:57
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- snowy, cold & hilly – my favourite conditions
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- race day snow after 70-degree Saturday
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- lotta elevation — felt the 6% grade at mile 7
