Day 6 - dawn

Catching up while the husband showers and the teenage son sleeps - and while we're at a campground with wireless. It's a far cry from our early days of tent camping!

Summary: 138 trip miles; today's start point is one mile north of Atwood Colorado.

Snippets from the past two days:

• Day 4, our first day in the motorhome...too much a.m. packing, too many miles to the starting point, too late a run-start (12:45 p.m.). Consequently ended up short on miles - only 25.5.
  
• Broke two rules on Day 4. 1) Start early and get the bulk of the miles in the cool part of the day; with the late start, it was definitely warmish (90s). 2) Finish in daylight; starting late meant finishing late (9:15). As I told son Paul while he rode the bike with me, today's start was not the smartest thing I've ever done.
• Day 4 ended in Brush, Colorado where Paul's and my smiling faces greeted us on the front page of the Brush News-Tribune. The editor had contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if she could write an article about my run. She asked questions, I answered and sent her pictures upon her request. The result: an above the fold front page article! It certainly brightened the evening!
• For much of Day 4 we were joined on the road by 100-mile bike racers. Lots of waves and greetings being tossed back and forth.
  
• Day 4 was a two bungy chord find day. Early birthday presents for Kendall!
• Part way through Day 4 my total lifetime miles surpassed two-times the circumference of the earth!
  
• Day 5 took us from Brush to Atwood. 31 miles with the last 12.5 (the afternoon portion) in temps that ranged from 93-106 (depending on which thermometer you want to believe). I started the afternoon feeling very sluggish but somehow perked up the last 5 miles... undoubtedly due to the notion of getting done then taking Kendall out for a grand birthday dinner!
• Day 5 most interesting roadkill: a big package of velveeta cheese melted over the black top.
• Day 5 most interesting discovery: neither Paul nor I know 100% of the lyrics for any song.
• Day 5 most lovely bird: pelicans flying, floating, landing...
• Day 5 most unexpected sight: a carnival graveyard - all kinds of carnival rides scattered about - including a ferris wheel.
  
• Due to the big time chafing/bruising on my left ribs from the first day, I've not been running with a water belt. Instead, I wear a small waist belt pack that holds a few gu, a few ginger chews, and my phone. I carry my big honking whistle in one hand (almost had to use it yesterday when four dogs charged at me but they paused at the road just long enough for their owner to start yelling at them) - and if the motorhome is going to be more than one mile away, I carry a water bottle in the other hand.
• I've got chafing now where I've never had chafing before. I think I need to be dunked in a vat of body glide before heading out!

Coming up: A full day today - then an easy day on Tuesday!

Note: if we don't have internet access, the "Where's Paula" link will still be updated (assuming we do have cell phone service).