A lot of people have mixed feelings about school. Some people have a wonderful time where you make tons of friends, you have an amazing boyfriend or girlfriend and you make good grades without a problem. You do trips together and you get to enjoy your adventurous life as a teen without interruption. Then there's the other side of the coin where you are unsure of who you are, what you want to do, you are sad, bullied, or depressed and it's hard to get through the day. Now some are in the middle of those two groups depending on where you stand in the social status of the people around you or depending on the extracurricular activities you participated in.
Nonetheless, everyone was treated the same when it came to drills. Fire Drills, Tornado Drills, active shooter drills, and of course back in the day the bomb drill (or maybe the special hurricane drill if you lived somewhere like Florida). It didn't matter your status, what group you liked to be with, who your friends were, or who your mom and dad were. In the end, WE ALL had to do those drills. I remember a few times we did an active shooter drill. It wasn't a common one like a fire drill but once a year we did have this performance acted out and it was funny at the time. Of course, by saying it was funny, I mean that in a "were kids and this would never happen to us" kind of funny but in today's age most kids are not so lucky.
In school, I was always aware of how serious these drills were, mostly because of my education in the art form of firearms. I knew the safety precautions, I knew how dangerous they could be, and I knew that you NEVER EVER Point it to anything you don't want to "kill" or harm. By the time I was twelve we had them in the house and I started shooting all kinds of guns. from pistols to an AR 15. Whatever my dad had I learned to shoot and whatever I shot I made sure to follow the rules to the best of my ability as a twelve-year-old.
Most kids in school don't know what a gun is capable of and I think most of this is this soft age were living in. Were scared of vaccines, scared of germs, scared of weapons and making our children "monsters", scared to eat dairy for the cause of bloating, and scared of anything that moves. It's outrageous how our society has gotten to this point. We have gone soft on the kids with language and with sheltering from the big bad world. If children knew what firearms are really capable of I think that would solve most of the issues we have with them taking up weapons as a result of being depressed or as a form of rage. If we stop lying to our kids about the reality of our world and really tell them what's going on instead of sprinkling it with "pixie dust" it would really give them an insight into what they may face not only as children but as an adult and maybe just maybe more people would take action instead of sitting on their hands and wondering when the right time is to "help" so they don't get shot when that time does present itself (if ever).
Who knows. Maybe someday people will get their **** in order. Who really knows, only one can hope.
The fun of getting the van together has only just begun. In this preparation, I have had to make sure that I take 90% of the items out and put them inside to get them all sorted. The truth of the matter is that van life or travel is difficult to organize. You don't have a second car to use while you are away so you want to make sure you have everything your gonna need and that if you have to buy something its something small and not something that will make you wonder about your choices.
For this trip, I don't really know how long I will be out. Could be 3 weeks at a minimum but even that is unclear right now. I do know that I need to make sure that all the things I usually use are ready to be put to work and charged. I also have to make sure all "small" things are ready and conveniently placed. The van is not completed so it makes storage hard to figure out but I am getting there. Really there isn't much left to do and the bigger projects are done. It's just small minor inconveniences that will need to be adjusted once I am home. There may even be a possible bed gut job/redo in store but that is just in the works of the thinking process.
Not only do I have to think of myself but I also have to make sure Lylahs stuff is also prepped and ready (which is part of the storage problem I cant wait to get fixed) to go so that I have less to worry about in the long run. Dog food and supplies are expensive and I want to have her belongings set up and as prepped as they possibly can be. I'm sure she will be stoked to be back on the road and will enjoy every second of it. Of course with this trip, there are also formidable gas prices to also keep in mind. I'm not excited about that which is why I'm trying to not go crazy on the driving expedition of this trip. It's a lot just to get to the Tetons I can't imagine trying to drive around in other places and experience more than what I signed up for. Then again I also know that I want to get to traveling soon anyway so maybe this is just a heads up for what to expect for the time being.
But I am excited to see what comes my way and who knows maybe It will all work out and ill be out there longer than I expected. Time will only tell with this one.
Yesterday was my last hurrah with the good old alcohol that I love so much. My friend J and I went out and did an impromptu trip up to the huckleberry knob and with a short hike completed we then made our way down to this cute little place to eat by the river. They had a huge list of alcoholic beverages with the prices listed right next to each beverage. Immediately I appreciated the forwardness. Most places like to hide beverage prices, especially with it being a mixed drink. Glancing at the menu my choice was a lemon drop cocktail. Not only is it tasty but I know that it will get me good and buzzed. With some delicious burgers and a side salad to match my low-carb diet, I was set. Once we were done eating we sat by the river while Lylah demolished the river and enjoyed running in and out of it like a crazy person. We just watched while she enjoyed the time outdoors. After all, she grew up being outside all the time.
Little does she know that we are heading out soon on another cross-country trip. Despite the increase in gas prices I am just going to really try to enjoy the time. I'm hoping to be able to not freak out about the price and just breathe in the fresh air and get some adventures in. I really need the time away and I need to clear my head. It will be wonderful to get the chance to enjoy what is ahead. I know the goal is the half marathon but really I am ready to enjoy everything else that is to come. Making memories that will be forever remembered is the ultimate goal.
This will also be a test to see if I can work while I am traveling. It would be nice to know for sure if I can do my job on the road and just be out in the open. I want to explore but not be dead broke for it. So it's a mix of goals. Making memories, trying out my work, and completing my third half marathon since I started this running journey (started at 17/18) that I love (and equally hate). So many things are going to happen and it's T minus three weeks till the truth is revealed to us as to what I am capable of.
For those that may be out in that direction for the race let us know. Im sure it will be a big party to celebrate such a feat and I am more than looking forward to the wine that I will consume.
We're a month away from the race. One whole month which sounds so far but I know it will be here so quickly. To be honest I'm nervous but so excited to get this third one under my belt. Not only will I have done a run in Yellowstone but also in the Tetons which sounds like a dream. Most people I talk to hate running so they probably would think I'm crazy for just not doing something else (like a hike ) around the area yes we will be doing that as well. There is so much to see in the Grand Tetons and I am excited to see more of that magical place. It's been almost a year since I left there and I couldn't be more excited to go back and take in the fresh air and enjoy the amazing views.
It really is a spectacle to see. If you haven't been there you should go. It's worth the trip and if you love adventure that's the place to do it. I'm hoping that we will get to go do a local trail up the backside of the Tetons so that I can share that wonderful view with my dad and his gf. It's a hell of a hike but it is worth the trek and it is dog friendly which is a bonus to me. Lylah gets to be tired and enjoy the view once again but as an adult.
There are a lot of adventures to go on and I couldn't be happier to take off. So much to do, so much to see.
With that said let's hope for good weather because I really want to enjoy the race that's ahead.
It's crazy to think that this race is coming up so soon. These last few months have flown by and I am just astounded about how quickly it's come and gone. In less than two months I will be running my third half marathon which is astronomical considering that I never thought I would do another one, especially after Yellowstone. That race was extremely hard and I thought I was going to die halfway. This race is supposedly easier and should be on better terrain but we won't really know until we get there. It's nuts to think about and I really am interested to see how it goes.
Performance-wise I really have no idea how it will be. I have been all over the place with this training and I really think it's from the change in sea level vs nonsea level. I've never had to train in higher elevations and I will say it is kicking my ass at the moment. It's wild how little of a change can make this type of training ten times more difficult but here we are.
In the end, though I think I will do fine and I Have a ballpark of where I will land with my time. I just hope that the race is as good as I have read on. I also really hope for no surprises but who really knows with that one unless you have done the race already. I'm hopeful and ready to get this done. After months of training and I am ready to put it to work.
And of course, I cant wait to tell you how it went. If we died, if we liked it, or if we just simply think it was ok. Races are hard to judge because of the buzz and adrenaline at the start but I'm sure we will have a fair assessment with the thirteen behind us.
