Cross-Training with a View!

A great thing about Coach Carlos:  He loves the mountains, and being amidst some of the most beautiful mountains in the world here in Bellingham, we get the privilege of exploring them as cross-training.  Not exactly your typical leisurely stroll upon a trail--more like trudging up 4000ft elevation gain as fast as possible, non-stop, dripping with sweat, and then running down--but gorgeous, nonetheless!  Last week, Church Mountain, near Glacier, WA.  Many switchbacks open up to an incredible meadowy bowl full of wildflowers and little streams, with a view of Mt. Baker and Shuksan right in your face.  Ursula and my favorite part?  The run back down.  I turn into a little 10-year-old playful kid, bounding over the roots and rocks.  I got a little head-start on Ursh, but knew I was the rabbit and had to run as fast as I could so I didn't end up as her lunch!  :)

Yesterday: Heliotrope Ridge, in the Mt. Baker Wilderness Area.  Not as tough as Church Mountain, but just as beautiful.  After trudging through the trees for a while, the trail steepens and you find yourself in a sea of vibrant colors:  paintbrush, lupine, monkey flower (my fave), all amongst a backdrop of the jagged turquoise Mt. Baker glacier.

Fields of paintbrush, with the glacier in the background

Lupine!

Our team!  Kristin and Victoria have joined us to form the Quad!

I always hike with a mascot.  Here, smokin' rabbit chills on the glacier.

I dawdled on the way down to take a zillion pictures, then began to run to catch up with the group.  I passed a couple of young adult guys, and noticed just after I passed them, that they too had started running, and were hot on my heels!  When I caught up to the group, they ran past and I couldn't help but ask, "wanna race?".  So off we went, bounding down the trail to the parking lot.  My favorite part was when Ursh joined us in running and let me tell you, we gave those guys a run for their money.  :)  So fun.  We made some new Bellingham friends, and although we turned down their invite to play poker that night, maybe we'll see them on the trails again for another challenge!

-Abby