Stoweing Away

By | August 22, 2021

Stormy Stowe

I didn’t take my laptop on vacation, but had the best laid plans of crashing a post last Sunday. That did not happen, and then I never really caught up during the week, so linking up with Deborah and Kim for a highlights rundown.

this piece from Katonah Museum’s Biennial seemed on brand

As we’ve all been saying, the humidity has been horrific this summer. While we were lucky this last week with a reprieve from 90+ temperatures,80 and 90%+ humidity isn’t a peach either. Sunflowers helped, especially with the overcast skies.

Week of 8/9

Not Manhattan?

  • Thursday: first of two awesome Stowe runs – the Stowe Rec trail which I have run in 2018 and 2019. This time, instead of running into town, I headed to “find” (I had a map) the north end thinking it might connect to a road to avoid running back up the hill to Trapp. It… did not. I ended up running a little more than six and walking the mile and a half UP the hill, I regret nothing and it was gorgeous. Nothing too be gained from overdoing it, and my body appreciated the down week. This was Bob’s 80th, so we had lunch at the brewery and a nice dinner after some cake in between. I was very glad the guest house did not have a scale! It was unseasonably-unstateably? hot this week so while Vermont runs were fun, they were earlier and warmer than I like.

loved the light through the slats. Pedestrian covered bridge, downtown Stowe

  • Friday:  Fitness center doesn’t open until 8 which was a little too late to get in a good workout, so swim/pool jog with the kids and some meandering downtown was it. It was so wonderful to be back in Stowe and spend some time with family.

Nope. Definitely not Manhattan

closer to Manhattan at mom’s, but yet so far!

  • Saturday: happy trails to me! I actually wasn’t sure whether this was going to work out — storms were predicted and as backup I had a treadmill bootcamp preloaded. The storms, but not the rain, held out and I got in a wonderfully muddy five miles with chickens, cows and sugar maples as I meandered around the Trapp trails before we drove home. Trail souvenirs that aren’t from a fall are always wonderful. I spent Saturday night at Mom’s before heading home, and we worked on my Project Repat quilt, including the shirt I ran the marathon in. I can’t wait to get it in time for quilt weather.

Week of 8/16

a wonderfully normal week

This ended up as a slight down week as I tweaked my hip running the trails and then sitting in the car for seven hours. I ran the usual Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, but fewer miles. Taking it easy mileage wise, and lots of walk/stretching was the right decision as it felt perfect on my long-ish run Saturday.

It was a really good week though with a few extra days off work, time with a visiting friend and a day trip to Katonah for lunch and museums with another friend. The normal days feel so special after this crazy year and a half.

20 years ago Monday I moved to Japan

Speaking of special, August 16 marked twenty years from when I moved to Japan for a post-college job. Moving overseas where I knew virtually no one and didn’t yet speak the language really taught me that I could do anything and accidentally shaped my career in that the follow-up stint in Australia taught me that tourism could be a career. So grateful to this random job ad and successful application process.

not a caution sign I expected

long run shenanigans

calm before the storm

Saturday was the only run worth noting.

Due to schedules and then the rains from Henri, Liz and I couldn’t coordinate running at the same time, but we definitely wanted to mark the three-year anniversary of our in person meeting/run as it was so much fun last year. I did make one that was a more believable high five, but I also wanted her plaque, so might was well just embrace the spirit of running together. Books and running bring the best people into my life.

I was missing running in Central Park, but that wasn’t going to be an option with all the prep for the Homecoming Concert, and I knew I wanted water fountain access so the Randalls Island loop it was. It’s an easy 8 miles to, around and from the island and while the island was busier than normal due to everyone avoiding CP and folks training for fall races, “normal” is super quiet so it didn’t feel busy at all. It was mostly overcast from Fred and Henri, and I went out slightly later as well, so I didn’t get the sunrise skies from my last foray. The same public art was on view, although I traded wild lavender for wild parsnip. Who knew that merited a caution sign?

All in all a good run, and today I don’t plan on leaving the apartment thanks to the rains from Henri. Might have to put on the boots to see just how flooded Carl Schurz is though.

26 thoughts on “Stoweing Away

  1. Kimberly Hatting

    So, you have a slight hip thing going on as well? A lot of us seem to be in the same boat…I think mine got tweaked as a result of my jacked back (and I was shuffling my feet and stepped wrong). Ugh. Not the end of the world, but an annoyance to deal with. Hoping your feels better!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yep 🙁
      I think/hope mine is settled. Alas with the fitness center hours and needing to pack the cars, I couldn’t foam roll before getting on the road and that never has a good outcome. Hope your treatment keeps yours treading in the right direction

      Reply
  2. Marcia

    I hope your tweaked hip resolves itself quickly. Your time in Stowe looks like so much fun. I need more Vermont in my life! Happy Birthday to Bob!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      you do! With a NY stop on the way.
      I think it will. There was no need to push it and it thanked me for that

      Reply
  3. Lisa @ Mile by Mile

    Your getaway to Vermont looks so nice! Sounds like it was a smart plan to take it easy and rest the hip. Glad its feeling better. Hope you don’t get too much rain today!

    Reply
  4. Michelle D.

    Sounds like the Stowe trip was a success! I need to not wait so long before returning.

    Boo on the hip tweaking – Good that you could get 8 done so hopefully all is well with it.

    Reply
  5. Jessie

    I would love to hear more about your time in Japan! It’s such a cool place. How brave you are to move there without speaking the language! I’m impressed Cari!

    I went to Stowe once to ski when my oldest sister was doing her residency in Vermont. BEAUTIFUL. Loved it.

    Reply
  6. Deborah Brooks

    Vermont is always a great place to visit. I ran there a few summers ago and did some great hiking. A beautiful place. Hope your hip thing clears up quickly. It is always something huh?!

    Reply
  7. Darlene S. Cardillo

    Stay safe.

    A lot good things happening. Your trip to Stowe would be a highlight for me.

    I just made a repat quilt too.

    So looking forward to NYC. And seeing you.

    Reply
  8. Coco

    Great blog title! 😉 Sounds like a great trip too. Glad your hip thing seems to be on it’s way out – it didn’t seem to slow you down too much.

    Is there something dangerous about wild parsnips???

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Apparently the sap can burn. Who knew, right? I expected it to be a poison ivy sign until I got close enough to read it.
      And me too on the hip. I think the two days off work (and therefore not chair/ass fusion at the desk) helped kick it to the curb. Summer humidity slowing me way more!

      Reply
  9. Jenny

    Ah yes… sitting in the car can wreak havoc. Sometimes I think my body would be happier if I just ran all the way there instead of driving. But glad to hear your hip is better. Those runs in Vermont must have been amazing!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes! It was a good impetus to get out for a walk this morning as I think yesterday’s tenderness was in part too much sitting on Sunday.
      Hope your leg held up OK on the long drive

      Reply
  10. Kim G

    it looks like you had a wonderful time in Vermont! Sorry to hear about your hip issue but it sounds like it’s getting better which is great.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      It is for sure. Weird how tight our joints get and how long they take to loosen up

      Reply
  11. Jenn

    Eek. I do hope your hip is ok.

    I’m glad you had such a wonderful vacation. You absolutely deserved every second of it.

    PS I love that mural.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      This mural project is amazing. Every time I walk past it, something new catches my eye
      And thank you. xx

      Reply
  12. Chocolaterunsjudy

    As I mentioned, we often vacation at Stowe for our anniversary. Sometimes for my birthday, too, which of course is in the middle of winter so makes for a really interesting drive. Obviously I was not running back then and we never really hiked when we lived in VT! Not much, anyway. Go figure. Probably because we both worked full time back then.

    I’m sorry you tweaked your hip — I hope that it’s healed sooner rather than later!

    You are so much braver than me. I can’t imagine backpacking around anywhere, but of course I was also married by the time I was 23 . . .

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I was talking to someone how – remote classes aside – this is not a job that would have been viable a generation prior in part due to the changing marriage age. I know a handful of folks who were married by 23 but definitely in the minority in my circles.
      I was bummed to miss this year’s trip to the Notch, my favorite place to hike at Stowe. Me too on the hip. Definitely feels on the mend. Glad I knew what it was

      Reply
  13. Liz Dexter

    Brill pics and I loved doing our hi-five again – one day we’ll run together in person again! Katonah’s where my friend lives, funny to think you might have walked past each other.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      oh right, totally forgot about your friend being there. Probably did when we meandered around town.
      Can’t wait to run actual together again

      Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Japan was absolutely amazing. I look back and think “I did what?!?” but don’t regret it for a second. 21 and fearless can be a good thing at times.

      Reply

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