Friday, July 27, 2007

Decisions, Decisions

Yellowstone Canyon

Which triathlons to do. Where to hike and backpack. I decided not to do the Stoneman Triathlon in Springfield this weekend. Just not mentally into it, for some reason. I'll do the Champaign Mini Tri next weekend, and then decide on either a tri in Effingham or one in Indianapolis. I've pretty much decided to go Yellowstone, thus probably no backpacking trip to the Appalachian Trail this summer (unless, of course, I change my mind; time and money will be major deciding factors). But Yellowstone is a must: 2.2-million acres, larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined, with bears, wolves, eagles, moose, and of course buffalo, 3500 of them roaming free. This trip will probably happen in September. A dream journey.

Herd news: Our weekly Holy Thursday trail run at Mahomet last evening was attended by only five buffaloes, with a large group still out west after the Badwater race and a group going up to the Grand Island trail marathon this weekend. I ran 7.6 hot and sticky miles last evening. Will swim tonight. Bikes, swims and runs this weekend, and a full moon run with the herd Sunday evening on the trail.

3 comments:

Vickie said...

Tom, thanks for stopping by my blog. I couldn't help but notice in your profile some of the books you call favorites and I have read many of them myself. A Walk In the Woods was a hilarious satire about the writer's adventures on the Appalachian Trail. I read it 6 yrs. ago and still think of parts from time to time when traveling in those areas. I also recognized your Yellowstone pic from when I was there 2 yrs. ago. I too have been trying to make it a priority to go back. Missed the chance last summer when I traveled the northern part of Montana, and later realized what a waste of time that was. I hope you get to go there this summer yet, and I am hoping to get back there if not this year, then next. In the meantime, I will take care of my ankle to hopefully speed things along.

Tom Rice said...

I've read A Walk in the Woods twice and read the section on the Shenandoah a third time before I backpacked there last year. Love that book. Heal up, lady. Good to hear from you.

Larissa said...

Wow, lots to catch up on! Congrats to your fellow bison on an amazing Ultra finish! Yowza, they are some tough mothas.

Yellowstone looks AMAZING. Some day.

Have fun at the Mini!