V and E go to WA

 The first time we'd had a girl's trip, really.

We headed to WA to go to my grandmother's memorial

I met up with friends to go to a scrapbook retreat I attended yearly before they moved:

I was lucky enough to also catch another friend of ours for lunch on our way to the retreat (sadly no photo).

During the trip I did do some trail running.  I was preparing for a trail full marathon (42km) taking place in August.  I was still having some discomfort in the top of my leg and had missed almost 6 weeks of training though, so while in WA I sold the bib for the 100mile race I was hoping to do in September

My first run there was around the capital as my parents are near Olympia.

There was a great forest near my parents with lots of labeled mountain bike trails!

V got to visit with her cousin both weekends we were there and she was thrilled.  Grandma and Grandpa took them on a boat ride the weekend I was at my retreat:

V got to spend time with her favorite dog, Jarvis, who sadly passed away after our visit.  V told me on the way home, "I"m so glad I got to see Jarvis one more time"

(waiting for my dad to get home from a meeting)

We celebrated V's bday and my brother and his kids were able to join us.

V used the river to float down near their house

And we went to the beach to collect sand dollars.

On the way V helped him to collect a few more starbucks points

My mom is the sand dollar queen.  We'd find lots of pieces, but she found all the whole ones!

Seriously, she's like some sort of sand dollar zen master.

While I was on my retreat I went up to my old high school camp stomping grounds near Camp Huston and ran up to Wallace Lake to get in a long trail run.

First you run by Wallace Falls:

Then you hit the upper trail which has a lot of logging roads and head towards Wallace Lake:

Then you can run PAST Wallace Lake to Jay Lake

I started up as soon as the trail opened and once I passed a few hikers had it to myself. I wanted to continue that as I descended. Really the only reason I run uphill is that I really love running downhill.  So, I took another trial down that didn't go by the falls as I felt that would be busier.  I had good luck I didn't have to pass many people until I got back to the main trail.  It was about a 20km run and started to make me feel my August race would be a good one.

We also explored Fremont and met up with friends:

Dad and I hopped on bikes and explored the Monarch Scupture Garden near the Chehalis-Western converted rail trail