Day 4, Sisters to Sisters

A pretty weak attempt at a game face.

I went into today with a pretty wide range of expectations. Worse case, I commit to doing everything I can to take care of myself and to start, run as long as I can and when I can't go any further, reevaluate at that point.  Best case, I rebound completely and run the remaining 43 miles today.

The weather changed a little, it was still warm, but there were early morning clouds, a little humid and a wind coming from the southwest.  Early on, I didn't like having a headwind but as it warmed it felt good to have it in my face.

 Not really the 100 mile point but close enough for symbolism.

I ran pretty well today, considering how poorly I felt yesterday, I felt really good.  I was very careful with hydration and sodium, Jeanne did a great job of keeping me on target with fluids and food.  I have a bad habit of when I feel good, I don't want anything, no food, little to drink, I did this on Thursday and paid dearly for it yesterday.

I had fun watching the plovers run in front of me feigning that they couldn't fly to lure me away from their nests. I added porcupine to my list of types of animals I've seen dead on the side of the road.  I saw a large gopher snake stretched across the path to the Crooked River Gorge foot bridge, and heard a rattle snake. 

 With road crew extraordinaire high above the Crooked River.

At the rest stop at the Crooked River bridge, mile 18, I decided that I didn't have 43 miles in me today.  I wasn't making very good time due to the head wind, and the clouds had burned off and it was warming up quickly.  So the only question left was how much to run today and how much to leave for tomorrow.  I ran to a lower canyon crossing of the Crooked River and called it a day at 27 miles.  I have 16 miles to mop up in the morning.

Cooling my legs down in the Crooked River.

I sat in the river for a while, changed and we headed back to Madras.  We have completely exhausted all dining possibilities in Madras so we went into Terrebonne looking for someplace to eat.  We found a road side pub and were going to settle for it, when I noticed there was a rock climbing store near by and wanted to go in.  We got to talking with the guy in the shop and he strongly encouraged us to try The Terrebonne Depot 

for lunch.  What an unbelievable cool place with fantastic food.

Fantastic Fish Tacos with rare Ahi Tuna.

I've learned a lot on this journey, it's not over yet so I'll save the analysis of mistakes and good decisions til after tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to not getting up quite as early as we have been, knocking out a quick 16 and heading for home.