~:[CH15 - Day 270]:~ Unforgettable Sights

 
~:[CH15 - Day 270]:~ Unforgettable Sights

We ventured out to Multnomah Falls in the morning and got to see the beautiful signs of the falls. We were debating whether or not to head to the top and ultimately ended up trekking all the way up there. The view up there was somewhat unimpressive, but there were some good views along the way. Still yet, the view around (including the drive) was gorgeous. We wrapped up and headed to the Skibowl where we took the lift to the top of the mountain and sledded down the alpine slide. The athletes truly enjoyed it and I was glad it was something that they discovered on their own. The view heading down the mountain was gorgeous as you could see Mt. Hood in the background. Both moments were filled with sights that you'll never be able to forget. They will forever be engrained in my mind and I hope that the athletes all will have a lifelong memory. It was nice to have this extra day to experience the world around us and I only hope that tomorrow will bring a final stamp that will make this trip a success. For now, I'll look back and soak in the beautiful memories we created in these incredible sights. 

~:[CH15 - Day 269]:~ In Its Truest Form

 
~:[CH15 - Day 269]:~ In Its Truest Form

I think when we experience things in life, we don't always get the truest form of it. Do we get to try the foods we eat in its truest form or has it been adapted to fit the local cuisine? Do we celebrate a certain event the way it was intended? The list goes on and on and one these experiences in cross country. When talking to the Redondo Union coach about the race, he talked about how the course itself is the best parts of this experience. In Southern California, we race on grass and sidewalks, but at this race, we run through fields and forests. The mud and challenging terrain is part of what makes cross country, cross country. The athletes all finish with their jerseys a mess, but that is part of the memories they'll carry with them as they move forward. It's always an experience running this race and while their times are much slower than usual as they course is just that much more difficult, they often leave with smiles on their face after facing cross country in its truest form. We headed around Seaside this time before heading back to Portland, taking the long trek through the mountains and roads to get to Tillamook, before heading back to the city. It was a great experience living on base, but I know we all are looking forward to heading back to headquarters (as the sophomores refer to it), as there is one thing they won't miss, living on a military training camp in its truest form, as I know that we all will appreciate the comforts of the hotel tonight.

~:[CH15 - Day 268]:~ Unexpected

 

~:[CH15 - Day 268]:~ Unexpected

It was the day I was most worried about on this trip as we transitioned from the comforts of Portland to the barracks of Warrenton at Camp Rilea. The athletes are not used to this camp lifestyle, so adjusting to it is not always easy. Did we bring everything we needed? Would they have enough food? With a van, we decided to pick up chicken on the way since one of our athletes loves Jollibee and has been asking for it since we arrived. It was the best decision as after the early dinner, in the middle of the night, they were eating chicken in the parking lot. It seemed like all was good as we got to the camp safely. When going to the pasta feed, I imagined their old school and wondered why the map was taking me a different direction. Little did I know that their campus moved and now sat on the side of the mountain overlooking the harbor from Goonies. It was such a beautiful sight being there at sunset as we took some photos before heading into camp. It's great to have these unexpected moments when you can truly soak it all up. It's even better when it's unexpected as it WOWs you and leaves you breathless. The kids were laughing and smiling as they came back from the ice cream social. They had some funny stories to tell as they adjusted to the realities of being places outside of LA, but ultimately there were good spirits all around and that's all that mattered.

~:[CH15 - Day 267]:~ Changing Season

 

~:[CH15 - Day 267]:~ Changing Season

In places like LA, you barely notice the changing seasons. The color of the leaves don't change much and the temperature stays relatively the same. However, when arriving to Portland, the change was already evident, even though the fall has just begun as the yellows, oranges and reds were all around.  Much is like life as some are consistent while others are constantly changing and adapting. Neither can clearly be classified as the "best" way, however, it truly is amazing to watch, when someone changes, contrasting what they used to be. The Japanese Garden was a beautiful way to kick off this trip, although they were exhausted from the walk. While the leaves hadn't quite turned yet for most trees in the garden, it was still a good reminder that change is inevitable when the seasons of life change.

~:[CH15 - Day 266]:~ Floodgates

 

~:[CH15 - Day 266]:~ Floodgates

We flooded in to Tapioca Express as we had a good run. It was our final team run for the week as we'ee headed to Oregon tomorrow. it was a special food run as we had our adoptions which connect to our family tree which has existed for over 15 years. While I need to update the tree, it's still cool to see all the connections that have been made over time. By night's end, I had the mass amount of work roll in, but I managed it well by controlling the flow just like they handled our crowd today. It feels a little weird that we'll be leaving tomorrow, but with all the work I've had lately, it will be nice to get away to save myself by drowning in all of this work. Close the floodgates ... for now.

~:[CH15 - Day 265]:~ Welcomed

 
~:[CH15 - Day 265]:~ Welcomed

It's nice to see the new athletes bond together and connect, especially when they're freshmen. This group has been exceptionally spirited as they painted themselves up at the meet. Each group tends to create their own story, which allows them to continue the story, but write it in their own way. It's not a forced carbon copy, rather a natural transformation that begins by simply being welcomed. We're never going to be 100% success, but we try our best to be as successful as we can. So many obstacles have come our way, but we do our best to adapt and survive.

~:[CH15 - Day 264]:~ Better Together

 

~:[CH15 - Day 264]:~ Better Together

Celebrations happen often in life. Some people prefer to do so in private, but even if that's the case, it's nice when the people around you are there to uplift you and celebrate together with you. Personally, I don't like grandiose celebrations and being the center of attention, at the same time, it feels good to celebrate alongside others. With birthdays aplenty in cross country, it's always great to celebrate together. We try to establish a structure where the upperclassmen connect with the underclassmen and they support each other as it helps pass the torch each and every year. It doesn't always work, but we'll do our best to make this experience one that is better together.

~:[CH15 - Day 263]:~ Just Winging It

 

~:[CH15 - Day 263]:~ Just Winging It

Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) used to be one place that cross country frequented a lot. It was a little challenging at times since it was crowded, however, there were some great memories such as our mango habanero challenge. Today, a few alum gathered together to watch today's 10am games. It was a bit early, but it was fun to enjoy the wings while enjoying the game. There was a nice slate of games as a few came down to the wire, but the game we came for, went to overtime. It looked like it would end badly at first, but the turnaround made the afternoon even more exciting. I had a lot of work to do today, however, the time away allowed me to catch up with the alum, while enjoying my first day off in a quite awhile. It's been busy lately and I look forward to some time of peace and tranquility, however, the schedule also allows me to better appreciate these special moments of peace. 

~:[CH15 - Day 262]:~ Let Them Fly

 
~:[CH15 - Day 262]:~ Let Them Fly

When I thought of this year's theme, I thought of the many colors of Rio. Throughout their events, birds were also part of the presentations. As I wandered around the campus, I thought about all of these students and the freedom they felt as they danced around together, took photos together, and simply enjoyed the evening. I think many times in life, these students have so many things they have to take care of and sometimes, they also need an opportunity to let loose and fly. I always am appreciative of the effort that my MUN students put in as it required a lot of them to get their work done, so it was nice to see them dancing around and enjoying the evening without the worry of the work they had to do. I'm excited for where they will all head in the future, but it's moments like tonight that help me appreciate what is lost without the full high school experience. While going to a good college and getting a good job is important, the best way for them to learn to fly is to experience life, bot the good and the bad. The students were jumping around as I took one final glance at the quad, and I was happy to see them smiling and laughing during this wonderful and joyous evening. 

~:[CH15 - Day 261]:~ At the Speed of Light

 

~:[CH15 - Day 261]:~ At the Speed of Light

Woodbridge always tends to be the athletes favorite race. Great competition, fast PRs and a lot of ways to enjoy the day. Despite how chaotic it can be, I always enjoy seeing these athletes chase their PRs and run their best times of the year. It can get a little chaotic at the end of the night gathering everyone together, however, it's always fun to pause and remember some of these great moments. We snapped a shot of the team and also of the seniors at the meet and I was glad to have captured this moment. Time continues to pass year after year and it seems to speed up. However, for each class that passes through, many of these moments will be a freeze frame in their lives. Whether or not they PRed here, they may or may not remember, but they will remember the laughs they had, the memories together, and simply the time they spent together.