Happy New Year! Cheryl's New Year's Day Dash!

Fitting way to Start the New Year.

Cheryl is Excited.

Greetings from Home! (Wellman, Iowa.) You may be wondering how I got all those pics to load for yesterday's Post...  Well,  Free Internet at the Country Inn and Suites!  In Madison Wisconsin!   Now that is an awfully long way to travel just form some free WiFi... So we decided to throw in a 5 mile run while we were there.... to help justify the cost.

Raining in Iowa.  Last day in 2018

Rain lasted the entire Trip!
Thank Goodness we got New Wipers!

So we Travelled on the last day of 2018 in the rain....  Just as the temps hovered just above freezing.   The rain lasted the entire trip and the temps did as well.... saving us from the potential freezing rain that all cars hate... Even Silver Bullet  Subaru's with New Tires!

This was the view this morning!

Rain turns to snow as we arrive
at the Hotel.

 Mere moments after checking into the Hotel... the rain turned to sleet.. and then Snow and ice!

How can you get in when the
Doors are froze shut?

And Subie was Covered and Frozen!

But that was OK.... The race was only  a half mile away.   We could have possibly walked there if it  hadn't been so cold.  Nothing can compare to a warm Subie on a cold, Wisconsin, New Year's Day. 

Waiting for Bathrooms.

Trying to stay warm until Gun time!

We checked in and visited the porta-jons as the folks lined up to get the race going.



I like the cold for a couple of reason...  One:   Folks are ready to get the show on the road!  No national anthem.  No speaches.  No self help meditation!   Just  ... ready?   GO!

Cheryl ran by in the cluster of Ninjas.   I managed to spot her with that small hint of pink that set her apart.  See her? 



How about now?

The course was only 5 miles...mixed with 2 mile walkers.   But it was in a new place this year... so it was an "out and back" course.   I had to wait in the cold for Cheryl to return.

Cheryl runs By to the finish!

Deep Snow and Ice.

Deep snow, cold, ice, and heavy clothing always make this a race that will never hit the record books.   Unless you count  5 mile runs in a category of themselves.    Cheryl finished,   Unhurt,  and reasonably happy.   So that is a Win in my book.

Cool Medal!

Cheryl looks Happy.

Plus the Medal was pretty cool this year.  A gold bottle opener.

Let's Recover!  With Beer!

In a distillery!

Afterwards,  we entered the Distillery and drank some new beer from Wisconsin.   It was in a can though, so we did not have to use the bottle opener after all.

Overall,   She placed 9th in her age group.   She said the deep snow and slippery ice was really keeping her cautious.  Better to be cautious and continue to run than break something at a little 5 mile race.

Snow covers the roads.

I hardly recognized them!

On the way home,  the roads had changed so much, I hardly recognized them!   Snow covered everything.   It was not until we hit the Iowa Border that the snow finally disappeared.

One of these cars looks Different!

As you can see, we must have been a sight at the HyVee.   Notice we are the only one covered in ICE and SNOW!

And Read him Stories!

Time to Give the Cat lots of Hugs!

So we are home now.   And we can "hug up" on the cat,  and relax.   Tomorrow begins the second day for a new year.   And I will have to blog about something  else then.    I can hardly wait!   Happy New Year!