Washington - Idaho - Running in a Rush

Am I running really fast or just against the flow? I remember the sensation of running on a cruise ship as it propelled fast and furiously through the sea at the same time as I sprinted - never quite sure if I felt faster running towards the bow or the stern. Today, the spring melt of the winter snow sends water rushing past me in the swollen Spokane River beside the Centennial Trail as I run east on its last 8 miles towards the beginning of its Idaho counterpart/continuation. It is headed towards the Columbia River and then past the hipsters of Portland into the Pacific. That should mean that I am running uphill, even if the incline is so gentle as to be unnoticeable. Farther upstream as my pace steadies, the river widens and slows as well - like a ship approaching its port - in Idaho!!! 

Pedestrian Bridge over Spokane River at state border

Washington - Idaho State Line Marker on Centennial Trail

Map  #CARPe Crazy Ass Running Plan

Washington - Oregon - Running Running in Walla Walla

And then I found $20. That is a great line to drop into a conversation when it needs some excitement or others don't seem quite interested enough. I started my run north of town & zipped past the Walla Walla Wine Tasting Rooms on both Second Avenue & Main Street. Knowing that I was headed into a rural area, I paused to turn on the location GPS on the phone - and realized that I had already dropped & lost my baggie with tissues & a $10 bill. I kept going though & enjoyed the green of the wheat fields and the alfalfa and some growth in the vineyards. The run finished with a couple of miles on the gravel Stateline Road & a short stretch to the front of a vineyard in Oregon. A fun, enjoyable run AND I helped start a few stories, because somebody out there can say "And then I found $10".  By the way, if you happen to find any money anywhere in Washington, you can send it to me.

Paralleling the border on Stateline Road in Walla Walla

Eat my Wheat(ies) or do a wine tasting - Washington - Oregon

Map  #CARPe Crazy Ass Running Plan