Rifugio LaVarella

We had an *awesome* time on the Alta Via 1 and are in love with the Dolomites. One more week in Italy, then kickin' & screamin' back to the USA...

Home

It's been nice to be in California the past couple of weeks and to get back into our "home routine" of M-W-F early morning YMCA jaunts: swimming for C; the elliptical, where I get much of my reading done, and yoga for me; trail runs the other days, usually at Point Mugu State Park, mostly the fab La Jolla-Ray Miller loop. Having run only once or twice during our road trip, it has felt really good to move a little faster! Saturday C hosted another Pancake Run for our local running buds: we run a few miles (14 easy yesterday), then cook pancakes and bacon/sausage on the tailgate... and drink mimosas. :) It was nice to catch up with folks we hadn't seen in way too long and share stories of summer adventures. The skies were socked in for a long time (photo), making for cool, albeit very wet, conditions. On Sunday Mark showed us some new trails on/near Oso Ridge which are generally wider, less hilly, and more runable than those at PMSP or Ojai Ridge. Funny how I've lived here almost 3 years but still have lots of areas to explore.


We are stoked for our next trip: Italy! C is working in Florence for a few days--oooh, Tuscany! Wine! FOOD! We are also hoping to hike the Alta Via 1, ~150k through the Dolomites, and revisit one of my childhood (Air Force brat) homes in nearby Aviano, where we lived when I was in second and third grade. The Dolomites were getting some very early season snow today, so we might have to come up with a Plan B. Shouldn't be hard to find something to do but have to be diligent about burning off all those delicious calories...