Half-a-Dog Awards:
  Adam Grobben
  Blythe Larrabee
  Kathie Utley

*** (note to readers -> if you see spelling, age, nickname errors, etc,
please let me know by email or phone - thanks)

AID STATION KUDOS:
Blunder Fork -
Team Grobben: John Grobben,
Stephanie & Patrick Killian, Shannon Paulson
Kathie McFarland, Joan Moellmer
Finish Line -
Mike Shaffer
Laurie Station & Ian Rothfels
Paul Hansen

TRAIL WORK PREPARATION CREW:
Stan Crane
Stephen Utley
Gor

One week before the run, the snowy gates of Hell opened up sending a fierce, nasty blizzard up into the high country above 7000 feet.  It would have been impossible to run the Barking Dog Marathon.  Instead of nasty old winter creeping up and slaughtering our run, it turned fair, very fair, wonderful weather for running.   I did lie to the runners and proclaim, "There would be no snow on the course".   They accepted my deceit with the usual grace and pity, "You stupid &$#!*."  It is the first time I have ever been wrong, honest!

            He who would do great things should not attempt them all alone.
                                   ……Seneca Indian saying

     Striders should have company if they want a great Desolation trail run.  Stephen Utley was alone after leaving
 Adam McFarland behind just past Scotts Mountain.  The Camel has a philosophy of:  "Don't look back. Something  might be gaining on you." -Satchel Paige.   So, keeping this in mind, an aid station at Blunder Fork was provided (mile 10.2), water at mile 17, Mill B junction, and the finish line was staffed by  myself, Catherine, Miles, Mike Shaffer, and later on we had Laurie Staton and Ian Rothfels.  It helps to have a few folks around when you finish, someone to take notice of the grand things you've done. Stephen drank a whole bottle and a half of water this time.  We may have to revoke his nickname status if he keeps rehydrating like that.  Of course, everyone else was drinking 5 bottles of water.

     Nobody climbs mountains for scientific reasons. Science is used to raise money for the
            expeditions, but you really climb for the hell of it.  -Sir Edmund Hillary

    More intentional is the support crew helping the runners.  Mike Shaffer, Paul Hansen, and I showed up to help haul runners around to Brighton.  Joan Moellmer was taking hubby John, Prince ManyDots up and took Thom Dickeson also along with them.  After helping haul runners off to Brighton, meeting up with the Grobben water haul gang, and sending the runners off with a quack, quack, quack, I drove home and picked up Catherine and Miles.  We drove up to Einstein Bagels and gobbled up a few sandwiches.  The Bagel Dog was a big hit with Miles.  Arriving at the Box Elder Picnic Grounds, we were surprised to find a few Bosnian men roasting a lamb over a fire on a spit.  They were in OUR spot!  I couldn't believe it.  I just took for granted we would get this spot - right next to the privies - but not this year.  So, we took the next group of tables to the east.  I just knew the runners were all going to run into the Bosnian encampment and scratch their heads.  Then they were definitely going to blame me for having to go an EXTRA 50 FEET.  I put ribbons up but I was right.  They weren't looking for ribbons by that point.
    After setting up, John Lindbloom came in and bent my ear about seeing a moose close-up.  This went on for some
time. Mike Shaffer showed up at the finish with some goodies for the festivities.  John bent his ear some and then mine and then his and then mine.  Next, he went on for a few minutes about running the Alexander Basin trail to the Divide, then down some other way that I couldn't quite follow.  He lost his knee strap and we had to talk about that  for awhile.  Next came the fact that Gobblers Knob, Mt. Grandeur, and the Salt Lake Temple all line up in a straight line.  You can learn some interesting things from JL.  I will always remember the year of the snow and passing John going downhill.  I asked JL if he was okay and he said, "This snow sure makes me go slow."  And he did, too.  John has a great enthusiasm for running and even though his knee is really going out on him, he is gamely out there trying to soak in the trails.  I don't know if he should be running on that leg, medically, but I'd hate to be the one to stop him.

                  "If music be the food of love, play on."  ………..William Shakespeare
           Striders adaptation: "Food is the music of love, eat on." …….Gorilla

      Dutch and Laurie showed up with a big pot of Veggie Chili - really good stuff. (Had to restrict myself to 2 bowls).  Most everyone brought a dish to share, potluck, at the end with Stephen supplying liquid refreshments, Coca Cola and other soda pops.  I was looking for chocolate cake but was disappointed.  It would be appropriate for this run to bring some delicious chocolate brownies so that I COULD EAT THEM BEFORE  JOHN MOELLMER AND TOM MCFARLAND GET TO THE FINISH!!!  Sorry,  inside joke there. Ask me about it some time.   DO NOT ask Tom and John as they will give you a distorted account of a perfectly innocent decision of mine.

                   When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.  ……..Kikuyu proverb

     Stephen remained unscathed by the roots and brush coming in several minutes faster than his winning time in 1999.    Adam came in and then Grizz with big bloody abrasion and cuts.  (Grizz looked like he had provoked some old trail wounds or battled some fellow grizzly bears.)  In the falling and banging themselves up, I wonder if the Botanical Society would sue to protect those helpless plants and roots out there.  When Striders cartwheel on the trail, it is the plants that suffer.  I think the rocks were holding their own, though.  Judging by the antibiotic cream I passed out at the finish, the rocks were winning 3 to 1.  Deb Wagner came in first for the women this year and can add another notch to that win column.  Deb was getting ready for one of those multisport endurance events - triathalon squared, so to speak.  She mentioned kayaking and my knees started to ache.  She mentioned rappeling and my posterior started to yellow.  You can tell something about the person by the risks they are willing to take and thus my ego runs off whimpering for its mommy.

               We will be known forever by the tracks we leave. …..Dakota Indians
               When a fox walks lame, the old rabbit jumps. …….Oklahoma Indians

       The Barking Dogs did return to the mountain for an autumn run.  For you new runners, the Desolation Marathon and the Return of the Barking Dogs Marathon are one and the same.  One year, after seeing a huge number of dogs at Dog Lake and hearing coyotes yowling in Mill A Basin, I started coming up with a  Bewildered Dog map where everything on the map was named after a dog.  Scottish Terrier Hill, Mt. Rover, Gobbling Dog Mountain, Foolish Dog Junction, and others all seemed to find their way on my silly map which some like and  some don't.  To add to the lore of the Barking Dogs is this story. Ulrich Brunhart said Dog Lake visitors came running over to the trail after hearing some howling and barking going on.  They were just sure some porcupine had left a painful bunch of quills in the poor dogs mouth.   Nope, just us Striders greeting Dog Lake affectionately.  It is another wonderful return of the Barking Dogs.

                  It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired -
                        you quit when the gorilla is tired.    ……Robert Strauss

      The course for this event climbs from 8700 feet to close to 10,000 feet in about 4 miles.  A downhill run from Red Lovers Ridge to Blunder Fork and Grobbens magical aid station reinvigorates the runners.  They usually feel good until after Dog Lake and a nice run past Butler Fork East until they start getting closer to Butler Fork West.  The trail starts climbing up at that point and runners sometimes wonder why they feel like walking.  From there it is a bit of a grind to the Porter Fork Pass where the pace picks up at least until the dreaded Dog Rocks and the last climb.  After Rocky Dog Rocks Pass,  runners struggle to stay on their feet as crossing logs and watching the trail for toe-bangers becomes essential.  The trail seems to last forever as  the last 7 miles goes by and it is a little like wrestling a gorilla that won't let go until Box Elder Picnic Grounds.  The 4,000 foot plunge at the end seems to drop much further and the quads sure know it.  Tired legs mean spectacular trail gymnastics trying to keep from stumbling off the path.  Eventually all runners managed to complete their goals this day and the scenery was spectacular if you were to listen to the many excited comments.  Therefore, I declare the course gorgeous once again.  More than one participant had that far away, dreamy look when asked about the colors and scenic vistas.  Stan Crane and I had spent 7 hours up on the trail on Friday and I recognized that satiated look of fulfillment.  The golden leaves up in Mill A Basin were by themselves a treasure to behold.  Stephen and Stan had spent a whole day earlier in the week throwing logs off the trails - about 40 of them.  One of the logs had an argument with him and smacked him about a bit.  But in the end, Stephen won.  Spending a day terrorizing the local Desolation Trail foliage is filled with satisfaction.  Some of you just don't know what you are missing.

                     The game isn't over until the game is over.               ….Yogi Bera

  Well, the race was finally over.  Possibly a move to the north side of the road and up to Upper Box Elder Picnic Grounds is in order.  Next year maybe.  The temperature was quite cool and a north side picnic spot offers warmer temperatures.  Plus, getting a little farther away from Millcreek Inn would offer us some parking lots with no competition.  Keep it in mind.   Gor

                 It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.    ....Seneca