This past weekend Barry and I traveled to Fort Monroe for my college roommate’s wedding. The wedding was the main event, and initially I was just looking for a place nearby for us to stay. I ended up finding a campground at a really neat place called Fort Monroe, and it kind of turned our weekend into a mini vacation.

The fort is located in Hampton on the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula. It is nestled between the Chesapeake Bay and Mill Creek, and is surrounded by a moat. From our campsite, I could see both bodies of water and at most I’d say the peninsula was a half mile wide.

 

I went on two different tours during our weekend stay. The first was on Saturday morning, when I went out for a five mile run. The run itself was just so-so, but getting to see the Fort Monroe area on foot was really neat. My run started along the boardwalk, which stretches three miles along the eastern side of the peninsula.

Fort Monroe is like a little small town, with lots of remnants of its old use still around, some as old as the Civil War (like the gun battery)…

While others are more recent (like the houses and child care center)…

The base was active from 1823 to 2011. Although it’s no longer active, there are still plenty of people who live there. They keep their houses and yards in immaculate condition!

I enjoyed coastal views and tree-lined streets during my run. It was pretty hot and humid out (due to my late start), but the shade from the trees provided a nice reprieve.

I also ran by a large marina area, a grandiose hotel (now used a senior center), and a gorgeous church.

My run wrapped up back at our campground, on the Mill Creek side of the peninsula.

On Sunday morning Barry and I spent time touring the actual fort, which is the largest stone fort built in the United States. Its location has strategic importance for defense of the Chesapeake Bay, which came in to play throughout history, from the Civil War up through coastal defense during WWII. Before all that, it was the point where Captain John Smith landed in 1607.

Fort Monroe is known as “Freedom’s Fortress” because it is where enslaved men sought refuge in the early stages of the Civil War. Major General Butler, the fort’s commander, reasoned that the Fugitive Slave Act did not apply since Virginia had seceded from the United States and deemed the fugitive freedom seekers “contraband of war” that would not be returned to the Confederates. This decision forever changed the legal status of enslaved people in the US and ultimately led to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the ratification of the 13th amendment.

Nearly forty years before the Civil War, a young 24 year old Robert E. Lee, fresh from West Point graduation, arrived at Fort Monroe to oversee large engineering projects during the fort’s construction. He was married to Mary Custis Lee, the Great Granddaughter of Martha Washington. Their first son, Custis Lee, was born at the fort in 1832.

During the Civil War, former Confederate President Jefferson Davis was imprisoned at Fort Monroe. He was initially kept in a small room inside the casemate. Later, he was moved to more hospitable quarters on the fort for his health, and held for a total of two years.

By the way, a casemate is a chamber in the wall of a fort. It’s used for gun position, storage, or living quarters. The casemate at Fort Monroe was used for all three during its lifetime. Once the casemate began being used as living quarters, cannons were used from the top of the fort. A part of the casemate today is used as a museum for Fort Monroe.

As we made our way out of the fort, we walked past the oldest house inside the moat. It was built in 1819 and served as the commanding officer’s quarters.

There is a lot of history in Fort Monroe and this post is already entirely too long, so I will leave it at the tiny sliver I have shared. However, if you would like to read more, you can do so HERE.

The area where the fort is located spans so much history. From when we first arrived here, in the early 1600’s, through the Colonial Days, the Federal Period, the Civil War, and on to further development in the 20th century. From the early 20th century through post-WWII era, it was used as an artillery school and the US Army Training and Doctrine Command. The fort was decommissioned as an active Army installation on September 15, 2011, and today is an “in progress” National Park as Fort Monroe National Monument. In the coming years, more facilities and services will be added.

Have you ever taken a trip for one purpose, only to find more than you expected? This has happened for us on several of our camping trips, where the main purpose of the trip was an event or race.

It’s time for another Wednesday Word link up with Deb! This week’s word is Appreciation.

I’ve bounced around a bit with these Wednesday Word prompts, often tying it in to whatever I had going on that week. But this week I’m choosing to stay running-specific with it. As many of you know, I love running races. I love pushing myself gunning for a best time, but I also enjoy the atmosphere of a race and the opportunity to run in a place I may not otherwise get to see. Races wouldn’t be nearly as fun without the spectators there cheering us on (often with funny signs).

Two years ago I read a wonderful article in the July 2013 edition of Runners’ World (the Boston Marathon special). The article was called Standing Ovation, and it was a tribute to the spectators. It captures my thoughts on appreciation for spectators and those who support us in our endeavors perfectly, so I’ll let a few excerpts do the talking…

That last line is a great reminder: “…it’s easy to take them a little bit for granted.” That’s so true, and it’s important to show some appreciation for spectators. Most of all, for our personal cheerleaders. In my case that’s my family.

Barry is often up for any adventure or crazy race I decide to sign up for. When he opts out, he’s still often there to cheer me on. My dad has always been one of my biggest cheerleaders in life, and he continues to do so now.

The article goes on to talk about how they do all of this for us. And they do so with humility, often saying “I’m just here to watch.” But it’s not just, because we couldn’t do what we do without your support. And even when we are caught up in doing what we do, know that you are appreciated.

How do you show your appreciation for the ones who root for you (in running, or in life)?

We took a mini trip (with a lot of driving) to the east coast this past weekend for my college roommate’s wedding. It all got started on Friday morning when we hit the road. What should have been a five hour trip ended up taking eight. This was slightly due to a navigational error on my part, but mostly due to traffic (Barry would probably say it was more of a 50/50 split, but he’s not the one writing this). We had the camper and dogs in tow, as usual.

We were able to meet up with my dad for lunch on the way down. He was also headed out of town for the weekend. Although he was headed to a different destination, our paths crossed partway through. It’s always great to spend time with my dad, and it was a nice break before tackling the rest of the trip. Finally, we arrived at our campground.

On Friday evening we went over to my college friend/now coworker’s house for dinner. It was cool to hang out and meet some new people. I also got introduced to a new card game called Dutch Blitz. It was a really fun, fast-paced game and I have since purchased my own set for future use!

On Saturday morning I slept in a bit after a late night Friday night. I went for a late morning run, which also doubled as a self-guided running tour of the peninsula. We camped at a really neat place, and I’m going to dedicate a whole post to it later this week.

Saturday afternoon was the main event: the wedding. Barry and I had a great time, and we got to catch up with some friends we hadn’t seen in awhile, as well as make some new friends. It was also fun to dance the night away (although my feet are still feeling the effects of that…).

This was also my first wedding reception that had a photo booth. Definitely made a few trips to that thing throughout the night 😉

Yesterday morning started with a walk on the beach with Barry. Our campground had 500 feet of private beach, which was really nice. I also got started on my very own beach glass collection.

Before we hit the road, Barry and I went to check out Fort Monroe and the Casemate Museum. There was a lot of history to see and read about there. The fort itself is surrounded by a moat, which is really cool. More details later this week.

After that, it was time to load up the dogs and travel home. The dogs had a wonderful weekend. They are pro’s at relaxing in the camper.

Unfortunately, the drive home took nearly as long as the drive to get there. At first it was traffic that held us up – to be expected for a Sunday afternoon in the area we were traveling from. Then there was the terrifying event with the left front tire of our truck, which happened to take place at 65 mph as we made our way down a mountain.

This may not make a lot of sense, but basically what happened was the bands inside the tire had busted and we were really lucky the entire tire didn’t blow. The entire front of the truck started bouncing around like crazy, as if we had blown a tire. Barry safely got us to the shoulder, and then we made it down to the next exit to put the spare tire on. From there it was mostly smooth sailing the rest of the way home. Anyone who camps will attest to the fact that there’s always something that goes awry when you take a trip. Sometimes it’s minor and sometimes it’s more on the major side. But we certainly learn something each time!

Have you ever played Dutch Blitz?
If you camp, what crazy things have happened to you? There was the time a tire on our trailer blew while we were going 65-70 mph on the interstate; Also that time it snowed nearly 6 inches overnight and weighed down the awning so much we couldn’t get the camper door open in the morning. I could go on, but I’ll leave it at that 🙂
Ever been to a wedding with a photo booth?

I recently saw this survey on Deb’s blog and thought it would be fun to join in! It’s a running-related survey where you choose your favorite for each category.

1. Location: Trail, Road, or Indoors? This is a tough one for me, because I like all three! At this point, I’d say trails are my favorite. I like the solitude and peacefulness of being out in the woods. They’re also very challenging, and I like the opportunity to make myself a stronger runner while out on the trails.

Roads and indoor tie as my second favorite 🙂 During the week I often spend a lot of time with my treadmill, nicknamed ‘Sven.’ The main reason for this is that I just don’t feel like going back out when I get home from work. I think it’s just a phase I’ve been in this spring, and I don’t expect it to last for forever.

2. Time of Day: Morning, Noon, or Evening? During the week, my favorite time to run is evening. But on the weekend I definitely prefer mornings. It can be hard to get up, but I love being out there and feeling like the rest of the world is still sleeping. 3. Weather: Sunshine, Mild, or Hot? My ideal weather is April 25. Just kidding 🙂 Actually, my favorite is mid-40’s, and partly cloudy. Perfect weather for capris and either a t-shirt or a light long sleeve.

4. Fuel: Before, After, and Sometimes During? Before: typically a Power Bar or Luna Bar. I also occasionally will eat a Honey Stinger Waffle as a light snack about 30 minutes before a long race. Before a full marathon or a half marathon that I expect may take awhile, I eat a pancake with a light smear of peanut butter.

After: Whatever sound good – usually eggs and coffee.

During: I almost always have water with me, because I like having water to sip on whenever I want it 🙂 Apart from that my favorite running fuel lately is Root Beer and Salted Caramel flavored GU’s. 5. Accessories: Music, Watch, and More? Years ago, I ran with music all of the time. I absolutely had to have it on long runs, and I usually had it for all of my runs. But over the past couple of years I have pretty much stopped listening to music. I like just hearing what’s around me.

However, I do love my Garmin. I have to know, down to the hundredth of a mile, how far I ran! I’m also a big fan of my handheld water bottle and my hydration vest. I typically have one or the other with me during most outdoor runs.

6. Rewards: Food, Wine, or….?

It’s hard to say on this one. I don’t typically plan any sort of “reward” that’s food or beverage related after a run or race. Sometimes during a long run I’ll plan what I want for breakfast. After races, I often have other fun plans, so I guess those are kind of like rewards?

7. Type of Run: Long, Tempo, Intervals, Hill Repeats, Progression, Recovery/Easy?

Long runs are currently favorite, because they’re my social hour (or two…) with my running buddy, Kim. We’ve been running together since fall 2012, and I look forward to these runs each week.

 

That being said, I have a second favorite type of run. While I trained for the Marine Corps Marathon last fall, I used the Hansons Method. My favorite workouts during training were the longer track workouts (5 x 1K and 4 x 1200m) and the intervals (despite calling them crazy for prescribing those workouts). I always felt my strongest during these workouts.

The longer the interval, the more I enjoyed it. They were tough, but I felt so accomplished at the end of each one. That probably means I should consider introducing them into my regular training!

Your turn! Join in on the fun and fill out the survey. I’d love to see your responses!

What are some of your favorite workout-related things?

I’m joining in on Deb’s Wednesday Word link up again today. Today’s word is: challenging.

How does this relate to Hank’s birthday? Well, Hank is a bloodhound and bloodhounds by nature are extremely stubborn creatures. However, they are also very sensitive to correction and easily get their feelings hurt. As you can imagine, this mixture creates quite a challenge when trying to train and raise a bloodhound, and keep him from becoming unruly. Bloodhounds are also very large dogs (almost always over 100 pounds), so it’s important to have them well trained before they’re fully grown.

The challenge presented by a bloodhound is a rewarding thing, though. It requires you to work hard with your dog, thus bonding with him in the process. I think a lot of challenges we face in life are like this. Some are challenges we choose, like raising a puppy or running a marathon, while others are ones we just have to face. It takes hard work and dedication to overcome both types, but it’s so rewarding when we do!

Yesterday was Hank’s fifth birthday. I cannot believe Barry and I have had him for nearly five years. It seems like just yesterday we were picking up 7 week old Hank on July 4, on our way home from our honeymoon. He was so tiny back then, although 19 pounds is actually quite big for a 7 week old puppy.

He has grown from a rambunctious puppy into a strong and handsome dog. Hank loves chewing on a rawhide and playing fetch in the yard.

Most of all, he seems happiest when we’re all home and he can just relax with us and with Scout. Napping is a hobby he is very passionate about.

I got Hank shortly after graduating college, which also happened to be shortly after getting married. He’s the first dog I’ve ever been able to call truly mine and I couldn’t ask for a better “first dog.”

Hank is a bloodhound, and it’s very much apart of his nature to track. All of his features contribute to this – from the long ears that waft the scent into his nose, to his wrinkles which act as blinders to keep him from getting distracted. It’s ingrained in him, and using his nose is something he has done on his own from the time he was little. When he was a few months old, Barry and I started working with him tracking us. This past year, we became involved with a bloodhound Search & Rescue group. It has been amazing to watch Hank tackle challenges, improve, and learn new tracking-related skills.

In turning five, Hank is now officially middle-aged. He still acts young and runs around like a limber puppy, but he does have a few gray hairs growing in on his temples and muzzle. He’s not worried, though, as he hears the ladies find a touch of gray reassuring. A sign of wisdom and maturity.

 

He still likes to play, though. His favorite game is fetch – even though he’s not always the best at actually catching the ball!

We celebrated his birthday with a new birthday rawhide….

….and some puppy ice cream.

Scout got to have some too, of course, because it wouldn’t be fair to just give Hank stuff.Scout’s birthday is in August, so both dogs will get to celebrate again in a few months!

If you have pets, how old are they? What challenges have you faced with them?