Spark Your Heart

The pain of hiking Misery Ridge set in Sunday morning as I got up and ready to run the Spark Your Heart 5K in Bend, Oregon. I wasn't about to let a little stiffness get in my way, so I donned my tired running shoes and went out into the chilly morning air. Crossing the finish line was my only goal, and I was not about to break any speed records in my attempt. Although I was very happy with my finish time, I was slightly disappointed by the fact that my 51 year old father beat me. I don't necessarily mind that he beat me, but he has never ran more than a mile before. Go figure!

Prior to the race we posed for some sweat free photos.

My dad, the comic, posed for mock running shots.

The race went by in a blur, and before I knew it I was crossing the finish line.

Only to find my dad in this pose.

After the race we decided how better to celebrate the Fourth of July than with a trip to the snow capped peak of Mt. Bachelor.

While I failed to take any shots of the mountain on our drive to the ski lift, you can rest assured that I took my fair share of photos from atop the 9,000 foot mountain.

While my family admired the views, I befriended this cutie.

Once I had my dog fix I turned the corner to see this spectacular view of the Sisters Mountains.

Before making our way down the lift, we had one last item on our to-do list -- no trip to a snowy peak is complete with a snowball fight!

Back on the road we made our way to our Fourth of July celebration at my cousin Katy's house.

Nothing compares to the time spent with the ones you love. This visit may have been a short one, but I am already anticipating my return. It's easy to let our travel mindsets wander to exotic locations, but sometimes travel is simply a matter of the heart.

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