Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Amish Country Running

On Friday we drove to the middle of Nowhere, Ohio to spend the weekend at a mini family reunion.

Looks idyllic, doesn't it? I guess it kind of is, unless you're addicted to your iPhone and can't get cell coverage because apparently they can't get it together to put enough cell towers in the area. And you're driving around lost in the dumping rain for an hour in this tiny little nothing town without a map (or the ability to call for directions) because said iPhone can't update it's map for you. But I digress.

I felt like I was on a 5th grade field trip seeing all the Amish people, but you know what? They really live like this. They weren't just doing it for our entertainment.

I got up early Saturday morning and went for a run. It was just supposed to be an easy one, which was good because I was too engrossed in the scenery to concentrate on running hard. I saw way more horse and buggies than cars. What a trip.

Of course, as crazy as it was for me to see these people, they stared at me running by (with my big ole garmin strapped on my wrist) like I was an alien.

I guess one good thing about those Amish is that they sure know how to raise healthy looking horses. Moana has only seen horses in her Baby Einstein videos, so needless to say, she was mesmerized.

I tried to run easy. I really did. But the hills in Nowhere, Ohio, aren't like the gentle rollers I was expecting... they were more like roller coasters... relentless up and down and up and down and the wind coming out of the west was stiff and unyielding.
I mean, seriously, who put these hills here??

So the run wasn't quite as easy as it was supposed to be, but whatever. The rest of the weekend was really fun, especially for Moana, who got to meet and play with some of her cousins.

It was especially fun for her to wear Jack's hat.

So overall it was a great weekend introducing Scott and Moana to family members I haven't seen in 10-15 years... and it was good to be able to hug my dad in person for Father's Day.

10 comments:

Molly said...

I love the photographic shout-out to JPH :) Have a safe trip home!

X-Country2 said...

I'm still not convinced those Amish people aren't just putting on a show. :o)

Safe travels!

Angela said...

sounds like a wonderful trip so far. Glad you had the chance to see your dad!

Jennifer Harrison said...

YAY! LOVE the Harrison street sign! See, I am watching you even in Ohio - heck, Ohio is MUCH closer to me than Hawaii!! :) Glad you are enjoying yourself!

Beth said...

Sounds like a great trip! Those pictures - that's exactly what it looks like where I live. Only our hills are bigger and the Amish live farther north than us so I don't see them on a daily basis. ;) I'm glad Moana got to see the horses!!

Anonymous said...

I love the pics!!! And I went on a few Amish country field trips in elementary school... I lived in PA until I was 9 :-) Do you ever think - if you trained on such hilly terrain like that, you would be so much stronger and faster?

Angela and David said...

Sounds like you guys are having a great time in the midwest. Watching you run by was probably like watching TV for the Amish. You were the entertainment for the day.

And there's no Chipolte in Hawaii? I guess it's not as perfect as I thought.

Good luck with your flight home.

Regina said...

wow! That first pic is so beautiful. I am secretly glad that it isn't cluttered with cell towers!

Good luck on your return trip.

Charisa said...

Beautiful running scenery! I love going "home" and going running :)

RunningMama said...

Wow--really beautiful empty roads to run on. Moana looks so much more grown up!