Lincoln Grade, Pitchforks, and Father's Day

Saturday, June 15th was a full day. We started out with the annual Sunnyside Ward walk to the park. We met in the church parking lot and walked the 2 miles on the bike path to Sunnyview Park, where the ward provided Costco muffins and yogurt. It was pleasant to walk and chat with friends, even though the wind was already blustering and blowing, even before 9am. Jeff and Jay drove to the park and then ran back to the church, where I was parked. Then they ran back to the park to get a few more miles in, while I walked to the park and Rose and Amber scootered. After an hour or so at the park, Jay drove all five of us back to the church, whereupon I hopped into the van and headed for Prosser (25 minutes east). My first activity in Prosser was to run up Lincoln Grade:

Atop the Lower Yakima Valley.

Lincoln Grade is a gravel road that averages an 8% grade and gains 1100 feet of elevation over 2.5 miles. (I parked at the public pool so my total roundtrip run distance was 6 miles.) It is a satisfying yet accessible challenge. My weak/sore left hip and glute were whining by the end, but it was worth the effort for the wide views and the sunshine. I was practically intoxicated with vitamin D, wide vistas, and the fresh breeze! The wind was wild up there, but I still stopped for a few traditional pictures at the top. Before this run, it had been close to two years since I last ran up Lincoln Grade. A new gate blocked my usual route at the top, so I had to improvise to see the final view. I did my best to run smart on the downhill return journey to protect my quads. Even with my great care, however, I was still feeling rather humbled and partially crippled by the time I got back to my car, haha. More physical therapy still needed!

My second activity in Prosser was to watch my friend Camille compete in the Highland Games at the Prosser Scottish Festival. Camille and I have been working out at the physical therapy clinic together for a few months now. She was training for the highland games and I was training for better running balance and mechanics. I love having a workout buddy! We laugh a lot when we carpool to our workouts and during the workouts and after the workouts. Laughter makes working out 100 times better! Naturally I had to go see Camille compete.

Anyways, It was lunchtime when I finished my run, so I grabbed some Thai food on my way to the festival. Then I paid the unexpectedly steep entry fee to the Scottish Festival ($12 per person) and wandered through the small crowded area. Tents were set up selling tartan patterns and other rustic Scottish inspired wares. People in various kilt styles were everywhere I looked. Live bagpipe music played nonstop. A Highland dance competition was taking place on a wooden stage off in one corner of the festival, and a real living Highland Cow was tied in another corner. Food trucks selling very American fair food were scattered throughout. After a bit of wandering (the place wasn't very big, but it was crowded), I found the throwing area and quickly picked out my friend. She was in the pitchfork area, or the Sheaf Toss. Throwers stab a burlap covered weight with an actual pitchfork and then fling it up and over a 20-foot high bar. It was pretty fun to watch. The wind picked up and made things quite interesting (and chilly). After chatting with Camille a bit and watching her finish the sheaf toss, I checked out the rest of the festival, pausing to watch some bagpipers and pausing again to watch a few highland dance numbers. Then I went home.

Sunday was Father's Day. We didn't have time for Jeff to open his gifts before church, so he opened them right when we got home. I gave him some nice garden gloves and a sweet velcro-on ice pack. Rose gave him a card. We all gave him a group hug. Jeff said he didn't want anything in particular for Father's Day dinner, which reminded me of a line from one of my favorite K-dramas: "anything...the hardest request to fill." After church, we went to Grandview (17 minute drive) to have a family lunch with our local family members. It was a nice low key gathering. Then Jeff came home and took a nap. 

We love Jeff! He's such a patient good dad to our kids. I am so thankful for him. 

The ward walk to the park:

Amber was not happy that the bun I did in her lively hair made the hood on her jacket not fit smoothly. I laughed my head off. Amber's wild hair is either my fourth child or a microcosm of Amber's personality.

Running Lincoln Grade:

View of Prosser from halfway up, with the Yakima River winding through town.

Up and over--the other side of the Lincoln Grade hill is a giant wheat field (I think it's wheat).

Sky hug!

This is what's on top of the Lincoln Grade hill--an unromantic, non-scenic cell phone tower, newly fenced off.

I hiked around the perimeter of the new fence to see the view.

This new gate blocked the way I used to go--straight through to the view.

Coming down--aerobically much easier than the way up, but physically riskier due to the potential mechanical breakdown of a long downhill run.

Windswept wheat.

Random roadside chair at the first or second switchback up Lincoln Grade.

The Prosser Scottish Festival:

Camille, prepping to toss that sheaf.

I wanted a picture with Camille, her sport kilt, and her pitchfork. Her husband took this picture for us. Note the caber on the ground behind me--I missed the caber toss, but the sheaf toss was pretty cool.

Grace, the wee Highland coo! Her hair was way more coarse than I expected, and her legs were so stubby! She was pretty short. I could have almost stepped over her with my 36 inch inseam. She was probably 40 inches tall at most.

Her tartan girth was a nice touch.

I turned into a bit of a fangirl with the Highland cow, haha.

Kilted pirate bagpiper. This troupe was pretty nifty.

The highland dancers were graceful and agile.

Father's Day:

Amber, all ready for church.

The traditional Father's Day 3 kid lift! Jeff did it again! He hoisted our 140 pound 6'1'' son onto his shoulders and let the girls sit daintily on his quads.

Jay does not like heights, haha. Jeff walked him all the way over to where we were parked so Jay could use the van as a dismount.

Father's Day family hug!