Adams Family Road Race 2009

Yes, the Adams Family Road Race happened last night. After a mostly clear day the rain started as we were at the starting line. It rained the whole time we were running and stopped when we were done. Does the sky have a vendetta against us? I don't know.

As for me, I did my usual walk/jog thing and tried to focus on the race. All along the route I could hear birdsong. I had to try to ignore it and I did keep on running, walking, and thinking. As usual I was last and two of my brothers came and found me and accompanied me to the finish line. It's nice to be loved, isn't it!

Thanks Stephen and Chris!

For full race results and photos click here: Adams Road Race

I'm off to Maine next and won't have Internet access so it may be awhile before you hear from me. It's a good 9 hour drive to Presque Isle. I hope to do some birding inbetween visiting family and sometimes with family!

If It Ever Stops Raining

Hello from Connecticut! Yes, I am here, and if it ever stops raining I'll be able to go out and see more birds. I flew in yesterday at 1:00 a.m. My brother, Stephen, picked me up at the airport. We drove to his cottage on Lake Hayward in the dark and fell into bed exhausted but glad to be here. After a few hours of sleep I was awakened by the dawn chorus of birds and the eastern sun rising in my window. I could hear the cardinals and wood thrushes calling me, but I snuggled into my warm bed and slept for another hour or two. By 7:15 a.m. I couldn't stand it any longer and got up. By 8:00 I was sitting outside on the deck watching all the woodland birds in my brother's yard.

It's been raining and cold here in New England. My sister asked me to bring the sunshine and warmth with me, and for today it looks like I did, for the chilly dawn warmed with the sun and by afternoon I could actually take my long-sleeved shirt off. I walked down to the lake shore and on my way I spotted a worm-eating warbler in the understory of vegetation that covers the Connecticut hillsides. Cardinals and titmice are everywhere, but chickadees seem a bit scare this year.

As I cross the sand of one of the beaches I am drawn to a downy woodpecker clinging to the boards of a picket fence. Then I notice the feeders and suet basket. Then I notice the people standing there watching me. I walk closer and politely introduce myself. I ask if it is okay for me to look at birds in their yard. They graciously respond yes and we strike up a conversation. That is how I met Paul and Carol, fellow bird watchers from Massachusetts. Their lovely little cottage has a nice view of the lake and while we chatted we were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Downy woodpecker, along with numerous house sparrows, a song sparrow, a chipping sparrow, and a hummingbird. Over the lake the barn swallows were diving and capturing insects in mid-flight. A Baltimore oriole flew across the open expanse and landed in one of the tall trees on the shore. Carol and Paul were fun to talk to and share a common interest with. After awhile we parted ways and I headed back to the cottage.

I spent the rest of this sunny day counting birds wherever we went. Whether eating fried clams with bellies at Harry's Place in Colchester (where I saw a Northern Flicker of all things) or up at the Bacon Academy track where I counted birds while my siblings and nephew practiced for the upcoming Adams Family Road Race. I saw a hairy woodpecker in the woods there, as well as an Eastern Phoebe. Birds are everywhere and everywhere I go, I count the birds.

Yes, I am taking pictures and I might be able to upload them to my Mom's computer if I knew how to use this stupid Vista software! Grrrrr! Well, at least I can write. After a sunny day yesterday today dawned cold and gray. I thought I might go out for another walk around town and count birds, but as soon as I was done with my shower the sky started its own. Its been pouring ever since, and thus I am confined to the indoors. My thin Arizona blood is trying to stay warm. I had to shut all my Mom's windows and turn up the heat just a tad so my feet wouldn't turn to ice!

Around noontime my nephew, Bernie showed up and I started to teach him to watch birds. He will be 14 next week but he has a brain and curiosity beyond his years. He is already writing his first novel and he wants to live in the White House someday! From my mother's house we counted birds on the front lawn. Then, we went to the computer where he signed up for eBird and we entered his very first bird count! He is much more adept at the computer and his fingers just fly across that keyboard. Soon he will be a better eBirder than I am. Next, I taught him about binoculars and how to adjust the diopter to get the best focus.

If you have never done this before, click here: Binocular Tune-up.

As the rain continues to pour we decide to take a short drive to the local Dukin' Donuts shop for coffee and a doughnut. Bernie is graduating from the 8th grade today, so it's my treat. With coffee and donuts obtained, we drive up Halls Hill road to the local Lions Pond. When I was young we ice skated here. Now I come here to watch birds. Usually I walk here from my mother's house, but with today's rain we need the protection from the car. I do not know if we will see anything, but even as I am pulling in to the parking lot I spot a great blue heron on the far shore. With the car in park we watch through blurry windows as the heron hides in the foliage. Munching on donuts and sipping coffee we watch common grackles and house sparrows landing and feeding on the shore. Undeterred by the downpour, they feed away on God knows what. Then, I roll the window down for Bernie to get a better look through the binoculars, for the heron has actually flown closer to us. We watch as the heron stealthily raises his head searching the shallow water for a fish or a frog. Just when he looks as if he is going to strike with that javelin shaped bill of his, he freezes. Suddenly his eyes are focused someplace else. I turn towards his gaze and see that in spite of the downpour another person has wandered over to the benches at the edge of the pond. Totally unaware of the heron or the fact that we are bird watching, the unknown person comes closer and the heron takes flight. As it circles the pond it scares up another heron and we watch in wonder as the two birds fly right over our heads, long legs dangling, wide wings spread. We are both smiling now, but it is time to go. My sister will be coming by my mother's house soon to pick her son up for his graduation.

I am at home now thinking of my plans for tomorrow when I will meet up with my youngest brother, Chris. He is taking me to New York City where I will go birding in Central Park for the first time ever! I am hoping this rain will stop, but if not, I have come prepared. The green camouflaged rain poncho I bought to use in West Virginia is with me and will be put to use once again. It may well be two weeks before I get to upload photos, but I should be able to blog at least.

In a little over 24 hours I have already counted 37 species of birds. Most of them were counted yesterday. The Great Blue heron is the only new species I've added today.

Here is what I've seen so far:

1. great blue heron
2. turkey vulture
3. red-tailed hawk
4. mourning dove
5. chimney swift
6. ruby-throated hummingbird
7. downy woodpecker
8. hairy woodpecker
9. northern flicker
10. eastern phoebe
11. red-eyed vireo (heard only)
12. blue jay
13. American crow
14. tree swallow
15. northern rough-winged Swallow
16. barn swallow
17. black-capped chickadeee
18. tufted titmouse
19. white-breasted nuthatch
20. blue-gray gnatcatcher
21. wood thrush
22. American robin
23. catbird
24. European starling
25. cedar waxwing
26. worm eating warbler
27. chipping sparrow
28. song sparrow
29. Northern cardinal
30. rose-breasted grosbeak
31. common grackle
32. brown-headed cowbird
33. Baltimore oriole
34. purple finch
35. house finch
36. American goldfinch
37. house sparrow

What Can Happen in a Week?

Ash-throated flycatcher 6-7-09

The sun shines brightly over Sycamore Canyon when I awake on Sunday morning. I fell into bed exhausted last night but woke early with the sun. Now I am sitting out on my patio enjoying the cool temperature as I try to process the events of the past week. It is 6:30 a.m. MST and the birds are all around me fluttering and singing, eating and flying. My yard and the wash around me is a very active place. Could it really be that just a week ago my youngest child got married?

Diane, the bride 5-31-09

Diane made a beautiful bride as she walked down the aisle. Alex and Diane asked me to be their photographer, so I was preoccupied with trying to make sure I got all the shots they would want. Now as I look through and process the photos it brings tears to my eyes. What a beautiful day it was. What a beautiful bride.

Alex and Diane say their vows 5-31-09

I use to wonder if Alex would ever take this step, but now, here he was promising to love another woman for the rest of his life. When he was 4 years old, he insisted he would marry me when he grew up. Now my baby has a new love for the rest of his life. We left the wedding reception around 5:30 in the afternoon. After a 2 1/2 hour ride home we barely made it in time to let the poor dog out before turning around and heading back to Tucson to pick up my brother Stephen at the airport.

Stephen working on his webpage 6-4-09

This is my brother Stephen's first time visiting me in Arizona. As the owner and writer of the American Triathlon Calender he is a busy man. He brings his laptop everywhere to keep up with his website. Stephen grew the Calender from a small web page he wrote using Web TV to the largest Triathlon Calendar in the world. On his way to visit me he stopped off in Boise, ID to run a duathlon with his new business partner. Stephen will be here for a week before returning to CT.

Stephen runs up the mountainside in Sycamore Canyon 6-4-09

He wants to do some high altitude training, so he maps out a mile course up through the new Sombra neighborhood. Here the road is paved, but there are no houses yet, so it is a peaceful place to run with views of the mountains and birds and wildlife all around. The jackrabbits and cottontails watch as Stephen runs up....

...and Stephen runs down.



Gus shows off his stitches 6-4-09

When we first made these plans for Stephen to come, there wasn't any wedding planned, nor any surgery for Gus, but on Tuesday Gus had surgery for his carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuropathy. Both of Gus' wrists and elbows bother him. It got so bad that he could no longer hold the camera up to shoot pictures. We got him the smaller Cannon, which is what he uses now. Since then I have taken primary control of the Nikon D80. He wanted to have this surgery done months ago, but it was delayed by the need for an angiogram first. Finally he got the all clear and the surgery was scheduled. They did the left hand first and when that heals up they will do the right hand. He came home the same day groggy and in pain. On Wednesday he got worse and on Thursday he ran a fever. It was our anniversary this day, but it went unnoticed. I just wanted Gus to get well. We had all planned on going out for dinner on this day, but those plans had to be scrapped. Meanwhile, a new idea was born...

Stephen observes saguaro ribs 6-5-09

... Stephen would run a race in Arizona! He looked for races nearby and the only one we could find was in Ft. Huachuca on Saturday, the day he had to leave. Thankfully, he didn't have to leave until the evening, so he signed up. But first I take Stephen for a walk through my beautiful desert. Everyday I live here I love it even more. The weather is so wonderful. I can be outside almost any day of the year. On Friday our skies were overcast allowing for a comfortable stroll through the desert. for the first time since he arrived, Stepehn got up close to a saguaro. Farther down the path I showed his the ribs of a dead saguaro. He found this plant fascinating with its inner support system and outed pleated skin. We could hear the wind whining as it blew through the saguaro spines and we watched as the giants cacti swayed gently like a tree in the wind. the saguaros we walked past were probably close to 200 years old with their large size and many arms. It takes anywhere from 40 to 60 years for a saguaro to even begin to sprout arms!

Lizard 6-5-09

Since it was windy and the middle of the day we did not see a lot of birds but, but the lizards scampered everywhere. We also saw cottontails and giant jack-rabbits. We had a pleasant walk.

Xavier meets his uncle Stephen 6-5-09

Later on Friday afternoon Trish and Xavier arrived to meet my brother. Though G and Trish have been married for over 5 years now, this is the first time that Trish has met my brother and the first time Stephen has seen his new nephew. I think they have the same eyebrows! Then, while I watched Xavier, Trish drove Stephen off to pick up a racing bike he rented to use in the Fort Huachuca Duathlon the next day!

Yep, my brother Stephen is participating in a duathlon! While he has run a triathlon before, this will be his second duathlon in a week! He found the race online because he wants to run a road race in every state. So, early on Saturday morning we got up and drove to Sierra Vista where Ft. Huachuca sits at the base of the Huachuca Mountains. Ft. Huachuca is a well known birding destination, but we are not going to the canyons where the best birds are, we are going to the corner of Site Monitor Road and Whitside, where the race begins.

Stephen sets up his bike 6-6-09

It is a sunny and windy day in Sierra Vista. The road is blocked off for the run and the nearby music speakers blast a song with lyrics that say "running with the devil..." don't ask me who sings it, but it was perky enough and loud enough to scare away almost all of the birds! Yes, I brought my bins and camera with me. I had my notepad and pen in my back pocket, just in case I got the opportunity to count birds!

Before the race begins the national anthem is played and everyone places their hands over their hearts or salutes. I see people of all ages here, from old veterans to young children. All are ready to run 2 miles, bike 10 and then run 2 more miles. Me? I'm just here to observe people and birds! The race is put on by Thunder Mountain Running Club and the Army's MWR which I find out stands for Moral, Welfare and Recreation. Before the race we meet Lynn Jones, Vice President of The Thunder Mountain Running Club who is a triathlete herself.

They're off!



Stephen waves as he runs past.


As if on cue a roadrunner runs down the same street! I hope he read the sign first!


In the distance the Huachuca mountains rise.



Turning the corner to mount the bikes...

I watch as my brother rides off and wait anxiously for his return. He is so competitive and so fast I am sure he will be returning soon, but rider after rider passes me and still no brother. I walk about 1/2 mile down the road to get farther away from the blaring music in hopes of seeing some birds, but all I see are mourning doves and ravens and another road runner hiding in a tree. Finally I see Stephen and he comes riding up to me. He has a story to tell of a popped tire and a good Samaritan who helped him change it so he could finish the race!

We never got his name but he had the best smile!

Thank you whoever you are!

Though Stephen's time is way off now, he does the best that he can...

...and burns it up at the finish line at 8:30 a.m.!



40 minutes later the last runner crosses the line. Everyone cheers her on...

...then it is time for the awards. There are trophies and medals in every category. This young man poses for a photo for his beaming parents.

Stephen and Greg McQuaide 6-6-09


While we wait, we make new friends.

Then we head home to return the bike. Stephen has to leave tonight. I will be sad to see him go. We are both exhausted since we have been awake since 3 a.m. and up since 4 a.m. for the race. However, I take Stephen by Saguaro National Park East's visitor center so he can buy a couple of gifts for his grandchildren. While we are there I look out the picture window and for the first time since I moved here over 2 years ago I see...

Javalinas!

There, napping in the shade by the building! And they have babies! Cute babies! So cute I want to run out and pick one up, but I don't, because that would be really stupid! Javalinas can give a nasty bite and will defend their young viciously. So, instead I rush excitedly over to Stephen who is browsing the gift shelves and drag him to the window. What a way to end the day!

Kathie and Stephen 6-6-09

We return home where Stephen takes a shower while Gus orders pizza. We have just a short time to eat before I have to take him to the airport. Due to Gus' surgery we didn't do half of the things we had planned on, but we still had a really good time. I had so much fun at the duathlon. I hope my brother will return and do it again next year! He is trying to get me to do it with him, but I don't know... can I count birds and run at the same time?

As I drive Stephen to the airport we talk about the Adams Road Race which is coming up later this month. In a little more than a week I will be boarding a plane for Connecticut where Stephen will pick me up at Bradly International Airport and I intend to count birds all over New England and in New York City!

The birds are visiting me in large numbers here this morning. I had not intended to count birds today as I sit here on the patio recalling the events of this week, but as species after species flies by I can't resist. Soon I am glad I did, for in the 2 hours I sit outside I see over 20 species of birds, including 2 Ash-throated Flycatchers! I have also had black-throated sparrows on a reagular basis lately. I can only assume that they are feeling more comfortable as the vegetation fills in from the original construction. I think this may be the largest yard list I have ever recordeded in one day.

Birds seen from my yard on Sunday, June 7, 2009

1. Turkey Vulture (1)

2. Gambel's Quail (9 adults + 5 juveniles = 14)

3. Mourning Dove (13)

4. White-winged dove (2)

5. Pigeon (30)

6. Gila Woodpecker (3)

7. Gilded flicker (5)

8. Costa's hummingbird (5)

9. Purple martin (1)

10. Say's Phoebe (1)

11. Ash-throated Flycatcher (2)

12. Raven (2)

13. Cactus Wren (3)

14. Curve-billed thrasher (3)

15. Canyon towhee (1)

16. Black-throated sparrow (2)

17. Northern Cardinal (1)

18. Brown-headed Cowbird (1)

19. House Finch (15)

20. Lesser Goldfinch (12)

21. House sparrow (29)

Apparently a lot can happen in a week!

(I hope you will return to read further adventures in Sycamore Canyon. Plus, I will post a New River Wrap-up later on this week.)

Sunday At Lake Hayward

(Lake Hayward Cove; photo by kathie 7-5-08)

Click on photos to enlarge

Sunday morning Alex and I headed out to Lake Hayward to see Stephen’s new cottage. Lake Hayward is the site of the Adams Family Road Race and the first site of Bacon Academy’s Cross Country Course back in the 70’s. Lake Hayward sits nestled among the Connecticut hills just south and west of Colchester. Our drive out here takes us past old farms long overgrown, some now turned into housing developments. Soon we enter the thicker forest that surrounds the lake and find our way to Stephen’s cottage in the woods.

(Cabin in the Woods; photo by kathie 7-5-08)

The cabin is rustic but quaint with an outdoor shower and patio. We walk up a moss covered path through ferns and mountain laurel to get to the cabin tucked into a hillside. The forest is closing in all around with trees of all sorts shading the place. It has a cozy, private feel to it, which we all like.

(Forested Patio; photo by kathie 7-5-08)

Stephen wants to practice for the Adams Road Race, so he devises a training relay where he and Alex will run segments with me driving the car and picking up each runner and dropping them off ahead. It works this way: Alex starts to run. I drive past him and drop Stephen off where he waits for Alex to catch up and hand off a piece of rubber tube being used as a baton. Then, Alex jumps in the car and I drive him ahead a short distance and he gets out and waits for Stephen to hand off to him. In this way we covered the 2.8 miles of the Adams Road Race and Stephen records the time for the first ever Adams Family Relay. Then, it is off to the beach for a swim in the lake.

(Stephen and Alex prepare to run; photo by kathie 7-5-08)

The lake water is so cool and refreshing. We all swim out to the dock and I fill my nostrils with the scent of the fresh, dark water. I feel its coolness slip past my body and I dive beneath the surface, rising a few feet later in the bright sunshine. We sit on the dock and warm ourselves, chatting about all kinds of things. Soon I dive in and swim back to shore, remembering I don’t have my cell phone with me and I need to know the time. On the way to the car I snap a few photos of canoes and row boats lying on the shore of the quiet cove.

When I return to the lake and prepare to swim out to the dock again my brother informs me there is a large snapping turtle in the vicinity of the dock. Stephen is a great tease, and though I know there are large snapping turtles in this lake, I figure he is trying to scare me and I don’t believe him. The more he insists, the more I think he is pulling my leg. Just as I am about to dolphin dive and start my swim out to the dock a large bumpy head surfaces only feet from the dock. I can just barely make out the hub-cap sized shell trailing behind it. Stephen and Alex start to laugh and stand smugly on the dock’s edge. Flabbergasted, I stay what I hope is safely in the shallows and watch as the turtle nonchalantly looks around before diving beneath the surface once again. Stephen and Alex wait a few more moments, then dive in and swim back to shore. We all decide we’ve had enough swimming for the day!

(Alex and Stephen prepare to swim; Photo by kathie 7-5-08)

Note: This is the first in a series of posts about my recent trip to New England. Look for additional posts within the next week or two with Stories from Sycamore Canyon interspersed.

Sycamore Canyon Update: It's sunny and hot here today. The humidity has dropped and the temperature is rising. Right now it is 96F in the shade. In the desert the prickly pears are ripening which means it's time to make prickly pear jelly once again. A Say's Phoebe has been hanging out around the house and seeking shelter from the sun underneath the covered patio on the blades of my patio fan. I am seeing House Finches, House Sparrows, Gambel's Quail, Mourning Doves, White-winged Doves, Curved-billed Thrashers, Cactus Wrens, Gilded Flickers, Gila woodpeckers, Turkey Vultures and Lesser Goldfinches on a regualr basis. I haven't seen the Sonaran Desert Toad since Saturday night.

2008 Adams Family Road Race Results

It’s the evening of the annual Adams Family Road Race.

The various members are gathered at the traditional starting line.

Tension mounts as the racers await the arrival of the latecomers. One family is stopped on the other side of the Connecticut River awaiting the opening of a draw bridge that is broken but set to re-open at 7 p.m. While the race was supposed to start at that time, it has now been delayed. Couch Long has arrived for the start of the race, but he only has a small window of time. Discussions are underway to decide what to do, for we can’t wait until dark to run. As ideas fly about among family members, news comes that the bridge is open and the runners will be here in 15 minutes. However, Coach Long cannot stay and so we say good-bye as we await the arrival of Al, Rachel and kids.

Coach John Long with former students Mary Grace, Stephen, Kathie and Chris

The stranded family soon shows up and now the fun begins. The Adams Family stretches across the starting line, minus the oldest brother, Rick, from North Carolina. The runners range in age from 51 (that would be me) down to 5 years old. All my siblings are looking fit and trim. Apparently I did not inherit that gene. I know I won’t beat any of them, but I would like to beat my time from last year, which is 40:11. I have been walking and even jogging some before I came, but on the day before I left, I hurt my left knee while running through the desert. Then, 2 days ago my brother Stephen showed me how to stretch my IT band, which is a strap of muscle, and tendons that run from your hip to your knee, the same knee I injured. My upper thigh has been hurting ever since.

Gus stands ready with the camera. Renée stands ready with the stop watches. She calls out,

“Runners get ready!"

"GO!”

And we are off.

Gray muggy skies hang above us as we plop, plop, plop, our feet down the road. Already my siblings, my son, Alex, and the various grandchildren, nieces and nephews have disappeared around the corner. I am left watching two five-year-olds outrun me as I plod onward.


The road around the lake winds up small hills, around corners and down small hills. In its 2.8 mile course I pass beneath huge maples, oaks, and alders. There are little cottages dotting the lake with bits of open lawn and rose bushes growing, but much of the road is through thick woods with the damp smell of summer brooks and bogs. Once on the dirt road portion of the run all is silent except the thudding of my feet. I walk up the hills and run down them, trying to get the most distance out of the gravitational pull. I walk to catch my breath, then jog to pick up speed. I find my mind wandering to the surrounding and to what I will write in my blog and then I remind myself that this is a race and to “Focus!” I jog a little faster.

I’ve been in 3 car accidents in my life and so my right leg is my weaker one and it usually depends on the left to take up the slack, but today it is the left leg that is injured and the right leg must work harder. As I run I imagine the conversation between the two of them:

“Hey, Lefty, what’s going on over there? You’re falling down on the job! Pick up the pace!”

“It ain’t gonna happen, Righty. Not this year.”

“Well I can’t do it. Everyone knows I’m the weaker leg. Come on, you can do it!”

“Sorry Righty, it just ain’t gonna happen. This race is up to you.”

Righty grumbles and drags a bit, and my two legs plod on.

The final stretch of the race is where the back road of the lake meets the main road at a T. It is here that my brother Stephen meets me and jogs alongside to encourage me. I always appreciate that he does this, and he does it almost every year I have run. Everyone else has finished already. Once again I am last. Stephen tells me that Alex won, which is what we all expected, and Stephen was Second. He is only a year and half younger than I am, but he has won this race 7 times in the 12 years that we have run it. My sister consistently finishes in the top 5, and she is there again this year in spite of having neck surgery just a few months ago.

My time for this year is 41:28. I didn’t beat my last year’s time after all. I am disappointed, but hopeful. In my perpetual optimism, like Charlie Brown with his football, I believe I will do better next year.

To view the Adams Family Road Race Results with photos read below or click on the highlighted link for just the 2008 stats.

Renee checks the stop watch.


The first runner appears.


1st Place Alex (20:02)

2nd place Stephen (20:53)


3rd place Chris (21:58)


4th place Al (23:16)

5th place Mary Grace (25:52)


6th place Bernie III(26:28) and 7th place Kyle (26:29)


8th place Bernie II (26:56)

At the finish line awaiting the final runners.


Donna comes in 9th with a time of 32:21

(she is much faster but she stopped to walk with her grandchildren for awhile)



Kathie finishes 10th with a time of 41:28.


Chris and I before the race.

Many thanks to Gus for all of tonight's photography and to Renee for being our timer. Thanks to Stephen for starting and maintaining this family tradition and to Stephen and Donna for buying and sharing their new cottage at the lake with us where we had a wonderful barbecue afterwards and reminisced long into the night while fireflies flickered among tall trees at the edge of the woods.