Red Cliff = the coolest little dumpy town!
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| Start line at Red Cliff |
After yesterday's crazy finish line rushing around, we started out EARLY this morning. We met at 5:45am, loaded up the catering van with ice and 2 huge plastic bins and were en route to Leadville for another grocery run by 6:15am. Leadville was 20 minutes in the exact opposite direction of where the finish line would be but there is no grocery store anywhere remotely close to the finish SO...back to Leadville.
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| Red Cliff is on the other side of this bridge. |
Today would be the first day without the "3 day runners" so there would be approximately 120 fewer people crossing the finish line and in need of snacks and drinks. So we got our usual chips, beef jerky (we cleared out the store, including the box of jerky the manager had in the back), coke, and a few other things. One thing I was specifically looking for was Starbucks coffee shots in a can. I asked one of the runners a couple of days ago what he would like at the finish line. He said, "Coffee". So I said I would see what I could do. We have no power at finish line catering so Starbucks in a can would have to do.
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| Washing oranges. |
We made good time in the store and were in and out in about 20 minutes. That meant we had time for a quick coffee run at the same Leadville coffee shop as the day before. A triple Americano and berry scone later...we were back on the road headed to Red Cliff.
Needless to say we got there early. Way early. We sat in the car for 45 minutes before the finish line setup crew arrived and told us where to set up. Cars that were parked on the street had to be moved. That meant banging on people's doors and getting them to move their cars. I figured this was a recipe for getting axe-murdered but luckily everyone was accomodating...except for one guy who was a little miffed. Tough.
Red Cliff is pretty much parked at the bottom of a gorge. It's a quaint little town that looks like it used to do quite well for itself but now is in much need of a facelift. The new multi-leveled hotel that sits on the corner across from the post office welcomes visitors and Mangos restaurant boasts the best fish tacos. Then the town quickly shifts into old houses, cars on blocks, and dogs. The saying goes there are 300 people who live in Red Cliff, and 600 dogs.
Setup went very quickly and smoothly this morning and we were set as the first runners crossed the finish line. Today's new "food treat" was bite sized brownies (we bought over 300). We try to provide slightly different food each day at the finish line so the runner's don't get bored. The brownies went over OK...but the beef jerky, chips, and watermelon continue to be the finish line favorites.
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| We support ALL runners! |
Near the end of the day, I saw my "coffee guy" cross the finish line. I ran to the van and got out the 4-pack of Starbucks shots and walked over to him. I said, "Hey, how was your run?" He said, "It was really beautiful - just great!" Then I asked him if he wanted a coffee. He looked at me sideways and then I produced the Starbucks shots. I thought he was going to cry! He gave me a big hug. I told him he could only have these on one condition - that I could get a picture taken with him. DONE! Turns out his name is Greg and his running partner Theresa. He asked me to hold on to the remaining 3 shots for tomorrow and the rest of the run days. No problem.
By 2:00pm we were starting to tear down the finish line food area as there were only a handful of runners left. By 3pm we were on our way to the grocery store in Vail to get a jump on tomorrow's food AND a chance to sleep in.
I didn't get a chance to run today but I will tomorrow - assuming the van makes it up and over the crazy mountains we have to cross to get to Vail (insert fingers crossed here).
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| Mango's Margaritas! A welcome break! |
Tomorrow: Red Cliff to Vail - 23 miles
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