AMAZING WEEKEND!

Let me tell you about my weekend!  On Saturday night the Boyfriend took me out to Murray's for dinner.  Home of the Butter Knife Steak.  Which we had. We both had cesear salads too - they serve them with a fancy parmesean toasted cheese thing.  It is so good!



The Boyfriend and I at dinner.

Then we went home, it was late, our reservations were for 8 o'clock.  And I had The Color Run the next day!!

It was so fun!  I met up with my work friends in a parking lot, and we car pooled down to the race.  It has been super hot in Minnesota, and today was no different.  It was like 90 degrees fahrenheit.  Too hot to run, so we walked together.  It was nice to catch up with the ladies.  We work at the same company, and we all started in the call center, but now that people have grown in different directions professionally, it makes it hard to just have lunch together.  Every one has moved to different buildings and what not too.

If The Color Run ever makes it to your town, I reccomend you participate.  Each kilo marker had a different color.  Basically what you do is jog/run through the color 'zone' and there are volunteers that hit you with some colored powder.  It was hot, and sticky so- a great deal of it stuck to your skin as well.

At the end of the race, there was a mass color toss.  They did this every 15 minutes or so.  Once you finished - you gathered in with everyone else, and at the count down, you threw the packet of color you got with your packet and threw it in the air.  It was SUPER fun.  Like I said before though - if it comes to your town, make sure you sign up FAST!  Registration filled up super fast for Minnesota, and they ended up opening up more slots.  A total of 19,000 people did The Color Run.  The Minnesota run raised money for Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless.  Quick tid bit - did you know that in Minnesota 1 in 10 families are considered 'food insecure' - meaning they are unsure of where their next meal is coming from?  That is astounding.  And kind of sad.

Color Runner Mashup

After the run, I drove to Hopkins, to watch the Raspberry Grande Day Parade.  This Parade was 2 hours long.  Literally.  And it was hot.  Once I stood up, I realized that my whole back was soaked.  So gross. 

The Hopkins Raspberry Festival is fun.  We missed the fireworks because we were out having dinner.  I had wanted to participate in the 1 Mile run, but didn't make it in time.  And probably wouldn't have been happy had I signed up anyways.  Did I mention it was HOT?!  

I have a special spot in my heart for all the POW/MIA's out there. 
My grandpa was a POW.

After the Boyfriend and I watched the parade, we went to support the Hopkins VFW and partake in the pulled pork BBQ sandwich plate.  Not a bad deal for $6.50.  We got a HUGE pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, and some potato salad.  After that we came home and both took a nap.

We woke up in time though to start watching FOX's Animation Domination.  I took a shower, and most of the color came off.. It will be fun tomorrow!

Have you participated in The Color Run - do you have any photos to share?

Do you and your mate have any long standing traditions?

Patriot Ride 2012

Today was the Patriot Ride at Lion's Park in Ham Lake!



A look at not even a quarter of the bikes.



I must admit, I had never previously attended the ride.  My Dad has, my sisters (I have 2) have.  My niece and both nephews have also.  Not me though, which is a little odd, as I was the one in the family that spent the most time at this park playing softball.  Oh how I still, to this day, LOVE softball. :)

 

For anyone who does not know what the Patriot Ride is, let me give you a brief undetailed (slightly inaccurate) description:

About a Million bikers come together, in remembrance and honor of men and women that have served, and are serving for the US, as well as support their families.  There is a program and then the men and women participating on the motorcycle ride, head down the highway 2 by 2 to Cambridge, MN with a stop (I believe) on the way, and then they come together and have a bite to eat, and then head back to the park for a dance and celebration.

At any rate, it was slightly drizzling the whole morning.  I brought an umbrella, and never opened it.  It wasn't a hard enough drizzle to make me want to open it.  My dad and myself, like most everyone else there, walked around damp at best. 



The Helicopter!

 But it was a very nice time; they presented the colors, had about a half hour program.  There was a helicopter at the softball fields, that anyone could get in and explore, and took off prior to the start of the ride.  

After the program all the riders went over to their bikes, some put their rain gear on, and at about 11:50 or so the helicopter took off.  And as soon as the helicopter took off, the sun came out. 

Which made me feel bad for all the riders that had put on their rain gear in preparation of the ride.  Because when the sun came out - it was HOT!  I was damp, and at least the sun would dry my light weight shirt and jeans, but the people that were damp, and under rain gear, just seems like it would be a sauna under there.

 

Enjoy just a portion of the bikers going by below.  I am not even kidding you, this is not even close to the entire ride, it went by for about.. 45 minutes?  Granted there were a couple parts where there was a pause for like 4 minutes in between the three groups.  It is a powerful group and sight to see all of the bikers coming out to support the troops, and driving down the Highway.



   

Find out more about the MN Patriot Guard here.  Find out more about the MN Military Appreciation Fund here. See more Patriot Ride photos of the ride here.

  

Semi Truck with POW MIA paint job.

Personal note: my Dad's father (my grandpa) is a Veteran.  A former POW, who was MIA.  He came back, and started a family, which is how I have my dad(and aunt and uncles).  One story that I have heard (and there are very few, as my grandpa doesn't talk much about it) is that he ate raw potatoes that he stole when he was sent out to the field wile being held as a prisoner.



After the ride, I came back home, did a bunch of nothing.  Waited for the Boyfriend to get off of work and come home.  Which he eventually did, and we are starting our Saturday night off enjoying some adult beverages. 

Bacardi Torched Cherry Lemonade.  With a maraschino cherry!

Happy Saturday night people!