Not a Benchwarmer Labor Day Weekend 2010

"Don't be a spectator.  Get in the game."-on a building wall at Webb School in Bell Buckle, TN.

I figured that pretty much summed up my whole weekend, especially as seeing how I left town when the big game (UK/UL) was being played on Saturday (Way to go Wildcats!!!).  This weekend transpired because a few weeks ago there was a call out for help clearing a trail for an upcoming race.  Well, once I found out where the trail was located and then pulled the map out and saw that it was very close to my buddy Lina, well, it was a no brainer to offer to help.  My plan was to head down on Friday afternoon right after work.  Then I would help with the trail on Saturday and Sunday, and then head home early Monday morning.  Lina was more than willing to let me impose on her Labor Day weekend and put me up for the weekend.  Well, she did not actually feel like I was imposing.  Those Southern girls are something else!  Anyhow, I pulled out of work Friday afternoon with the British chick and headed to Christiana, TN.  I will say, for once this year, I did not run into any closed roads!  So British chick didn't get to yell out at me "Recalculating".  Ah...bliss.  Of course, I did not really think about running into the drive home with the Nashvillinites.  Now, I remember why I don't work in a city somewhere, I so hate traffic.  I was actually only slowed down about 20 minutes, but of course I could fill the Mt. Dew had made its way and I was squirming in the seat.  Finally, out of traffic and business attended too, I was pulling into Lina's house.  I hadn't seen it since last October and they were not moved into it yet.  It looked awesome. 

La Casa Warden

(My room was on the second floor where the double doors/balcony is.)   Lina's wonderful husband, Jeff, fixed pork chops out on the grill and I learned a new quick and easy way to fix fresh corn on the cob.  (Of course, I will pass that on to my hubby-as we all know I'm not really allowed in the kitchen.)  We sat out on the back porch and enjoyed dinner and the beautiful Tennessee evening.
 Lina and I looked up the address of where I was to be working the next two days.  It just happened to be less than 5 miles from her house!  Small world.  I eventually turned in for the evening with the plan to be at Laz's house at 9:00. 

The next morning I got up and after a quick breakfast, Lina and I headed over to Laz's property.   British chick got me there, but it did help that Laz and Little were sitting in the front yard waiting for us.  She's not always real accurate once you get close to destination.  I think she has a hatred for Americans or maybe she just tortures me.  Laz showed us about where the race will go for one loop and then led us back to where we were going to get started clearing today.  Lina left and we crossed a down fence line and got started for the day.  I have to say I wasn't sure how much to clear or how pretty to try to make it (I mean I used a self propelled lawn mower on my lil' trail back home- so its cut pretty good).  I figured I'd get what I could so that Laz wouldn't leave me lost in the woods.  Laz seemed to delight in leaving little treasures for the enjoyment of the runners.  I didn't think too much about it.  I think I must have been in shock and overwhelmed at the enormity of the project I had just volunteered myself for.  I then remembered that my whole family went to Green River for the weekend.  I could be lying out on the pontoon soaking in the sun, but no, I had signed up for this.  I think maybe I do have a mental disease.  Just when I thought I was certifiable, we broke thru a clearing by the house and Laz said 'let's take a break'.  I have to admit now that when I told Laz in a previous email that I would help him and that he was getting a hard worker, not a candy arse- I must have been reminiscing back to when I use to help my brother on tree jobs.  He was a hard nose too, but I could hang and he couldn't fire family.  Laz got a candy arse and he could fire me too.  After a bathroom break and drink we headed across the clearing to the next part of Laz's trail to hell.  This was when it really started to rear its evil head.  Saw briers, spindly trees, saw briers, cedar trees, saw briers, tall grass.  Did I mention saw briers? 

Finally, we got back into the woods sort of to where there wasn't as much underbrush.  We followed the fence line, come across and followed a creek.  Hope it doesn't rain during the race.  (Pre race:  bring galoshes)  Laz said the corner should be coming up.  Good I was getting tired and hungry.  I think the drive down and sleeping in an unfamiliar bed without my favorite pillow was taking its toll on me.  Did I say candy arse?  Thirty?  Yes, I am.  I'll be right back.  Little and I headed to my truck for a couple of powerades.  Blessed break from the trail from hell.  Then Little and I had a little disagreement, but I should have agreed with her when she jumped in my truck.  I should have jumped in with her and we'd hit those TN roads and not look back.  Alas, I think I heard Laz hollering to hurry my candy arse up.  So Little jumped out of the yellow bus and we trudged back up to the trail.  After downing our powerades and working steadily for a little while longer.  We decided to hike up and see how far the corner was because it was not appearing.  It turned out that it wasn't too far, but luckily Laz had to go to a party and watch the OK football game.  That was okay with me.  Truly it did not break my heart. 
I skipped to my truck and jumped in before he changed his mind.  I think I may have left black marks when I peeled out and headed back to Lina's.  I dragged myself upstairs and took a shower.  Felt human again and I only picked off 2 ticks.  Note to self: apply more OFF tomorrow!
I then drove into Murfreesboro to meet with Lina and her daughter, Emily.  Although her brother and sister were not home, we went and skulked around their beautiful houses.  Her brother's house is truly amazing.  It apparently is the only Gold Certified Green house in the state of TN.  I don't know what it means, other than being really expensive looking.  The landscaping is absolutely gorgeous though.  Then we stopped by and visited with Lina's momma.  I could sit and listen to her all day.  I loved her TN accent, not as southern as the Georgia ones, but better than the British chick's.  We finally headed back to the homestead and Emily fixed the pizza while we went and fed the horses.  Well, Lina fed the horses and I supervised from afar.  After eating and watching World's Dumbest Daredevils, we headed out to the hot tub.  Even though it was like 11 o'clock (midnight my time), I figured it would help my aching back and candy arse.  Stars are so bright when laying in the hammock afterwards.  I had told Laz we would get an early start the next morning.  After speaking with my hubby, I amended my plans and was to head home Sunday night so that we could spend Monday together without me being too pooped to do anything.

So I met Laz at almost 8:00.  Had planned on being there at 7:30, but had problems getting out of bed.  Oh my back and did I mention candy arse?  Laz's plan today was to go past one of many caves on his property and then down to another corner.  I'm beginning to dislike that word.  Corner=unending.  Corner=unattainable  Corner=sticking its tongue out daring us to reach it.  Okay, I'm game today, but we have to do it by 2:30 because I'm heading to Kentuckiana tonight.  We get started and for some reason it seems to be going better than yesterday and we reach the cave in no time.

It is so cool and I'm almost hoping for rain race day so that I can see the waterfall.  But then I remember the rest of the trail.  So I'll settle for rain just over the cave entrance and no where else on the trail.  Before going any farther, Laz deems it a good idea to see where the corner is today and how far we are from the trail we worked on yesterday.  So we started trekking around the boulders and trees.  Felt like I was orienteering without a map and no control points.  I stayed as close as possible and let Laz get all of the cobwebs.  Figured it was the gentlemanly thing for him to do.  Candy arse.  It turned out to be a good idea to scout around, because we were fairly close to yesterday's trail, so we dropped down a level.  Wouldn't want the runners to see each other suffering.  Suffering alone is better than suffering in groups.  So we found the corner, that sneaky devil, and Laz began marking our way back to the cave.  If we didn't get done at least there would be markings to follow ala Little Barkley style.  That's when I remembered I wasn't just helping to clear a trail, I was actually signed up to participate in this event.  Holy crap!  I had to take a new strategy, much to Laz's chagrin.  Laz would cut and I would clear, but I had loppers too.  So I would cut anything I deemed a hindrance to me.  Candy ass.  Log laying across the trail.  I can drag that out of the way.  

Dang it Little!  Ya little traitor.  Yesterday you were ready to ride off into the sunset.  Today you're dragging logs back onto the trail.  Oh it's Little's Barkley, not the Little Barkley.  Oops, I think Laz has caught on to my shenanigans.  So I pet Little and tell her good dog.  Leave that tree there, all of the runners will love climbing over it and if they are tired, I'll go ahead and clear underneath of it so they can crawl under.    We kept a good steady pace, even with texts from my coworker needing help with the QB and a sprained ankle.  I can't believe I had service in the trail from hell.  That's good to know in case I need to call for help when I'm stumbling around on race day.  The trail is actually cleared pretty good, but some trees were too large for the loppers, so Laz did leave the stobs tall enough not to miss them.  Except if you are taking pictures and not looking where you are going.  Shin meet Stob.  Stob meet Shin.  Owwwww.....candy arse!!! 

Thanks Little for taking care of that offending stob! I knew you were on my side after all. I promise to bring you some treats when I return in October if I haven't regained my mental state by then.  Soon after Lina called to say that she had walked over from her house, so I met her and showed off the trail.  We did not reach the offending corner yet again, but we made pretty good progress.  I hated having to leave, but I knew I needed to shower and pack up the bus for the drive home if I was to make it before my hubby got home from work.  So we parted ways and headed into Bell Buckle so I could see the town and where Lina's children attend school.  Which I blinked and we had to turn around so that I could see it.  I will say that if you leave Bell Buckle without stopping at Bluebird for an ice cream and/or fudge then you are missing out.  The fudge is out of this world and the ice cream wasn't too shabby either.

I showered and packed Big Bird up, then we headed to the ponds to feed their fish, then I had to say good bye to Lina, Jeff, Emily, and Phillip.  Thank you so much for putting me up for the weekend.  I know I will be back in a month.

I headed home to Kentuckiana with no traffic and George Thorogood telling me about how he drinks alone.

I did beat my hubby home by 15 minutes!  Woo hoo.  We got a good night's sleep and got up and decided to explore our new hometown, Corydon.  Although most of the shops were closed, we enjoyed walking around the town square.  We did stop for lunch at Magdalena's and went to the visitor's center.  I told my husband about the Upland Wine Trail in Indiana and we talked about how wine is suppose to be good for you.  So I talked him into driving to Turtle Run Winery.  It was a local, small family owned winery that has been open since 2001.  There was another couple in the shop when we arrived.  The lady behind the counter offered us some tastings.  Sweet white wine.  Yuck  Sweet red wine.  Ummm.  Dry red wine.  Blech.  Okay so you can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl.  So we ended up buying a bottle of sweet red wine because my hubby probably felt sorry for the poor lady having to watch my nose crinkle up after each taste.  Can't help it.  Apparently I have still not acquired that taste.  I guess I will have to find another way to be healthy.  A Mt. Dew a day keeps the doc away?

Lesson:  Although I missed the biggest football game of the year for around home, I can't play football and I'm glad I played in the woods.