Mannetta Piggee (HF17093) – Quest continued to conquer these 50 states, with back to back half marathons on Saturday and Sunday in #34 Washington and #35 Oregon.
The Northwest is very picturesque!! Camera enthusiasts would love this part of the country.
Flew into Seattle. Got a rental and booked the Holiday Inn in Tacoma. Used points so no cost for this one night stay. First race was the Galloping Gertie, which included an out and back over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, infamously known for collapsing when it was first built due to bad engineering. Be warned this is a long bridge that comes to a peak in the middle, so you will go up down turn around and go up and down it again. I was told the course has changed 3 times in the last few years and that this years was the easiest. I wouldn’t say it’s easy but the hills were gentler on the legs compared to the next days race. This is a small race will water stops being the main source of crowd support. Met some local runners who were very hospitable and shared decades of knowledge about races in the area. Great views of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. The foliage was thick and the air was dewy but there was no Sasquatch to be seen, except for the one on my shot glass. 😁
Packed up after the race and drove to Cascade Locks, Oregon.
Stayed at the Columbia Gorge Inn $179. DON’T EVER STAY THERE!!! While this is a listing presented on the race website, it is minimally habitable. The only good thing about it is the location. It’s in walking distance to the bus pick up that takes you to the start of the race and the finish area. Accommodations in the area are limited. Book your room as soon as the race opens so you have better options. The Bridge of the Gods started with a jaunt over a grated bridge which allowed you to see straight down to the Columbia River below.
The elevation of this out and back course was over 900 feet of steep rolling hills. There was also a steep stair climb that had my legs on 🔥.
The views were magnificent so I took my time and took lots of pictures. I have to admit, I’ve never been more happy to see a finish line. I was done with the hills/mountains in this race at about mile 9. 😄
Explains why they give you 7 hours to complete this half. This is definitely a walker friendly event.
Arranged to return our rental car in Portland instead of driving back to Seattle. Stayed at the Embassy Suites where my travel buddy used her points, so no cost. Overall this was a good trip to knock out 2 states.
Photo and post Credit Mannetta Piggee