Puerto Vallarta March 24 - 31, 2019

Puerto Vallarta March 24 - 31, 2019

Sunday:
This year we are fortunate to have James and Noelle with us. We started our trip with a campus tour. We drove to Winona Minnesota on Sunday afternoon....the first of many campus tours for James Hanson. I first took them up to Garvin Heights. Fortunately we drove up and didn't run up like my cross country coach often made us do. Next we went over the Mississippi River...the bridge to WI. With all the flood damage the houseboats were nearly underwater. I showed them where we used to jump off the bridge as college students. We drove by my old college apartment… That certainly changed. We then went to Jefferson's for dinner. My old track coach Paul Goodfellow no longer owned the place. Certainly was fun going down memory lane. We then headed to our hotel. We met a really nice college student who was working at the front desk. She wants to be a doctor. She attends Winona State and lives from home. I always like hearing young peoples goals and how they plan to get there. We crashed early.

Monday:
I was super pumped I got to run around Winona lake this morning. I watch the sunrise. Hard to believe it was 18 years ago I was here. I still remembered every turn of that pathway around those lakes. After hotel breakfast we headed to Winona State and started our tour. It started with a one hour informative session and then a two hour tour of the University campus. I reached out to my old coach Dr. MundahI. I found out where his office was and was able to peek in for a quick visit. He hasn't changed much. He's been out of coaching now for 15 years but still tall, thin,running, and teaching ecology. We actually skipped out a little bit before the tour ended so James and Noelle didn't get too exhausted. Or should I say so dad wouldn't get too exhausted. We allowed ourselves some time to have a sit down lunch downtown LaCrosse. Unfortunately our meal wasn't so good. But at least it gave them some fuel to tolerate the next several hours of touring UW La Crosse. Much to our surprise lacrosse is a really nice school. James really liked it. He decided against Winona. UWL seems like it has so much to offer. Dad and I could envision him there but we have several more tours coming up so no decisions made yet. After our tour we hopped in the car and headed toward O'Hare. We decided to get a hotel in Rosemont so we wouldn't have to wake up so early. Sue is staying home with Carol this week undergoing chemo therapy for her breast cancer. Our Rosemont hotel room was a bit larger. Never the less Greta still decided to sleep in the closet. Dad went for a run on the treadmill racing others on the screen in front of him in Europe. What a great way to make treadmill running a little more entertaining. James and I were going to go swimming with Greta at the pool, but it was way too cold. Dad and Noelle found themselves watching a good movie while all the rest of us hit the sack.

Tuesday: our flight this morning left at 10:30 AM. After an amazing breakfast buffet we made our way to O'Hare trialing a new parking system. Seem pretty slick with the shuttle transportation. You reserve your spot in advance. When going through security of course I set off the alarms. They had to pull me in a private room and pat me down. I guess my chocolate bone broth protein powder may seem like explosives?? I finally passed and was able to join the group....Matt just gave me the big eye roll. After purchasing some snacks for the plane ride, we boarded. Three hours later we arrived in Sunny Puerto Vallarta. 85 and sunny is the forecast for the whole week. Can't beat that. We were able to dodge all the Mexian salespeople trying to sell their condo shares after exiting the airport. Once to the resort we checked out the property and decided to do some wave jumping. We then had our first meal at the poolside. My favorite seafood salad was amazing even though it didn't have the coconut shell it did last year. The kids enjoyed their mango smoothies and Matt his fish tacos. We then went for a walk to the local grocery store. I'm in love with their produce section. We took a cab ride home since we couldn't carry all those groceries back. We chilled the remainder of the evening. Stargazing in a hot tub was heaven. Tonights sound machine was waves crashing....can't beat that!!

Wednesday:
This morning Matt decided to go for a run on the beach with me. After 20 min he was ready to walk. I guess his run needs are different than mine. Afterwards we did breakfast on the patio and decided to walk north to Bacerias. The walk was 1.4 miles. Once there we walked the city streets brouzing the local vendors. We found ourselves a bar and grill for lunch. We played uno and watched the 8 screens playing various sporting events. My highlight of our trip to Bacerias...I found my Bai drink...or the Mexican version...I believe. Gotta love white tea extract and coffee fruit extract!!! After lunch we grabbed a few more essentials at the corner Oxxo and caught a cab back to our resort. James, dad, and I had 3pm reserved massages at Emma's massage right outside our resort on the beach. My slightly plump Mexican masseuse was amazing!! The sounds of the waves crashing, the breeze coming through the tents, aromatherapy...it was the best massage I've had!! Once back to the room I cut up a fresh mystery fruit that I'm guessing was passion fruit or papaya. It honestly tasted like frosting. Dinner this evening was at the sister resort....La Flamingo. We ate on the outside patio overlooking the sunset. Noelle, Greta, and I went out on the beach for sunset photos while James and Matt went for a stroll on the beach for some "man time". Once back to the room we hit the sack rather early. I do have to say this trip confirmed our need for a king size bed. I love not having to remind Matt several times per night to roll over because he is snoring. Honestly, I think he only was in our king bed 2 of our 5 nights. He often slept on the patio or with Fuzzy in the living room. Just depending on where he would fall asleep...I guess.

Thursday:
My day started with my normal run South on the beach. Matt joined me this morning. The kids had buffet breakfast without us at the neighbor resort. We packed up earlier this day to be able to make the most of the day. We caught a cab to Saulalita this morning...a northern city. Our cab driver was entertaining...we heard about his innocent involvement in the drug scene...viewing millions of dollars...in cash!! Saulalita was a happening place again this year...full of surfers, yogis, locals Mexicans, and tourists. We walked down the main streets people watching until we hit the beach. The tide was high and surfers were out. We dodged the local Mexican salespeople trying to get you to buy their bracelets, blankets, jewlrey, braids, bags...you name it. We made our way through the local neighborhood leading to the trailhead of our jungle hike to the secluded beach. It was a hot hike...probably 85 degrees. Once to our beach we found our cave to go through leading to an area of the beach we had not yet explored. We almost had it to ourselves. We wadded in the water and enjoyed last nights leftover cold pizza & fresh strawberries. We found a route back with minimal elevation gains and more direct. Once back to the market area we found a local restaurant on the beach. I think the highlight of our lunch was the live Mexican band or possibly the 5 yr old Mexican boy "Hector" who poured his toys on the table...maybe hoping we'd buy one? There is a sales tactic...who could turn away such a cute little Mexican boy...I did. Our meals weren't so hot...my seafood salad wasn't anything like the one I had at our poolside grill & bar. At least the girls liked their Mango Smoothies and James and I liked the soft corn tortillas. They tasted like they were fresh and made of masa harina. We browsed the market area only 15 minutes longer as the kids were spent...and Matt!! We hailed a cab ride home and most of us chilled in the remainer of the evening. Fuzzy got to ride a horse on the beach. She was in heaven riding her white horse all alone like a big girl. She even stopped, started, and turned all by herself!!

Friday:
You guessed it...the day started with my 50 min run South on the beach. I was getting to see regulars out there. One woman in particular looked about 80...run/walking. That will be me someday!! Dad only ran part with me. Once back we all went to the neighbor resorts' buffet breakfast. Today we opted for local entertainment beachside...jet skiing. I didn't want to chance getting sea sick so I stayed back to be photographer. James and Noelle went on one and dad and Fuzzy on the other. Their highlight was seeing a group of whales!! Once back we did lunch at our favorite poolside bar and grill. I went and had another amazing massage at Emma's massage on the beach. Afterwards we all showered, dressed up and took a taxi to the boardwalk area of downtown Puerto. We people watched, ate gelato, and walked around until we were exhausted. The evening entertainment was quite unusual. Five men dressed in unusual Mexican attire climbed to he top of a pole and played music. They then tied ropes to their feet and lowered themselves off the top of this pole while swinging around it, hanging by their feet. James summed it up nicely asking..."and their point is?" We hailed a small taxi and all squished in. That is when the tired silly's hit. I was ready to eat my hand...everyone else was just exausted and silly!! Tonight we ordered room service. The kids and Matt played more banana grams or maybe it was uno on the patio till bedtime.

Saturday:
Matt ran the whole way with me today along the beach. We saw the most disgusting thing...a dead dolphin on shore with crows eating away. The stench was gross! Once back we ate breakfast in our rooms and opted for a cooler low key day. We caught a taxi and headed to the downtown shopping area. Matt didn't have enough pesos so we first walked a mile to Costco to check out the Mexican Costco (not any different) and grabbed some pesos and raspberries. We found a new store "El Comer"....our new favorite!! They sell everything...groceries, scooters, appliances, clothing...even have a snack shop/restaurant!! I had a spinach salad and Noelle & dad & Fuzzy had donuts. We hauled a cab back to our shopping complex and walked around for an hour or so until we were shopped out. Once back to our resort Matt and I had our final massages on the beach followed by wave jumping. Matt will tell you his was the best he has had in all his life. We went back to the room and I had a double Antioxidant drink in preparation for braving the cold wave jumping. Wow did I feel that caffeine burst! Almost as much as Matt felt the alcohol he consumed the next hour. It really was only one margarita in our room and one at the swim up bar. However when you add in sun, dehydration, massage, minimal lunch....that equates to embarsement for all those around Matt!! He started yelling swearwords to the kids in the pool, he called his brother and told him he is booking a trip for all of us here next year. He threw Greta's cantaloupe in he room, left a restaurant menu in the bushes, and ate a whole can of Pringles leaving crumbs all over the store floor before even checking out! I had brought Matt and Greta to the store to get our dinners to go...I felt like I was babysitting a toddler and Greta. Matt being the toddler!! While all this was occurring Noelle starting to not feel so hot. We are thinking she got travelers diarrhea. James and Fuzzy got a bit of it but clearly not as bad as Noelle. I'm not quite certain how I dodged it? Or what it came from? I was the one eating the most fruits and veggies that could easily have been contaminated with E. coli. Matt and I still feeling good from our caffeine and alcohol hit the resort hot tub. James and Greta came along too. Noelle stayed back as she couldn't leave the bathroom. I loved looking up at the stars, listening the the waves...in the company of those I love the most. This evening was very memorable for many reasons. Hopefully an eye opener to the kids what alcohol can make you do...and what caffeine can do to me!! I think I asked more questions of James and Noelle that evening than ever before...hitting the treaded subject....emotions & actions...I love talking deep...

Sunday:
My final run was solo this morning South along the beach. The dolphin carcass was only bones with crows still nibbling away. Once to our room we packed up and made our way to the airport. I was pulled over in security....they checked my bag and took my nutribullet blade away... fortunately I have ordered a new one coming from amazon...unfortunately it won't be here until for a couple of days...

I would say our trip was a hit...minus the sickness...maybe next time we would skip doing a trip before a trip....

I asked Matt...where to next year. He isn't certain he wants to come back again. He thinks he is ready for a bit more adventure. Hmmm...let the brainstorming begin.








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