Starry starry night in Nevada. We left our hotel at 1am leaving the "razzmatazz" and glitz of Las Vegas behind. I am so lucky. I've not had to run in any of the large West coast cities and have been blessed by runs in places like Big Sur and the Mojave. Running in special wild places in the dark provides a new perspective. I find I tune into things around me that I might not otherwise be conscious of. Tonight was such a night. I ran the first shift at 3am within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area which extends to the western boundary of the Grand Canyon National Park. Lake Mead was engineered in the 1930's. It is an important water resource and irrigates one million acres of farmland, mostly in southern California. It is home to many house boats. Drought has lowered the water level by over 60 feet since 2000. The Hoover Dam is located at its southern end and generates enough power to provide electricity to 500,000 homes plus lift water over the Sierra Nevada Mountains into California.

When I started my run it was about 86 degrees and the warm desert winds enveloped me with comforting warmth. I was in the desert again, alone with the pilot van and my solitary light. When they turned off their headlights I was embraced by the stars with the bright quarter moon as our mother ship. Every once in awhile there would be a shooting star. It was another truly magical run. I saw no critters but could hear the crickets and grasshoppers in the desert grasses around me. Only a very few cars passed by including the Team Silver van of cheerleaders. Their cheers put lightness into my stride as I crested one of the rolling hills. Just before I was done, I could see the lights of one of the lake shore towns of the Moapa Valley. I passed the baton to Jason and we headed into a gas stop for some Bodacious coffee. The proprietor had just removed some fresh baked bread from her ovens. The life style of folks in these parts is night-oriented. Unlike Vermont you don't see the sidewalks roll up by 9pm.

>From the Lake Mead area we headed to St. George through Zion National Park. Starting on my run the effects of water erosion reflected visibly how the deep canyons form from runoff, particularly in the flood watch areas. All of the cavern attractions in these parts were created over time either by rivers and runoff and/or wind abrasion. The erosive properties of the elements are amazingly evident in this region. It is an ongoing process.

I visit the Grand Canyon often as the cathedral in my life. Its corners and pockets are endless. Its wonders unmatched. It draws me to it as an annual ritual. Whether I run or hike it, or simply sit and take in its expanse from one of the rims, it replenishes my soul and my appreciation for the power of nature and the power of water.

We will rest in St. George and move on towards Moab, Utah in the wee hours of the morning. My sister will be joining me in Moab to run with me. And Team Green will be celebrating our return to the day shift!

Water is life. Pass it on!