Thursday, December 31, 2009

Best Tradition Ever!

I had the privilege of following the Bourgeois family as they built their Christmas Eve levee bonfire. This tradition is by far, the neatest thing I've ever seen.

Dozens of fires are lit along the levee on Christmas Eve and people in the area open up their homes to visitors. Basically, all the jambalaya, pastalaya, and gumbo you can eat.

The Bourgeois' have one of the most impressive bonfires, in my opinion. It's 20 feet high and covered in cane reed and firecrackers. The kids light it with roman candles and it is a sight that any description I try to give you, won't do it justice.

Building this bonfires isn't an easy task, especially this year. Thanks to the rain, family members had to trudge through waist deep water to cut down the trees. Rain also kept everyone from building the entire structure in one day. It really is an undertaking. They were out there three separate times.

If you ever have the chance to head down there on Christmas Eve. I would. I followed Bo Billy Bourgeois through the entire process. Towards the end of the night he told me once people see it, they come back. I'd have to agree.

Monday, December 7, 2009

That was a cold run!

Ran my first Louisiana half marathon this past weekend.

It can be summed up in one word....COLD!!!!

I'm from Minnesota and I've never run a race in 30 degree temperatures. There is just something about Louisiana, where it feels colder than it actually is. It must be the humidity.

Emily Turner and I finished in the expected time, two hours, 9 minutes, 20 seconds. I'm so proud of "Turner Time." That was her first half marathon, and she did great.

In fact, she ran better than I did. We probably could have finished earlier if we went at her pace, but my old bones started to ache, and I got a cramp in the last few miles. I do wish they had more water stations available in the last half, but maybe that's something the organizers will consider next year.

Emily's already talking about doing the Mardi Gras halfer, I can't commit until my knees stop hurting.