Gin In A Coffee Cup aka Race Weekend

My weekend started off with some last minute packing before driving up to Portland for another incredibly fun weekend at Chateau Cilley Girl! The drive was very nice, no traffic to get in my way, and it was smooth sailing ... until I got off I-5 too early. Back on the freeway, then I missed my exit. But don't worry - I found the strip club and was soon safe where I belong. Don't ask.

I barely walked in the door and I was already taking over "my room", ditching shoes all over the house and dishing the latest dirt of my life. And what better way to have girl talk than over coffee cups of gin? It is confirmed - I'm a rum girl!

Saturday morning I had us up early so we could hit the expo. That poor expo - I think that it wasn't prepared for the likes of the Cilley Girl and the Fruit Fly - you should see our stash of free stuff we brought home. But not even that - we were some pretty serious shoppers. I ended up with 2 boxes of Power Crunch bars (they don't sell things like that where I live), a hooded sweatshirt, a tech shirt, sunblock, a pin, some cooling towel thing, tye dye inspired arm warmers, two loaves of bread (in a free tote!), and a runner girl necklace that will now grace my neck with my Love to Run Prefontaine necklace that never comes off.

Expo wise I was impressed! I had concerns that it wouldn't live up to the last two Rock'n'Roll expos I went to, but it did - and actually felt even roomier than the others. Packet pick-up was a breeze, and I liked that finally they had shirts for men and women instead of that dreaded gender neutral one (i.e. MAN shirts). I practiced restraint with the official merchandise, for the most part. I just really needed that sweatshirt!! And the sunblock? I consider that an investment for my health!

In the end we went home with tons of swag ... sunglasses, leis, different types of juice, gels, chewy things, whistles with lasers, chapstick and even almond milk. And TONS more. But by far .... my most favorite thing in the history of expo swag .... the hot pink sweat band!! I'm taking that with me to my grave!

During our second trip to the expo we were with Jules and ran into my race partner, Running Potato. *Note: hitting the expo early lets you get the free stuff that runs out. Hitting the expo again late lets you get the stuff they are trying to unload so they don't have to pack it back up. Thank you Clif people!!!!*

Cilley Girl and I also had a yummy lunch at Red Robin before taking the Max to Powell Books to find me some ... books!... on training for marathons. It was fun to be out and about in Portland with somebody really fun! We even ended up tagging along with a cowboy bachelor party .... sort of.

After the expo it was time for dinner. We chose Romano's Macaroni Grill - and it was freaking delicious!! Appetizers, the yummy bread, main course, dessert .... LOVE!! Food baby alert!

It's a big picture because it was that delicious!

Most would have gone to bed now. Not us. Cilley Girl and I ended up surrounding ourselves with our new loot and having a mini-80's inspired dance party -- to keep with this year's RnR theme. So much fun! Once I did go to bed I was out. I sleep so well up there!

So next time we meet .... The Race!!