Daffodil Challenge Part Four: Orting

This really is the home stretch!

Orting Daffodil Parade Route

How cute is Orting? How cute is this little two-block parade??

This is what we expected: a craft and food fair set up in the city park, lots of folks already set up along the parade route, and (best fundraiser ever!) a chance to ring the town bell in exchange for a $1.25 donation. RING THE BELL!!!

We got here plenty early, which have us a chance to walk around the booths, check out the awesome quilt store, and buy an armload of amazing pastries from the Orting Bakery:

Of course, we were only going to buy this adorable cookie:

But, hey, we couldn't resist the cannoli, scone, cookies, bismarks, etc. etc. 

The real rain finally came, so we bundled up in our Gore-Tex jackets. While waiting for the porta potty (three again!) we started chatting with a man about asthma. I commented that he was wearing "my hat" -- one of the Run Happy hats we had made. He said, "do you work for Brooks?" and then "Are you Sunny?"

Turns out he was Amanda's dad, and she had seen us but wondered if it was really us. Nice to see Brooksies in the wild!

We set out on the path, moving surprisingly quickly (compared to our plan... if we ever have a plan...). We had run the path before as part of the Rainier to Ruston half marathon; but we didn't get to run the final stretch along the park. In fact, I was surprised that we didn't actually get to run along the parade route. 

But when we crossed the finish line, we got our medals... from some very wet princesses:

Still, it was nice to finish feeling relatively strong (though with a slightly hurt shin on my right leg...

Four 5Ks, four towns... One medal!!