The brand-new roundabouts on State Route 14 in Washougal were officially open for business earlier this week at an official ribbon cutting at Steamboat Landing Park, which was attended by local dignitaries including Mayor Molly Coston, Washougal City Council members, Port of Camas-Washougal Commissioners, and State Senator Ann Rivers.
“It is officially open to traffic, and is functionally complete,” said Tamara Greenwell, Communications Director for WSDOT’s SW Washington Region. “They are the way they’ll need to be to move forward. We still have a couple slip lanes closed, and there will be landscaping and touching up loose dirt and planting, then finishing all the electrical work. Electrical work is all of the lighting on the sections, which is being updated and we’re waiting on electrical cabinets to power the lights.”
They are installing a Washougal sign and the roundabouts feature stunning metal artwork/sculptures by Angela Ridgway. They are now there on the grounds.
“It’s a really beautiful welcome to Washougal,” said Tyler Yeoman, the project’s chief inspector. “We still have soil and plants to make it look better.”
The total cost for both roundabouts is $7.5 million, which includes design, construction, new lighting, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and landscaping.
At the ribbon cutting.
The new ITS equipment will track traffic and alert WSDOT about any issues. That will be installed in November. There are minimal traffic impacts, and Greenwell said the project will be 100 percent complete by the end of the year.
The started in late May — right after Memorial Day.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/07074659/E63A7849-1F99-4F82-8F25-D3E5CB70BCC2.jpeg305640Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-11-01 16:40:402019-11-01 16:40:56WSDOT: Washougal SR 14 Roundabouts Officially Open For Thru Traffic
Washougal, WA — Washougal area employers, business leaders and educators came together for an evening of collaboration on October 17 at Washougal High School to help the Washougal School District Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department leverage existing school programs to connect with and prepare the future workforce.
“Businesses are asking us for skilled workers,” said WSD CTE Director, Margaret Rice. “We want them to understand the current work being done and the programs offered here to prepare our students for their post-secondary education and careers. An important step in this process is to create meaningful standards that, once met, demonstrate to potential employers that this student has learned the skills needed to be successful in a specific industry.”
Keynote speaker Brock Smith, Executive Vice President of Business Development at Precision Exams, works with local and state education and workforce development agencies to connect workforce and CTE in ways that help students make more informed decisions on their pathway and career options. He explained to the nearly 50 attendees that standards are the common language between industry and schools to help quantify the education experience for employers. One key aspect is then communicating employer information back to the appropriate candidates as demonstrated by individual aptitude. “We need industry to be involved and help to set these standards to assist in shaping curriculum and prepare students to be the future workforce,” he said.
As part of the assessment platform, provided by Precision Exams, employers can signal to students and future candidates which of their earned credentials represent the desired knowledge, skills and aptitude for the positions those employers are hiring. “Employers can use this tool to become a part of the ongoing review and revision of the standards, assessments and available certificates of more than 190 CTE offerings,” Smith explained. “This ensures that by the time a student has earned a certificate, or a stackable credential, that the knowledge and skills employers desperately need are represented and recognized by those very same employers.”
“I love that this Business Connections workshop is becoming an annual event,” said Rice. “Creating meaningful opportunities for business and industry folks to partner with education has not been an easy endeavor, with the typical ask being more than most can give.” Rice pointed out that this industry engagement tool is not only simple to participate in, it’s easy to pass on to others. “It also provides the added bonus of a direct benefit to students by way of certifications,” she said. “It’s a win-win-win all the way around.”
According to Smith, the ability to connect industry and education with a tool to review and give input on standards will result in teachers teaching and students learning the skills employers look for when making hiring decisions. “When businesses dedicate time to review education standards in subjects their future workers are learning, it benefits more than just their business; it helps our local economy, is a tremendous help for educators and is a great advantage for students,” Smith said.
“Helping a student discover an aptitude and area of interest early in their education provides greater purpose, empowers them, builds confidence and brings meaning to learning,” Rice said. “It answers the question every student has, ‘When am I ever going to use this?’ because they apply their learning in a practical way that links to their career pathway which keeps them more engaged. Our State recognizes the importance of this too and has created a variety of Pathways that students can take to graduate from high school related to their post-high school education and career plans.”
That engagement is why research shows that CTE students graduate at a 12 percent higher rate than those students who are not CTE concentration completers (360 hours of CTE instruction in one focus CTE area of study). The positive impact of a high school graduate on a local economy is significant and measurable in increased consumer spending and an increase in contributed state and local taxes.
The evening was sponsored by current business partners; Courtney Wilkinson branch owner of Country Financial sponsored the dinner and Mallorie Henker owner of Outlaw Coffee sponsored the coffee bar. The event was staffed with skilled WHS students from Advanced Culinary who planned, prepared and served the dinner, by members of Future Business Leaders of America, SkillsUSA and our Associated Student Body who welcomed guests and assisted participants with signing in. Even the artistic table centerpieces were created by Fine Arts Woodworking and Metals Craft & Production students.
Talking to CTE members.
“Our goal this evening was to help bring awareness to local businesses of the programs we offer as well as our work to connect classroom learning with the skills businesses are looking for in their employees,” said Rice. “Input from local industry coupled with recognition of the Career Skills certificates adds tangible value for students as it directly ties the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a pathway leading to high-demand jobs with local employers.”
Rice is working with her teachers to expand WSD local partnerships to gain insight into the needs of industry. One way they are doing this is through their Program Advisory Committees. These committees focus on providing direction, help to set and achieve goals, and assist in accessing resources to support students within specific program areas within the CTE Department.
“We have found that the key to developing the future workforce is partnering with employers to connect them with the right students and job candidates early in their educational process,” Rice said. “We also want employers to see the validity of these certifications and give students who have met the standards they have helped develop an opportunity to show them what they know maybe through a professional interview or internship.”
A Washougal School District teacher and a long-time school volunteer were recognized as Real Heroes of Clark County through the Learn Here project honoring individuals for outstanding service to students and education in Clark County. Dani Allen, art teacher at Jemtegaard Middle School and Rona Ager, parent, Booster Club member and STEAM advocate, were recognized at an award program on October 17 with 21 other honorees.
The countywide program, created by Identity Clark County, recognizes educational staff and volunteers in partnership with educational institutions for their efforts to serve the Clark County school communities. Sponsors of the award program were RealLiving Real Estate Group, Port of Vancouver USA and NW Capital Mortgage.
Dani Allen
Dani Allen is an outstanding art teacher at Jemtegaard Middle School, a position she has held for the past five years. She has worked for the Washougal School District for 12 years in a combination of Special Education and Art positions. Allen is a passionate advocate for public art, partnering with the City of Washougal and the Washougal Art and Culture Alliance to showcase student art through projects like murals in parks, art displays at City hall, and art galleries as part of Washougal Youth Art Month. She and her Club 8 students recently completed a mural on a retaining wall in downtown Washougal at D and Durgan Streets.
Allen cultivates an appreciation for different artistic styles and media, with a program that engages youth in art that is relevant and meaningful to them. Students share that Allen helped them understand art as an idea, and grow an awareness of the importance and beauty of their ideas, and that she helps build their confidence, supports them when they are not having a good day, and teaches them that they can do amazing things with their lives. Allen continues her work with students through projects in the school’s Club 8program, which offers after-school enrichment activities and interest exploration. Allen leverages student interest in technology to expand their artistic skills, with creative lessons involving stop motion animation and film making.
Pork Belly Bites at Tommy O’s at the Camas Hotel. Available during Happy Hour! Visit www.tommyosaloha.com
Allen is a champion for students with special needs and differences, too. She started a Unified sports program in 2014, first with soccer, then later with multiple teams, and eventually multiple sports. The Unified sports teams include students with special needs and abilities, helping them grow their skills so they can practice and compete with other teams around the region. Her soccer team won the silver medal at the state tournament last season. Allen was also a Gay Straight Alliance advisor for students in several schools, recognizing the impact these clubs have on promoting student inclusion and well-being, as well as fostering a safe school climate for all learners.
Rona Ager
Rona Ager has been volunteering in classrooms and supporting the Gause Elementary Boosters for nearly 10 years. She is known for spearheading and taking the lead on numerous Booster projects and is always available to help where needed around school.
Ager created and oversees the grade level enrichment program and Booster supported assemblies, bringing in at least two or more fun and unique experiences for students each year. A personal goal was to help organize with other elementary schools to negotiate discounts when contracting for presentations. This idea paid off with a guest storyteller assembly last year and this year with the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Museum.
Her special interest in the support of STEAM projects lead her to organize a Science Night five years ago which has become a family STEAM Night. The past two years, the event included a Science Fair with a student science project competition during the school day for ages kindergarten to fifth grade.
She organized volunteers to help support Booster and classroom activities, took care of the bulletin boards and display case/communications, led the BoxTops and Labels collection fundraisers (one year bringing in more than $2,000 in box tops), enhanced and organized the Mustang Market, managed and started the monthly birthday display case, and has stepped up to hold various Booster Club officer roles through the years.
When beloved Gause teacher, Alisa Vail, passed after a battle with cancer, Ager organized the purchase, installation and unveiling ceremony of a Buddy Bench to honor Vail.
Ager stepped up to lead the Mustang Hall of Fame Celebrations which rewards positive student behavior, she broadened it from an extra recess to now include shows, games and special activities three times a year. She has also arranged events honoring veterans at the Veterans Day assemblies for Gause Elementary School and Jemtegaard Middle School (JMS) as well as the “Honor roll/On a roll” at JMS. She has assisted with Sport-a-Thon, Family Fitness Night, Artists in Residency and Teacher Wish List programs.
“None of what I have done over the years has been without collaborating with so many other fantastic and committed volunteers and staff doing all kinds of other things as well as backing up and supporting the areas I have led,” she explained. “It truly is a team activity to support our schools and students. It’s been an honor being a part of making great things happen in the Washougal School District!”
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/07074751/4795E89C-3311-4D4F-B732-45A931357941.jpeg10352328Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-10-18 15:34:442019-10-18 15:34:53Washougal Teacher, Volunteer Named Real Heroes of Clark County
Washougal, WA — Washougal students from Jemtegaard and Canyon Creek Middle Schools are the newest contributors to the surge of public art in Washougal. On October 12, a crisp, sunny Saturday morning, more than 25 student artists from the Club 8 after-school program met to create a patchwork Chinook salmon mural on a public retaining wall at the corner of “D” and Durgan Streets downtown.
The creative mural work began weeks ahead when Club 8 students, lead by JMS art teacher, Dani Allen, met with local muralist Travis London to come up with their individual designs for the piece. Allen was the driving force behind the project that has been envisioned for several years.
“This was a great example at the partnerships that take place in Washougal to support art,” said Allen. “City of Washougal supplied the location and cleaned and primed the wall. Washougal Schools Foundation provided a grant for the paint and a consulting fee for Travis. Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance worked to bring these relationships together and Washougal School District supports the middle school Club 8 after-school program.”
“It’s great working with middle school students,” said London. “They enjoyed learning the process of mural creation. I met with them just once and gave them tips and direction on how to take these designs from paper to a wall. They did great!”
London conceived of the Chinook salmon design to serve as a template because of how the fish represents the Washougal area.
According to Allen, the message around the mural was to celebrate diversity and individuality.
www.MeuPilates.com
“Students took inspiration from the theme that being different is ok and differences should be celebrated,” she said. “They wanted the images to be positive and inspirational. The students took their design and this project very seriously. Just look at how many kids came out early on a Saturday to be a part of it.”
“I love painting and love making our world a better place,” explained Aubrey Kleiva, JMS 6th grade student. “It is cool because I can make people smile through art.” Her section of the mural included a quote to offer encouragement. Her words are; “Life can be a rough current but just keep swimming through it.”
Allen and her Club 8 art students were also responsible for creating a mural on the baseball shed at Lower Hathaway Park ball field in 2018 and are already looking at locations for their next public art project.
Washougal, WA — The City of Washougal is inviting local families to the annual Downtown Washougal Pumpkin Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 26 from noon to 3 p.m. at Reflection Plaza. Everyone is encouraged to come in their Halloween costume. The event will take place rain or shine and is presented by City of Washougal.
Nearly 1,000 free pumpkins will be available for children thanks to generous donations from Columbia River Realty, Dental Excellence and support from City of Washougal. A straw hay maze will be created for kids to walk through to select their special pumpkin. Pumpkins are limited to one per child, while supplies last. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
“The Washougal community really enjoys our family fun events such as The Pumpkin Harvest Festival,” said Rose Jewell, event organizer and City of Washougal Assistant to the City Manager. “It continues to grow with more sponsors and partners and each year we add new fun activities!”
The event will feature carnival games with candy and toy prizes, balloon animal makers sponsored by IQ Credit Union, apples donated by Washougal Family Dental, popcorn from the Washougal Fire Department, safety treat bags from Washougal Police Department, a selfie station and more. Other sponsors include Rivertalk Weekly and Washougal Business Association.
Washougal, WA – Columbia River Gorge Elementary first graders are getting a helping hand from Jemtegaard Middle School students to practice problem solving and engineering skills as they explore how the human hand works.
“We are currently studying the whole human body which includes the skeletal and muscular systems,” said Allison McGranahan, CRGE first grade teacher. “Using paper hands along with string, straws and tape to represent muscles, bones and tendons, older students helped the younger students examine how these systems work together to make a hand move.”
Last year, McGranahan and fellow first grade teacher, Sydney Termini, were looking for projects to support this learning and were drawn to the engineering component of this lesson.
“This work required a bit of one-on-one help, so we approached the middle school and they agreed to assist us,” McGranahan said.
wwww.MeuPilates.com
This year JMS science teacher, Greg Lewis, recruited his Robotics class to lend a hand.
The project work was completed over two days, September 27 and 30. “Some of our first graders were a bit overwhelmed the first day with so many instructions and materials,” said McGranahan. “But having a buddy beside them to ask questions and give advice made all the difference.”
“We are always looking for additional opportunities for middle school students to explore engineering experiences and to practice leadership and teamwork,” said Lewis. “This project challenges our students and helps them to get outside of themselves and engaged with younger students.”
“It is exciting to see these first graders looking deeper into the study of a body part,” said Termini. “The involvement of middle school students made it wonderful for our students to hear from someone other than a teacher on a project. This has been good for them to be able to talk through design issues and get attention from middle school students. It’s very fun!”
“We are also seeing energy and focus on this work from some students who might usually be reluctant to participate in projects,” McGranahan said. Lewis commented that he too saw the same benefit with excellent participation from several of his middle school students who do not always get involved.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/07075357/1D1091EB-861D-4A9D-BBF3-62808188A8D0.jpeg8011525Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-10-08 19:17:592019-10-08 19:18:05Washougal Schools: Using Human Hand to Practice Problem Solving + Engineering Skills
The City of Washougal is inviting the community to celebrate the city’s history and its newest piece of public art with the official unveiling of the White Wing Mural in honor of Betsey Ough, Wednesday, October 9 at 4 pm. The ceremony will take place in front of the piece, located outside the Washougal Library at 1661 C Street, Washougal. A reception will follow in the Washougal Community Center next door.
“If you are familiar with Washougal’s history, you know that Betsey White Wing Ough, a Cascades Tribe princess, along with her husband Richard Ough, founded our great city,” said Jim Cooper, Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance board president. “For her role, Betsey is lovingly referred to by many as the ‘Mother of Washougal.’ The theme of the mural is Richard Ough courting Betsey White Wing Ough.”
WACA spearheaded the effort and lead fund raising for the work.
Mural artist Toma Villa is an internationally renowned Native American artist. He will attend the dedication and share his thoughts about White Wing and how he developed the 8’-11” x 25’ scene. “Through my extensive research on Betsey Ough (White Wing) of the Washougal people, I found her story inspiring on a personal level,” he said. “What it shows is how love can change one’s life and what can be created from it.”
Inspiration came in part from a quote describing Richard Ough’s feelings for the young princess. “…he thought he could see White Wing in the clouds and in the forest and in his dreams. He said, “Come pretty bird and fly with me, for I am lonely, and my nest is empty.”
For the mural, Villa chose to feature the egret bird to represent White Wing for its beauty and grace. “I used seven of them for that is a significant number in Columbia River longhouses,” he explained. “They are facing East; of the way the wind blows on the river. The baskets are from the Two Rivers Heritage Museum and are part of a greater collection in Washougal, accenting the mural representative of White Wing as a weaver same as her grandmother.”
The unveiling and dedication ceremony program will begin with a Washaat Prayer by Members of the Yakima Nation, White Swan Longhouse in the tradition of their native heritage. In addition to Villa, speakers will include Washougal Mayor, Molly Coston speaking about how influential White Wing was as a woman and native landowner in early Clark County.
Former Washougal City Council member, Joyce Lindsay, will also speak on the impact and attention drawn to Native American cultures by efforts such as the Confluence and the inspiration that led WACA to work with the artist that would memorialize Princess White Wing in this colorful mural.
Another speaker will be Elder Johnnie Lee Wyman, who will represent the Yakima Nation and is a Great Great Grandson of Richard and Betsey Ough through their son, Benjamin Ough. Wyman will speak on behalf of his family about the significance of this gift in honor of White Wing and how it impacts her future generations.
Attendees of the ceremony are invited to meet and greet the Ough family descendants, artist Toma Villa, city leaders, and the WACA board at the reception following in the Washougal Community Center – 1681 C Street. Additional historic information will be provided at the reception by the Two Rivers Heritage Museum.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/07075402/0A463597-A184-48D8-86C6-92ECDC58634E-scaled.jpeg9352560Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-10-08 18:48:542019-10-08 18:49:04Official Unveiling of the White Wing Mural in Honor of Betsey Ough
Washougal High School Advanced Culinary students were put to the test on September 26 when they created and served a special lunch entrée for students and faculty.
In addition to preparing ingredients and cooking the meal, students were asked to market the lunch special using posters, Instagram, announcements, and Twitter.
“This was the first time for many of the students to participate in this type of activity,” said Brenda Hitchins, WHS Culinary Arts teacher. “They applied organizational skills, teamwork, sanitation, time management, cooking methods, presentation, and making sure everything was cleaned up at the end.”
The lunch offer was “Pasta Pronto” and featured penne pasta with either marinara or alfredo sauces and a choice of other delicious additions such as red onions, sliced olives, fresh spinach, and sausage.
“Culinary students sautés the ingredients, toss in penne pasta, and finish with their choice of sauce,” Hitchins said. “It takes teamwork and coordination as they pass the pan down the line for each step. The dish is finished and placed in paper boat and topped with a whole wheat breadstick. Students can add parmesan cheese and chili pepper flakes if they choose.”
Regular school lunch pricing applied.
“Lunch numbers have been low, so we partnered with Mark Jasper of Sodexo to put on this event,” said Hitchins. “We had a goal to serve more than 230 lunches and we brought the number up to 208.”
“This lunch project was a great opportunity for students to apply what they are learning in class to a real-world situation,” said Margaret Rice, WSD Career and Technical Education Director. “The experience gave them the chance to serve peers, practice what they know and assess how it went so they can improve upon their skills. We hope this is the first of many opportunities like this.”
Students were required to first complete “Introduction to Culinary” and “Baking and Pastry” classes to enroll in “Advanced Culinary I and II”.
“Our biggest challenge is setting up the stations and get the food ready before the event,” Hitchins said. “Students are giving up their lunch time to participate in these school lunches as well as their part of their fourth period class to help breakdown and clean.”
Hitchins believes participation in these type of events builds student self-esteem and confidence.
“Our goal this year is to teach them how to quantify what skills they have so they are able to present this information on different platforms such as a resume, job interview, and volunteer service,” she said. “Some students struggle to be at school. My goal for this class is not only that they are learning a life skill, but they are finding a reason to want to come to school and participate.”
Moving forward, students will work more with Jasper and Sodexo in creating other lunch offerings. They will forecast ingredients needed, do complete station set up, food prepping and all while meeting the school lunch program standards.
“Students will run the event and learn about planning, how to make sure they are prepared, delegating duties to others, and reflecting on the event so they think about their learning and assess their performance objectives to see how they have grown,” said Hitchins.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/07075421/0995EF21-5601-4BB6-BBD8-3C64FDFBFCFF-e1570139891241.jpeg7742025Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-10-03 15:00:022019-10-03 15:00:12Washougal High School Advanced Culinary Students Serve Up Lunch
Washougal WA — The Camas-Washougal Historical Society was presented a check for $5,000 from The Honorable Frank L. and Arlene J. Price Foundation on Tuesday, September 3 at the Two Rivers Heritage Museum.
CWHS board members looked on as Kay Dalke-Sheadel, Price Foundation Executive Director presented the funds to CWHS president, Jim Cobb. The grant is the second received by CWHS by The Price Foundation and is earmarked for the Gathering Place at Washuxwal project, a Native American-inspired longhouse replica to be located on the south side of the museum.
“The building’s foundation is poured, cedar logs delivered, and we will begin structural construction soon,” said Cobb. “We know this outdoor pavilion will provide a beautiful, new venue at our museum to tell important stories of our area. We are honored that The Price Foundation accepted our grant proposal and is helping to make our vision a reality.”
The Price Foundation was created to provide funding for education, health and historical preservation projects in Clark and Cowlitz Counties. “It is exciting for me to see this money at work locally,” said Dalke-Sheadel. “Our giving supports education and historic preservation and you will be doing both with this grant!”
The CWHS launched its Gathering Place capital fund raising campaign in fall of 2017. So far, there has been more than $200,000 raised in in-kind gifts, grants and donations. Fund raising continues for the final stages of the project that include Native American carvings and artwork to adorn the pavilion, educational signage and landscaping.
Kay Dalke-Sheadel and Jim Cobb at the site.
“We are so grateful to the Price Foundation, our members and the community for their continuing support to help this project come to life,” Cobb said.
The Gathering Place is expected to help attract tourists, educational field trips and history lovers to the Two Rivers Heritage Museum and the community. “We look forward to increasing our ability to share stories of our earliest history,” Cobb said.
Find more information on The Gathering Place at Washuxwal visit www.2rhm.com. Donations can be made online. CWHS mission is to research, collect, preserve, and make available the rich history of Camas and Washougal, WA for the public. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. CWHS is a registered tax-exempt organization, Tax ID #91-1181503.
The Two Rivers Heritage Museum is located at 1 Durgan Street in Washougal and open March through October. Regular hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission costs are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for students and free for children under 5 and all CWHS members. Group tours are available any day of the week (by appointment only). Call Lois Cobb 360-835-5449 for scheduling.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/07075648/028FB44F-0DB2-44E4-9EF3-253C8E400384.jpeg9651780Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-09-10 18:52:362019-09-10 18:52:45Camas-Washougal Historical Society Receives Grant From Price Foundation
When Washougal dentist and ultra runner, Dave Stinchfield, decided he’d tackle a 200-mile race, he wasn’t totally sure he could do it. But, when he embarked on this remarkable journey that began August 9, deep in the Cascade Mountains, he realized all his preparation running 50K and 100-mile races paid off.
“I was really excited building up to it, I was really excited about the whole thing, but I thought could I actually do this 200-miler? Actually I thought there’s a 50/50 chance, so I was wondering where my weak point was going to be,” said Dave, about a week after the race ended. “There was actually no part of the race where I thought I needed to quit.”
Aided by his wife, Adina; daughter, Morgan; brother, Tom; and a team of pacers and supporters, Dave completed the Bigfoot 200 race in 85 hours, 10 minutes, crossing the finish line at 10:30 pm on August 12.
Making the race successful is a delicate balance of mental stamina, focus, support, proper nutrition, hydration and foot care.
Dave walks us through the adventures of each day.
Day One
“The first part of the race is the Mount St. Helens blast zone, it was like running on the moon, and then going into Coldwater Creek I heard the thunder in the distance,” said Dave. “I was going to get two to three hours of sleep and it was just dumping and the rain was so loud I couldn’t sleep. My next leg was 19 miles that went up 5,000 feet. That’s what I had ahead of me and there was lightning and thunder and I put on all my rain gear and it took me seven hours to get through that section, and it took me on mountain ranges and cliffs. I passed a lot of people who were getting really discouraged. That was the first night.”
The 160+ ultra runners were supported by aid stations (10-15 miles apart) and sleep stations that are dispersed throughout the race. The runners let support staff know they’re ready for sleep, or if they have a vehicle they use those, but you’re not allowed to leave the area. Dave used a roof top tent on his truck, which Adina drove.
Dave along the trail.
Nutrition
Dave fueled up on breakfast burritos, guacamole, veggie hamburgers, and protein gels eaten along the way. Ultra runners need lots of salt and carbs.
“You need salt because it gets depleted and it makes you tank and you lose your appetite so I was taking salt tabs,” said Dave. “I sweat salt. I drank a lot of water and a lot of electrolytes. I use Tailwind, which is an electrolyte, and it keeps you balanced. I figured I burned about 25,000 calories during the race! I wasn’t able to replace all of that with food. I lost weight. I usually lose 5-10 pounds on these type of races. And, when I was done I really wanted pizza.”
Day Two
On day two, the storm cleared out and Dave was joined by a pacer named Wes, from Sunnyvale, California, who ran three legs with him, which lasted the whole day and into the next night — a total of 50 miles.
“A lot of the trails were deep rutted and shaped like a V from water run off or motorcycles and there were angled surfaces,” said Dave. “That was the whole 50-mile climbing stretch. He stayed with me until Lewis River camp ground aid station where I got three hours of rest. You have to balance how much you sleep with how far you’re getting behind. I had four time goals set, and I finished only three hours off my awesome goal. I had a really good pace going. I’m typically in top third group and I wanted to stay there in that top third.”
Foot Care
Experienced runners know when you start getting hot spots on your feet that’s where blisters form and you have to take care of it.
“I changed shoes five to six times, and most of the time I’d get wet pretty quick,” he said. “If you run on soaking wet feet it will create worse blisters. After 100 miles I had blisters that hurt with every step. I learned to endure the pain in my feet, but my joints and muscles didn’t hurt too much.”
Dave and Adina have been married for 26 years.
Day Three
On day three, Dave was joined by his brother, Tom Stinchfield, who ran two legs with his older brother.
“We left there with a river crossing and we went through this thick wet, overgrown trail area that was soaking wet,” said Dave. “I had a bunch of climbing with Tom, and he stayed with me for 25-30 miles. So he got me to the next aid station in the late afternoon and then he dropped off and I got my feet taped off again. A group called Dirtbag Medic was there and they examined everyone’s feet, so I felt like I covered a lot of ground and realized I had 60 miles left. I felt good, my pace was good, my joints and muscles felt really good.”
“So I left that aid station alone and it had four river crossings, one of which had a five-mile relentless climb, and once I got to the top of that it was nighttime. It was 1 or 2 am on Monday and I slept for three hours.”
Dave told Adina he just wanted to wake up at a particular time, and once he laid down flat, he was gone.
“I took my socks off to air out my feet,” he said. “I had a pair of running shoes once size larger because the feet swell up. To prevent foot damage you go to a bigger pair of shoes. Julie, works with Adina, joined me there, and she ran two or three legs with me. That was beautiful, and we went up these areas with gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier and Mount St. Helens and Mt. Adams. We came across a runner who was passing a kidney stone on this ridge out of reach of anybody. He wasn’t able to move anymore. He ended up having the Air National Guard airlifting him out from a ridge up 4,500 feet.”
On these long races, Dave said you have to watch your urine output as you can be totally dehydrated. Urinating regularly is sign you’re properly hydrated. Runners take dirt naps or short breaks at the aid stations, but they’re focused on constantly moving.
Day Four
During one of the updates, Adina reported “Just a marathon left.”
Dave said there were a couple times in the last quarter of the race where nothing would hurt.
“I didn’t feel tired at all, my feet didn’t hurt, it was almost this euphoria,” he said. “I could just take off running way faster than I was going. It was really a runner’s high. I felt I was able to do it with a decent time. Everything feels good, and you just take off running. I did my last leg with Morgan and then she jumped on with a half-marathon to the finish and at that point that was mile 193 and ran into 206.5, which was a nice sunset. I came in around 10:30 pm. The finish line was at White River High School in Randall, WA. You finish on the track right there.”
Pacers helped along the way.
Lessons Learned
“I learned that with every increase of distance and endurance I was always wondering am I capable of doing that? I learned that it was possible. We’re all going through struggles and I learned I had to take it one chunk at a time. I took it into small little chunks. I think I just got to get to that aid station. I learned I can actually do it. I’m so grateful for Adina and all they pacers that got me through it. That middle section is really tough.”
Would he do it agin?
“Yes, I would do it again. I’m gonna do it again next year.”
There were 160+ runners that started, and 55 dropped the race. Dave was number 35. There were 70 runners that came after him.
“After the race, we went and got some pizza then we went back to the hotel, I took a shower and I went to bed and slept for eight hours. Then I went back to the track in Randall and kept my feet elevated while I watched the runners finish. There were people from all over the world. I made some really good friends and saw people that really struggled and overcame it. I stayed there until 6 pm when the last runner came in.”
He said his feet really hurt for the next four to five days, and a couple of toes are numb.
He uses a couple brands of shoes: Altra and an Italian brand called Los Portiva.
“I think I need different brands to keep my feet guessing. I use Ultimate Direction for gear. I go through two to three pair of shoes at once and they last four to five months.”
“Ultra running is catching on. There’s a slogan that says 200 is the new 100. There are lot of ultra runners out there and the Pacific Northwest is the best place to run with all our trails and varying terrain. People come from all over the world to run here.”
Ultrasignup.com is where you go to sign up for these races, and search for Bigfoot 200 to learn more about this particular race.
;
