A big thank you to Hillside Inn for accommodating half of out team. We are so grateful that our team has stayed here many times over the years, and always felt so well taken care of.
We are also most grateful to Alpine Inn Pagosa Springs for accommodating the other half of our team. We have also stayed here many times and feel just as well taken care of every time!
Some of us started running early- and ran right past the hotel! Spot Banshidhar lifting weights beside the RV!
We were thrilled that Johnny, the Fedex driver who so kindly helped us out yesterday, drove by and stopped to say good morning. He was so happy to meet all of us, as we were to meet him!
Varunavi enjoying the Colorado scenery
Runners stretch...
Such beautiful nature!
There were many ranches along the route. They often have impressive entrances.
Pragati always takes the hills- we are very grateful!!
Our first appointment of the day was with our old friend and supporter, the mayor of Pagosa Springs, Don Volger. We were warmly welcomed outside the Town Hall by the mayor and several city representatives.
Mayor Volger presented us with a proclaimation
Town Manager, Andrea Phillips, gave us a very warm welcome!
We were all so happy to reconnect with Mayor Volger, who is a very big-hearted and wise person!
We were also delighted to reconnect with an old friend and former Peace Runner, Jody Bol. She happened to be driving through Pagosa Springs and spotted one of us out running! Thank you for your enthusiastic oneness, Jody!
So beautiful!
In the afternoon we headed to Animas Valley Elementary School near Durango.
This school is set in a beautiful natural environment!
We were delighted to visit Animas Valley School for the first time and meet a whole new family of peace lovers!
We wre greatly honored that the Mayor of Durango, Sweetie Marbury, came to our presentation. She spoke about peace to the children, beginning by inviting us all to shake hands with the person next to us!
Nikolaus looked pretty funny pretending to be from the 1980's.
This girl kindly agreed to be the Statue of Liberty.
Mother Teresa even showed up to our presentation!
Singing the Peace Run Song.
These kids shared their wishes for peace.
Time to guess the country...New Zealand of course!
Finding Austria on the big map!
"We have cheese with holes in it" ...Switzerland!
New York!
Time for the World Harmony Run song!
Now that's peace!
We presented Mayor Marbury with a certificate for the City of Durango.
This teacher was super enthusiastic to receive a certificate on behalf of the school!
We offeren the school this artwork by Peace Run founder, Sri Chinmoy, entitled "Universal Love"
Time to hold the torch!
A County wide fire ban meant no flame on our torches today!
We ran some good sized hills in the afternoon!
Natabara assisted Mandra in applying a new decal to the spare tyre of the RV.
We headed into the charming down town and made a bunch of new friends along the way!
A big thank you to Katie, the owner of Cream Bean Berry Ice Cream, for generously providing complimentart ice cream for the team- so good!!!
We finished our day at Himalaya Kitchen, a Nepalese Restaurant in Durango that has supplied a delicious meal for the entire team every time we come through for the last 6 years. Karma T Bhotia and his family and staff have become like part of our family. They are wonderful people.
Each time we visit we learn more about them. This time Karma was telling us about his adventures as a Sherpa and Mountain Guide in the high Himalayas for many years early in his life.
A perfect ending to a great day in Colorado!!
I spoke to the mountains. They told me That they would immediately Send me Their mountain-deep peace. -Sri Chinmoy
