why I love running at the rose bowl

My past run around the Rose Bowl was by far my favorite run, and my time and mileage had nothing to do with it.  

 A few months ago when I was running there I saw the most beautiful dark green Ford Model A Victoria.  It was driven by the sweetest old man and his little wife, and they looked like they were having the most peaceful and blissful afternoon, smiling and looking at the beautiful Pasadena surroundings with their windows down.  I felt like I was transported back to the 30s or 40s for a moment... They drove by me three times as I ran around the bowl and every time I smiled. 

I remember thinking, "When I am old, I want to do that with my husband." 

On Friday I saw the car again!  I became very excited when I recognized it from a distance, and I waited to see the same little wrinkled faces grinning back at me as it came closer-  but the sight was a little different.  The little old lady was in the back seat with her dog in her lap, and a younger man was her chauffeur.  Maybe it was her son or son-in-law...  I only saw them drive by once, and during the rest of my run I kept wondering where the old man was. 

I run by a lot different people - 

anything from ladies with strollers, guys on bikes {well, they speed by me},  families with dogs, really fit girls who have probably been running all their life,  to older people who can probably run ten miles more than I can.  I love catching a glimpse at other people's lives.  As I run past them/they run past me, I wonder - where do they live?  where else do they run?  what do they do for a living? {I ask that a lot considering the time of day I go running there} and what makes them happy?  

My run was also memorable thanks to: 

seeing a little girl shrieking with glee and laughing in her stroller as her dad ever-so-heroically pushed her swiftly along the path - what a champ, he was probably so tired from running. 

A lady wearing a Philippe's shirt - which reminded me that in all my years of eating there I deserve to buy one!

A dark green Karmann Ghia parked at the golf course... ahhh!

And another car moment -  you know me and my cars - 

I noticed a sleek black BMW Z4 cruising my way with the top down. 

I naturally wanted to see who was driving it, so I casually {HA- casually...} turned my head to see as they went by and it happened to be two younger guys
They noticed my *subtle* glance... 

and the passenger blew me a kiss. 

If that's not enough motivation to keep running, I don't know what is.