Things I will miss about Fayetteville

We closed the door on the house on Township Road for the last time on Tuesday. The junk removal people came around 11 and cleared out what was left in the house. After they pulled away we spent a couple of hours packing up the the truck. You might have seen our post on Instagram – we’re on there as (what else?) gogotaconegro.

After four or five “final sweeps” of the house, we were certain that we had everything and went out the carport door for the last time. I’m not usually sentimental about houses, but I know this was a good house and lots of great memories were created there.

After three months in town, I can share a few things I will miss about Fayetteville:

1. CrossFit Commence. Is this any surprise? I got hooked on Crossfit back in Colorado and I was excited to find a gym here. Little did I know Michael and I joined the best Crossfit box in Northwest Arkansas! I looked forward to every single class – even the ones with burpees. The workouts were constantly varied and always a challenge. I’ll miss coaches Emily and Buster, and I’ll miss all the people I worked out with. Crossfit truly is a community… our next box has a lot to live up to.

In particular I will miss Beth Allison as a coach. I’ve worked out next to her and she’s a pint-sized powerhouse. I aspire to lift as heavy as she does. But as a coach she’s one of the best. I work harder under her watchful eye – and she’s motivational! How to explain it? When I drop the bar after 5 of my ten reps, she’s right there, saying “pick it up. Do three.” Following her advice, I’ve lifted more and worked harder than I thought possible.

I was sad that Wednesday was our last workout at Crossfit Commence. But when we arrived I was delighted to find back squats AND deadlifts on the WOD. Emily suggested Buster had done that on purpose, which is awesome and sweet, because I love deadlifts. It was a great send-off and I’m happy to say I did a few of my DLs at 125 lbs.

2. Onyx Coffee Lab. I have to admit that Red Kite Coffee and Arsaga’s are a close second, and the actual coffee lab (at Township and Gregg) is generally full of hipsters, but Onyx coffee is just plain excellent. They do a cold brew that Michael has been buying by the growler.

Also, Onyx has one of the best signs in Fayetteville.

Lest you think we will have to suffer coffee withdrawal as we travel, Buster and Emily gave us a pound of Onyx coffee as a going-away present, and my parents are standing by to ship us coffee from a roaster they have up in Michigan.

3. Kessler Mountain. A wonderful trail system that’s great for mountain biking, hiking, and trail running. Before the bad weather of winter set in, we were running there weekly. Although I’ll never understand why the trees removed in the middle of the path weren’t completely removed. There was usually a stump – oh, say, about 4 inches tall – left of the tree. In the middle of the trail. I never saw them, but until I learned to pick up my feet, I found them. Repeatedly.

4. I’ll miss spending time with our friends here, like Barton and Andrea (who generously let us crash at their house after the Township house sold), and Mark and Sherene, who live in a gorgeous cabin in the middle of nowhere (mailing address: Ozone, AR) with their chickens, sheep, dogs, and cats.

5. I will miss sunrises like this:

But in general I won’t miss the weather, which had a tendency to be “disagreeable,” as my mother-in-law likes to say. I mean, the day of the picture above turned out to be completely overcast and cold. Lots of days were like that here: cloudy, cold, sometimes rainy. But rarely sunny. Of course, now – now that we’re leaving – it’s sunny and warm. The other day it was 75 degrees. Downright agreeable!

But onward we must go. Listen, Fayetteville: it’s been real, it’s been fun… and occasionally, it’s been real fun.