My First Ski Run!

Bliss Run? Have you heard of it? Now dubbed JRitchie's Hill on Cougar Mountain. Winter has officially arrived and we got a nice dump over the weekend. This morning, I took Daisy out for a walk - who, by the way, I swear was formerly a Burmese Mountain dog or a Husky in her former life. She is totally loving the snow! Well, as long as the depth is manageable but this morning, the snow is close to pug-shoulder level in some places. Daisy quickly figured out to follow my steps and let me clear a path for her. Anyway, after our hour-long walk in the snow, I dropped her off, grabbed my skis and then hiked back up the hill to the water towers which is usually the jump-off point for some trailheads. The snow was deep enough for me to ski down the road leading from the water towers w/out gouging the bottoms - WOOT! My own private hill and no one was around. At the top, I had a fabulous view of the other snow covered hills including Tiger Mountain. And, down I went....hysterical! I did about 5 runs. On my last run, I caught a couple of people by surprise (d'oh - please don't get the same idea). Now I'm back in just to check on work real quick and then I'll head back up before others impede on my little bit of bliss.


(The end of Bliss Run - LOL!!)

Escapism, Denial, or Reality-check?

Daily, I have conversations with friends, peers, and colleagues about their concerns over the economy, lay-offs, business mergers and re-orgs. I patiently listen to them as they relay their story and, even miles/oceans/continents away, I can literally feel the stress they're under. I can only listen and share some of my stories or techniques in how I survived the "pressures" of the corporate, small or start-up businesses but I always tell people to step outside and BREATHE.

The most recent issue of Wavelength Magazine came out - it's a free publication to kayak enthusiasts. The key word here is free - so, all of its operating costs are largely dependent on advertising! So, you can imagine the stress the publisher and editor (and sometimes sales guy), John Kimantas, is under as many businesses and operators pull back on their marketing dollars. However, in this month's editorial column, you can sense the peacefulness and calm that overtakes him when he goes outside - even for just an hour. I thought I would share the key part of his column here because it's what I absolutely believe in. Here is the link to the entire publication-note it's a huge file (18 MB) but worth a good read (see story about paddling in Belize!!) In the meantime, here's the part of his column that made the most sense to me:

(Source: Wavelength Magazine, Jan09)

"...I wonder how long it will be before people realize doom and gloom is a self-fulfilling prophecy? Lose confidence in the stock market and prices plummet. Lose faith in the economy by spending less and the economy crumbles. And so it goes. We here at Wavelength found our own way to insulate ourselves. At the height of the gloom, my partner Leanne and I snuck out of the office early to take two shiny new Epsilons out for a test ride. Everything changes when out on the water. Even the air becomes a natural rejuvenator. Add a fresh ocean breeze, exercise and communing with nature and sensibility returned. Just a little more than an hour on the water and every care in the world seemed to melt away.

This suddenly-remembered freedom took me back to 2005 and my longest kayaking trip (92 days along the B.C. coast). I often went days, nearing weeks, without talking to another soul. In the end only four things really mattered: staying warm, staying dry, staying fed and keeping hydrated. Beyond that everything else was simply clutter. The stock market, world conflict, even what day of the week it was – those became distant and ultimately unnecessary memories. It's so easy to get lost in the things that are fleeting, important at the time but of little consequence in the long run. We take on cares and pressures that are artificial, that we create for ourselves and use to bind ourselves down. Quite often we end up living a lie based on false expectations of what we think we want.

Need a cure? Go kayaking. And the longer the trip the better."
-John Kimantas

So, with that being said, you know who you can count on for a bit of escapism, perhaps a dash of denial (temporarily), but most importantly, a reality-check. Seriously, getting out helps put a lot of life in perspective and remember PTOs are meant to be used and not just accrued.

Um, yeah, not coming back...

...Bali anyone?

Mele Kalikimaka (and Happy Hanukah) from Anini Beach and the Na Pali Coast, Kauai

Hau`oli Lâ Ho`omaika`i! (Happy Thanksgiving)

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

After stuffing myself with a fabulous home-cooked meal until I'm way past the point of delirium, I am loading up my turkey-bloated body on a plane bound for some tropical fun in the sun and a good dose of Vitamin D which I've been seriously lacking in the Pac NW. I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday. And, for those Can-Am households, enjoy T-Day, round 2.

Aloha!

Seattle Women's Hockey Blog

I just wanted to give you a 'heads up' on a new blog that I started for the Seattle Women's Hockey Club. Here you will find updates on our tournaments, scrimmages, local games, and other happenings related to the club. While I designed it (and, I have to say that I am humbly proud of it....makes me want to redesign my own blog), the blog will have many contributers including posts from the coaches, team managers, team captains/alternate captains, and the SWHC board members.

We have a tournament coming up this weekend in Wenatchee, WA - the annual Hot Autumn Women's Ice Hockey Tournament and all three teams (Sting, Black Ice, and We Want Fries) will be attending. We'll be playing in the brand new Toyota Town Center...woot! So, time to get packing up the car with my hockey gear, and the pug. Skis? Not likely (grrr..). But, golf clubs - yes! Hopefully, it won't be too cold for some of us to tee up. Anyway, I will be updating the blog with pics and post-game stories for 'We Want Fries' which I am the Team Captain and one of the Team Managers (though, I claim the 'C' stands for 'Clueless but Competitive'). Stay tuned....it's going to be a great season with, I'm sure, some great stories to go along with it. The blog URL is seattlewomenshockey.blogspot.com.

'Tis the Season...

The holiday season is upon us. Holiday jingles are starting to fill the air and the decorations and trees are going up. But, to me, what marks the beginning of the holiday season is the return of Gu's Chocolate Mint flavor! I brought back a few boxes from my favorite discount sporting goods outlet in San Francisco - Sportsbasement.com. Mmm - so yummy. It's easier to carry than a thermos of hot cocoa, but trying to mix in the peppermint schnapps is a bit of a challenge ;-) Anyway, the sun *finally* came out this weekend. I dragged my ass out of bed early this morning to meet up with others for a little tour around Lopez Island. It was perfect for me after 6 periods of hockey on Saturday. A bunch of Seattle teams are getting ready for a women's hockey tournament in Wenatchee so we're all scrimmaging and grabbing as much ice time as possible.

Anyway, dumbass forgot her camera and left her phone in the car (guess I was more tired than I thought), so there are no pictures to post at this time, but, hopefully, my riding partners will share some pics and I can post them later. But, this is a map of the island and the route for the annual Tour de Lopez which we sort of followed. Perfect little, easy ride for today because it was flat and we ended up doing ~35 miles which is just enough to loosen up the legs from all the anaerobic work the night before. But, the weather was perfect and the company and ride was nice and mellow and I really enjoyed my Gu Chocolate Mint. It's been a while since I've been on my road bike and it felt great to be outside instead of inside in some silly spin class. Fabulous day! It's about to get better because I am baking some banana bread (chock full of walnuts and choc chips...I can't get enough chocolate today!) and it'll be done just in time for a little snacky-poo before bedtime. Anyway, riding around Lopez Island is an easy route and very doable for everyone.

Mushing in the Yukon

I think this would be the ultimate experience for any dog lover out there so you know it's on my list of things "to-do." My hockey teammate, Otterpop (ok, her real name is Sheila...oh, BTW, congrats on your first goal this weekend...woot!) went on this dog-sledding trip which is based up in the Yukon in the month of January (what?!). The outfitter they went with is Uncommon Journeys, LTD. Check out their site and you can see pictures of their 'team' (the dogs). Otterpop did the Aurora Classic - a 7-Day Cabin based trip. During the day, you actually learn to drive your own dog team, and at night, return to the comforts of a log cabin or yurt with a gourmet-prepared meal and plenty of wine. Now, that has my name all over it. Unfortunately, Otterpop didn't get to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) but said the experience was absolutely amazing and "would go again in a heartbeat." She was in dog heaven and the service was top notch. Hmmm, I sure hope so after seeing the price of the week-long trip. But, this would certainly be worth every penny. OK, off to the cold hockey rink with warm thoughts of mushing through the snow in the Yukon with those incredible four-legged athletes.

(Click on the image to see a larger version.)

Great Online Deals on Outdoor Products

OMG....I'm obsessed and I have Jill to thank for this. I am constantly checking out Steepandcheap.com. This has got to be one of the best marketing gimmicks I've seen out there. It's powered by Backcountry.com (another awesome site for outdoor gear and active wear at great prices). So, Steepandcheap.com offers items one at a time at prices that are usually 50% or more off of the original price for the product. Now, here's the marketing hook - you see how many people are online, how many products are left for each size/color, and the rate at which they're selling. The item is also available for a limited time (about 1/2 hour) or until the product sells out. Brilliant marketing because it creates a sense of urgency and before you know it, you're clicking on that left mouse button, and digging out your credit card. Jill recently purchased some alpine touring skis at more than 1/2 off of the original price. I got an altimeter watch for 60% off of the original price. OK, back to the site to see what killer deal they've got going now.

Oh, and they're hiring! If Park City wasn't so far from the ocean, I would certainly consider applying for their Business Analyst position. Hey fellow Researchers...want to move to Park City (so I can come out and stay at your place while I enjoy the outdoor bounty that is out there :-)). Love that Utah snow...woot!

Winter FUN Just Around the Corner

The other day, I was driving home from the airport feeling a little wistful and sad after so many fun-filled days with various friends in the Bay Area. On my drive home, as I headed back to Issaquah on I-90, there was a brief break in the clouds and I could see the dusting of fresh snow in the mountains. That brought a smile back to my face and optimism for the upcoming winter season. So, to get everyone in the mood and to remind you why rainstorms are a good thing during the fall and winter months, I've put together a collection of webcams for live views of some places I've been at along the west coast. Click on the logo to view and may I suggest that you bookmark this page. Whee!

British Columbia:




Washington:





Oregon:







California:




Colorado:




Utah:






So, I am keeping tabs on all of you who said that they are coming to (fill in appropriate outdoor activity) in the near future. As for ski instructing, I still haven't made a commitment but I may have found another company that will allow me to teach during the week (and maybe a 1/2 day session on a Saturday) which will free up my time to play in the snow with pretty much everyone else who has the M-F grind. So, think SNOW!! And, regularly do some cardio, lunges, squats, wall sits, double-leg jump overs, more cardio, some core work so we can get the most out of each play day without any injuries :-) Woot!

Just Plain Goofiness

Here's Daisy's new Halloween Costume - the iPug:


And, another goofy pic:



Goofy pet sites. Most captions written in Pidgin English which iz what makes dem so much more silly:

http://ihasahotdog.com/ --> (dogs)
http://icanhascheezburger.com/ --> (cats)

Happy Halloween
("I iz gonna make mess on rug. Make momma angry. Momma gotta pay for dressing me in silly costume.")

XOXO, Daisy

"No One Puts Baby In the Corner"

Arnica gel...have you tried it out yet? Great for bruises and sore muscles and the best part - it doesn't smell!! I had to dig deep in my medicine cabinet to find my tube that I haven't used in a long time. But, I better keep it within easy reach b/c I'm back playing co-ed hockey. Unfortunately, it's not the fun and friendly beer league I played in over the summer :-( I just signed up with the IceOTopes and we play in the GSHL (Greater Seattle Hockey League). So far, we're 2-1. I missed the first game, but played in the second game where we won 4-3. Usually, because of the speed and the physical aspect of playing with men, I play up (left or right-wing). However, for the third game, I decided to give defense a shot which is actually my preferred position in the women's league.

When I play with men, I have to play defense completely different. Especially with a chippy team like the one we just played. This team played lazy-ass hockey. NOTHING annoys me more on the ice than cherry-pickers. My first thought is "you lazy SOB...I have to pay for your lack of off-ice conditioning because you can't manage to skate from one end of the ice to the other and the only way you have a chance at making a play is to only play one-half of the friggin' ice." So, I have to hang way back and can't play the blue line like I want to and contribute offensively (however, I did pinch a few times and managed a few shots on goal...thanks, Andrew, for covering my ass). That's ok, it's an opportunity for me to anticipate the passes and bring it back the other way.

The other thing I have to do is to be more physical (even though it is a non-check league) and be ready to take a hit. I learned pretty quickly when I got checked in the back and went flying into the boards in the first period. At first, I played the 'girl' card and wondered "wtf is that guy thinking checking me like that?" But, then I would've been pissed off more had he backed off completely b/c I am a girl (though, he didn't have to put all of his 190+ lbs. into it). In any case, I was pissed - after I sent off a few retaliatory chips and hacks to let him know that I wasn't backing down, I skated back to the bench, cooled off, and then thought about my strategy. Being on defense, I can get away with just a little bit more contact (hehe) and even more so as a woman (hehehehe). I had great fun in front of the net messing with the guys - pushing, shoving, placing my stick on the side of their edge so they lose their balance. It's all about leverage, digging my edges in and keeping my knees bent and a lot of core work to maintain my center of gravity and balance. Timing too....that little shove/push, lift of the stick at the right time would be just enough to cause them fits and keep them from getting a shot off. That was *crazy-fun*! I may not see too much end-to-end action in the co-ed league but I can certainly be a total pain-in-the-ass (all 5'4" of me, LOL) to anyone who dares to camp in front of the net and my goalie. We ended up losing 5-1, though. Our goalie, Paul, kept us in the game as we were easily outshot 2-1. The good news is that we won't be playing this team again because the league is still sorting teams out into the appropriate division and they'll probably get placed one level up. Thank goodness because I my legs and arms can't take an entire season of bruising from the hacking and slashing (nice non-call, ref).

My women's league (SWHC), on the other hand, is kicking ass! We Want Fries (yes, that is our team name) is now 2-0. Our team gel'ed immediately and we play our positions like we've been playing together for many seasons. After our last win, I thought I saw Coach Murray wipe a tear from his eye (hahahaha). Tears of joy? Or, was he trying his best to stifle a gut-busting laugh? Maybe he just has overactive tear ducts. I've got a couple of goals under my belt and no time in the sin-bin...though, I thought for sure I was going to get thrown in at our last game and so did everyone else on the other team and the crowd (the handful that showed up anyway). I received a lot of good fun heckling from everyone but got the last laugh when the other person got thrown in instead. Woot!

So, the two sides of ice hockey: the women's league for refining my skills and the camaraderie, and; the co-ed league where I can go all out when it comes to aggressive, competitive play.

Oh, I'm Just A Girl...

I had a recent visit from my friend, Tricia, who was up from San Francisco. And, here's proof that a visit with JRitchie in the northwest does not always mean a mandatory Bataan death march up one of the many hills that are in her neighborhood, nor a lung-busting cycling trip....not even a hint of going into the cold water for an excursion on some man-powered water vessel to look for marine mammals out in the wild as opposed to the safety of marine-parks where you can gaze at the 'monsters' from the other side of the glass while chowin' on a soft pretzel chased down with an ice cold diet coke.

My dear urban friends, I am still quite capable of having fun in the city, getting giddy (almost light-headed) trying on a bunch of senseless (and painful, but HOT) shoes while imagining all the cute outfits I could wear out with them, play for what seems like hours at the MAC counter trying on the new eye colors and lipstick then obsessing about #212 Sephora eyeliner that I MUST HAVE to go with my new MAC dual color pack. And, finally, hunting down the perfect accessories (hat & scarf) to go with the huggable, newly purchased gray sweater (that also matches my new eye colors perfectly). Oh wait, I forgot about trying all those clothes at Zara (I now dub Bi-zarra...what chaos!) and then walking out with nothing (haha) and leaving a wake of discarded, partially rolled-up clothes that will be carefully folded and put away by the staff only to have to have it thrown willy-nilly by the next potential (or not, like me) customer.

Oh, and food..and wine! Let's see....first, Tricia and I stuffed ourselves at Ipanema in downtown Seattle - a Brazilian rodizio. For all you carnivores, you must visit a rodizio. It's a meat-fest. Rotisseried meat in every which way or form....from top sirlion to sausages to chicken drumettes and bacon-wrapped something or other (by then, I was waaaay past the food coma stage and ready to stretch out in our comfy booth for an afternoon siesta). In San Francisco, there's Espetus, and in Palo Alto there's Pampas. With a flip of a disc (green means 'go' and red means 'stop'), you can pace your meat-fest. There's also a great salad bar (yummy beet salad, and all the asparagus I could stuff), and the sides bar where you can load up on the potatoes, rice, or beans. After that, we waddled up to Pike Place Market....one thing for sure, the meat-fest killed my craving for the mini-donuts I usually buy and for other stupid little snacks (or non-food purchases) that I tend to make when I go there. But, I did go home with a couple of splendid bouquets of fresh cut flowers.

On a brief overnight trip to Vancouver, Tricia and I went to Earls after walking around the city. There, we noshed on little plates of food while throwing back a bottle (OK, 2) of wine...which was then followed by several nightcaps each of Baileys on the rocks. (Ouch, that bill!). Just a wee hangover the next day and mud on my boots (the infamous next-morning quote "how did that get there").

So, there....you can take the girl out of the city, but I guess the city will always be a wee part of this girl. Tricia, I had a blast (as I always do) but I am still recovering from your visit (LOL). I can't wait to see the rest of my Bay Area friends soon. However, on my visit, I will need to pace myself and head out to the coast for some peace of mind, or up Mt. Tam for a few lung-busting hikes just to cleanse my system before toxicating it again later on in the night when you all come out of your natural-light deprived cubicles, or filtered-aired offices for a few hours of laughter, woots, and good fun. My joints will thank you all for the break, but my lungs, and muscles will make me pay, that's for sure.

Pacific Northwest: Highs and Lows (Day Hike to Camp Muir, Mt. Rainer -> Paddling on Lake Washington)

The first weekend of fall, and it couldn't have been better, weather-wise. My neighbor, Jen, had a rare weekend off so we made the best of it and decided to do a hike on Mt. Rainier with the goal of reaching Camp Muir (elevation, 10,188 feet) which is the highest point a day hiker can go on the mountain. It is also the base camp for those who plan to summit the mountain.

Now that school has started, the crowds were relatively thin - thank goodness! No wait at the entrance and it was National Trail Day so the park entrance fee was waived - woot! We parked the car at Paradise which is located on the southern part of the mountain and headed out to the Skyline trail. Along the way, we only ran into a handful of other people, a coyote, and a couple of whistling marmots (the coyote's snacks). How we missed the bears, I don't know, but everyone else saw them on the trail we were on. We probably scared them away with all our yakking.

I thought that once we were up past the alpine plants and into the rocky landscape of the mountain, we wouldn't run into too many people, however, there is only one way up to Camp Muir - via Pebble Creek Trail and up Muir Snowfield. We rounded a rock and I looked up and the mountain seemed peppered with climbers, hikers, and skiers. I hate to think what that trail looks like during July and August. But, it was an amazing day and a lot of people had the same idea as us. At the end of Pebble Creek Trail, we had two options to our approach...either scramble along the rocks or trudge through the snowfield. We chose to scramble for the most part. As we climbed, our pace slowed down dramatically as we hit the 7500 ft. level and we started to take more breaks. That was frustrating to the both of us because we thought of ourselves as relatively fit but the altitude kicked our ass.

When we got above the clouds, to the south, I had clear views of Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Hood in Oregon (east of Portland). F***in' amazing. Our conversation was minimal at 8,000 ft because we were out of breath for most of the time...but, we also wanted to hear the mountain talk to us. To our left, we had spectacular views of the Nisqually glacier and you could hear the creaks and, on occasion, roars, of the ice as it made its way down the mountain.

Along the way, we kept pace with a group of about 8 people who were heading to Camp Muir to spend the night before their attempt to summit the next day. Earlier, we had run into a few people who tried to summit that morning but had to turn back due to the 60 mph winds on the mountain.

We decided to attempt the last 800 feet through the snowfield. We were kind of freaked out by the crevasses caused by the melting snow which is why we'd been scrambling up the rocks most of the way. But, we threw on our crampons and followed the trails formed by others (surely they would avoid the crevasses) and slowly made our way up the last steep part to our destination. I don't know where we got that last blast of energy (we almost stopped at about 8500 feet). I think it was the combination of our last extended break, the Snickers bar I just ate, being so close to our destination, the exhilaration of walking on the snowfield, and just saving face - we couldn't turn back now! In the distance, we could see Camp Muir.

But, we made it (almost...). Camp Muir was probably another 500 feet up, but we decided to stop just to the right and enjoy the breathtaking views to the east: Cathedral Rocks and the Cowlitz Glacier. I watched a group of hikers who were heading down ON THEIR SKIS!!! I was salivating and excited that ski season was right around the corner. On the way down, there was one novice skier in that group who gave up and was walking down. I wanted to trade my crampons for his boots & skis (but he looked grumpy so I kept my smarmy comments to myself). Needless to say, the way down was way more fun than going up. But, I was spent at the end. Round trip, it took us 7 hours to make it up to about 9800 ft. which was an altitude gain of about 4300 ft. from Paradise. Sigh - so close to making it to 10,000 ft...but I was wasted and I knew I had at least 2 hours to get back to the car. If you feel fit enough to do it, it's an epic trip for day hikers. Poles and crampons are your friends on the snowfields. And, bring plenty of water! We both got a bit of a headache from the altitude so ibuprofen is also a good thing to bring. I'll be back...with my skis!

Here's a link to the pictures I took on that hike.

The next day, I spent it paddling around Lake Washington with some folks from one of my hockey teams. I rented a kayak from Seattle Raft & Kayak in Magnuson Park and we spent a few hours on the northern end of Lake Washington, watching sailing regattas and dodging speedboats. It was clear and in the 70's so it seemed like everyone was out on the water. Mt. Rainier was immense in the distance and I found it so incredible that just the day before, I was huffing and puffing up the south side. Not a bad way to spend the weekend in the fabulous Pacific Northwest.

Pre-game Haka...Game On! (VIDEO)

Coach - Here is our new pre-game "dance."



(Video credit: YouTube, The Haka - New Zealand All Blacks vs. Tonga, From:urbandiscipline)

And...another one:



(Video credit: YouTube, Haka, Maori Dance - New Zealand All Blacks, From:blairojunior)

No More Fries - It's Hockey Season!

Well, my friends....it's true. I've given up one of my favorite post-activity pub grub for the entire fall/winter season of hockey (whimper, whimper) and am making a public affirmation on my blog so, y'all will help police this silly endeavor for the next few months and make that season-ending plate (wheelbarrow) of fries a scrumptious reward. It all started after my last hockey game this past summer when we convinced a couple of the guys from my team to coach our women's team. We didn't immediately agree to their fundraising idea (derriere shots for a calendar....oh, and btw - I know how to wear my thongs so there is no "Thong Gone Wrong" caption under my picture!). Some of us, however, agreed to 'no more fries.' Buffalo wings, burgers, and, of course, alcohol, however, are still up for grabs!

Oh, and by the way - All content on this blog is from my personal point-of-view and, in no way, reflects those of the Seattle Women's Hockey Club :-)

This season, I decided to re-join the Seattle Women's Hockey Club and I am really looking forward to the season. The club is finally able to give Steve a break from coaching and has brought on some new coaches to help out with Skip. They include Amy, "Sin Bin" Murray, and Scott....I've dubbed the last 2 "Double-Trouble." We're on our third week of practice (yes, please make me do another ladder drill until I puke) and the teams will be formed in the next week. A lot of familiar and fun people have returned but we also have a good number of new players on board (both experienced and inexperienced...all with great attitudes). It's going to be a great season and nothing but good times to look forward to. Home-made microbrews, party bus, post-game razzing at the bar...oh, yeah...and hockey!

I also joined another co-ed team because I've rediscovered how fun it is to play on a co-ed team. It'll be a challenge for me, though, to manage the intensity level...easy for me to be a little more aggressive in a co-ed league b/c the guys hardly feel the contact made by a 5'4" woman. But, I'll have to remember to tone it down when I play with the women (except in tourneys - especially against those stronger Canadian skaters).

Skate, shoot, score! OK, Coach Murray - I'll get on that pre-game dance that will stop the other team in their tracks, cause their jaws to drop to the ice (or maybe laugh hysterically so they lose focus), and wonder what the heck is going on with *that* team.

Chuckanut Century 2008

I had so much fun riding Chuckanut Drive back in August on the RSVP that I decided to sign up for the Chuckanut Century in Bellingham, WA which took place this past weekend. What a fabulous place to start winding down the cycling season. I don't usually pay too much attention to the fundraising efforts which is a part of the registration fee, but this time I paid particular attention....the Whatcom Hospice Foundation. After reading Jonah's blog - mysusiez.blogspot.com - covering the last 3 months with Susie, I see the big role hospices play. Before I took off, I silently celebrated life, celebrated all my relationships, and celebrated the little adventure I'm able to partake in (despite the mean hit & run driver that tried to take away it away from me three years ago in SF. Ha! My knees feel great and I am a stronger rider today than I was back then....grrr). Anyway, the day was absolutely spectacular, a little cold in the morning, but not a cloud in the sky. Fall, my most absolute, favorite season, was just around the corner with some of the leaves starting to change color. Towards the end of my ride, I watched a leaf gently fall to the ground which I thought was appropriate for the moment. I smiled (silent woot!).

Thankfully, I wasn't riding alone and Alain signed up at the last minute because he wanted to try and beat me to the top of a hill just once this season :-) After my recap, I think you will agree with me that I should rename this blog, the 'Misadventures of Alain.' LOL!

I picked Alain up at 5:30 am and we got up to Bellingham in 1.5 hours and were on the road by 7:30. Our goal was to complete the Double Metric Century (200k ~124 miles for the Americans too lazy to calculate :-) that day but the good thing about this ride was there were a lot of options to make it as long (or, ahem, as short, as you want to). There were two loops: the South Loop and the North Loop. We did the South Loop first before all the MS riders (1600 riders on a 2 day ride) and the cars clogged it all up.

Five miles into the ride, and we started a gentle climb on Chuckanut. Then, the misadventures began. Within the first 10 miles, here are some classic Alain quotes:
'My computer seems to have stop working.'
(Hmmm....let me take a look. Um, Alain, your front tire is on backwards.)
Then, as we were picking up speed on a downhill after our stop at one of the vista points:
'I left my glasses back there.'
At our first stop:
'Yeah, this looks like our stop.'
(As we were noshing on the yummy sandwiches, we realized that we were mooching off of the MS ride and eating their food. Ooops! OK, just to be fair, I contributed to this error. Double-oops!)

The mood of the riders was light and fun. In mid-season, most people are more serious and are just focused on their own goals (finishing first, finishing the ride faster than the previous year, etc.). But, today, it seemed like people were more about enjoying the ride and wrapping up the season with all their cycling goals achieved and behind them. I've never chatted with so many strangers on a ride like I did that day. Of course, the spectacular weather helps! First, we met a couple of riders, Hillary and Trent, when we were heading into our first stop. They stopped at a playground which we dubbed 'the super-secret potty break spot.' Brilliant! No lines! So, we stopped and chatted...just the previous week, they did the Mt. Baker Hillclimb and highly recommended it. If I don't get into RAMROD (Ride Around Mt. Rainier in One Day) lottery next year, maybe this will be a good substitute. What great people. We crossed paths many times and then shared a beer afterwards.

The final misadventure of Alain occurred when we got to Lake Samish. Once again, he was lolly-gagging way behind me on a hill. I got up to the next turn and glanced behind me and saw a rider. I assumed it was Alain so I sped on. Then, the rider passed me and it wasn't Alain. S***! I waited and I thought I saw Alain go straight through the sign. Sigh. I waited a little longer and soon Hillary and Trent came up and said they didn't see Alain. A few other people we'd been chatting and riding with along the way came up, and none of them reported seeing Alain. So, I called and left him a vmail to meet me at the northern end of the lake.

I got to the stop sign and waited....and waited...and waited. OK, he is *not* that slow. I checked my phone again, another message. He had gone on and was waiting for me further up. Argh! You see, I was waiting at the bottom of a hill that was rather long and it would've been great to have had that momentum. So, I thanked Alain for providing me with entertainment and mixing it up to make the experience other than just another mundane bike ride, and grinded up that hill. I got to the top and there was a woman saying 'there she is!' I guess when people got to the top of the hill, they told Alain that I was waiting for him at the bottom of the hill at the stop sign. I didn't stop and kept going and waited for Alain to catch up with me. I wasn't mad...I just didn't want to lose momentum (haha...) and he knew that. So, he caught up and we laughed and chalked it up to another Alain misadventure and continued on our fun journey. Then, it was one final hill back on Chuckanut and I got my billy goat legs going and left Alain in the dust (yes, I did!). One of the riders (a woman whose name I didn't catch) was giving Alain some flack about me being pissed off about the Lake Samish incident because I just blasted up that hill. Alain said,' oh that's just my mountain goat friend. She does that all the time and I catch up eventually.'

South Loop done...66 miles. Back at the starting point at Boundary Bay Brewery. Most of the fun people we were riding with were calling it a day. Alain and I looked at each other....and, called it a day as well. It was already later than we expected and if we continued, we wouldn't be getting home until late. I knew that Alain would love to spend the rest of the weekend with his wife and kids and I had some work to finish up (pathetic, I know...just one more project to wrap up for a free trip to Montreal). Besides, I had a coupon burning in my pocket for a free beer and the smell of the grilled burgers was too tantalizing. We dropped our bikes off, 'high-fived', headed to the brewery......and, celebrated.

Think PINK! 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk

A couple of weekends ago, I received sad news that my friend, and former hockey & defense partner, succumbed to her 6.5 year battle with cancer. I always looked forward to skating with Susie because she had the quirkiest sense of humor so I knew that I would be skating on a team with the funniest name. Pre and post game time in the locker room was always filled with laughter which would continue into the afternoon/evening at the closest bar or at her home that she shared with her husband, Jonah. We skated as "Dee" partners so many times and had so many laughs and conversations on the bench in between shifts. But, sadly, the one game I recall the most was one where she was feeling tired and worn down from her most recent round of steroid treatments and in between shifts we talked about her cancer and her treatment - what I remember most was the fear I saw in her eyes. At the time, Susie was battling brain cancer, but her initial diagnosis was breast cancer.

Today kicks off the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk in Seattle. A total of 3000 participants will be covering 60 miles over the weekend and their fundraising efforts will primarily benefit the Susan G. Komen For The Cure. Over the summer and fall, similar walks were or will be held in 13 other cities in the U.S. Good luck to all the walkers this weekend!

I am putting together a team for next year's event in San Francisco (October 9 - 11, 2009) and I would like to dedicate my efforts to Susie and her family. Stay tuned for news and updates. If you would like to join me in my efforts as either a participant or a donor, just let me know.

Peace out, Susie, and remember, NEVER clear the puck up the middle and back off the blue line when your Dee partner decides to pinch (haha, like I always did/do)...thanks for covering my ass.

It's Official - Lance WILL Race Again!

An exclusive article just released in Vanity Fair (wha?!), is the announcement by Mr. 7-Time TDF winner that he was going to race again. I guess he was motivated after he came in 2nd at the Leadville 100 (a mountain bike race through the Colorado Rockies). In addition, he will be entering some cyclocross races which is something I want to try because I need a fourth bike :-)

OK, I can't think of a better road trip through California than this...the Amgen Tour of California in February! One of the stops is in Solvang for the individual time trials. I've always wanted to ride there so I will bring my bike. Oh, and the wineries along the way! So, if Lance is scheduled to race, I'm there.

Lance Armstrong - He's Back?

According to an article posted on the VeloNews today, Lance is coming out of retirement for 5 races in 2009 including Tour de California, Tour de Georgia, and "The Tour" de France. The story says he will be racing on the Astana team which also includes Levi Leipheimer (I used to see him train in Santa Rosa...he would chase his wife, who drove a scooter, around the vineyards and hills of Sonoma), and Chris Horner. If this is true, Lance will be reunited with Johan Bruyneel, his former team manager who was there for his 7 TDF wins. Trek is also a sponsor of the team. Team Astana did not race in this year's Tour de France due to their ties to the doping scandal.

If this is true, maybe it's time to revisit France, but this time, during the Tour and attempt to do part of the route (LOL). Or, maybe just rent an RV, load it up with fine French Wine, and ring my cowbell from the sidelines.

Time to hit the Beach! - Cannon Beach, OR

Jocelyn: "Hey Julie...wanna hit the beach?"
Julie: "Sure! Let me grab my parka!"

This is what happens when you invite a SoCal gal for some beach time in the Pacific Northwest. Actually, I expected the same which is why my bag was packed to the brim because you never know what you'll get out on the coast so I packed for everything. However, I DID NOT pack a parka :-)

It was time for the ocean. Sure, you have the Puget Sound around Seattle but it's nothing compared to the ocean..the sound, the smells, the wildlife, and the saltwater taffy! So, we headed down from Seattle to the Oregon coast and one of my favorite places.....Cannon Beach, Oregon. I haven't been there in over 14 years so it was time to pay a visit. So much has changed on the road down to Oregon. Like everything else anywhere, so much has built up and there are so many people and so many cars. But, when you get out on the beach itself, everything is as I had remembered.

Cannon Beach has maintained its small town charm after all these years. Thank god...no Walmart nearby! I applaud the local community and government for keeping out those massive, evil, mom&pop devouring, uncompassionate treatment of its employees, chain stores! Phew...ok, enough of my rants...back to the easy-going beach life. It's a dog-friendly town with many of the establishments accepting pets on the patio or in the stores. And, the sand! So fine, soft and so warm! We lucked out and the sun came out for all the days we were there. Everyone in town was complaining about the colder than usual summer and I kept thinking "what are these people talking about?" In general, I think people in the northwest just like to verbally complain about the weather hoping to keep everyone else from moving to this incredibly beautiful region. And, secondly, I spent 13 years in San Francisco and everyone knows that famous Mark Twain quote "The coldest winter I spent was a summer in San Francisco." So, this past summer in the Northwest has been amazing for me! "What, I can wear shorts and a tank top after 3:00 in the afternoon?"

In any case, Cannon Beach, Oregon is a must visit. From Portland, it's only 80 miles. From Seattle, it's 180 miles. Every summer (June, I think?), they hold a huge Sand Castle Competition that produces some of the most amazing sand sculptures I've ever seen. I found this site that has pictures of the 2008 competition. The competition started in 1965 one year after a tsunami had hit the area. The year after the tsunami, the beach recorded the lowest tide levels in the century and some locals decided to capitalize on the media attention and held a sandcastle competition. Since then, up to 45,000 people (yikes) have attended the competition. It's held at the foot of the most recognized monolith of the Oregon coast - Haystack rock.

Highway 101 is also a popular cycling touring route with hundreds testing their legs and lungs along the Pacific Coast every year. I saw quite a few tackling the route from Astoria, OR to Cannon Beach and it had me pining for my bike. At lunch the other day at Mo's (southern part of Cannon Beach), some cyclists sat down next to us and they were riding their bikes from Portland San Francisco. Well, Anan was...the other two were going to catch the train back down to EssEff from Florence, OR. Their group exemplified what I miss about living in SF...Anan is originally from El Salvador, another rider from Australia, and the one woman from Spain. I miss that....going to a restaurant, bar, or an event in the Bay Area and meeting people from so many different parts of the world. I LOVE the northwest and I won't be moving back to the Bay Area, BUT...I miss that diversity and exposure to so many different cultures (and the food!!) without ever having to leave "The City." Sorry, I apologize for the tangents. Must stay focused!

Anyway, Anan was going to be cycling the next 2 weeks down the coast and he was using this book which I need to buy - Bicycling the Pacific Coast by the Mountaineers Club. I flipped through it and it looked pretty good with not only the mileage included but also the elevation gain and campsites. Phew....I had a feeling that the Oregon/California border was going to be tough...and it is. But, that is definitely one ride I'll have to do. Fun times at the shore and Daisy is currently snoring so loud so I know she had a great time. Here's a link to the photos I took that day.