Sea Kayaking - NWOC style (Northwest Outdoor Center)

So, in anticipation of the upcoming guiding trips I will be assisting on this summer with Tantalus Adventures in British Columbia, I signed up for a 4-day class with the Northwest Outdoor Center that is located on Lake Union in Seattle. Originally, I was going to piggy back on some rescue sessions with my friend at the Alki Kayak Center (see previous post), but let's just say the owner didn't like that idea, and quite frankly, after meeting him, I'm glad that it didn't work out (enough said). Anyway, my goal was to get some formal instructions on rescuing and other tips since most of the paddling I had done to this point was all self-taught. And, wow, I got more than I was expecting over the four days of instructing.

The first night started out as expected: an overview of the class, watched a video, and a general tour of the shop where Darin talked about the different equipment and the many options to consider. All the while, I was thinking...great, just what I need...another activity that requires some "small" investment in equipment.

The second night was spent practicing our rescues: both solo and assisted. Earlier that day, I did a 50+ mile bike ride but managed to get home in time to rest and refuel for that night. Thankfully, the session was in a local pool so there wasn't any cold water or current to contend with. That was for later :-) (save the best for last!). But, it was a little unnerving at first to intentionally capsize one's kayak. I think the first time, my heartbeat was racing faster than it was when I was climbing one of the hills earlier that day on my bike! As the night went on, I got more comfortable each time I got into the water and practiced my rescues.

On the third day, we spent some time out on Lake Union practicing our strokes and bracing. Wow, what a gorgeous day in Seattle! I wore a drysuit for the first time and I thought I was going to pass out from overheating. Well, ok, not really, but it got really warm wearing that suit. I was given a boat (Necky Eliza composite) that was more tippy than what I have used in the past but Jeremy thought I could handle it and I'm always up for a challenge (gulp, I think). The afternoon of our third day was spent looking at charts and getting an overview of how to read them. I really enjoyed that session because it lifted some of the mystery of chart reading and tide tables. I remember looking over the charts when I was up in the Great Bear Rainforest to get a idea of where we were paddling, but glazing over all the other doohickies, numbers, and symbols because it was all alien to me. But, now, I'm just a little bit more educated. What a stellar day...but wait, it was going to get even better!

Today was our final day and we headed out to Bowman Bay in Deception Pass State Park on Fidalgo Island, just south of Anacortes. I used the same boat I used yesterday....eek! I say that because today we were going to Deception Pass to practice 'peeling out' and 'ferrying' in the current to help us get to our destinations. I was still feeling a little shaky when using my edges for turning. I think what screws me up is my cycling because when I go into a turn, I push down on my pedal on the outside leg (and inside edge of my foot) to help me make my turn. In my kayak, I have to 'lift' my outside leg and hip so sometimes I would get a brain fart and press down on my outside foot rest instead of lifting my leg then I end up going the opposite way I want to go (wrong way, Ritchie). Yeah, I'll have to practice that until it's all muscle memory. Anyway, the current at Deception Pass was ebbing at about 5 knots which, to me, looked *fast*. Luckily, I didn't get wet (until the end when I practiced a self rescue in the cold bay) but there were a couple of guys who tipped over several times. At the end of the day, they were still smiling and chatting so I guess the experience for them wasn't all that bad.

OK, can this blog be any longer? One final thing I wanted to write about was the bald eagle we saw diving down for a fish right in front of us. What was spectacular about this was that he had a fish that was too heavy for him to get out of the water. For a few minutes, we watched it flounder on the surface trying to take flight with the fish in its talons. And, though it's part of nature, some of us just couldn't watch the eagle drown. Darin and another paddler headed out towards the eagle and eventually it let go of the fish and flew away. I thought eagles never let go of their catch, but evidentally they can. On the trip, we also saw some dahl porpoises, harbor seals, loons, and cormorants. It was a great trip and the class was awesome. Thanks Darin and Jeremy for the great instructing! Thanks to all the others in the group who made the class fun and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend going to the NWOC for renting boats, instructions, and guided daily or multi-day trips. Here's a link to all the photos - enjoy!

50+ miles - Marymoor to Carnation

Friday was an example of why I left the corporate world to work on a contract basis....the sun was coming out and the weather warming up. So, I cleared my calendar, shut down my computers and headed out at 9:30 am for time in the saddle on my bike OUTDOORS!! And, I think I may have found a road cycling group that I can see myself riding with on a regular basis (well as regular as can be these days since each week is different from the last). I pulled into the parking lot and felt a little intimidated with all the beautiful, late model bikes at the starting point: Colnago, Orbea, Cervelo, Serotta, Pinarello. I think I was the only one with a domestic model (Trek 5200). Yeah, this was a group made up of seasoned riders so I got a few butterflies in my stomach and did a mental check of how I was feeling that morning. I had a pretty good workout that week so I was a little tired but decided to go ahead with the ride...besides it would look so weird at that point to turn around and head out.

Of course, in the end, I'm glad I stayed and rode with the group. Our route for the day was a 50+ miler that started in Marymoor, headed northeast towards Woodinville, on to Duvall, down into a Carnation (a small agriculture community in a valley), and then back into Redmond. The route included some good climbs that were long and steady climbs that maybe maxed out at a 6% grade. Those are my favorite types of hills and why I enjoy cycling so much. I like settling into a steady pace (legs and lungs) where nothing else exists or matters other than maintaining the rhythm and a focus on one goal - to get to the top of the hill because, inevitably, what goes up must come down....whee! It was a great ride but it took longer than I had planned thanks to a lot of mechanical issues (a few people had flats) and an extended stop in Carnation. But, on my bike, I averaged over 16 mph which was great even with the hills. I'm definitely riding again with this group which meets every Friday...not only were they strong cyclists, but they also had some great stories to share which is important to help pass the hours on a bike.

I have my first century planned in June (Flying Wheels Century - 6356.6 ft. of total elevation gain...3 miles of climbing at the END of the ride....sick) but I'm going to try to squeeze one in in May because I am feeling great on my bike! And, I want to do 100 miles and not 100 km. It's just finding one that fits in my schedule (hockey tourney, first aid training, etc.). I may have to recruit my neighbor Jen and do our own 100 miler sometime during the week. Stay tuned.

Skiing? What!? But, it's April 20!

April 20....not Jan 20....not Feb 20, but April 20. Last weekend, I was basking in 80+ degree weather after a great bike ride. This weekend, I was skiing in some fresh pow just 1/2 hour away from Issaquah. Ah, it must be spring in the Pacific Northwest. Usually, by this time of the year, skiing is but a distant memory for me, but, not this year. So, Julie and I decided to take advantage of this freaky weather and headed up to our local hill for some turns. It was one of 2 ski areas in Western Washington that were open this weekend. Mt. Baker was the other ski area that was open but that is a good 2.5 hours north towards the U.S./Canada border just east of Bellingham. We were going to head up to Alpental (the hill I taught at this past winter) but the lots were full so we headed to Summit Central and dabbled around Chair 6 (Silver Fir) and stuck to Hog Wild, Inspiration, Wildcat, and Outback.

The conditions weren't too bad for this late in the year in Washington....or so, we thought. Just as we were cruising down and enjoying the little bit of sun that was starting to peek through the clouds, Mother Nature suddenly sent us a not-so-gentle reminder that it's spring and started pelting us with small bits of hail. Ow! Well, the good news is that I got a free microdermabrasion and can put off that facial appointment for another month or so (haha). So much fun - what a treat to be downhill skiing so late in the season, on fresh pow, and just 1/2 hour away, nonetheless. Next week is supposed to be warmer - I sure hope so because I've got some cycling during the week and then paddling scheduled up around Deception Pass on Whidbey Island. But, last I heard, both Summit Central and Alpental will both be open for the next couple of weekends. And, spring skiing is still going strong north of the border at Whistler-Blackcomb. Maybe there's still a chance for one more run. Who knows...anything's possible this time of year!

Alki Kayak Tours

Spring in the Northwest means the weather can turn on a dime. After an absolutely stunning Saturday where Issaquah got up into the lower 80's, Sunday was a big slap back to reality. The temperature was about 20 degrees cooler and the clouds made their way back to the area and it started to sprinkle in the afternoon. But, that didn't deter our plans for an afternoon paddle.

I joined my friend/fellow ski instructor/belay partner, Kate, who works at Alki Kayak Tours located in West Seattle. The rental shack is located right along Harbor Avenue with a great view of downtown Seattle. We were going to do a sunset tour but the rain and cloud cover nixed that idea. So, we decided to start earlier and paddle around Elliott Bay. Along the way, we were accompanied by a couple of harbor seals and sea lions - we'll see more later on in the season. After a few straight days of cycling, it felt great to use different muscles to motor around and despite the rain, it was fun to dink around and be out on the water. Afterwards, we headed to a tavern down the street for some fish tacos and beer. I forget the name of the tavern but during the summer, it's a biker bar so I imagine that there will be some interesting people watching in the coming months. It was a good way to wrap up the weekend. Plenty of activities - just how I like it.

Critical Mass - Lake Washington style

The Pacific Northwest finally got a dose of spring this past weekend! Whee! That meant it was time for some serious time in the saddle. And, I no longer have ice hockey games on Friday and Saturday night so I can hammer on my rides. Friday, I rode an easy 30+-miler from my home (note to self - must get new cycle computer...ugh). I rode north along Lake Sammamish, through Marymoor Park, and then got on the Sammamish River Trail up to Lake Forest Park which is the northernmost part of Lake Washington. It was time to turn around when Julie called to find out what time happy hour was (LOL). It was a good out-and-back, though, a relatively flat ride (except for the hill back up to my place). Didn't matter - I knew that my ride on Saturday was going to be harder.

Saturday morning, I joined up with the Cascade Cycling Club for their weekly series of rides designed to prep for multi-day bike rides like the STP (Seattle-to-Portland) and the RSVP (Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party) with each ride a little bit longer than the last. I missed the first 3 rides because of snow and hockey tournaments so I joined up on the 4th weekly ride that was going to be 55 miles. This was my first ride this year that was going to be longer than 40 miles so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel. And, I also signed up for the group with the fastest pace (we were going to average 16-18 mph) so I was nervous about keeping up - I *hate* being last. I showed up at 9:00 am at the meeting spot and it's a good thing they broke us up into smaller groups. There were easily 150 people and maybe 50 people in our pace group alone. That is why I named this blog 'Critical Mass' - it reminded me of the last Friday of the month bike rides in SF that would clog up the traffic in the city after work. Actually, we were the antithesis of a critical mass because we had ride leaders and it was organized but we managed to clog up a few of the tighter streets down by the lake, nonetheless.

I had fun despite the ride being in the middle of this crazy urban jungle (thankfully, Seattle is a very bike-friendly town). We rode around Lake Washington with enough hills in the last 20 miles for some billy-goating . Today, it felt easy passing people on the hills....but there were a couple of people who would blast by me on the flats and I'm thinking..."why do you do that when I'm just going to pass your ass again on the next hill" which I did and finally left them behind after the third consecutive hill. I know, it's supposed to be a laid-back ride, but I can't help it :-) Besides, I needed something to occupy my brain for the last hour of our ride. I like to hammer on the hills because I just want to get the pain over and done with quickly! Why gear down (or is it up...I always forget) and drag it out? By the end of our ride, the temperature was up to 75....an absolutely beautiful day for a ride. I finished 56 miles in just under 4 hours and I felt great afterwards. I would've preferred to be away from the city enjoying some mountain and water views....but another time - there's a whole season to look forward to. Instead, I settled for great views of Lake Washington, Mount Rainier to the south, the Cascades to the east, the Olympics to the west, and Mount Adams to the north - not too bad in this urban jungle.

Skate, shoot, score.....or not :-)

I wrapped up my first season in the Seattle Women's Hockey Club with a tournament in Victoria, BC over the first weekend in April. All three teams made it to the tourney: 222's, Mother Puckers (yes, for real), and the Ice Monkeys (my team...don't ask me wtf it means :-) ). Danielle and I left Seattle on Friday at 3:00 anticipating a long, slow, crawl to the border. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find it smooth going and made it to the ferry in Tsawwassen in just over 2.5 hours! I think that was a record for me. And, to top it off, the sun was out and the views were incredible. Was this a good omen and a start of great things to come? Ha!

We had our first game Saturday morning at 9:30 and not too many people were hungover (LOL). I wasn't feeling too bad considering I had a couple of Bree's special concoctions (Cpt Morgan & Cranberry) and the stomach flu or food poisoning earlier in the week. (Sigh...just suck it up, Buttercup.) Well, the other team skated circles around us and I think the final score was 7-0? Our next game was at 3:30 and so Sung and I headed out to Ferris' Grill and Oyster Bar for some lunch. Really good food and what made it so special were all the pictures of pugs on the walls. Every year they host a big ole pug party so stay tuned for Daisy all decked out for the big event.

OK, so I digress. Meanwhile, back at the rink....at 3:30, the second game wasn't much different from the first. The other team gave us a good thumping but we were happy that we were more aggressive than in the morning (helps to have eaten and time to shake out the cobwebs from the night before). The teams, all from different parts of Vancouver Island, were definitely better skilled and faster (and, younger....LOL). The 3:30 game should've been my last game for the day, but it turned out that the 222's lost one of their people on defense to an injury so they were down to 9 and they had a game at 6:30. So, four of us from the Ice Monkeys sub'ed and I actually played Wing instead of D. This is the funny part - our line was made up of: Buttercup, Darling, and Choi. Haha...the Powerpuff Line! Well, Powerpuff line scored....I scored a scrappy goal in front of the net. We ended up losing 5-3, I think, but we won the second period (sportsmanship rules....# of goals - penalties = point for the team) with my goal and it was one of the closer games for any of the SWHC teams.

Our last game was Sunday morning and after 3 pretty physical games on Saturday, (my shoulders and back were sore from all the work I had to do in front of the net) too much alcohol, and not enough sleep, well, it was time to dig down deep. We lost but managed a goal and it wasn't a 'gimme!' All in all, it was a good time...always something new to learn and everyone skated hard. I had fun skating with the SWHC because of the coaching and the weekly practices. Now, I've got a few weeks off before I start up with a co-ed league. The SWHC doesn't have a summer season and the Friday night league moves to Monday night but I think I want to check out another league and will skate just 1/2 of the season given all the fun outdoor things I hope to do once it gets warm and, hopefully, some guiding work that comes our way. Thanks to Steve and Skip for devoting their time and energy to our club and for all their superb coaching and great feedback. And, thanks to the ladies and their husbands/partners/boyfriends for the ongoing entertainment over the weekend (and season). My stomach still hurts from all the laughing. Oh, and....GO SHARKS!!