Great Bear Rainforest - Have you booked your trip, yet?

(Map courtesy of New York Times, 2006. Click on image for larger version.)
With all the balmy weather we've been having recently, I can't help but think of the all the fun activities coming up this spring and summer. Among them is spending time paddling in a sea kayak and exploring as a certified assistant sea kayak guide. I will be going through 6-days of training in early May along the coast of Vancouver Island and I'm really looking forward to the experience. More details to follow, but from it, I will have the necessary skills for helping out on the trips through the Great Bear Rainforest.

This year, Tantalus Adventures has 2 trips scheduled for the latter part of summer:

August 28 - September 4, 2009
September 4 - 11. 2009

The trip begins with a ferry ride from Prince Rupert, British Columbia to Hartley Bay, a Gitga'at First Nation community that has made the Great Bear Rainforest their home for centuries. From there, we will explore the coast and protected inlets by sea kayak while enjoying the wildlife of the area, including whales, bald eagles, grizzly bears, coastal wolves, and the legendary white Kermode bear ("spirit bear"). You have to experience this region at least once in your lifetime and see why National Geographic Adventure has it listed as one of their top destinations. And, let me remind you, my friends on the States-side, the dollar is working to your benefit with the exchange rate currently at $1 CAD ~ $0.80 USD....so, that's 20% off the listed price at the moment!! All food, equipment, and ferry travel between Prince Rupert and Hartley Bay are included in the price.

Go here for all of my previous posts on the Great Bear Rainforest. For more information, please visit Tantalus Adventures or Adventure Contact and we hope you can join us on this unique and very special journey. If these dates don't work for you, please contact us about custom trips.

Other helpful Great Bear Rainforest links:

Pacific Wild
Raincoast Conservation Foundation

9th Annual Port Angeles Sea Kayak Symposium (April 17 - 19, 2009)

Thinking about getting a new kayak, gear, or accessories? Sea kayak symposiums are great to attend because you get to demo all the new gear, sign up for clinics to improve your skills, and, more importantly, be around other paddling enthusiasts who are just as excited as you are about heading out on the water.

The 9th Annual Port Angeles Sea Kayak Symposium is scheduled for April 17 - 19, 2009. What makes this symposium extra special is that my friend, Norm Hann, owner of Tantalus Adventures, is one of the keynote speakers for the event. He is scheduled to present on Friday, April 17 beginning at 7:00 pm at the Red Lion Hotel. Norm's presentation will be on a topic that he is incredibly passionate about: the Great Bear Rainforest. Norm has spent 8 seasons in the area as a professional guide, and at the Gitga'at First Nation community in Hartley Bay. So, you can imagine, the incredible pictures and personal stories he has to share.

Access to the symposium on Hollywood Beach is free, though, they are asking for a $5 donation. It's a great opportunity for anyone interested in sea kayaking and it is in one of the most scenic cities on the Olympic Peninsula. You can visit the Olympic Raft & Kayak site for more information. Hope to see you there!

If You Like Climbing - Road Bike Route, San Mateo County, CA

(Picture source: Michael Maloney/SF Chronicle)

Day 2 of the Amgen Tour of California was a 117+ mile route from Sausalito, across the GG bridge (they closed it down for the tour...wow), and down to Santa Cruz. Parts of this route I can do with my eyes closed. It was great to watch them do the climb out of Sausalito at the start. It was basically a warm-up with the race actually starting on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge to avoid any mishaps on the bridge. Yeah, of course they made it look so easy...while, for me in the past it was always my last hill at the end of a day of riding so my form (and mindset) was the complete opposite (LOL). For the ride across the bridge, the riders had to stick to one lane to avoid the built-in grates that keeps the bridge flexible, so, racing would be too dicey.

(Picture source: Getty images)
Anyway, I enjoyed watching the riders on one of my all-time favorite routes. If you like climbing, this is the ride for you to test your legs and your lungs. This route starts in Burlingame, up to Canada Road, out to Pescadero on the coast, and then back. On the way out to the coast, you have a Cat 3 climb (Old La Honda) and then on the way back, you have a Cat 2 climb (Tunitas Creek). Total ride is 85 miles, and 9500' of climbing. Climbing is really one of the best things of this route because of the dense redwoods and during the summer, the trees keep these areas shaded and cool. Also, traffic on both climbs is low to non-existent so it's all about you, your breathing, your legs, and your bike (and maybe some heckling from your cycling friends on a bad day...LOL). The best thing is that In-N-Out Burger is at the end of the ride and my reward would be one of their fabulous chocolate shakes. Route sheet courtesy of Velogirls.

I Wish I Were On My Bike

(Picture source: Getty images)
That was my plan for today, but I caught an edge and went crashing into the boards at my last ice hockey game. Instead of enjoying a 55-mile route up into the country roads, I spent it icing my knee, downing ibuprofen, and being a spectator on my couch. Argh...I hate being injured. Anyway, today was Day 1 of the Amgen Tour of California which was a 107+ mile bike ride from Davis to Santa Rosa, CA. Originally, I had plans to follow that tour in an RV because a lot of the big names were returning to pro-racing including Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis, Ivan Basso, and, oh, whats-his-name...Lance. But, I decided another trip to the islands seemed a bit more appealing. And, after watching today's race, I think I made the right call....it was pouring down rain ala Pac NW style! It was great to watch part of the route on TV anyway - it was a route I was familiar with though, when I rode it, there's a ton of cars and trucks zipping by at 45 mph while I hung on to my bike on an almost non-existent shoulder. These guys had the entire road to themselves...wussies :-) It was interesting to watch Lance in a domestique role supporting local Santa Rosa boy and two-time Tour of Cal winner, Levi Leipheimer. My personal enounter with Levi was on one of my many bike rides with my BFF, Kirsten, in Sonoma county. We were riding along and noticed a Vespa coming towards us with a cyclist behind it. It was Levi - that is how he trains...his wife paces him on her Vespa scooter. How cool is that?! (Sigh). Anyway, today, Lance didn't win, however, he led the 1st chase group into Santa Rosa and helped put Team Astana into the 1st overall team standing. And, as the cameras zoomed in on him at the finish line, there was Basso's familar face (neon green - Team Liquigas) right behind him. Day 2 will be from Sausalito, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and into Santa Cruz....oh yeah! I can do that route in my sleep! It's going to include one of my favorite routes- a 10-mile climb from Pescadero on to Skyline (via Tunitas Creek) and then back up Old La Honda (3+ mile climb) into San Gregario!!! Why am I not there??

(Picture source: Getty images)

Well, I might get a chance to ride those routes this summer if things work out (fingers crossed). More details to follow once I go through the interview process with a cycling touring company which includes a 60+-mile bike ride, some mechanic time (yes, I can change a flat), and then dinner with some mock group dynamic scenarious. Out of 400+ applicants, I am one of the 30 finalists. Then, from that, 10 will be selected for the summer. I won't disclose anymore until I go through the next process but the fact that I was even selected as one of the finalists is pretty darn exciting (thanks *so much* to Norm for helping me make a case out of nothing!!). This is an interview process like no other I've been at...my power suit will be comprised of lycra, padding, and chamois butter (LOL). I'm just so fascinated by the process...so unlike anything I've done before!

Finally, I'm ready to publicly post my first double-century (200 miles). I know...after all these years of cycling, I haven't done a DC. I've got a lot of moving pieces going on this summer (so exciting and all to be announced as things fall in to place) but, if it all works out, I hope to fit in the Seattle-to-Portland (STP) ride in one day. It's the only way I'll sign up for that ride...tens of thousands of riders (ugh)....and I can keep my sanity (and my love of cycling) if I stay ahead of the humungous crowd. So, the only way to do that is to finish it in one day. I think my biggest challenge will be fighting boredom on the second half of the ride. Flat, boring, head-winds...until I get into Portland and then get re-motivated by thoughts of downing some local microbrew or glasses (hell, bottle) of a scrumptious Pinot Noir from a local Willamette Valley winery. Then, heading to the Oregon coast the following day(s) for some R&R. More details to follow....but, those are my thoughts as I ice my knee and watch those cycling dudes make their way to Santa Rosa (home of Charles Schulz, Peanuts....and his infamous ice hockey league). C'mon knee...get better 'cause we have some mileage to cover. It's going to be an amazing summer!

Recap: Ice Time with a Bronze Medalist

I'm still grinning from my session the other night with former Olympian, Kelly (Stephens) Tysland: Bronze medalist on the 2006 USA Women's Ice Hockey team. The Seattle Women's Hockey Club is made up of women skaters of every ability from seasoned players who've been skating for more than 10 years, to first-year novices. So, you can imagine the challenge of putting together a clinic that would be for everyone's benefit. But, Kelly managed to do that. For one special hour, we focused on the basic elements of hockey including skating (using the inside, and dreaded outside edges), passing, and shooting. It's been a while since I've done a lot of these basic drills - not since my beginner days and morning skate sessions with Andre Lacroix (former NHL and WHA player) who developed one of the most successful in-house adult hockey leagues in the Bay Area at Oakland Ice with more than 800 players, 55 teams, and 8 sub-divisions. In the end, it was one of the most fulfilling sessions I've had in a while. Anyway, here are some tips that Kelly covered in practice for the puck-mongers out there. During warm-ups, I'll be loosening up my skates and embracing my outer edges after so many years of neglect (LOL).

Skating:
1. Know your edges: try loosening or taking the lace out of your skates top one or two eyelets for 5 min on ice to feel your blade versus your boots-
2. Keep your knees bent, chest up, and your head is the first thing that needs to turn to move your body
3. Turning keep that inside shoulder up, and lower your bottom hand to keep puck closer to your body
4. When turning on your forehand, don't crisscross your hands, instead just drop your top hand to your hip.

Passing:
1. Cushion the puck when receiving a pass
2. Keep your stick on the ice to give the passer a target
3. Bring the puck behind your body before you pass, so you use your body not just your arms
4. Roll your wrists over to follow through for every pass

Shooting:
1. Aim at SMALL targets
2. Shoot to score, not to just shoot
3. Lower your bottom hand and grip tightly for the shot
4. Rotate stick slightly to close the blade of your stick so it isn’t open when you shoot.
5. Bring the puck behind and across your body when you shoot, to use your body not just your arms
6. Try to glance at the net once before you shoot

Positions:
1. Communicate!!!! Let teammates know what your doing
2. Wingers don't get caught in the corners in the D-zone, and get on the hashmarks along the boards on breakouts
3. Centers you are the 3rd defense in the D-zone
4. Defense, always keep one D in front of the net
5. Offensively, you have forwards and defense, no wingers, centers etc.
Forward 1- Attack (go get that puck!!)
Forward 2- Support (a few feet from Forward 1 who's going after the puck)
Forward 3- High (at top of circles)

Ice Time with an Olympic Bronze Medalist

Late night practices with the SWHC...they're the worst and the best. The hardest part is getting motivated so late at night to drive 30-45 minutes away to a **it-hole of a rink knowing that I won't get home until 12:30 am and, then, finally falling asleep by 2:00 am because I'm so wired. Ah, but once I get on the ice and start my warm-up laps, the rink smell and the sound of my blades on the ice relax me and then all the thoughts and pressures from the day dissipate and things heavy on the mind become trivial. I heart hockey! It was great to have Coach Skip out on the ice with us during our scrimmage at the end because he skates around and waits for us to get open and then dishes us some great passes. Since I've been playing center a lot this season, I've been working really hard on breakouts so all night he would look and pass the puck to me once I got into an open spot. At the end, his passes would literally knock me over on my ass just because my legs were wasted and there was nothing left in the tank.

I can't wait for the next practice. This coming Wednesday, we have a very special guest coach - Kelly Tysland. Kelly grew up in the Seattle area then moved up to Canada to focus on her hockey career. She went on to the University of Minnesota where they won two National Championships and then was a member of the Bronze-winning 2006 USA Women's Olympic Ice Hockey team. I don't know what to expect other than a lot of skating, a lot of puck handling, maybe a water break or two, and a decent ice time (8:00 pm - yay!) at the rink that's only 15 minutes away (double-yay)! Hope my gear dries out in time (pee-yeeew!)

Crystal Mountain Snowshoe & Fondue Experience

This is one of the post-season activities that we're thinking of for the Seattle Women's Hockey Club. A 2-1/2 hour snow-shoe tour in Crystal's south backcountry (via Lower and Upper Henskin Lake) with a stop at the Leaning Tree lounge. After that, we head back to the lodge for a well-earned fondue dinner....mmmm. I'll just skip right to the chocolate fondue dessert, thank you very much. Scheduled tours run on Friday and Saturday starting at 3:15 pm with dinner starting around 6:30 pm. Special tours for 10+ people can be arranged, or you can ask about trips midweek.

Anyway, just another snow activity option to consider since the skiing is, pretty much, lame this season. You can check out the details on Crystal Mountain's site.

The Burpees Club (This one's for you, Amy!)

I'm taking a temporary hiatus from working out with Casey. But without him there to seriously kick my ass, I had to find someone to help me not make my workout so mundane and so I avoid looking like the people I see at the gym who mindlessly go through the same things while vacuously staring into space or the monitor in front of them (or text messaging!). No, I had to find a way to motivate and continue the crazy, sweat sessions and those lung-busting moments that I enjoyed with Casey (and with Joel).

So, heeeere's Amy! Actually, it was her idea to start working out together in the mornings since we're both temporarily broken up with Casey. And, it's been a heck of a lot of fun, though, she might give you different take - especially after this week's workouts where I've built in lot of explosive exercises (think squat jumps, and a bench or platform). Amy will thank me later when she's consistently blasting past the defenders and scoring on breakouts in her soccer games. I consider the session the other day successful because towards the end, she turned to me and said, "I'm going to punch you in the neck" which she said frequently to Casey. We've named our sessions The Burpees Club because burpees are our absolute favorite. We spice it up by adding a bosu ball to the mix (and this is when the 'punch you' comments start to fly...LOL). Can't wait for the next session, Amy! Bring on those smarmy comments - then I know you're breathing :-) My next surprise for you is a bear crawl (up and down the length of the racquetball courts) with an added push-up bonus. Think Spiderman - whee!