Three-peat Complete

Congratulations, ACME Skating Co. (beep beep)! Division champions for the third year in a row at the annual Everett Ravens "Fools on Ice" Womens Ice Hockey Tournament. Oh, and despite the images, this was a *Spring* tournament, but you have the admit the jack-o-lantern tape work on Tamara was apropos (see below). Quick recap of how we got there:

Friday night: Faced off against a local team made up of girls who were considerably younger than us! Haha....but, the group of "girls" were a tenacious bunch and certainly made us more "mature" women work for our win. First, we were off to a shaky start. I missed about 7 minutes of the first period because of the ridiculous traffic on I-5....grrrr. But, that was fine because I knew that we had a full roster and that Patrick would adjust the lines accordingly until I got on the ice (I was one of nine forwards). However, I showed up at the door and saw Karen in the net. Um, what's wrong with this picture is that Karen is one of our regular defense players - yeah, NO GOALIE!! Goalie, Tamara, was stuck in the same traffic I was in and she actually missed the entire first period. Kudos to Karen for her 1st period shutout. Thankfully, Karen was a goalie before so she played it as well as she could. Not our best game because: a) of the shaky start, and; b) getting used to playing with other people we don't regularly play with. But, we managed to squeeze out a victory (2-1).

Saturday am: Our next game in the morning was against the Everett Ravens. Patrick shuffled the lines a little bit and I got the honor of playing with two players I admire and have the utmost respect for: Mel and Sharon. They both have excellent technical skills, but are also smart players and we got some great cycling and passing going. Our line may not have been the highest scoring line, but we were strong when it came to puck possession and I got to work on some of my own personal goals which is more patience with the puck and smarter passes. And, more give and go's. It was a much better game than the previous night and even though we dominated the game and were outshooting the Ravens 2-1, it was close for the first two periods. Final score was 7-2.

Saturday pm: Game was against the Utah Ice Vixens - a team we've never played before. Yeah, it was a rude awakening because they were *much* more physical than the previous two teams we played. And, because of the contact, there were a lot of penalties as well. I've managed to stay out of the sin-bin for a long time...uh, oh....did I just jinx myself for the next tournament? We had a lot of penalty kills and had to reshuffle lines on the fly. But, Patrick was an amazing coach and got us to stay focused on the game despite the awful calls (er, non-calls) by the refs. Final score - 2-1...buh, bye Utah.

Sunday am: Final championship round. We were facing the same team (Phoenix) that we played Friday night. But, before that, we watched a bunch of our SWHC teammates who were playing on another team go through a shoot-out in their championship round for their division. Nerve-racking but they won 1-0 in the shoot-out. Way to go "Pick Up Sticks!!" Just watching that game did nothing for me but add more pre-game jitters. I wished there was a spin bike at that rink because I could've used a few minutes to do a full-on sprint to shake off my anxiety. I should've borrowed Tamara's jump rope. Finally, we got on the ice but it was more like a pond (an unfrozen one)....like they took out the firehouse and flooded the rink in between games! So, the first part of the game was a lot of dump and chase until all those puddles disappeared. The Phoenix "girls" came out a lot more physical than our game on Friday. But, then again, they weren't exactly strong on their skates either and fell over pretty easily. Or, maybe that was how they were going to break up our play...by crashing into us or in front of us? That's how it felt anyway. Once again, bad ref'ing...in fact, it was downright awful. And, we had to kill off a lot of penalties...one time Phoenix had a 2-man advantage for 2 minutes...but we emphatically shut that down. It wasn't our best game, but we made it up with our tenacity despite the "tournament legs" that were starting to set in. We pulled ahead 2-1 with about 10 minutes left in the game and that was our final score. Congratulations, ladies!! And, a huge 'thanks' to Patrick for coaching us to another victory. Three-peat is sweet.

Going For a Three-peat

Another winter season of ice hockey coming to a close. It's always bittersweet: on the one hand, I'm happy to open up my schedule for other activities, but; on the other, skating with the Fries has been soooo much fun with very little (if any) conflicts which is a big feat for any team. And, skating with my co-ed team, the Isotopes, was a great (and exhausting) experience as well. So now, I have tournaments galore to look forward to! This coming weekend is the annual Everett Ravens "Fools on Ice" tourney and the team I'm on (non-SWHC) is going for a three-peat as champions in their division. Here's the link for a recap of last year's tourney where we won in overtime. I'm looking forward to skating with this group - many of whom I've skated and faced-off against all season. I'm also looking forward to having Sharon's husband, Patrick, as our coach - he is one of the best coaches I've ever had. Great presence on the bench - he has this quiet sort of intensity and is so focused on the game. I remember him giving excellent feedback shift after shift and motivating everyone to skate 110%, no wait, 150% each time they were on the ice. The make-up of the team has a lot to do with it as well....I must say, this is a group of highly competitive individuals. All makes for a perfect storm as we play to defend our title. Finally, no midnight ice time!!! Yay! Our first game tonight is at 6:15 - now, that's what I'm talking about. Good luck Acme Skating Co. (beep, beep)!! Now, let's go kick some Portland Phoenix ass.

Do Not Be Fooled By This Face

This is Amy. She's my morning workout partner. She looks all sweet and angelic but I'm convinced that she's of the opposite nature....I shall call her "Luci" from this point on. Ever since our snow day at Stevens last Sunday (where this picture was taken), I've done nothing but endured sighs, expletives (both vocal and silent), single-finger salutes, and constant whining about the exercises I "force" her to go through in the mornings. Well, girlfriend, it ain't no tea party (complete with burnt toast :-)). If I wanted that, I would've joined Curves (LOL) or just bought a Wii Fit. No, we've got goals. We both participate in team sports and don't want to let our teammates down (me-hockey, she-soccer). We also have some endurance goals set up for this summer. Besides, we've built up a reputation in the gym, now, with our commitment to our workouts, the level of intensity...all the while maintaining a huge "fun" factor because we all know that the biggest motivator breaker is when the sessions become a chore.

I've yet to meet her husband, Lee. I'm beginning to see why....he must love the "quiet" time when she's out of the house (LOL). So, message to you, Amy...quit your f'ing whining and see your ass early in the gym tomorrow. More jumps, more squats, more push-ups, more skates, more pull-ups. Otherwise, I shall heave that 15-lb. medicine ball (always driving primarily from my legs) in your direction to knock some sense back in your noggin'.

Signed,
Your loving Burpees Partner

Stevens Pass: Epic Day w/ the Fries

What's the best way to drown your sorrows over losing a hockey game that we should've won? Head up to the mountains for some fun time in some fresh pow pow. Last night in the locker room, a group of us (Joemarie, Marie, Erin, and "Top Shelf" April) decided to head to Stevens Pass off of highway 2. As tired as I was this morning, I am SO GLAD that I joined them because: a) there was almost 2 feet of fresh snow to play in, and; b) it was nice to ski with other people who drool like I do when there is so much fresh snow and who think of lunch as an inconvenience but a necessary *quick* stop to refuel. Today made up for the last two, seriously disappointing days where I ended up skiing solo since the others I was with preferred happy hour(s) over happy snow. Oh well....to each their own and that's fine.

We were on the slopes by 9:15 and headed to the back side (Mill Valley) where we could take advantage of all the new snow. Well, here is where I earned a new nickname. I wear a C on my jersey because I thought it was to remind me that I am Captain of the team and that I play Center position. Well, it's also because my new nickname is Crash. Our first run in the the deep stuff was not pretty and one by one we face planted into the fresh pow as we hadn't adjusted accordingly and were all leaning too far forward. Oh, what fun! Came back later and showed that run who was boss...woot! Later, we played a lot on Orion and other runs off of the Jupiter chair. My face hurt but not from the snow blasting my face, but from smiling and laughing so much! Before lunch, we decided to head into the trees off of Outer Limit - here is where I really earned my Crash credentials as I proceeded to do, not one, but, TWO yard sales down a narrow chute in the trees. Famous last words from Erin - "Oh, it's not too narrow"....uh, yeah...for a snowboarder! When I panicked, I tried to get my skis perpindicular to the run to slow down but the problem was there was no room to do that and my tips touched either side of the walls and nothing under the middle part of my skis. Yeah - disaster. After tumbling head over skis, I had to dig out my goggles, hat, both poles, and one ski....it was one heckuva yard sale, I must say. I never do things half-ass :-)) I finally showed up at the bottom of the run covered in snow and beaming! Marie commented that she hadn't seen me smile and laugh as much as I did today. Yeah, I was in heaven.

After lunch, we headed over to Big Chief and found some sweet pow over on Lower Diamond and that is where we stayed the rest of the day. The three of us (Erin, Marie and I) had headed over to Skyline to try and find Joemarie and April, but it was complete mayhem and we hightailed it out of there and back to Big Chief where we, literally, had Lower Diamond all to ourselves. These are the days skiers and boarders dream about and I'm so glad I didn't pass it by. The snow came down hard all day. Now, I've got to find some energy for my legs for a hockey game in an hour - it's my co-ed game so I'll just let the guys skate (tee hee). I'll just take my shift to give one of the wingers a breather.

Thank you Erin, Marie, Joemarie, and April for an epic, craaaazy, fun day and I'm glad I provided you with some gut-busting laughs (see, I don't limit my entertainment to just the ice rink). I was soaked underneath from my wipeouts - got home and wrung out my underwear (LOL). I promise to get a helmet so it's not so unnerving for me when I go through the trees.

Oh, and great team effort in getting the car out of the lot after the snowplow barricaded us in our spot. See you at practice or at our next game - Captain Crash.

Can't wait to get back to da island (Kauai)

Hanalei Sunset

Hanakapai Falls

Na Pali Coastline

Kalalau Lookout from Koke'e

My little friend on the Hanakapai Trail

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!

Crunch time with MAG

Crusty, crunchy snow, that is. And, MAG stands for Marie's Adventure Group. I had to escape the cold, fog that has settled in over the Puget Sound region and if I wasn't on the next plane to a tropical destination, the second best option was to head up and get above the cloud bank. So, I replied to Marie's mass email blast for some snowshoe fun up at Snoqualmie Pass. Marie is one of my teammates from one of the hockey leagues that I play in Seattle. At the Issaquah park and ride lot, I met up with her and five other shoe'ers (I apologize in advance for any misspellings :-)): Josh, Gary, Jean, Sharon, and Katie.

Then, we headed east on I-90 to Summit East, aka Hyak. For the non-Puget Sound residents, Hyak made the news recently when a huge rainstorm caused a massive mudslide which took out 3 towers of one of their chairs (Keechelus) and damaged some vacation houses located towards the base of the hill. The downhill ski area is now closed for the season as you can see in the pictures I took, but the nordic trails remain open on the weekends for the season. From the lodge, you either ski up or hop on a shuttle to the Silver Fir Express chair for an easy ride to the top.

We chose the latter and it was also my chance to ride the newly, opened Silver Fir Quad. Back in the day, that area to the east of Summit Central was a little known stash of some fun runs through the trees....but through the years the word got out and now it's a quad :-( Oh well...today, I was happy to be on snowshoes and not on my skis. It's been a very disappointing year for skiing. Since the first part of this new year, we've had rain up in the passes, and then nothing since and today is Jan. 19!! I looked over some of my favorite runs and saw a lot of exposed trees, rocks, and a lot of ice. I still have to bring my skis in for repair after Blackcomb shredded the bottom over New Year's.

At the top, we hooked up with the nordic trail system and meandered starting first with the Rockdale Loop. I've forgotten the names of the other trails because I too busy trying to stay up with Josh when we jogged or sprinted on some parts of the trail (the uphills were especially fun...love hills even off the bike!). Afterwards, we returned to Issaquah and headed to Issaquah Brew House for a round of their home brews (we tasted everything from chocolate porters, hazelnut ales, and 'Dead Guy' ales) and some good grub.

It was a cold, blustery day, but the sun came out at the top, the clouds parted for a while, and good times added to the warmth. It was great meeting you all and I look forward to more outdoor fun.

Northern Elephant Seals - Año Nuevo State Reserve, CA

For about five years in a row, I kicked off the new year with a visit to the Año Nuevo State Natural Reserve located just south of Half Moon Bay, CA (about 55 miles south of San Francisco). Año Nuevo means 'New Year' in Spanish and the state reserve is also the location of the largest mainland breeding colony of Northern Elephant Seals in the world. They typically haul out on islands located far off the mainland. About this time of the year is the peak season for birthing and breeding and it's an incredible sight to witness live. I would go several times - first, in December to watch the males come in and stake out their territory. I've seen some incredible battles between males that are about 14-16 feet long and can weigh up to 2.5 tons! Actually, the best battle I saw was down in San Simeon, which is just down the road from the Hearst Castle on the California central coast. I went down there with family and actually told them to take the tour of the castle (I seriously couldn't be bothered, anyway) while I watched the behemoths battle it out for over an hour. Exhausted and bloodied, one bull finally headed back out to the water and went to find a spot further down the beach (awww...I always root for the underdog).

At the end of December, the females (much smaller in size averaging 10-12 feet in length and weighing about 1,000 - 2,000 lbs) start to show up and haul out on shore to form harems and give birth. This peaks at around end of January. I would time my second visit of the season around or soon after the new year to check out this process. Then, typically, through the end of March, the females are nursing their young then mating with the dominant bull in their harem. Finally, the adults head back out to sea leaving the young weaners to fend for themselves and learn to swim. And, this is when I schedule another visit to gawk at the weaners who have grown and gained so much weight in a very short amount of time. Most will stay until the end of April before heading out to feed along the coasts of northern Washington and British Columbia. They will return to Año Nuevo to molt (shed all their hair and skin) during the spring and summer months.

It's an amazing sight to see and hear in person. The bulls' sounds are deep and guttural to match their immense size. So many pups are crushed by males who continue to fight off other harem-less males (again, awwwww) who try to poach on the females lying on the outer part of their harem. At the Marine Mammal Center, located further north in Sausalito in the Marin Headlands, I used to be a docent and I would stand next to a life-size statue of a fully-sized Northern Elephant Seal bull. Yeah, you don't want to be in his way when he decides to charge. And, don't be fooled by their size because they can move extremely fast on land. For this reason, you can only visit the reserve during breeding season on scheduled tours with a docent. Tickets do sell out fast so purchase them in advance. It really is worth it and an excursion that the entire family would enjoy.